By Corey Miller
Do you remember where you were last Wednesday? I will never forget.
Nate and I went to Peru to visit Keith and Jackie Williams. I’ve watched the corn through their living room window harvested and now I’m watching it prepare for another harvest. When it was cold outside, their living room was plenty warm and now even in the August heat it’s plenty comfortable. Keith’s hot coffee felt good in my cold hands last February and the bowl of homemade ice cream topped off with fresh Kimmel’s Orchard peaches left me very satisfied yesterday. I feel like family when I walk in the garage door without hardly knocking. We sit, talk, read the Bible, pray, embrace and then when I must, I go.Wednesday I learned the joy of “Mustgoes” as the family insisted Nate and I join them for some Mustgoes. Ever eaten Mustgoes? In the South they open the fridge and pull out anything that must go, warm it up and put it on the table. Taco Soup? Must go. Stewed tomatoes? Must go. Cucumbers and onions? Pulled pork? Must go. You name it, a scoop of it went with me. Wow, it went well.
Must go. I will never forget Mustgoes. The truth is Mustgoes is what brought me to Peru that day. One day we all must go. The day draws near for all of us and we need to prepare for that moment when we must go, Keith and Jackie know that all to well. Keith has been fighting Pancreatic Cancer this past year, and he has fought hard. He also knows his fight will soon end and he must go to the place prepared for him.
While at the hospital a couple weeks ago, Keith and Jackie made the decision to prepare for their must-go-moment. Keith and his brother Danny had been reading the Bible and as they were talking Keith mentioned he really didn’t remember his baptism. They studied the Scriptures and talked some more with Jackie. Jackie called me and we made arrangements. Last Wednesday in a Kiddie Pool on their patio, Keith and Jackie were buried with Jesus in baptism and raised to live a new life with Jesus. When their must-go-moment comes, they will be ready. How about you and yours? Are you ready for when you must go?
Fun Fact: 3,954. Unless you’re an economist for the Federal Government, that’s a big number. Keith and Jackie Williams shared their faith with at least 3,954 people in the last 7 days. Someone every two minutes for the last seven days has looked at the picture you have in front of you. We posted the picture on our Facebook page and it went viral. As far as I know, Keith and Jackie don’t Facebook. Our next most popular post announced C4J Registration and was seen by 457 people. An average sermon post our announcement might hit closer to 100 people. When I asked Keith if he was ok with it he said, “I’m not ashamed of Jesus.” When you know you must go soon, you know you must go and tell now.
I hope this church soon knows the joy of Mustgoes.
We must go…now.
(Click on the videos below to watch Keith and Jackie’s Baptisms.)