In The Midst of It All

Beverly sent this to me and asked me to post it for you to read. 

             God’s presence is still surrounding us with His unfaltering love, by providing multiple avenues of evidence that Trust Quartet is still chosen to travel on, ministering through song and preaching.  We have been very busy this season with many concerts on the schedule.  We are thankful for all our friends and neighbors and full time residents, and our northern/southern friends who are here on winter break, who keep us encouraged by attending our concerts and supporting us monetarily. With neither, we would not be able to continue on the road. God is still providing in all areas and by listing below just a few you will get the idea of what we are experiencing.  

            First, Spence was called upon to preach after one of our scheduled concerts, and the spirit of the Lord walked right in and controlled the service from beginning to ending.  Buzz is always kidding about having two preachers on the bus, Steve and Spence.  Well, let’s just say, it is the most rewarding, refreshing and fulfilling time of fellowship we could ever share, because Jeff is never without a question or statement that gets the “ball rolling” for a good “ole time” Bible Study. Okay, we have Baptist, Church of God, Assembly of God, and often times we switch to non-denominational so that we can get down to the “nitty-gritty” of what God is teaching us through His Word.

            On our way to LaBelle, FL we stopped at a local convenience store to meet up with Steve and there was a hitchhiker standing on the corner when Buzz turned into the driveway and made the statement that we should pick him up.  We all laughed because we really thought he was kidding.  Buzz just does not do something like that, ever!  After Steve got on the bus we were turning to go on our way and Buzz again said we should pick him up. He asked for a survey of yeas and nays, if everyone was okay with it.  It was unanimous to pick him up!!! Jeff had gotten behind the wheel and Buzz was in the buddy seat.  Jeff stopped and opened the door, and they asked him where he was going and he wanted to know what it would cost, since we were in the bus.  Buzz said a thousand dollars but he could ride with us anyway.  They asked him where he was going and he said La Belle. Well, we all laughed because that was exactly the direction we were headed.  Of course we were all a little anxious, but in conversation we found that he was a person who had, and still is, experiencing many problems. With over an hour of conversation we all felt overwhelmed with what had transpired, not only with him asking us to call his mom to let her know he was okay, but praying and thanking God for allowing him to be with a group of Christians.  Earlier, before leaving we had made sandwiches and had one left over, and for some unknown reason even stuffed a napkin into the Ziploc bag with the sandwich.  When we stopped for him to get off, we grabbed the sandwich, a banana, and a bottle of water and gave it to him. He was appreciative, and with a big smile on his face he got off the bus at a park. We waved goodbye to him and went on our way. That was on Saturday evening. We were still about 20 miles from our destination. On Sunday after the morning concert a couple (the same family Steve spoke of in our Trust-Worthy News) told us they would like to provide lunch for us and asked us to meet them at the park in La Belle.  You guessed it, the same park where we left our new friend. We all looked for him to still be there but he had left.  We will always remember him, and pray that he finds life with the Lord worthwhile.              

            Believe me, there are no real complaints to speak of, but when on the road on the weekends with a heavy schedule, a heavy workload on our daily jobs, family, homes, and just everyday responsibility the load seems too heavy to lift…

            Buzz picked up his phone one evening recently and found he had a message that had been there since morning. He listened for a couple of minutes and then turned with such a startled expression on his face I was sure there was something wrong. He then handed me the phone and said, “Listen to this”!  A gentleman from out of state said he had come across our website and liked what he read. He said he did not know us, but God had laid it upon his heart to call and encourage us to continue in our ministry, and not give up because he knew it was tough. He went on for several minutes with encouraging words while Buzz and I just stood there with tears flowing.

            We received a beautiful card a few days ago full of encouragement from a couple who have been true friends with Trust and they never fail to let us know how much they love us. They have gone to their summer home now but we are already planning for their return so we can see their fantastic smiles. We love them, too.

