Today's Vintage View comes from our first revival at Faith Pentecostal in Miami, Oklahoma in January 2010. We have preached other revivals for them since then including two tent revivals. We love these folks and we will always remember our first visit there fondly.
It ended well but it did not begin well. We arrived on Saturday evening with the real temperature just above zero and so much snow on the ground that I could not get the bus in the parking lot. I unhooked the jeep and Kelly Jo followed me into town to the small campground.
As we were going into town the belt on Mr. Cheap Jeep started screaming and the alternator locked up and ruined the serpentine belt in the process. It was way too cold for that!
It was dark as I removed the alternator with KJ holding the light. I paid some folks at the campground to take me to the parts store to get the alternator and then they brought me back. Something was incorrect about the alternator and I had to pay them again to take me to the parts store.
We were about frozen by the time I finished the alternator and the serpentine belt only to discover the tension pulley was bad too! I gave up!
We were supposed to preach Sunday morning at a church about an hour away. Pastor Stephens from Miami insisted I take his truck and I did, reluctantly. We had a great service, but I had a blow out on this truck on the way back. I changed the tire on the side of the turnpike in zero weather, in my suit and tie after I had dug the jack from beneath a bed full of snow and ice.
There is more to the story but it does end better. We made it to the church in Miami as church was beginning. It was our first time there, we were stressed from the last 24 hours and we had no time to set up our equipment.
I started singing "He's An On Time God" and the Lord's presence came into the church! The service "blew up" and the rest is history!! We could not have hand a better introductory service with our new friends
It was a horrible weekend with an awesome ending followed by a wonderful revival!
Today I have some pictures of the church folks and a lot of friends that came to visit. I hope you enjoy.
Davy
Pastor Mike and Sis. Ruth Stephens
