A Race Well Run

My beloved wife Mary went to be with her Savior and King a few weeks ago. What a merciful and loving God I serve, who allowed me to share life with this beautiful saint, who was my helper, counselor, confidant, friend, lover and companion for 41 years. Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your Lord, dancing now and clothed with gladness.  I miss you profoundly, but am so happy for you! I will see you in a little while. 

Here's Mary's obituary and you can find it an a tribute video at...

https://www.celebratelifeiowa.com/obituary/663763/mary-vanderkley/wall/

Mary Helen VanderKley, at the age of 65, entered with joy into the presence of her Savior Jesus Christ on Tuesday, July 9th, 2024.

Mary was born on March 16th , 1959, to Donald and Lois (Garrison) Stermer in Kalamazoo, Michigan. She grew up near Scotts, Michigan working
alongside her parents, four sisters and three brothers on the family farm, learning the ethics of hard work, kindness, generosity and love, and graduating from Portage Central High School in 1977. Mary then traveled to Texas, earning a Bachelor of Science in Physical Therapy from Texas Women's University in 1985. She worked as a Physical Therapist in Rehab and Home Nursing settings for many years, showing special care and concern for all her patients. 

During this time Mary met her future husband Paul VanderKley, and they were united in marriage on December 26, 1986. Mary and Paul began their married life in Augusta, Michigan, but soon moved to the Upper Peninsula, starting their family with children Emily and Alexander. She was a loving wife and a caring mother, who made their home a comfortable, happy refuge.

Both Mary and Paul came to saving faith in Jesus Christ in 1996, and together they shared a passion for evangelism and gospel outreach that continued all her life. She shared many adventures with Paul, including their public ministry at the Des Moines Farmers Market and local gospel outreach at the annual Oktemberfest and the Holiday Stroll festivals in Marshalltown.

Mary enjoyed spending time with family and friends in Marshalltown, Iowa, where she resided for the last 18 years. She loved her grandchildren Ryan and Taylor dearly, and attended their many activities and events, always with a special gift or favorite treat to share. Mary also planned a family reunion each year to Gravel Lake Michigan, complete with sunset boat rides, themed dinners, quality time with her siblings and making breakfast and many desserts with her grandchildren. Despite being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015, and other health concerns throughout adulthood, Mary remained active in her church and community. Mary loved Jesus and wanted those around her to know His love.

Mary ministered tirelessly to the Karen and Karenni ethnic people groups in Marshalltown, helping with medical appointments, school registrations, the purchase of homes and management of bills. Even through many years of illness and treatment she was a beautiful woman, inside and out, and took time to reach out to her doctors, nurses, and fellow cancer patients with the message of God's love and the hope of the gospel.

A race well run, Mary is survived by her husband of 37 years Paul VanderKley, daughter Emily (Todd) Briles, son Alexander VanderKley and grandchildren Ryan and Taylor Mae Briles. She is also survived by all her siblings, Linda (Rick) Stermer, Ellen Stermer, Susan (Steve) Stermer, Donald (Jodi) Stermer, Tom (Kat) Stermer, Karen Stermer and Jon (Rochelle) Stermer; nieces and nephews Donnie, Joey, Andy and Robbie Stermer, Ian Naas and Olivia (Nicholas) Jones, and Adam and Megan Daniluk.

Mary was preceded in death by her parents, Donald and Lois Stermer, and brother-in-law Chuck Verney.

A service to celebrate Mary's life will be held at Grace Church in Marshalltown, Iowa on Tuesday, July 23rd. Family visitation hours are 10:00-11:30 a.m., with the funeral service to begin at 11:30 a.m. A graveside service will take place at Highland Memory Garden Cemetery in Des Moines, Iowa on Wednesday July 24th at 11:00 a.m.

The family expresses gratitude for the support and condolences during this challenging time. Mary's legacy will live on in the hearts of all who were blessed to know her. 

"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless, I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me, and gave Himself for me."

Galatians 2:20

 

Why We Give Away....

In Matthew 10:8 Jesus told his disciples, " Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye received, freely give." In the context of Matthew's gospel, these were affirming miracles demonstrating to Israel that Jesus of Nazareth was the promised Messiah spoken of in the Old Testament. But the theme of freely giving out what God has given us applies for a disciple of Jesus today. 

I have been given the gift of eternal life because of what Jesus Christ has done for me 2000 years ago on Calvary's cross. Although the religion of my youth taught me I had to work for eternal life - to earn it - the Bible teaches quite the opposite.

Ephesians 2:8-11 "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." By the grace of God, Jesus paid the penalty of sin for all men. God made a way of escape through trusting in the finished work of his son, and I said yes to that nearly 28 years ago. I received that gift, and now I live to give it away to everyone around me. That's why we give away:

• Bibles, so others can read about this fantastic gift God wants to give to them.
• Gospel books, tracts, and DVDs, for the same reason.
• Halloween bags of candy with gospel tracts, using this holiday that so often celebrates darkness to point people to the Light of the World. 
• Hot chocolate & Christmas candy cane cards with the real meaning of Christmas attached.
• Our time, helping people around us with real-life problems, so they experience the goodness & kindness of God.
• Our money, to bless people around us & show the love of God to them.
• Finances for missionaries & ministries, so they can take the gift of eternal life all over the world.
• Time on the streets, reaching out with this gift to our neighbors & fellow human beings.
• Time on our knees, praying for the needs of our brothers & sisters in Christ, and for those who don't know Him (yet!).

