Christmas is about 10 days away. That gives you plenty of time to gather a few more gifts for those in your life. Here are some excellent gifts to help you and others stay “always ready.” Get some!

AFO Fire Extinguisher Ball – Throw it in a fire & watch it knock it out.

Spyderco Knife Sharpener – A sharp knife is a safe knife.

Jocko Blades Knives – The blade for your needs from the field to the kitchen.

Surefire Stiletto Flashlight – You can’t lead where you can’t see. Light the path.

Full Auto BB Gun – Upgrade your Red Ryder and start plinking.

Alabaster Bible – Proverbs – Inspired & Inspiring.

NoBull Trainers – The ultimate footwear for working out.

LAPG Combat Shirt – Life is a battle, dress the part.

Yeti Rambler Mug – A signature mug for your signature drink.

Jocko Go Drink – Fill that Yeti, Fuel your body.

The day we returned from our honeymoon we began this endless adventure of ministry. That day I started as the local outreach pastor at Grace Community Church under John MacArthur.  It was an incredible role, doing what I loved, connecting a vibrant church with the unbelieving world. While we loved being a part of the pastoral team, we were convinced God was directing us to eventually plant a church where it was needed most. At the same time we had so much to learn in other areas of church leadership. Pastor Steve Lawson knew what we needed and in 2006 graciously invited us to join his staff for several years at Christ Fellowship Baptist Church in Mobile, Alabama. That experience gave us so many skills and resources to advance Christ’s work.

Then the call came in 2008 asking if we would move to Naples, Florida and help plant Grace Bible Church. What an epic adventure as over the course of almost four years, we saw Christ build, protect and provide for His church. Today it is just about 12 years old and continues to faithfully proclaim Christ to all who will hear.

In 2012 God opened the door to step into the vast world of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. Although I grew up in the seminary context given my father’s work at The Master’s Seminary, the size and scope of Southern was incredible to experience. The heart of my work there was two fold, mobilizing students for local and international missions and at the same time, raising funds to underwrite the cost of education. Combined, those two roles introduced me to a world wide network of missionaries, evangelists, pastors, professors and generous donors who represent the best of the Southern Baptist Convention and Southern Seminary. Our home and hearts were endlessly filled as students came over for “family dinner” and fellowship. It was a total joy to serve with the world class team and grow under the leadership of Dr. Albert Mohler.

Then came the pandemic. Southern Seminary made hard decisions in effort to prepare for the unknown, laying off a number of faculty and staff. As Proverbs 16:9 says, “The mind of man plans his way but the Lord directs his path.” Our plans for a lifetime in Louisville came to an end that day, but yet at the same time, God was directing us to a path of His perfect design.

That new path did not start during the pandemic. It actually began years ago when Pastor Todd Smith from Crossroads Community Church in Santa Clarita, California began recruiting me to serve as their Outreach Pastor. For several years I resisted since we deeply loved our ministry and role in Louisville. However, in February the church made their strongest recruiting appeal. Again I resisted, but when God moved my former role out of the way, His calling was clear. Crossroads struck the match that lit the fuse God placed in my heart. I am always driven toward to the front lines of gospel ministry. As C.T. Studd, “some want to live in the sound of church or chapel bells, I want to run a rescue shop within a yard of hell.” One yard from hell, pulling people back from that eternal step.

We have loved Crossroads Community Church for many years. Their love for Christ, faithful exposition of His Word, joyful affection for one another and fearlessness to reach the world resonates with every beat of our hearts. Mobilizing and equipping Crossroads for global gospel ministry is God’s calling on our lives and we are going! Your prayers are what we need the most as our three daughters transition into a new high school and the work begins.

So California, we are coming home. Not because the west is familiar, but because it is the gospel frontier. Press on!

Stitzinger Family 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic will leave a scar on every person in our society. We cannot expect anyone to be unscathed by something of this magnitude. Some will experience the harsh medical trauma of the virus, others the loneliness of isolation. And with nearly 30 million Americans unemployed now, many scars will come through the loss of work.

