John Kidd

Growing up at Carbondale, I had an awesome 5th grade Bible school teacher. Now Bobby Hill was my youth minister and I remember having a ton of fun with him and growing up in the Lord, but John Kidd was my Bible school teacher when I was...a LITTLE smaller (I was still a CHUNK even then!) and a lot of years younger! He had a phrase that I have NOT forgotten. He taught me a lot of great Bible stories and challenged me often about Jesus, but the one of the things I remember was his more practical...life lesson phrase. He use to always say, in that fun way of saying things that he did, "LIFE IS NOT FAIR, NEVER HAS BEEN, NEVER WILL BE...SO GET USE TO IT!!!" He use to yell it on the second or third time of saying...he always did it with a smile, but he yelled for emphasis. He was always a gentle, fun loving man. He made a big impact on my young life and I never "hated" getting up for Sunday school class (that doesn't mean I was ever easy to get out of bed...mom), because I knew John Kidd was going to feed us something from God's word in an exciting way!

I tell you about my ole buddy/Sunday school teacher John Kidd for a reason. Thinking back on life I can remember some "stinky" stuff that has happened to us. I can remember the HARD times we had in the preaching school with support. Times when we were applying for Barb's citizenship and all the trials and cost that brought us. "Friends" that stopped talking to us, because they were afraid we would ask for support. I remember a person in McAlester that showed up to my door a fews weeks before we were leaving for "your keys to the building!". I remember lies that were spread about us and our ministry...I'm sure those will continue, because Satan nevers rests when God's at work! "...everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes everything visible."

Nowadays there are things that Barb and I are coming to realize that "JUST AREN'T FAIR!!!" Things that frustrate us in our ministry and make us feel like "why try?!", but then we remember scripture like "The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their cry..." and "Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you." It truly comforts us knowing that God sees what we are doing. He sees sacrifice, passion and love. He sees when we encourage or when we simply "keep it to ourselves". I wanted to take a second to hold my glass of coke high to all those teachers...faithful men and women who have encouraged me and blessed me in my walk with Christ! You have guided me to the Word and taught me the discipline of reading the Bible and passion to love Jesus and do anything and everything for HIM!!!