Beep, Beep... Here Comes Henry Ford

"There is no failure except failure to serve one's purpose." – Henry Ford

Today, we are beginning a short series of devotional messages that are built on the foundation of a Henry Ford quote. After all, if Mr. Ford could use ingenuity and hard work to invent the modern-day assembly line, champion the 40-hour work week, and launch one of the largest automobile companies in the world, maybe he has something valuable to teach us today.

In yesterday’s devotional, I wrote about how God led me to start America’s first athletic prison ministry in 1987. To this day, I think that was one of His main purposes for my life.

However, there are some other reasons why I believe I was born, too. One of them was to get married and start a family. After all, if I hadn’t met and married Deanna Louise Truax, there would be no Bethany Blume, Matthew Glading, or Christopher Glading. Nor would there be a Brady, Sadie, Levi, or Charlotte Blume… or a Dylan or Bella Glading… and who would want to live in a world without them? Not their “Papa,” that’s for sure!

Truth be told, there have been times when I have struggled with my purpose in life since leaving The Saints Prison Ministry in 2011. After all, it’s hard leaving a ministry that God used you to give birth to… and where you had so many close friends and enjoyed such great results. However, after 24 years, three books, and two congressional campaigns, I was “burnt to a crisp” and needed a fresh start and a new beginning. And where better to do that than in the sunny South, where my old bones don’t have to battle Old Man Winter every year.

My 12 years with Risk Takers for Christ have been both challenging and rewarding, and I am proud of what God has accomplished through our little ministry. Prisoners have been saved, and at-risk youth have been loved on, ministered to, and shown a better way. God has also used our Dare 2B Daring devotionals (like this one) to encourage fellow believers while our D2DB conferences have challenged Christian men to more effectively lead their families, churches, and communities. Likewise, the racial harmony conferences that RTC has conducted have helped heal some generational hurts and right some generational wrongs. And yes, Midway Bible Fellowship – our new church plant – has exceeded all expectations.

I may never again climb to the ministry heights that I once enjoyed with The Saints, but that’s OK. Like you, I am as determined as ever to make my life count for Jesus by telling as many people as possible about Him. Papa, pastor, and Jesus pointer… that’s me!

“Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour.” John 12:27 (NKJV)

- Rev. Dale M. Glading, President