There is an acute pain for those who lost their jobs through no fault of their own. Despite heroic leadership and careful planning, it is the economic reality of this pandemic. Last week this became true for me, when the impact of the Coronavirus took its toll on our workplace.

Because this is my story, it has given me a fresh perspective on what millions of others are going through right now.

It is one thing to be humbled, it is another to be humiliated. Being laid off can be a compound fracture that accomplish both. It is humbling to leave a workplace you love for the final time, and it can also be humiliating to start over, tell the story a hundred times while pursuing the next vocation.

Shame may say hide it, for fear of what others may think. Worry can’t help but appear, over concern of how to provide for my family. Even the most decisive person can still battle uncertainty over how to move forward navigating the unknown. While the full spectrum of human emotions and sinful temptations attempt to contaminate every thought, we have the indwelling Holy Spirit using the antidote of Scripture to guide us through these days.

Whether you are in this situation, sensing it on the horizon, or caring for others in the midst of this it, let me give you some advice. Bring your concerns and worries out in the open. One text that repeatedly stands out is 1 Peter 5:5-11:

Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world. After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you. To Him be dominion forever and ever. Amen.

There are six practical steps this passage gives to help those going through this trial:

Embrace our humiliations

“Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God…” This pandemic takes no prisoners and is erasing what we called “normal” at an exponential rate. Peter tells us to embrace the humbling circumstances as God uses them to expose pride, spotlight idols, and draw us back to dependency our Savior’s provision. This is a humbling time, embrace it. Don’t search for distractions, don’t flinch on integrity. Refuse to give ground to any root of bitterness. Do not wallow in self-pity or be paralyzed by the “what if’s” and “if only’s”. While we loved our work, our coworkers, and those we served, never confuse what we did vocationally with our true identity. Earthly titles are significant, but they mean nothing when God call us “beloved” (Colossians 3:12).

Our identity is in Christ, in the settled reality that He has forgiven us our sin, His Spirit irrevocably dwells within us and our eternity is secure. In humble dependence, submit to what God is unfolding. Endure each step with His peace that surpasses understanding (Philippians 4:7), never failing to simply pray as Jesus instructed, give us this day our daily bread (Matthew 6:11). Yield as God reduces our world to the pursuit of what we truly need and watch as He provides (Matthew 6:25-34).

Remember that God owns the clock

“…that He may exalt you at the proper time…”  When will this be over? At the proper time. When is that? Ultimately, when we reach Heaven and we have the awesome privilege of worshiping God forever. For now, only God knows. He knew when this trail would start, only He knows when it will end. This is a marathon and we cannot see the finish line from the starting point. Proverbs 16:9 says, “The mind of man plans his way, But Yahweh directs his steps.” Make a plan and work tenaciously, while God controls the clock. Yes, it is frightening to think how to pay the mortgage or rent, how to provide food and the rest of the bills. God loves what is His and you belong to Him. He does not let His children go without what they need. While we trust His timing, rest in His incredible promise to provide (Psalm 127:2).

Cast our cares on Him

Peter compassionately reminds to at all times to be “casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.” Literally it means throw the things that cause you worry on Him. We can’t cling to our anxiety and at the same time surrender it to Him. We have to throw it on Him in prayer but catch this, the Creator of the Universe, the King of eternity, the Inventor of humanity, He cares for you. God cares. Not just at a distance, but in detail and He says to cry out to Him so that what terrifies us falls into the sea of His endless compassion, mercy and love.

