Coffee and Donuts

A couple weeks ago a dear friend and spiritual mentor, William Verlan Houseman passed away. As I reflected on the impact he had on my life, I recollected many wonderful times together.
Doing projects around the church together.
Countless meals.
Golf!
and most importantly, coffee and donuts.

I chose to follow Jesus on December 24, 1994.
6 months later God called me to be a pastor.
As I began to walk that calling out in my life, Mr. Houseman came along side me as a friend and mentor. Just being around him encouraged me in my walk with Christ.
His passion to worship and serve Jesus was an amazing example and very contagious.
When I began serving as the youth pastor at New Hope Assembly of God in Three Rivers, MI, Mr. Houseman started stopping by the church on a weekly basis to take me to Village Market for coffee and donuts.
At the time I thought he was a bored, retired guy looking for an excuse to go somewhere and have a captive audience to practice his corny jokes on.
As I grew in my faith, and especially now that he is gone, I realize that our time together was not about coffee and donuts.
It was about so much more.
He taught me to love God passionately.
He taught me to be a good husband and father.
He taught me to be a servant.
He taught me to love, honor, and respect my pastor.
He taught me how to pray.

But most importantly, he taught me to obey God.

When I told him that God called me to be a pastor, he said,
"Don't ever run from God's calling. you will regret it the rest of your life."

I am happy to say that I have been obeying God's call for the past 14 years, thanks in no small part to coffee and donuts with Mr. Houseman.