Steve Sikes Blog  

I received an e-mail this past week informing me that one of my “teens” from my youth group in the 1980’s had passed.  Chris was only 40, but he suffered a massive heart attack and lived only a short time thereafter.

During his last 48 hours before passing, Chris shared the following: 
“I want to be used as an example to those that are using drugs.  When you’re young you think you’re indestructible and nothing will happen to you.  Nothing bad will happen if you take one pill or one sniff of a drug; you won’t get addicted – not you.  But it does happen.  Drugs ruined my marriage and my life.  Plus, if you suffer from depression, go to the doctor and get the right kind of help; don’t try to fix yourself with illegal drugs.  Turn your life around before it’s too late and you damage your heart so bad that you die.”

Chris was a professional musician – extremely talented and able to play almost anything by “ear”.  However, during his last year of life he had quit playing in bands altogether stating, “I don’t need to be in that environment, too many temptations.  Besides, I don’t want anything to get between me and my relationship with Christ.”

Last week I sent Chris a message encouraging him that there was someone in NJ who loved him and was praying for him – not only for his health but for his resolve to not let ANYTHING get between him and his relationship with Christ.  He smiled.

He’s still smiling because NOT EVEN DEATH got between Chris and Christ!
“O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY?  O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?  The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.  Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord (1 Corinthians 15:55-58).”

God is good all the time and all the time God is good.  Mr. Steve

I spent time with one of my favorite teachers this past week!  He’s only 13 years old but he taught me a lot (again) about Jesus – especially joy and purity of heart.  He tried to teach me yodeling but it didn’t take!
• He sang to me.
• He prayed for me.
• He spoke Scripture to me.
• He thanked me, hugged me, laughed with me, held my hand, and saved me from being run over by a bus!

Someday I’ll tell you about that last part, but suffice it to say that my nephew, James, was a Godsend to me this week, as were his parents, Kent and Sharla Sikes Marcum, visiting from Quito, Ecuador.

James has strong glasses because his eyesight is failing him.  Other special needs and body ailments may be more obvious, but he loves to sing, help where and when needed, and spill out the most honest comments, whatever situation he’s in – such was the case this past Wednesday night.  After yodeling for us, one of our elders told James what a good job he had done to which James quickly replied, “I speak two languages and usually get paid for this.”  Complete honesty!

Ephesians 5:18-21 is a scripture text that “we” generally enclose a church building around, but I found it both refreshing and encouraging to witness this passage come to life through a 13 year-old – wherever he was!

“… be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father…”

Today I praise God because of James (Gal 1:24)! 

God is good. 

Mr. Steve

Special thanks to Dan and Katherine for their hospitality in opening up the “Cooper’s Bed & Breakfast” for the Marcum family!

I brought home a surplus of prized memories from my recent LIFE Group trip to Canada with Charles Peterson: great fellowship; gorgeous scenery; a snug cabin; and the awesome feel of a small-mouth bass tugging on the end of my fishing line!  However, the sound card that plays and replays in my mind is the haunting call of the Canadian loon wafting across the still waters of Charleston Lake.  Amazing!

I heard the loon’s call for the first time in our cabin last Thursday evening while I was unpacking and quickly asked, “What was that?”  Charlie told me it was a loon and eagerly pointed out two of them early the next morning, one adult and one juvenile, as they were floating some twenty yards from our boat.  My first thought was how can such a daunting and magnified sound come from something so small and duck-like?  Amazing!

I video -taped “our” two loons several times over the next three days but never captured its call.  No worry.  It’s locked deep in my psyche and I can hear it anytime I choose on YouTube! 
There’s something else locked in my heart, much deeper than the call of the loon.  It’s the word of the Lord!

It’s been there since I was a young boy; God was doing His writing on my heart as my mother and father read to me from His word.  Although I didn’t always obey – sometimes far from it – the words kept being written and transformation continued to happen.  Amazing Grace!

What’s being written on your heart?

“But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the LORD, ” I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people (Jeremiah 31:33).”

God is good! 
Mr. Steve

Blessings: During the last two weeks of August, I safely traveled 3300 miles – from New Jersey to Kansas City to York, Nebraska, to Springfield, MO and back.  I definitely had a lot of time alone in my Dodge truck to think, to pray, to listen to westerns on tape, to be quiet before the Lord.

Blessings: I got to spend quality time with two of my sons and their families, two grandchildren (one grandson I had never seen before), and a 2 and ½ day visit with Dad and Mom, whom I hadn’t seen since May, 2007.  Blessings upon blessings!

Patti stayed home with Jessica and finished up her summer school grading for Rowan University and also prepared for her upcoming fall semester of teaching – both at Rowan and our children’s Bible program.  I missed my wife and daughter greatly, but was blessed with a much-needed break to head west and see more of my family.

Two things that were made clear to me again this trip:
1. How blessed I am to be a part of a congregation of God’s people who love God and love one another and show it!
2. How blessed I am to have parents who love God, love His people, love their 13 kids and 80 grandkids and great-grandkids – and show it!

One of Psalms’ fifteen “Pilgrim Songs” or road songs is Psalm 128.
“All you who fear GOD, how blessed you are!
  How happily you walk on His smooth straight road… 

Your wife will bear children…
  Stand in awe of God’s Yes.
    Oh, how He blesses the one who fears GOD!

Enjoy your grandchildren… Peace (Shalom)…!”  (The MESSAGE)

My road trip west found me counting my blessings – from New Jersey to Nebraska and back home again! 

God is good!  Mr. Steve