My Personal Journey by Ronnie Bishop
September 11th, 2006 by Patricia Bishop
I want to take you on this journey with me. First I’ll give you some history, then as time goes on everything will be brought up-to-date, then we’ll get into the deeper things of God.
When I was around five years old, my dad would put my mother and I on a horse and lead us out of the hollow where we lived to
church and Sunday school. It was of no denomination, a little community church in Zag, Kentucky. I remember the revivals
and the baptizing’s as though it were yesterday. I thank God for that long-term memory, what I saw back then and now
remember has counseled and guided me through the years.
When I was six years old I would stand at an old wood-burning stove and pretend I was preaching the gospel. I couldn’t read
yet, but the New Testament I had contained pictures, so I would look at the pictures and preach from what I saw in them.
Two neighbor women came to visit my mother one day and I hopped up by the wood stove and preached for them. (Not being ashamed)
After I finished preaching, one of the ladies turned to my mother and said “Lettie, someday Ronnie will preach the word of God.”
I would like to point out the difference between then and now. Then, the church didn’t have children’s church, women’s
auxiliary clubs, and men’s fellowship meetings. It was family, we were not separated, and we all learned and worshiped
together. When we went to church, we sat with mom and dad. At altar call, we didn’t suddenly develop kidney and bladder
trouble. We ate at home not during service. There was reverence in the house of God back then.
This is a funny story that will illustrate how we were disciplined and taught respect and reverence. One night a big brown
bug flew in through the window (we didn’t have air conditioning or window screens for that matter) and landed on the pew by
me. I picked it up and thought this would make a great toy to play with, I was pushing it back and forth and started making
loud car sounds. Just as I started really getting carried away (budin’ budin’) my mother grabbed my leg and nearly rang a
piece out of it. That put a stop to that and I sat still and paid attention.
I thought you might enjoy these;
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A Sunday school teacher asked her children as they
were on the way to church service,
“And why is it necessary to be quiet in church?”
One bright little girl replied,
“Because people are sleeping.”
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A father was at the beach with his children
when the four-year-old son ran up to him,
grabbed his hand, and led him to the shore
where a seagull lay dead in the sand.
“Daddy, what happened to him?” the son asked.
“He died and went to Heaven,” the Dad replied.
The boy thought a moment and then said,
“Did God throw him back down?”
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After the christening of his baby brother in church,
Jason sobbed all the way home in the back seat of the car.
His father asked him three times what was wrong.
Finally, the boy replied,
“That preacher said he wanted us brought up in a Christian home,
and I wanted to stay with you guys.”
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Proverbs 22:6 “Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it.”
I am not against Sunday school classes “if” they teach the word of God.
When I was in public school we still said the pledge of allegiance, and the Lords prayer before classes started each day.
Once a week we had bible study lessons and won awards and gifts for memorizing scripture. I would memorize all that I could.
At that time, I didn’t realize how much help they would be to me in my growing up and coming into manhood.
Jeremiah 6:16
Thus saith the Lord, stand ye in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye
shall find rest for your souls. But they said, we will not walk therein.
Keep checking back, if interested. I will attempt to bring you from my humble beginnings as a poor farm boy to where God has
brought me today. Hopefully some of the things I have experienced and learned will help you too.
As I continue my journey with God,
Ronnie L. Bishop