Really a big Family

I am preaching a Gospel meeting in Spanish in Austin, Texas this week. Before I came I only knew the preacher, Abelardo Montanez, Jr. and his family but once I arrived in Austin and began visiting with the brethren I found that there were a lot more ties than I knew. For example, there is the oldest son of a man who I met 26 or 27 years ago, when he began to visit the church in West Dallas. Then one of the sisters is married into a family that we have had connections with for some years, even as a child although I didn't know it then. And the list goes on and on--two of the brethren have a brother who preaches in Reynosa whom I know, etc.

In this country in such circumstances we normally say, "It's a small world" but I think a brother put it better, "It's a really big family". And that is true--we have spiritual family throughout the world--on every continent, even if not in every country. Dana and I personally know brethren in almost every state and at least 20 countries. A sister I know travels for business in Europe and knows a whole other set of brethren--yes, we are part of a really big family.

At times we can get discouraged, thinking about how few of us there are. It's then that we need to remember that our family is spread throughout the whole world. The Word of God has an effect whereever there are honest hearts.

Tol