Dwell on David’s words in Psalm 55:22, “Cast your burden upon Yahweh and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.” Follow that with Christ’s reminder in Matthew 6:32-33:

“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Here are just a few of God’s promises that are timely reminders for this season:

• God will provide for our needs – Philippians 4:19
• The Holy Spirit is interceding for us – Romans 8:26
• This situation will ultimately be good – Romans 8:28, Psalm 84:11
• The peace of God will guard our minds – Philippians 4:6-7
• Christ alone provides rest for our souls – Matthew 11:28-30
• Scripture restores our weary souls – Psalm 19
• Christ will give us His peace – John 14:27
• God is faithful to all of His promises – Lamentations 3:21-27
• God will provide wisdom – James 1:5
• Our home in Heaven is secure – John 14:2-3
• God will never leave us or forsake us – Hebrews 13:5-6

Stay alert

“Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”  This season is like a mental minefield. Internally we ferociously fight the onslaught of temptations that show up in self-pity, bad attitudes, and excuses. Outwardly there is always gossip, slander and idle laziness that must be mortified. Our accuser, the slanderer is spring loaded to attack, do not give any opening to his attempt to drain the life out of us through his assaults.

Peter writes, resist him, firm in your faith. Scripture repels Satan. Read it, sing it, say it, memorize it, write it. This is war, do not set down the Sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:17). Keep an open Bible nearby at all times, submerge your mind in it, let it restore your soul (Psalm 19) and bring it into every conversation with those around you.

Stay alert for how you are influencing your family through this season. Drain the fear by reminding everyone continually that our Creator, Owner and Sustainer goes before us each day. On managing family emotions, we found something that works for us. Every day I give a “5:00 Family Update.” I spend the entire day working on whatever lead I can discover or create and then take 15 minutes to walk through a verse and some highlights of the hunt. That time slot lets me prepare edifying and encouraging statements, answer questions and alleviates the pressure of having to give an update every time I hang up the phone or receive an email.

Understand that we are not alone

“…knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.” Knowing that millions of others are in this same situation isn’t necessarily comforting. It’s actually terrifying. However, there are so many other brothers and sisters in Christ who either are in this situation now or have been at some point in the past. The family of Christ is with us. If something like this is in your past, reach out to anyone you know going through it and extent “the love of God who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God” (1 Corinthians 1:4).

If this is your time to experience this loss, draw close with every opportunity to worship, fellowship and draw from the strength of those who can help you through this time of weakness. At the same time, do not step back from opportunities to disciple others too. We must live our theology and that theology includes walking through trials together.

See what God is doing

“After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.” Look beyond the trauma of today and lock your eyes on what God is accomplishing. It’s not complicated: God is doing an incredible work through this experience not just in our hearts, but in His church and ultimately throughout this world.

Peter says there are four actions God is taking. By perfecting Peter is saying, God is putting everything in order. Our priorities become very clear when a facade of security is ripped away. This experience is refining character and burning away pride as it is discovered. Second, God is confirming us. That is to say He is stabilizing us in His love, reminding us of His irrevocable love (Romans 8:26-39). Third, He is strengthening us moment by moment as His indwelling Spirit comfort us with His hope-filled promises that are new every morning (Lamentations 3:21-27). Forth, God is establishing us by anchoring in His sovereign plan.

Believer, we are never alone (Hebrews 13:5-6). You may feel alone and the dark of night is no time to second guess God’s love, watchcase or provision for you. The waves of anxiety will wash over, but as they pass, be comforted that the King who controls the universe cares for each of us. His Spirit indwells us with supernatural power to fight against the worry and fear. We join with believers from every generation many of whom had far worse experiences to endure. To all of us the Apostle James writes “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance” (James 1:2-3). 

It is on this firm foundation that we can all say, To Him be dominion forever and ever. Amen.

It was the Saturday between Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday. By 9:00 AM we were at our dining room table weaving Easter baskets from construction paper strips for tomorrow’s big egg hunt. Mom scurried about preparing for the celebration while our dad worked in his church office a few hundred yards away.

Someone pounded on our front door. Visitors were common but this was not the knock of a familiar friend. As the “man of the house,” I walked through the kitchen toward the door, alarmed by the haze descending from the ceiling. The pounding on the door intensified as my eyes locked on at least 3 men through the windowpanes.