            We attended a Mark Trammell Quartet concert last evening, Awesome!  We are a little prejudice since we have known Mark for many years and had opportunity to visit with him after the concert and give him a copy of our latest project “Going Home”.  Yeah, as Steve says, when we aren’t singing we are on our way to hear someone else sing! Anyway, Mark, in his talking spoke of being a preacher’s son, and now he is a preacher, and oftentimes the load becomes “too heavy to lift”. He extended encouragement to anyone in the audience who was in a ministry to basically; keep on keeping on, In The Midst of It ALL! 

Prayer Updates

I wanted to share an update on Gary Franklin and also pass along a prayer need that just came to me today (Sunday). Gary's surgery went as expected. He had 5 bypass surgery and has been moved to a regular room (from ICU) and will be transported later to a hospital rehabilitation facility. He wanted to share his message of thanks to you for the continued prayer support.

I also received word today from Beverly that former Trust Quartet baritone singer, Jerrell Green has passed along this prayer request. His mother is scheduled for open heart surgery Tuesday in Orlando to repair two heart valves. Further concern is for his father's care. Jerrell's wife, Phyllis, is still recovering from some physical issues, as well.

Trust Quartet thanks you for your continued prayer support of these dear servants.

Praying for our friends at Midway Road Baptist Church

There are some churches that tend to be an annual stop for Trust Quartet. Such is the case with Midway Road Baptist Church in Ft. Pierce. We enjoy being with these good folks and have built quite a rapport with the pastor and the good people there.

We learned late in the week that the pastor's mother had passed away. It would obviously be a people who needed encouragement and love. Much of our sharing during the service dealt with words of comfort and encouragement.

It was after the service, however, that we learned not only had the pastor's mother been promoted to glory, but two other dear saints had met their eternal reward in the past couple of weeks. While Heaven may be sweeter, our hearts are certainly heavy when we endure the separation of friends and loved ones.

Our hearts and prayers are going out to our friends at Midway Road Baptist Church during these days. Sometimes, even as believers, we go through periods of bewilderment at the loss of a loved one. But when there are multiple deaths so close together, it can shake us to the very core. No doubt there have been times when you've dealt with similar struggles. Would you please help us remember to pray for our brothers and sisters at this particular church during these days?

Cynthia, The King is Coming!

Trust Quartet was privileged to be at First Baptist Church of Alva, FL this past Sunday morning. It was an incredible time of worship with these dear friends. We'd not been to First Baptist Alva in about three years, and it was good to be reacquainted with them.

The pastor paid Trust Quartet a very high compliment as he introduced us yesterday. He talked of how we remembered people and asked about them before the service began. He said we remembered things about him from three years ago that he had forgotten. Let me share with you a special experience that will help you understand why some folks are just easy to remember.

The crowd was one of multiple races and ages. There were some who enjoyed southern gospel music and some who likely had never heard this style of music before. In fact, there were some there who may not have been accustomed to anything church-related. We were overjoyed with the pastor as he shared how many guests were attending. We are praying that those dear ones will return and worship with our friends there. 

And then there was Cynthia.

I remember Cynthia from our visit three years ago. She's a forty-something lady who has lived her life challenged with physical struggles. Her hands are gnarled, making it difficult to grasp anything. But don't tell her that! She held and played her tambourine while we sang just fine, thank you very much! She used a walker to help steady her as she moved around. She, with her mom and dad, took the quartet to a park and we ate pizza and salad together. She handled herself quite well with her pizza and tea, too!

As we ate, I asked Cynthia what she liked to do besides eat pizza and watch Gaither videos. Her response was quick and to the point. "Sing," she said with a big grin! I asked what her favorite song was. Without much hesitation, she looked at me and said, The King is Coming! Of course, that song is one of Bill and Gloria's songs from the days long before the Gaither Vocal Band.

A few minutes passed, and I began, 

"The marketplace is empty, no more traffic in the street                                                                             All the builder's tools are silent, no more time to harvest wheat                                                                     Busy housewives cease their labor, in the courtroom no debate                                                           Work on earth has been suspended as the King comes through the gate"

By now, Cynthia had joined me singing. Softly at first, but she began to get a little more confident as I kept singing with her.

