Once again we take you into the life of Evangelist Bill Pittsenbarger. Not only will we be celebrating Valentine’s Day this month, but also we want to say Happy Birthday to Mrs. Naomi Pittsenbarger (her birthday is on February 10th).
While scanning through Brother Bill’s newsletters I ran across an article he had written February 2017 in which he had reprinted an article published in The Joyful Woman magazine.
The magazine had run a Valentine’s Day issue contest, “Why I Love You.” Brother Bill entered and won the contest.
The letter appeared in the magazine 36 years ago and he stated that nothing had changed, only that he had added reasons to love her more
The Lord God said, “It is not good for man to be alone. I will make a help meet for him.” So, God made Naomi. Oh, a few thousand years elapsed between that declaration in Genesis and the birth of a little baby girl named Naomi McClung. But just twenty years from that blessed event I had my help meet: Naomi became my wife.
“I’ll be home to get clothes” and “No, I don’t know when I will be back,” were frequent and unwelcome phone calls that marked the first years of our marriage. I was in the Air Force and my squadron was often called upon to respond to “trouble spots” around the world. Naomi kept our home going. She reared our children almost entirely by herself. We didn’t have much time together, but what was lacking in quantity was offset by quality. Naomi was my wife, but she never stopped being my sweetheart.
During those years God prepared us for our lifelong ministry. Before retiring from the military service, He called me into evangelism. So there are still the farewell kisses, those tender touches, and the hot tears that seem determined to escape as we say our good-byes. I go off to preach again, Naomi stays home to care for our son and daughter, our dog Missi, and to pray for my safety and the success of the meetings.
I love my wife more after twenty-four wonderful years of marriage than ever before. I love her for who she is, and for what she has been to me. She has been the catalyst that kept our home and hearts together, she has been my audience when I needed to talk. She has been my partner, my lover; she is a gift from God; she is my “help meet.”
From The Joyful Woman – February, 1984
In contacting The Joyful Woman for permission to use this article, I was given a very special message to be written in this blog for Sister Naomi:
A VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
FROM THE RICE SISTERS
of The Joyful Woman
Grow Old With Me
Come, grow old with me;
Let’s enjoy life as it ought to be.
Sure life’s made up with lots of stuff,
But grace is available when things get
Tough
Youth is good with its little care;
But try if you wish, you can’t stay
There
Growing old is a blessed event,
The grace to enjoy is heaven-sent.
So, no matter what may be your age,
You can begin at any stage.
Your body may resist the start,
But take control; be young at heart.
Let’s get the most from every day,
Encourage others along the way.
The end reward will be like gold;
From being blessed while growing old.
-Bill Pittsenbarger 2013