My "Bucket List"

Being a helpmate to a visionary like Ted Stone was a full time job; I cannot count the ministries he pioneered during his lifetime. I always had a specific assignment alongside him. What's first on my "Bucket List" now that I am alone? "Go and make disciples". I have to be rather tough about not allowing the outstanding women He brings for discipleship to fill their car up with their hurting friends. I want no energies siphoned off that need to be spent in training them to carry out Matthew 29:19,20.  I am so proud of them. They are getting it!

When we were in our first ministry out of seminary with Ray Stedman we took kids on snow trips, requiring that they bring a lost friend with them or they didn't get to go.  The Spirit's ministry happened alongside carefully chosen counselors on the slopes and in front of the fireplaces after a day of skiing. On the last night we had a Young Life speaker give the Gospel.  We were up all night, leading at least fifty teenagers to Christ. When we got back to Palo Alto, my husband presented me with girls to disciple. I went to the highschools on Friday afternoons, picked them up and stuffed them into our nine-passenger station wagon. At our kitchen table, they opened their brand new Bibles and we began to read the Book of Ephesians, the only Book of the Bible I sorta knew. ... so what does it take to be a discipler? ....staying ahead of the new Christians by one verse, if that's all you've got.

Another item on my "Bucket List" is to get the pitifully few audio sermon messages I have found of Ted's on iTunes, 12stoneslegacy, Ted's podcasts, and other venues.  A number of devotional podcasts were recorded close to the end of his life and have been available for several years.  These sermons, recently salvaged on tape and transferred to CD's are all I have from his three pastorates. I suggest , especially, that you listen to "Discipleship is Imperative". That pretty much sums up our lives together, and my ending years here before I go to join Jesus, Ted, Doug and countless others that have gone Home before us.

My precious Michele and I will be at Round Top Retreat in Texas where she will lead worship, sing and teach for "FirstPlace4Health" from the 10th until the 19th of October. By God's, Euphanel's and Nick's grace, I am on the Board of their Retreat. ...so it's a great excuse to get to go be with my dear buddies in Texas.

 I will not be writing or sending the "Blog" until the 20th of October. You will survive. A suggestion: Order a copy of "The Insanity of God" by Ridkin. Your heart will be broken and encouraged at the same time. ...and isn't that the conflict of emotions we believers- in- Jesus all share?

O they tell me that He smiles on His children there
And his smile drives their sorrows all away
And they tell me that no tears ever come again
In that lovely land of unclouded day.

Oh, the land of cloudless day, Oh, the land of an unclouded day
O they tell me of a home where no storm clouds rise
Oh, they tell me of an unclouded day.

Love, Jo