I don’t remember if I opened the door or if they kicked it in, it doesn’t matter. They saved our lives. Furiously they grabbed my 9 year old frame, my siblings (Rachel, 11 and David, 4) along with our mom and rushed us outside. Once we cleared the shadow of our house, we turned to see the roof engulfed in flames. These strangers, now our rescuers, saw the fire from the road and ran toward the danger. I never knew their names but will never forget their actions. They faded into the background as the volunteer fire department arrived.

What fire doesn’t destroy, the water will. Our possessions were incinerated, singed, saturated or infused with that lingering scent of smoke. The artificial Christmas tree stored in the attic became an oozing puddle. G.I. Joe didn’t stand a chance and neither did baseball cards, furniture, mom’s wedding dress and so many things we enjoyed.

The flames were extinguished and water streamed onto the surrounding fields. We huddled in the driveway trying to make sense of what happened as the firefighters recoiled their hoses and left the scene. Dad walked through the steaming house and came out with a stuffed animal for each of us kids and a handful of important documents. 

Some might only see what was lost that day. We see what we kept and even gained.

Within a few hours, friends came by with suitcases of clothes and a bag of groceries. That night we gathered on a hotel bed as my dad prayed, thanking God we were alive and healthy. Easter Sunday, we sat in church wearing someone else’s outfits, surrounded by the love of family and friends. Our excitement over the empty tomb was accented by the hollow shell of the parsonage everyone passed while entering the church.

By Monday an army of mothers set up a calendar of lunches for each school day. The Holiday Inn was our home for two months and as kids, we celebrated that every day someone else made our beds. For another few months we lived with our Aunt and Uncle, who also added a couple sheep to their small farm on the day we moved in. There’s nothing like farm chores to help kids pass the time that goes with displacement.

Before long the house was rebuilt and we came home. I was a kid through all of this and the vantage point is perhaps much different than had it happened today. Several lessons were forging through that fire:

1. God watches over us. There was nothing I could do to stop the fire. Something short circuited and the inferno raged. We were utterly dependent on God to protect and provide. We were not helpless, but we were then and are now dependent on God’s mercy and grace. Those attributes are sweeter on the other side of trauma (Psalm 84:11).
2. Hold everything with an open hand. We lost lots of stuff that entraps our emotions and distracts our allegiances. God simply removed layers of things that are ultimately unnecessary and left us with what will last for eternity (Col. 3:2).
3. Stay alert and act. Death lurked over our heads, alert strangers snatched us from under it. That moment transformed us to permanent alertness. How much more important is that alertness and immediate action toward spiritual danger. The parallels and urgency never leave my mind as they prompt me to act (1 Cor 16:13-14).
4. No one loves like the family of Christ. Others smothered us in Christlike love. From families that brought us clothes to my relatives on the volunteer fire department, that insane day was eclipsed by the outpouring of love from others, never to be forgotten (John 15:12-17).

Many memories are tied to specific days. The Saturday between Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday is one of them. It is also the same day on which I would years later marry the love of my life. So in all, “that” annual Saturday is always one filled with grace upon grace. As the hymn says, “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.”

Lansdale, Pennsylvania – Saturday, March 29 1986

It is said that the Good Die Young, well Granddad was young till the day he died. He was probably the youngest 96 year old alive. Walking a few miles every day, caring for his lush backyard, and until just a few years ago, crafting the greatest radio program the airwaves have ever heard. Even with a full life of adventures behind, he used every day to create new memories for us all.

You may know him by his voice from his radio program, The Swingin’ Years heard around the world, or as an honorary mayor of Woodland Hills…

We knew him as granddad. The caring, disciplined, hard working entrepreneur who had time for everyone’s stories, but could top them all with his own. He had the ability to stop and enjoy the moments of life.  He was an example of how to selflessly love and see beauty in all circumstances.

We would often gather as a family for Pizza and you would think we were celebrating some big occasion but we were just celebrating family and the opportunity to be together.

With granddad’s special mix of big band tunes filling the house, you couldn’t help but have a smile on your face as conversation, dancing, and jokes were plenty.

