Biographies

Devout Christians have long known the Bible has to be our number one
reading material. Often reading biographies comes in as number two.

The lives of others have been of inestimable wealth to me through the
years. Ravi Zacharias' autobiography "Walking From East to West" has
reminded me again how powerful people's stories can be.

How do you know a book has deeply affected you? In this case I grieved
when there were no more pages to read. I had laughed and cried often
in following Ravi's story.

As I finished the bio, I sat in stillness, my mind wondering. Have I
done all I could for God? Has my life mattered? What can I yet do in
the time remaining to me? Is my life worth writing and reading about?

What makes a great biography? It's one that reminds us holiness
matters most, and compels us to seek a higher level of holiness.

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"Oh Aunty Em"

"There's no place like home." I agree, Dorothy. I'm now back from
preaching twice at a world missions conference for FBC Gulf Breeze
(Pensacola) FL yesterday.

I woke up early this morning and wrote out a sermon rough draft in my
hotel while watching the sun rise over the Gulf of Mexico. I ate
lunch in the Memphis airport. I will soon eat supper with Ruth in
Springfield MO. By the way, R-u-t-h is how I spell the word "home".

Tomorrow we will burn the note in all three morning worship services.
Bye bye debt. 31 years together is long enough. Happy 125th
anniversary, Second Baptist Church.

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Authorship

Thanks for the kind words some of you have shared about the
quasquicentennial book we released last Sunday. My name is on the
cover, but a host of people made it happen. Be sure to read the
acknowledgements.

We have sold 250 copies, about 200 more than I thought we would sell.
Thanks. You have spared me a bruised ego.

This Sunday March 7 our church's 125th anniversary continues. We will
burn the note, celebrating the fact we no longer owe anything to a
bank, for the first time in 31 years, almost one-third of a century.

I'm reading and being deeply blessed by Ravi Zachariah's
autobiography, "Walking From East to West." God lifted Ravi from a
life of utter despair, loneliness, and attempted suicide to become one
of the most gifted apologists or our era. I would like to meet him
someday.

Twitter @john316marshall
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Where to take sweet babe

Yesterday I told Ruth I would take her to the place of her choice for
our 40th wedding anniversary in 2011. She cried for joy. Yes, I am the
husband of the year--no, the decade.

I decided to poll my cyberspace friends for suggested places to go.
I've had about 60 responses. Hawaii wins the vote (interesting--I
think that's Ruth's choice anyway).

Hawaii is no surprise, but the other leading choices were unexpected.
Italy was the choice of several. New Zealand was a popular selection.

Humor accompanied the poll. One said wherever they film 24. Another
noted none of the choices mentioned McDonalds. Someone said we should
go to their city, Dayton OH. My Pastor friend in Joplin, John Swadley,
voted for Joplin.

And the winner is....wherever Ruth wants to go, as long as we go there
together.

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Pocket Knife Barbs

Once I posted on Facebook and Twitter about my having donated a 13th
pocket knife to airport security, the responses came flying in. Enjoy.

Ruth's was the best. Lay down your weapon, Honey. Stand down!

Others were witty too. I heard you were in the giving spirit again.
Maybe you could remember not to take a knife to the airport. Someone
was in need of a pocket knife; you made their day.

Maybe the govt can sell those knives to help pay down the deficit. You
are officially on the terrorist watch list; shame on you. Hurts to
lose a good knife; like losing a good friend. You might be a redneck
if....

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Travel Woes

As always, my time spent at the Large Church Roundtable was wonderful.
It is always one of my favorite events of the year.

LCR is a group of about 25 Pastors of Southern Baptist churches that
run 1000 to 3000 in attendance. We laugh, learn, and love. I'm
grateful for the guys. They always bless me.

The only downer is travel woes. It has gotten to where it is almost a
given there will be a flight delayed or cancelled. This makes for a
feeling of insecurity each time I travel.

I miss the precision and exact timing the airlines were once noted
for. My dad and grandpa witnessed firsthand the demise of the
railroads. Fortunately we were able to replace the RRs with cars,
trucks, boats, and planes. I fear we don't have anything to replace
planes with. Our commercial livelihood depends heavily on them. I hope
we can find ways to make the airline industry stout again.

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February

February is a special month to me. My daughter was born on Feb 6. I
recall it with wondrous amazement.

Ruth was born on Feb 12. God smiled on me that day.

I started preaching in February, 43 years ago. I regret I don't know
the exact date. I just remember it was close to Valentine's Day. I
know that because I lost a girlfriend right then due to my decision to
become a preacher. Thank You, God, for protecting me.

This February has been tough. I've been sick for a month. But as of
today I think I have turned a corner. I think February is once again
going to bless me. I'm already praying for a good March.

Humor helps. Saw a great cartoon. Two men are being rescued from a
deserted island. One says to the other, "It's been two years. I can't
wait to see my portfolio."

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