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Booted
From My Ministry May 14, 2007 By Albert Friend Due to a change in
administration I had to turn in my key. I wrote myself instructions on how to
handle it mentally. This was back in September, 1986. At the time I was 56 years
old feeling like I was 26. I was on a roll. This event was a big letdown. But It was My Ministry! I had won community approval through a radio program called Dial–A–Thought.
A lady approached me in a crowd and said, “You are Al
Friend, aren’t you?” “Yes, how did you know?” She said, “I recognize your voice from calling
Dial-A-Thought.” Another lady visited my Ohio church, whose relative was the
warden of the county jail. She told him about me and he created a special
assignment for me there. The Key to the Prison When I would walk in the jailer would nod me in through the
two locked doors. Once inside, I had a key to the elevator that gave me access
to three floors of five or six cells each. I would visit those I knew and try to
make new friends through my newsletter, also called Dial-A-Thought. There
were transits and short-term inmates. The long term were sent to prison. I met one, went to his
trial, spoke on his behalf, but he had a gun so was given a mandatory sentence
of three years. I drove two hours one way to visit him for three years. When he
was released he came by to thank me. I haven’t seen him since. Still, no
witnessing is lost. We also had some get out of jail, get baptized in Jesus Name
and receive the Holy Ghost speaking with tongues. A jail ministry is purely a
labor of love. If you don’t love it you can’t do it. But if you love it, you
love it. Advice to Myself Here is what I wrote to
myself: 9/18/86 Today you received your notice to turn in your
key to the county jail. Jesus did it. John 10:4 - “and when he putteth
forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they
know his voice.” I had a key to the
county jail elevator. I had permission to walk freely through the jail any time
I wanted to, to witness to the prisoners. I had been doing it for about five
years. When they asked me to turn in the key it hurt my ego. I felt rejected. Tomorrow is an Open
Door Here is how I handled
it and I wrote it down to refer to often. Life is a series of
beginning and endings, but nothing is final. Eternity stretches out before you.
The death of one project is a healing for a new beginning. The mind is healed
and free to roam the universe for a new challenge. So go to sleep tonight with
peace. Tomorrow is an open door to the temple of wisdom. Expect God to give you
a brand-new dream that is bigger and better than anything you have ever done.
Jesus said greater things than these shall you do. God speaks to you from
tomorrow. He shines light into your mind from tomorrow. The finished product of
your dream is in your tomorrow. Look into your future. You will see it. When you
grasp this you will never let go of your dream because you know God will bring
it to pass. Your dream is His pleasure. He put the dream in you. He put the
“to will” and the “to do” in you also (Philippians 2:13). When something in your
life comes to an end then you should look for an open door. Never look back. It
will always be dark back there. Look toward tomorrow. When you look into the
night you are looking toward the morning. Darkness finally has to go. The dawn
will come. The brightness of a new day will shine upon you. So take courage.
Tomorrow is an open door. Jesus is putting you in a new field so you can eat the
best. ninetyandnine.com © 2007, Albert Friend ------- Albert Friend is a 77-year-old minister of 57
years. He lives in Hamilton, Ohio with his wife Jean. They had four children:
Albert, Michael, Bonnie and Mark. All four children went into the ministry. |
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