And yet a third meaning is the most basic of all: we are “traveling together” with Christ who is Lord of all. He is our “Good Shepherd” who gave His life for His sheep. He leads us in paths of righteousness beside the still waters and restores our soul. He guides us through the Valley of the Shadow of Death which we do not need to fear because He is with us—always—“even on through death itself our constant Guide is He.” And all the paths in which He guides us lead ultimately to Home. Surely—surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and [then] I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” Psalm 23
So “Traveling Together” is intended to expand the e-mail ministry that Minnie and I have had for 11 years. It began at Christ's College in Taipei where both she and I taught for three years from 1995-98. We lived on campus and became very close to our students so to continue our association with them I began writing devotionals for an “Online Bible Class.” Students would write to us to tell us of their lives and to ask questions and both Minnie and I responded. Later I taught an adult Sunday School class for 5 years and brought the evening messages at Sequim Bible Church in Sequim, Washington and so our friendships expanded even more. And then for 5 years I was pastor of Oak Bay Baptist Church in Port Hadlock, Washington. Friendships and fellowship were particularly strong there because those dear people went through the most traumatic experience of Minnie's and my life together with us and so obviously “wept with those who wept” as well as “rejoiced with those who rejoice.” And rejoice in the Lord we did in spite of three years of terminal pancreatic cancer which was the means by which the Lord took Minnie home to be with Christ in glory and she is there now with Him, living eternally. “God is not the God of the dead, but of the living” are words of Jesus Himself. Mt. 22:32
I appreciate the efforts of our granddaughter Wendy who took the initiative to get me started with this blog. And I also appreciate the help of Stephen Nieman, who was the Associate Pastor of Oak Bay Baptist when I was pastor there. He built and developed the church web site and helped me put together and publish my book Glory in Tribulations: Suffering in the Life of the Believer which I wrote during those three years Minnie and I were searching the scriptures for the “why” of her suffering—and we found answers that are written down in that book. If you don't have a copy, write me an e-mail and ask me about it. burnsidewm@cox.net You can also send me letters: William Burnside, 1901 Audabon Park Ct., Siloam Springs, AR 72761. If you have a question, comment, or suggestion that you don't want all the readers of this blog to read, you can write it by e-mail and I can hold it in confidence. A third person's help that I want to acknowledge is James Yan, a good friend who lives in Yakima, Washington with his wife Tina (our student at Christ's College) and their two little girls, Joanna and Susanna. James has helped me many, many times with computer problems and it was he who did all the technical preparation for my wife's two memorial services at Oak Bay Baptist in Port Hadlock, Washington, and Siloam Springs Bible Church in Siloam Springs, Arkansas.
A blog makes it very simple to make a comment or to ask a question and we hope you will use it for those purposes. We would like for this to be a forum of sorts wherein several people can comment and enter the discussion and all can read what each person writes. We all bring a somewhat different perspective to life and can be enriched and edified by each other and we can grow together in the Lord. That is part of the scriptural “koinonia fellowship” we have in the presence of the Lord together. “That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.” 1 John 1:3-4
At present there are more than 200 people who receive my “devotional” e-mails. You can add additional names if they would like to participate with us. On the blog be sure to click “Subscribe” so that you will receive e-mails from the blog and click on Comment also if you would like. We're especially interested in suggestions, comments, and questions.
Love in our Lord,
Bill Burnside (for Minnie)