Before long, the conversation would turn to Grandad and with our feet up on the coffee table, someone would ask Grandad a question and the room would fall silent as was he would begin to describe his first-hand accounts of some of the most monumental historical events.

Most people can only read about things like the great Dust Bowl but our experience came to life from the firsthand account he would often talk about.

As we all sat listening carefully to the stories, you could envision Grandad as a young boy, sitting in his small ranch house in Oklahoma, watching the fine dust blow into the house through the keyhole of their front door. This great drought of the early 1930’s was the reason that drove his family to move West. He loved his early days on that ranch as he spoke of it often. A favorite quote I heard him once say, was “I was riding before I was reading”.

In 1935, as a young teenager, he arrived in California to begin a new life at a time when Los Angeles was booming and needed intelligent, hard working creatives. He had the work ethic that helped him pursue great things throughout his life and the discipline to not give up.

Out of respect for his Military service I would greet Grandad every time I saw him as Sir and shook his hand firmly. Yet every greeting quickly turned into a hug.

The story goes that he left a note for his mom that he would be late for dinner… because he was going to enlist in the United States Navy. Sure enough, he was late, but not before he signed his name to serve our country at a time of need.

Granddad had the confidence and determination it took to become a Navy pilot. He would recall stories of flying planes like the F4F Wildcat and F4U Corsair during his training missions to become carrier certified. He spoke modestly about taking his last turn before the final descent to the aircraft carrier below, dodging the storm clouds, counting carefully the 30 manual cranks to bring down his landing gear and keeping the nose of the plane at the right angle to see the signal officer below and finally dropping that plane in on the sweet spot at the command of the flight deck.

Grandad had more than a voice for radio, he had wisdom for life. He taught us to drink our coffee slow, to enjoy breakfast at Art’s corner cafe, make friends along life’s way, tie newspaper in knots for kindling, stay humble, live simply, and read steadily.

He left us with a love for history, a love for music, a love for slow walks, a love for family and most of all, a love for his beautiful bride Gigi, the love of his life. We love you Grandad.

David Stitzinger, Delivered May 25, 2019 @ 12pm.

Yes, we took our 12 year old to a rescue mission for her birthday. Why? Because it’s what she wanted.

It was not some grandiose parenting strategy. We’re not battling a materialistic middle schooler, or driving home “how blessed we are to rent a great house.” It was not Scared Straight to jolt her from an iPad induced trance.

It is her dream come true. Years ago we introduced our daughters to the weekly radio broadcast of Unshackled flowing from the Pacific Garden Mission on Chicago’s southside. The broadcast captures dramatized salvation stories that “make you face yourself and think.” Hundreds of episodes flow through our home as the backdrop to almost every activity our daughters do. Homework, crafts, exercise, even falling to sleep listening to that iconic organ and the narration of spiritual transformation. Every episode putting down another layer of gospel clarity. Every episode illustrating the power of Jesus to forgive sin and give hope to repentant people.

Her birthday came on the horizon and without provocation, she asked if we could make the trip from Louisville to Chicago. That my friends, is a parental no-brainer. When a young lady declares that her birthday wish is an all expense paid trip to one of the most powerful gospel lighthouses in the nation, you pack the car and roll north.

So we launched an epic excursion in the midst of snow, freezing temperatures, poor road conditions, homework overflowing, housework not getting done, compounding work at the office, and half the family being sick. Those factors were accounted for, but just as we arrived in Chicago, our brakes & power steering failed and the good folks over at Unshackled called to say the recording time for the day was canceled. Wow. Time to improvise, adapt and overcome.

The result? Two epic days of family time in the car, a glimpse of the Pacific Garden Mission, and a white knuckle drive home. So much went wrong on this trip, but perhaps the journey as a family was more important than the destination. We will never forget the time together, discovering and relying on God’s grace. We will always celebrate the chance to love and care for one another. We will never forget the conversations, the beauty of the land and especially the friends who tracked us down at a roadside restaurant and put hope in discouraged hearts. We will never forget the massive need of the gospel that spans both the wealth and poverty across Chicago.

