A Christmas Wedding

Last night I attended the wedding of Ron & Cheryl Barber at the Grand Rapids Central Church. It is amazing to me the series of providential leadings that led this couple together. Two years ago I moved from Kalamazoo to Taylor, Michigan, to begin leading a group of ARISE graudate Bible Workers. One of these, Rodney McCallum, (the gentleman on the left) is from Australia and had decided to come to ARISE after learning about it from a young lady he met while on a mission trip to Africa. So from Kalamazoo and far-away Australia, we both arrived in Taylor at the same time and began doing Bible work.

One day Rodney and I decided to follow up on the names of Amazing Facts Bible School graduates in our area. That was how we knocked on Ron Barber’s door. After a short visit, we realized God had been working in the heart of this ex-Jehovah’s Witness. He was eager to take Bible studies! A few months later Ron was baptized into the local Adventist church and began doing lay Bible Work right along side us. Within months, he was seeing others baptized as a result of his Bible studies!

This summer, at the last minute, he decided to join the rest of us Bible Workers at the Michigan camp meeting. This is where he met Cheryl Davis and they began a friendship. A few weeks ago he graduated from the ARISE program, and now he and Cheryl are beginning a new life of ministry together. In a few weeks they move to Vassar, Michigan, to do Bible Work in that community.

I’m just amazed as I see how God led Rodney and I to Taylor ... to knock on Ron’s door ... to see him baptized and become a soul-winner ... to see how God led him to a soul-mate who could be his partner in ministry ... and then to a new job as a paid Bible Worker. Don’t we serve an amazing God! Just seeing their joy last night was a Christmas gift in itself!!