It all started well before my July acceptance of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, but that is where a new life began for this old sinner.

   It was a beautiful July day in the year of 1976, in the tiny little mountain town of Pagosa Springs, Colorado.  Misery lay heavy upon the shoulders of an old former Marine Corp sergeant.  Life really had little meaning even there in that beautiful mountain paradise.  I had just returned from Lubbock, TX where I was busy building houses.  The cotton fields of Lubbock were quickly turning into residential housing areas.  You may live in one of the homes I built.  Please forgive me. HA!  I was so miserable and lonely in Lubbock.

  Colorado had beckoned for my return. So when the weekend came , I headed home.  We were the only family living on one the only sub-divisions in Pagosa Springs, at that time.  My sister and her family lived there also, and as soon as I got home my sister said, "Pete (That's my nickname), You are miserable because you don't have a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ."  I thought, Sis, even though you are my older sister, you are really bold to talk to me like that.  I knew in my heart however, that she had spoken the truth.  I stomped out of the house and headed immediately up the mountain that lay directly behind their house.  There on top of that mountain, beneath a clear blue sky, I cried out to God, and opened my life to him. If he even wanted me.  He did, and as the tears of repentance fell like great water falls, Jesus broke my heart and saved me.

   A few days later, God sent the woman of my dreams into my life.  She happened to be the daughter of a missionary named, Larry Goff.  Larry allowed Valerie and I to go out on a date, letting me know that she had never been on a date before, and that I had better take care to treat her with the utmost respect.  Larry was a large, caveman, looking person at that time, so I assured him that there would be nothing but respect take place between us.  Larry was under God's total control, and that is the only reason that he allowed us to go out the next night, and then the next.  After three dates, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, we invited Larry and Valerie's mother, Betty, out to dinner.  There we explained to them that we were in love and with their permission would like to be married.  The next day, Saturday, Larry stood on a pine stump, there in those lovely mountains and performed our marriage ceremony.  When the Holy Spirit joined our lives, it was truly a match made in heaven.  Now after 28 years of love, eight children, thousands of miles traveled, and hundreds of thousands of souls led to Jesus, we look back and see that the race has only just begun.  We are so proud to be servants of a living God!!!!