It was a tight rope walk, a weekend to remember. An adventure, a moment, and now a memory. Till next time…

The first call came just after noon from my brother David in California. He had spoken with our dad briefly but was alarmed by the disoriented tone in his voice. Knowing dad was traveling for work across Florida, our brother Jon immediately drove to the Baltimore airport and boarded the first flight for Orlando.

Jon, an experienced flight paramedic, was closing in by air. David, a master of technology, tactically acquired our dad’s exact location on the highway. From Louisville, Ky, I had dad on one phone and Orlando emergency responders on another. Dad’s fragmented words and frail voice trailed off while the trauma to his body wore on. Something was critically wrong and he navigated his 26’ box truck toward what he thought was a hospital. Road signs blurred, directional arrows misaligned, as he circled the city. He felt his world going dark and repeatedly pulled the truck over to regain his composure.

The combined force of the heart attack, a significant infection from an injury suffered the day before and his ongoing battle with diabetes aligned to extinguish his life. Disoriented and desperate for help, he’d startle to consciousness and being driving again. The cycle continued over the course of the next half hour.

The cross-country brothers kept working. David tracked dad’s location and passed along timely updates that dialed in the search. Within minutes of contact, the Emergency Operators activated the traffic cameras and located the truck parked along the highway. Dad muttered not to call the paramedics and that he could power through this episode with just a few minutes rest. However, I told him to sit tight and in a few minutes some “new friends in a big red truck” would be there the to check on him. That red truck rolled up quickly and soon I could hear the paramedics transport him to the hospital. Within minutes Jon and his thorough knowledge of Dad’s medical history, were by his side in the Emergency room and the path to recovery would begin.

The story from that point forward takes on a much slower pace. Rachel, our sister, came in from Kansas to give steady watch care over dad’s recovery and coordinate information with his hometown doctors. A cardiac surgery to open two blocked arteries, 10 days in the hospital, and a flight home to California. God’s grace spared the untold “what if’s” from becoming a reality. Our part was simple, but perhaps it was dad’s investment in our lives since childhood that gave the instincts to respond. Dad helped Jon become a helicopter paramedic, enabled David to innovate in all things computers and gave me with a very particular or peculiar set of skills, all of which came together to conquer a dynamic situation.

You could draw many lessons from that scene. For instance, call 911 instead of driving yourself to the hospital in a 26’ box truck while having a heart attack. That’s a good one to remember. Beyond the obvious, one take away for fathers is this, invest in your children. Teach them the instincts to think dynamically, resourcefully, efficiently about problem solving. Surround them by godly heroes in various trades and skills so that they learn from professionals and press toward excellence. You will never know how one day, your investment in them just may save your life.

West Virginia never had a prouder son than James Franklin Stitzinger. His youth was filled with the freedom of the hills, the love of the land and an instinct to explore. Not even the Blue Ridge Mountains could hold back his family and soon the City of Brotherly Love wrapped its arms around them, never to let go.

Baseball was his passion, hard work was his gifting. From carpentry to clearing tables at Howard Johnson’s, his work ethic marked him as a man on a mission. That was until a gorgeous waitress named Elizabeth captivated his heart and completed his life.

He belonged to the greatest generation, and did not flinch when it was his turn to join the 95 Infantry, marching across France and Germany. War evaporated his youth, but it did not take his humor. It crushed his heart but it did not break his will. Raw courage and love of country got him there. But in a ditch in Germany, with his pack blown off and enemy fire passing inches away, he promised God that if he survived, the rest of his life belonged to Christ.

He returned home galvanized by war fighting and tenderized by saving faith. Carpentry was his pathway forward and across Philadelphia, homes and apartments stand that were build with his sweat equity. “Income is better than wages”, “Never use your hand as a hammer”, “straighten bent nails & reuse them”, and leave room for “Kentucky windage”…were more than witty comments, they were his way of framing up the world around him.

