John

This book is specially dedicated to my good friend and fellow servant Gerry Coulter. I first met Gerry in 1971. We both went to the same church. At this church, I can remember hearing two sisters sing special music during services. I can remember sitting there while they were singing and in my spirit praying something like: "Oh God, If I could sing like that, I'd praise you forever!" Now 41 years later... I am still praising God, our Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ our dear Savior and Lord, and The Holy Ghost for filling me and coming upon me so much and so many times I can not begin to count. We were invited, and accepted to be a member for the next four years. This was a 300 plus voice choir who were titled Singing Ambassadors of Good Will for the Great State of Ohio as we traveled all over and sang throughout the year as well as the two weeks or so at the State Fair. As I said before: I can remember sitting there in Church, while Julie and Lorie were singing and in my spirit praying something like: "Oh God, If I could sing like that, I'd praise you forever!" It was not 2 weeks later; as best as I can remember, getting that phone call from my good friend Gerry Coulter asking me if I wanted to sing in a Gospel Quartet. I was shocked. I was surprised. I was so happy. God had answered my prayer so quickly. We as a quartet searched The Holy Scriptures for a verse to call our own. We came up with, I will sing unto the LORD, because he hath dealt bountifully with me. To this day... I still feel the power in those Holy Words. I have always been blessed. In times when our money was running low... I still was blessed. In times when the devil would attack... I was blessed. In times when sickness would come into our family... I was blessed. Now thirty-seven years later... I am still blessed, more today than ever before! To God Be The Glory!!! We as a quartet sang together for about ninety days trying to get together and to blend our voices and learn the music. Finally after about ninety we just came together and the harmony was there as if it was automatic. We sang in churches, traveled and sang at meetings on the ground. I was so blessed! Now 41 years later, we have published about 120 books. I was going through our file cabinet, cleaning out old files, making room for new places for new authors and new books. I came across a file marked Gerry Coulter. I opened it and found that we had made a bookcase for brother Gerry back on 1986. Not knowing what would happen ... I dialed the old phone number and brother Gerry answered the phone! Boy was I surprised. I think Gerry was surprised also. We talked for quite a long time, reminiscing over old memories. Sharing blessings that we have received. Talking of our friends now in Heaven! We made a point to agree that the next time I was in the area... I would stop by and see my good friend Gerry. After hanging up the phone... I remembered Brother Gerry say after all these years, he did not have even a copy of the old music we had sang. I thought I did have some old tapes. I went to the file cabinet and there it was. I had a copy of a concert we did in 1975. I told my wife, I needed to make a copy and take it to Bother Gerry. Two days later, I traveled the two-hour trip to see Brother Gerry... Who was now bed ridden because of Diabetes. He had commented that he was scheduled to have surgery some time ago and there were two pastor friends who were at his bedside to pray for him before the surgery. Gerry then commented that, after having two pastors pray for him, he still lost his sole! I thought for a moment... Then with a smile upon his face he explained; with pictures, that the doctors had to remove the sole of his right foot because of the diabetes. That is the Gerry I remembered. No matter how bad a situation could be, He was still cheerful, He still could see the bright side and He still gave all the Praise and Glory to God our Heavenly Father!