It’s a scorcher outside today. No doubt, summer is in full force. The sweat is pouring down my face at the slightest exertion, and it is difficult to stay cool. A nice, cold glass of water is always welcome.
My husband says, “About the time I get tired of summer, the Lord sends the fall.” It doesn’t take my husband long to get tired of summer, especially with the storms. It is an expensive time of year for the radio ministry. However, the change of the seasons is always nice. The seasons will come at the same time each year, whether we like it or not. Life is much more pleasant, for ourselves and others, if we look forward to the changes with anticipation, and make necessary adjustments. We would look strange walking around in a wool coat in the summer.
Just as the seasons change, our lives are full of changes. How we handle those changes will determine our effectiveness throughout life, but most importantly, in our Lord’s service.
Changes are happening in our lives all the time. Our bodies are growing older, which at this phase of our lives, means the aches and pains are here to stay. The mind is not as clear as age creeps upon us. I seem to forget more than I did a few years ago. My husband tries to make me feel better by telling me I forget more because I have so much more to remember. The key is to accept what we cannot change and work on the things we can. If not, we will be miserable and frustrated because we will never live up to our expectations.
Our children are grown now with their own children. Our oldest grandchild is driving, and our youngest is potty training. Quite a change from when we all sat around the table at dinnertime and rode in our van together to church. Our relationship to our children has changed from provider and disciplinarian to friend and confidant. They have their own houses to care for, yet they find time to help us with ours. Our lives have had a role reversal. We used to have to assign chores at home, but now they are trying to help us around our house. Boy, how things change.
One major change in my life has been the loss of my dad. My father passed away last August. I not only lost my dad, but I also lost my friend. Mom is alone now and having to chart new waters and experiences. As our parents age, we need to be careful to appreciate every moment. Perhaps we need to change our schedule in order to minister to our aging parents. We do not want to live with regrets.
Our world is changing. The events of the last few months have grieved my heart so much. People’s businesses and homes have been violated by a chosen few. They do not represent the majority, but everyone is afraid to deal with them. We cannot believe what we hear on the news. Most of our politicians are dishonest. The people who died so we could have the freedoms that we enjoy have been villainized. In recent years the morality of our country has been waning. No one knows what marriage means, and the life of an unborn baby is expendable. Many Americans want handouts from every source. They have not learned that there is no such thing as free. There is an endless list.
Our ministry is growing and experiencing change. Many changes are seen in the technology. When the ministry started most people paid by check, now the automatic draft or debit card is most popular. We have a web page and a Facebook page for all of the facets of our ministry. The academy utilizes a “Remind” feature for communication with our parents. This has happened in the last five years. Most of our communication was over the phone. We no longer mail out packets of information for prospects. We just refer them to the webpage, unless they specifically ask for a packet. Only a few years ago, most of our students did not have access to the internet and went to the library to research their assignments, but now most students have the ability to use the internet as well as have access to it on their phones. If they don’t know the answer, they just google it.
GoMix Radio has 100,000 listeners with the potential of reaching 2 million people. It has grown from one full-power station to 8 full-power stations. GoMix Radio also streams on the worldwide web which makes the outreach limitless. All of these changes have increased our budget and our needs across the board. Equipment is growing old and needs to be replaced. We pay royalties on songs and buildings need to be repaired. And don’t forget, the lightning strikes are more plentiful with 8 towers. We also are constantly adding new programs and songs while holding on to the great classics. GoMix is just that. It is a mix to appeal to different preferences and faiths. Even though our audience is changing, we desire to meet the needs of all Christians.
We changed the name of our ministry magazine from Carolina Life to Pathpointe because our ministry is no longer solely based in North Carolina. We send out magazines to 6000 Faith partners each month which includes articles to minister to each person. We also put the magazine online to ensure that everyone has access to it.
Our ministry, along with many others, has had to endure several tragedies over the last five years. In 2016, we experienced Hurricane Matthew, in 2018, we experienced Hurricane Florence, and this year we are experiencing the Coronavirus. Along with the expense of these events, we have had emotional and physical hardships. We persevered through the hurricanes, and we will persevere through Covid-19. God has been the strength of the ministry, and He is our strength in personal tragedy as well.
How do we keep going when a loved one dies or is diagnosed with a terminal disease? What keeps us from total depression when our business fails or we are rejected by the ones we love? These heartaches are going to come because they cannot be avoided. There will always be difficult times, but we must move on and not let them control our lives. If we don’t, then we lose our effectiveness for God because we stop ministering to others. The best medicine for making it through the changes a tragedy brings is to help someone else.
Like the seasons, the changes are going to come. How we handle those changes will determine our successes and how the Lord will use us. We must depend on Him. Matthew 6:33 says that we must seek the Kingdom of God first, then everything else will come. He will help us through the changes, especially the tough ones.
Mrs. Worthington has five children and eleven grandchildren. She serves as Principal of Pathway Christian Academy in Goldsboro.