God gave him the perfect helpmate and together they brought four boys and a daughter into this world. The Evangelist Billy Graham came to town and one by one, each of their children became a child of God. Having seen the brutality of war, and the great world wide need for salvation, they determined that no matter the child’s vocation, each would have a theological education. And that they did.

Four boys and a precious daughter could not be contained in their small house and so since God wasn’t making any more land, he purchased the Garden Gate Farm on which we now stand, where he will rest in the family graveyard.

From him we learned to master a trade, earn your callouses, work smart, fear nothing, listen to sermons when we drive, keep a joyful heart always, drown our cake in a bowl of milk, drive an extra hour to avoid a toll road, back in our trucks, feed left overs to the cats, live without air conditioning, never miss a home cooked meal, always say I love you and that washing dishes was a great way to show love for your wife.

He taught us to love our Savior, serve His church, protect the vulnerable, and work harder than anyone else ever.

His death closes a chapter in all of our lives, but it begins the his eternal fellowship with his Savior. He left this earth from the house he built and entered the eternal home built by our King.

As General Patton said, “Old soldiers never die, they just slowly fade away.” Jim Stitzinger Sr. may have slowly faded away, but in his time, he made more than a living, he made a legacy.

Pray without ceasing (1 Thess 5:17). How’s that for a challenge! Interacting with the world is necessary, but the directional north on our mind’s compass is always back to prayer. Our spiritual respiratory system is sustained as we inhale God’s Word and exhale prayer. It’s in prayer that we confess sin, give thanks for God’s manifest mercy, praise His majesty and cast our cares upon Him. It’s in prayer that we daily intercede for the salvation and sanctification of others, especially our family. Here is a simple guide to organize this portion of your prayer life.

Praying for my spouse

Sunday:

To be undistracted and able to engage in corporate worship with the local church (Colossians 3:16-17)

To be ready to understand & quick to implement the truths of Scripture learned today (James 1:19-25).

Monday:

To be aware of unbelievers and live out the gospel, being both “salt and light” (Matthew 5:13-16)

To grow in holiness, humility, increasingly memorize God’s Word (Colossians 1:28; Psalm 119:9-11)

Tuesday:

To patiently, trustingly and thoroughly walk in obedience before Him (Proverbs 3:5-6)

To be joyful and content in God alone and not in things, people or circumstances (Philippians 4:11,13)

To faithfully worship God in private, delighting in His Word and works (Psalm 1; Psalm 19)

Wednesday:

For increased strength to faithfully pursue excellence in everything (Ephesians 3:14-19)

That other godly mentors would pour into their life and disciple toward maturity (Titus 2:4-8)

To understand how much Jesus loves them and be comforted by His work in their life (Philippians 1:6)

Thursday:

To love our extended family and friends in a Christlike way (Romans 12:8-10; 1 Corinthians 13:4-7)

To faithfully to admonish, encourage and help others (1 Thessalonians 5:14)

That the fruit of the Spirit might be exhibited more and more in their life today (Galatians 5:22-23)

Friday:

To protect the time to pray and express their heart to Christ (1 Thessalonians 5:17)

To be sensitive to the Spirit’s conviction, quick to confess and repent (1 Peter 5:8; Matthew 5:3-4)

Saturday:

Joyfully follow Jesus, taking every thought captive (Romans 12:1-2; 2 Corinthians 10:5)

To ready their heart for corporate worship tomorrow (Psalm 139:23-24; Hebrews 10:25)

Praying for children

• For they would come to know Christ as Lord & Savior (Romans 10:9-10)
• That they would love God with their every capacity (heart, soul, mind and strength) (Mark 12:30)
• That they would treasure the God’s Word in their heart as a means of preventing sin (Psalm 119:11)
• For friends that will influence them toward righteousness (1 Cor 15:33; Pr 13:20)
• For protection from those who may expose them to temptation (Luke 17:1-2)
• That they may quickly recognize, confess and repent of sin (1 Peter 5:8; Matt 5:3-4)
• That they would quickly forgive my sin and not be exasperated with me as I grow in Christ (Col 3:21)
• That they would praise God for His creation, Word and attributes (Psalm 19; 139)

She was a legend

Born in Germany, her father saw Hitler on the rise and hurriedly moved to America to find work. He found it and poured every ounce of sweat equity into funding three tickets across the Atlantic for his wife and two daughters. In 1928, a 6 year old Elizabeth arrived on Ellis Island to be given her citizenship.

