Nathan Goes To Africa

I am so excited to be able to announce January 30,2012,is when I am heading to South Africa.  After getting counsel from my pastor and advice from 2 men from my mission board, I know this is the decision God wants me to make.  I ask that you continue to pray for me as I visit churches raising the rest of my support.  I thank you all very much for your encouragement and all of the prayers.  Never quit because life IS for service!

First, I want to apologize if you had tried emailing me the last couple weeks.  My email had been down, but it is working now thankfully.

Today, I was approached by a man I hadn’t seen in years.  It was pretty neat catching up; he then said something that really struck me.  I don’t know how he had gotten my prayer card, but he had been praying for me everyday and also had his church praying for me.  It was such a blessing to me; I nearly started crying while I was talking.  He expressed how much he loved my family and myself.   

I once again realized so many people are watching us everyday.  A lot of them we know and talk to, but there are some who watch us from a distance.  We need to live our lives to His honor and glory, no matter what others may think.  We can be a blessing or hindrance to so many.  I know I want to be a blessing.

I was visiting a church in West Virginia recently.  Right before the service started, a lady walked in and stood right beside me just staring at me.  She plopped into the seat beside me, extended her hand and asked if I was a Davis.  Confused, I looked at her and said yes maam I am.  During the first song, she told me that my dad was her buddy.  Thinking I heard her wrong, I said ,Who,Frank?” (He is my grandfather.?  She said, “No your dad, Randy.”  She smiled at me and I couldn’t wait to talk to her after the service. 

As soon as the final prayer was finished, I began talking to this lady.  Her name is Dimple.  She began telling me that she became friends with my grandparents way back when they were in Bible college.  She also knew my dad and had helped him learn many Bible verses growing up.  She told me I looked just like my dad, and that’s how she knew I was a Davis.

 When I was driving home the next day, all I could think about was what Dimple said.  Not ever meeting me before, she could tell I was a Davis just by looking at me.  This really began to convict me.  As a Christian, I should be Christ-like.  I should fashion my life after Christ’s in every aspect.  Would someone at the store or in the mall be able to tell I am a Christian by the way I talk, act, dress, etc.?  I hope they could.  I do not want people to be surprised to hear I am a Christian.

This past week my home church had its annual missions conference.  This always brings back great memories because seven years ago during the conference, I surrendered my life to be a missionary.  Two months before that conference, I had begun praying that God would make His will so clear to me that I couldn’t miss it.  It was amazing seeing how the Lord worked all through the week.  I have always told people other than when I got saved, surrendering my life to the mission field was the best decision of my life.  If there is anyone that feels God calling them to do anything,whatever it may be, do it!  As my youth pastor always said, I have never met anyone who has regretted serving the Lord.

I was able to speak at Lewis Memorial Baptist Church in Huntington,WV,on Sunday evening.  When I was heading there,my car broke down right before I turned into the church. I was able to coast into the parking lot but had no idea what had just happened to my car. Anyone that knows me knows I don’t have a mechanic bone in my body.I walk in the church,set up my display and get ready for prepared for speaking that night. I was able to talk to the pastor before the service and mentioned what had happened to my car. Also the family I was staying with looked for someone to help fix my car.

God truly blessed the service that evening. They took me on for support right after the service which you don’t see very often at all. Afterwards,the people were so friendly and encouraging. I am very thankful to have been able to spend time with them.

Well,they had found someone to look at my car. Monday morning he called and said it was just a belt that had broken,but…there were a few things that needed to be taken care of before it would be safe to drive. It was going to be at least $600-800. It had to get done so he bgean fixing my car. On our way to getting my car back Tuesday evening,I asked my friend how much it cost. What he said I’ll never forget. He said it didn’t cost me a dime! Hallelujah! I still don’t know who took care of it and probably never will,but I am so thankful for how God provides. I was able to come home Wednesday and got to see snow the whole way home.  God is good!!!

Last Wednesday, December 8, my grandfather,Keith Miller, went to be with the Lord. I had asked in my prayer letters for people to pray for him the last year or so. I want to thank all of you who had been praying for him. This weekend my mom and I went up to West Virginia for the funeral. It was amazing to hear all the stories about him that I had never heard before. Above all,the greatest thing I heard,other than knowing he is in heaven,was how great of a soul winner he was. He loved working with kids at his church and was a man who could make anybody smile. I was always a “silly goose”. I got a lot of my love for sports from him,as well as from my dad. I just wanted to write how much I loved him,and how great it is to know I will see him again one day in heaven. I love you papa!! Thank you for everything you did for me!!

This week at my home church, South Haven Baptist Church, we celebrated our 24th anniversary.  It was amazing to look back on the last 24 years and see how much the Lord has blessed our ministry.  We had special things going on each day of the week: taking the bus kids skating, open air meetings, nursing home meetings, and much more.  You can always tell when you are doing something for God by if Satan starts attacking you.  This week, no matter how much Satan attacked, we were able to see hundreds of people come to know Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour. 

Satan will always try to stop us whenever we want to do what’s right. Thankfully James 4:7 says, “Submit yourselves therefore to God.  Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

A couple weeks ago, I was able to stop by and visit Faith Gospel Church for a Sunday morning service.  This church had supported my grandparents for many years. My grandparents went with me to visit and were able to talk to the pastor before the service started. Well, the pastor asked me to come up and give a testimony.  Well, I got an email from the pastor a few days ago, and he told me the church voted to take me on for support.  It is amazing to see how God works in so many ways.  I serve a great God!

I just got home from a good weekend in Missouri.  I was able to present my ministry and preach at Prairie Flower Bible Church in Webb City,MO, this past Sunday night.  I thank you for your prayers for me.  It was an 18 hour drive round trip. Thankfully, it was an easy drive, and I made it safely with no difficulty.   Last week, I was able to visit a church in Virginia and next week I will be heading to wild, wonderful West Virginia for 5 days.  I will be visiting churches and talking with pastors all week.  Continue to pray my support comes in and I can get to South Africa quickly!

The other day in Sunday school I saw this verse underlined in my Bible, and it has stuck in my head.  A lot of times in life we wonder how we can “get ahead” or how to prosper.  II Chronicles 26:5b tells us how.  “As long as he sought the Lord, God made him to prosper.”  It seems pretty simple, doesn’t it? But how many times in each of our lives do we try to do things our way and mess things up.  This verse just was another reminder to give it over to the Lord and trust Him in every situation.  If you want to prosper,and who doesn’t, follow Him!