I received the most wonderful surprise e-mail from one of my readers today.
I wrote this article, back in May, about the "effectual call" in my life and my subsequent acceptance of Jesus Christ, as my Saviour.
I told about the song leader, a man by the name of Hosea Humphrey, who lead a few of us to know the Lord in the church bus after Vacation Bible School.
Well..today...out of the blue, I received an e-mail from Hosea Humphrey's son Gary Humphrey:
"David:
While surfing the web, your article on "Effectual Calling" caught my eye.
Back in 1988 I was at a wedding rehearsal dinner in New Hampshire. The groom's father was telling the minister about someone back in Middleville, MI. The Pastor asked, "Are you talking about Hosea Humphrey?" (The story was actually referring to someone else.) I was shocked because I knew Hosea had never been in New England and that pastor had never been in Michigan. I soon learned this minister knew about the Middleville resident because the groom was another one of the Junior Church kids who placed his faith in Jesus as a result of Hosea Humphrey.
This story and yours are just two examples of how one man's influence has spread across the country. But it's not just two of you, there have been countless children over the years who have come to Christ because of this one man's influence. I know because I am also one of them. Unlike the others it wasn't in Junior Church but it was on a Sunday. I also know because Hosea Humphrey is my father!"
When I wrote the May article, I was searching the web, to no avail, attempting to find a photograph of the little country church where I met Jesus for the first time.
Well...the photograph above is the church! Gary Humphrey was kind enough to send along a photograph, from 1969. I would guess that my story took place somewhere around 1963.
He also sent along a photograph of his father. Please allow me to introduce you to Hosea Humphrey. This is the man who introduced me to Christ, as a child, and has a jewel in his crown, with my name on it.
Thank you Gary Humphrey for such a wonderful surprise this Sunday morning.
Hosea Humphrey, thank you for your faithful service to a bunch of kids in the little town of Middleville, Michigan.
Here is an Internet site that I just found that features the songs of Hosea Humphrey.