"Happy faces line the hallway, those whose lives have been redeemed
Broken homes He has mended, those from prison He has freed
Little children and the aged hand in hand stand all a-glow
Who were crippled, broken, ruined, clad in garments white as snow"

Her smile was contagious by now and the whole quartet and her mom and dad were singing with us.

"I can hear the chariot's rumble, I can see the marching throng
And the flurry of God's trumpet spells the end of sin and wrong
Regal rolls are now unfolded, heaven's grandstands all in place
Heaven's choir is now assembled, start to sing "Amazing Grace"

By now, a worship service has begun at the park and we didn't really mind if anyone heard us.

"The King is coming, the King is coming
I just heard the trumpet sounding and soon His face I'll see
The King is coming, the King is coming...."

By this time, Cynthia is raising both hands high in the air with a sense of victory! She knows full well that Jesus is coming back and she is looking forward to seeing Him in all His glory. Singing at the top of her lungs, the last phrase has resonated with me all afternoon and evening, into the night. Perhaps you'll want to shout it out today with Cynthia ~~

"Praise God, He's coming for me!"

Prayer Concern

Trust friends, I will be sending at least this and two more updates today. I try to not inundate e-mail inboxes etc with unnecessary items, but this is a bit of an unusual week. Each of our concerts this weekend merits its own post and I need to also share this prayer concern with you.

Many of you who have followed Trust Quartet through the years would remember Gary Franklin. Gary sang tenor with the group from 2009-2011. We learned just before our concert last night that Gary is in a Melbourne hospital and is scheduled to undergo open heart surgery this morning, Monday, March 17. I do not know any further details, but will be sure to pass along what I can as it can be released. Obviously, please remember Gary's two most important needs right now; prayer and rest. We will not be releasing intimate details to respect his privacy.

Thank you for remembering Gary and his family during these days.

A February Review of Trust

The month of February went by rather quickly. Time flies when you're having fun, eh? We were able to enjoy concerts in Canal Point, Wauchula, Okeechobee, LaBelle, Pahokee, Satellite Beach, Rockledge and Indiantown. (OK, so Indiantown was technically in March, but I wouldn't want to leave them out during this newsletter!) For such a short month, that sounds like a lot, doesn't it? That's a good thing! We have been delighted to be busy during the month and want to say a big THANK YOU to those whoh have shared services with us!

The Lord has been gracious to us. We've been able to share in communion services, an ordination service, we've seen people respond publically during altar calls and had the opportunity to pray with multiple people after services were over. We've been able to be with our friends, Gulf State and Simple Faith ~ always a highlight! To God be the glory! If that sounds like something you'd like to be a part of, please be sure to call us and let us come and minister to your group.

As we were in service at the Oceanside Community Church in Satellite Beach, the pastor shared some thoughts with his congregation before we sang. He likened a worship service to a person who enjoys drinking tea. There are lots of flavors of tea one can choose from. There is tea with lemon, tea with honey, tea with sugar ~ you get the idea. Different people have varying tastes when it comes to the flavor of tea they like. Such is the case with music in a worship service. Some like the old hymns, some like the newer contemporary choruses. Some like anthems, while still others may enjoy the Stamps Baxter style of music.

The main goal of Trust Quartet is to sing songs that honor and glorify Christ. We happen to do it with a southern gospel flavor. But within that genre of music, there are several songs we sing that highlight a different style. The pastor went on to share from Colossians 3 about Psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. He reminded us that the Word of God teaches us to use a variety of styles to accomplish the goal of honoring and glorifying Christ. Each of these different types of music is intended to teach us about the God who created music.

We desire your prayers as we continue in the ministry of sharing the gospel in song. We desire that you be encouraged and strengthened in your walk with God. If you've not yet come to the place in your life to commit to a growing relationship with Him, we long to share with you how you can have your life transformed by the grace of God! Please let us know if we can help you in that area of your life.