Rough seas caused the Captain of the Deutschland to hold the ship off shore one night longer. The delay gave her father no option but to sleep on the New York Pier. His sacrificial work to bring them to America culminated in that frigid night. It ravaged him with pneumonia, eventually taking his life.

His young widow and two daughters were now orphaned in a new country and the great depression was on the horizon. Young Elizabeth saw the hand of God move as her mother became a caretaker for an affluent family with a wife and mother who was gravely ill. As this sickly lady passed away, her dying wish was for Elizabeth’s mother to marry her soon to be widower.

Her father’s work ethic and determination stamped her young life. Her step-father could never replace him, but he was God’s provision for this young immigrant family. Elizabeth grew strong and resourceful, eventually working as a waitress in a Bucks County, PA restaurant. A young, strong Jim Stitzinger worked in the same place, bussing tables. The two were magnets and Jim set out to marry the stunning Elizabeth.

Hitler had made his move and the Japanese assaulted Pearl Harbor. Jim enlisted in the Army and finally received his date to ship out. On April 9, 1944, just a couple days before departing for war, Jim and Elizabeth were married. The night before his departure, Jim snuck off base to be with his wife. He was caught on return and the company commander made him a messenger on the battle field, saying that since he loved to run & evade so much, he could do that in the war as penalty.

The war struck cruel and hard. Elizabeth did her part and became a welder on American airplanes that would eventually drop bombs on her Germany. Jim returned home, humbled and galvanized by the tragedy of war. Elizabeth welcomed him home and together they established their lives with “Willow Grove lumber and heating oil” and doing the one thing Jim could do in his sleep, build houses. Together, they could do anything. They gave us our work ethic, tenacity and resourcefulness.

She gave birth to 5 children, each one engrained with the rugged and resourceful tenacity that characterized both of their parents. Billy Graham came to town preaching the gospel. The ears of the family were open and Christ transformed their hearts and lives under his preaching.

With a newly Christ-centered home, their children Jim Jr, Hans, Michael, Heidi and Erich all grew to love Christ and have spent their lives growing from the foundation they heard under Graham’s initial sermon and their parents relentless love. The youngest, Erich, though full of vigor and charm, lost his life at 15 to a botched appendicitis diagnosis. The pain of burying a child and a brother scarred the family deeply.

Elizabeth saw the growth of farms, businesses and ministry. She never flinched at adversity. When crushed by life’s trials, she clung to her Savior. When blessed by life’s joy’s, she gave credit to Christ. Children, flowers, vegetables, chickens…she raised them all. Hornet nests, birds nests, dried flowers, chairs, antiques…she collected them all. There wasn’t a peddler, flee market, sale rack or discount she did not have the instincts to find.

She was a baker & short order cook, had a place for herself at the table, but always ate last. For 69 years of marriage, she made the food, Jim washed the dishes. She kept a day bed in the farmhouse kitchen so she could nap when needed. If you wonder why most of us Stitzinger’s need only a few hours sleep, it’s because Grandma taught us how overrated it was.

She could make anything. She observed everything. She was the comforter, sage, calming voice through any storm and the one who’s smile melted even the toughest of her boys.

For 92 legendary years she graced this earth. The farm will never be the same. Her legacy stamped our heart. Friday night she fell asleep, laying in the very same kitchen where she died to self so many times before. But this time, she closed her eyes on this earth and awoke in the glorious presence of her Savior.

Today she is face to face with Jesus. Her pain is no more, her strength is eternally renewed. Her faith is turned to sight and her heavenly father has said, “well done good and faithful servant.”