So yeah, God gave me what I needed, not what I deserve, and tells me to go give it away. And this isn't something new, it is the history of the followers of Jesus since he spoke those words above to his disciples. If you found this website, I hope you received something like this from us. Most of all that you too would receive freely the life eternal God wants for you...it's still available, and still free.

Revelation 22:17 "And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely."

Jesus Thank You

 At our church meeting today, we sang "Jesus Thank You", and this is just a quick note to the world to say what an encouraging, blessed song of worship I think this is, especially when sung by a body of believers to an acoustic musical format. I don't know about you, but there are times when a song is so moving to me that I find it difficult to sing. That's how it was this morning, and here is a great recording made in 2018 by Bob Kauflin, Sovereign Grace Music on the album, "Together for the Gospel IV." The words are below: may you be blessed as you worship our great God and Savior Jesus Christ today, and may He be blessed by His church as we worship Him!

Jesus, Thank You

Sovereign Grace Music

The mystery of the cross I cannot comprehend

The agonies of Calvary

You the perfect Holy One, crushed Your Son

Who drank the bitter cup reserved for me

Your blood has washed away my sin

Jesus, thank You

The Father's wrath completely satisfied

Jesus, thank You

Once Your enemy, now seated at Your table

Jesus, thank You

By Your perfect sacrifice I've been brought near

Your enemy You've made Your friend

Pouring out the riches of Your glorious grace

Your mercy and Your kindness know no end

Your blood has washed away my sin

Jesus, thank You

The Father's wrath completely satisfied

Jesus, thank You

Once Your enemy, now seated at Your table

Jesus, thank You

Your blood has washed away my sin

Jesus, thank You

The Father's wrath completely satisfied

Jesus, thank You

Once Your enemy, now seated at Your table

Jesus, thank You

Lover of my soul

I want to live for You

Your blood has washed away my sin

Jesus, thank You

The Father's wrath completely satisfied

Jesus, thank You

Once Your enemy, now seated at Your table

Jesus, thank You

Lover of my soul

I want to live for You

Songwriters: Pat Sczebel

The Gospel & the Calendar

December 23, 2022

As we close out 2022, I'm thankful for the opportunities we have to proclaim the gospel and point people to the Lord Jesus Christ. Here in Marshalltown, we've organized a lot of gospel outreach around the calendar from September through January of the new year. We have:

• Octemberfest (late September)
• Halloween (here the trick-or-treating is always on October 31st)
• The Holiday Stroll (Saturday before Thanksgiving)
• Thanksgiving
• Christmas & New Years

Set up on Main Street with gospel tract candy bags

Close up-my pumpkins

I guess my approach has been to take advantage of the culture and redeem some of these as a way to get out the word of God. Halloween is a blatantly pagan holiday that our culture has taken and turned into a popular thrills & chills, dress up & candy giving & receiving event. I pray against the occult activity and demonic overtones while reaching out to my neighbors with the love of God and the gospel of Jesus. As you can see from the pictures, we don't hide our faith in Jesus: people know "what's up" when they come by.

Some new candy cane tracts this year

It's not for everyone. We have different skills and interests, and I'm good with all believers in Jesus using whatever creative way they can think of to reach the lost. We should encourage people to go for it & try ideas to evangelize while we have the strength, health, energy, and opportunity to do so. 

Mary & Sharon giving out hot chocolate and gospel tracts
inside the bookstore.

Frank & Bill: our fellow workers in Christ at The Holiday Stoll,
braving the cold out in front of the bookstore.

By the way, most of the Christmas holiday is pagan as well. I mean, it just is. Very little is organized around the reality that God fulfilled His promise in Genesis chapter 3 regarding the "seed of the woman", the promised Deliverer who would save us from our sins. I pray against the commercialism and greed, the misplaced hopes that possessions will make us happy, etc. I get it. But I will wish people a Merry Christmas while giving them a holiday-themed gospel tract, knowing that these little missionaries can get into their homes and speak to them about the things of Jesus when I cannot. "Give them the Reason for the Season."

12/21/22 downtown Marshalltown Iowa
looking west on Main Street

Some years things work out better than others. In the past we had a big group over for the Octemberfest outreach, but the last couple of years it's been just me and my light-up witnessing cross. The last 2 years we've had very mild weather for The Holiday Stroll, but this year is was 17 degrees without the wind chill. Most years I can get out on the corner by Walmart with witnessing crosses and free Bibles heading up to Christmas Eve, but right now is it -6 degrees Fahrenheit and feels like -30 with the wind chill, so no... not happening this year. That's okay. We plan and prepare and hope and then turn it over to our Almighty God for whatever He allows. And for whatever that is, we thank Him.

Thank you, Abba Father, for every opportunity and every soul we have tried to reach & bless with the hope we have in Jesus Christ. You are good, and we pray for those we've encountered in 2022 that they might come to know Jesus for who He is, the Savior of all who'll trust in Him. Amen.

Jesus Is The Answer

 I'm grateful for the person or group who has paid for this billboard on the south side of Marshalltown.

It's on Highway 14 (also known as Center Street), the main road into Marshalltown from the south. You see it when you exit off Highway 30 and head north. The neat thing is, it's just a few blocks south of the corner I stand on with my witnessing crosses and "Free Bibles" sign. Most people drive past the billboard and then drive past me. Who knows - maybe gets them thinking....

So... thank you whoever you are. May this billboard point many men & women to the Lord Jesus, maybe cause them to consider what life is all about, and their own eternal future. May it also give us open doors to share the gospel with them and talk about Jesus while we have the strength, health, energy & freedom to do so. 

I pray God would raise up His church to boldly proclaim Jesus Christ and the good news of the gospel in these troublesome days. Amen.

Paul.