January 2020

Dear Friends,

Well, 2019 is “In the Books” and here’s how it went for us.

Meetings

In 2019 I preached 152 times in 54 separate meetings. I preached in: Ohio, Michigan, Washington DC, Maryland, Montana, New York, Maine, Wyoming, Iowa, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Indiana, Hawaii, Arkansas, South Carolina, Canada and numerous times in Idaho.

I fly to my meetings during the nine months of school and then Kathy & I take off after school is out and preach all Summer. The years 2018 & 19 we were in the East during the summer. We’ll be in the West for 2020 & 21.

In July, after three years, we finally sold our motorhome. That freed us up to buy a house. We did that in August. We were in Canada and bought it without ever seeing it other than a Marco Polo video. We knew it needed some work. We closed in September and it took until mid-December to make it livable. But we like it. It’s a three-bedroom/three-bathroom ranch with a large family room that we can use for having the institute students or grandchildren over.

For the first time in 33 years Kathy cooked Christmas dinner in her own kitchen! It was a blessing. She really enjoys the house.

Also, I am getting an office! I am unpacking books we packed up three decades ago. I found apiece of newspaper in one box from March 19, 1988!

I told Kathy, “This is going to be our ‘Financial Perfect Storm’.” We bought the house but because we no longer live next to the church we had to buy a car, which we did. But now, we have to buy another truck as well. Our tired 2009 GMC overheated terribly towards the end of last Summer pulling the trailer. It’s all it can do to pull the trailer.

Books

The 4th edition of An Understandable history of the Bible is out. My newest book, Why We Believe the King James Bible is at the printer and should be done shortly.

I just finished the text of a second Answer Book. The first shut down so many charges against the King James Bible that the Bible-haters had to come up with new charges. Those are covered in this new volume. I still have to format it, proof read it and several other steps before it gets to the printer. I’ll let you know when it’s available.

Kathy has enjoyed teaching her class for ladies at the Institute and the word is that the students are being blessed as well by what she’s teaching.

Big Year Coming

This year will have a series of milestones for me. On April 27 I’ll turn 70. That’ll be the first time I’ve ever done that! Then, on June 14 I’ll be 50 years old in the Lord! Hallelujah! Then sometime between June 14 & Aug 23, 1970, I preached for my first time. So this will be my 50th year preaching. Hallelujah! All over again!

Our Health

Kathy went to see her eye doctor. He told her that her left eye was basically gone. He felt so bad he didn’t even charge her for the visit.

My neck is the same. I just deal with it. It isn’t going to get better and I simply can’t go for another surgery right now so that’s that.

The one thing I cannot emphasize too much is that it is the prayers of God’s gracious people that keep us going! PLEASE don’t stop!

Kathy & I thank God all the time for how gracious He has been to us in giving us good health and allowing us to serve him. There is nothing on this planet we would like to do rather than traveling and serving Him. None of us know how much time we have left so let’s spend it doing those things which will glorify the Lord!

God bless you all and thank you for your prayers!

In Christ’s Service,

Samuel C. Gipp