Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Honoring Our Veterans


“Give preference to one another in honor.” Romans 12: 12

This Monday, May 28, in the United States of America, is celebrated as Memorial Day. It is a legal holiday set aside to honor our veterans of war.  I am grateful for this day in our national history. This day holds fond memories in my growing up.

My father, Wayne Goll, as a veteran of WWII serving in the Army in various stations across the U. S. Michal Ann’s dad, Davis Hamilton, also served in the military and received a bronze star for his work in the tank brigade that liberated France from Nazi invasion. Thank the Lord for all the brave souls who have fought for the freedoms we easily take for granted.

In growing up, my dad always made sure that the American Flag flew outside our house on such holidays to make a statement that he was proud to be a citizen of this nation. My parents were active in the American Legion and Auxiliary and active patriots. Their actions set an example of not taking for granted the liberties we so enjoy in this God blessed land.

Though I never fought on any military battlefield, I just missed the Vietnam War by an inch, I am so grateful for all those men and women who sacrificed their time, their health and many their very lives for the sake of the common good. As for me and my house, I want to say THANK YOU!

To all you veterans of recent wars fought on foreign soil, I want to tip my hat and let it be known that I am grateful for your acts of courage. God Bless You and your families and God Bless the United States of America!

Sincerely,

Dr. James W. Goll

Thursday, May 10, 2012

Honoring the Mothers in My Life

Recently I was sorting through some things in a chest searching for something. In my process, I came across an amazing dress that our late dear Michal Ann had made for GraceAnn when she was a little girl. The detailed work, the hours of labor, it is a work of art – all done with love. I remember when she made the flower by hand that was sewed on the front of GraceAnn’s beautiful childhood dress. Indeed, the work of the hands of a great mother.
Our Dear Annie!
Ann was the youngest of four children, with fun loving older brothers John, David and Paul, all looking after their only little sister. Their mother, Dorris Grace, was a diligent schoolteacher and their father, Davis Hamilton, a hard working farmer and a county road maintainer. They grew up attending a very small rural Methodist Church with exceptionally close family ties to aunts, uncles and first cousins. Oh the value of a strong family!
Michal Ann’s goal was not be a great worldwide minister. Her goal was to love the Lord Jesus with all her heart, be a devoted wife and a loving mom. She did well. She departed from this life way too soon – on the infamous day of September 15th, 2008. But she surely succeeded in her life goals and always kept her priorities right! Yes, even in the midst of being married to a globetrotting husband, eventually launching her own global ministry, Compassion Acts, writing books and ministering at various events. She was my angel.
Our four children, Justin, GraceAnn, Tyler and Rachel, her three brothers and I, her husband, all rise up and call her BLESSED on this Mother’s Day in 2012.
My Mom - Amanda Elizabeth Burns Goll
Amanda Elizabeth Burns was born on April 17, 1924 in rural Missouri to William and Hattie E. Burns. She was the youngest of four children – preceded in birth by her only brother Arnold, and sisters Grace Mae and Maude. She loved Jesus from an early age and was a dedicated church member and community worker all her life. She primarily was a praying wife and mom!
She was known countywide for her many quilts and hundreds of quarts of corn, green beans, and every other fruit and vegetable. I think her full time job was being a prayer gardener. Mom or MeMe, as the grandkids so fondly called her, graduated into her heavenly abode on Sunday, August 3, 2003 at her home in Cowgill, Missouri.
She imprinted my life with the spirit of prayer and dedicated my life to Jesus before I was ever born. Her prayers guide me to this day to be all that I can be in Lord Jesus Christ.
The Endearing Dorris Grace
Michal Ann’s mother – Dorris Grace McCoy Willard was an amazing wife, mother of four, a great schoolteacher, and lived a life dedicated to God and her family. Coming from an artistic and musical God fearing family, the McCoy and Willard gatherings were always full of life and fun! Especially the annual October Hayride and Christmas jamborees!
Dorris was a bird watcher who could identify any bird by it’s call or shadow, let lone it’s colors and flight patterns. She kept yearly and a lifetime list of every bird she every identified. She too departed way too soon, at the age of 62, and did not get to meet any of our four kids. But she will one day though as Jesus was first place in everything she did.
Mother’s – What An Amazing Creation!
Mother’s – what an amazing creation! What amazing plan! I miss them all today – on Mother’s Day 2012…. And my sweet grandmother’s as well!
So I blow some kisses heavenward today. I am so grateful for eternity – for heaven – and God’s great plan of salvation through work of the cross of Christ Jesus.
We are only separated for a short while! But till then, Jesus, if it is okay – tell Amanda Elizabeth, Dorris Grace and my darling Michal Ann – we still miss them and thank them for lives well lived. 
With Thankfulness!
James Wayne Goll and Family

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Hearing God in New Ways

I have not forgotten an early lesson that imprinted my spiritual life. During the Jesus Movement, I was attending a house-church-type meeting. A man from another state was ministering to us young leaders. He was a bit older than I was, and he was also more experienced in ministry. I was just sitting on the couch in the living room minding my own business when this man looked straight at me. He said, "Well, you feel like everything's all dried up, don't you?"

Now, at that time, I was not used to being around gifted people who had discernment, people who were capable of prophetically "reading my mail." He continued, "You feel like you're not hearing God's voice right now. Is that right?"

His readout on me was sadly accurate. I had gotten used to hearing God somewhat clearly in one specific way. But often I didn't know what He was saying. The visitor continued, "It's not that God has quit speaking. It's that He has just switched channels on His dial. It's like God uses a radio when He speaks to us. God has not quit speaking to you. He has just turned the knob over to a different channel that you are not used to hearing Him on." This man was using parabolic language; I could understand a radio changing channels. Instead of feeling condemned or exposed, I felt enlightened and encouraged. I was hearing God! It's just that there are many different ways the voice of God is transmitted to us. I left the room thinking, I can't  wait to discover the other ways by which my Papa God wants to speak to me!


Our Father's voice comes to us in such a great variety of ways that we need such moments of enlightenment. Otherwise, we tend to get locked into set patterns. It's so good of God to temporarily shut down one channel in order to open another. He hasn't quit speaking; He is opening our hearts and minds to hear His voice in new ways. He does this so that we will continue to grow progressively in our relationship with Him. He doesn't want us to become locked in to the same patterns of hearing Him. God's goal is a real, live relationship with us. 

For more check out my book, The Beginners Guide to Hearing God