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with Martha Kilpatrick and John Enslow
(M) So somehow or other, then John moved to the mountains and into a trailer, thirty foot?
(J) Thirty-four by eight foot. It was not a double wide, it was a, it was a travel trailer.
(M) And some property Don and Carole had. And we were still… We had not moved to the mountains permanently then, so he was up there a lot by himself and… But that’s where the ministry was conducted in that eight by thirty-four foot trailer, for how many years? Four years. And then, because he’d been in such silence and so forth, he was able to come back out. And he really got “Adoration” published, and helped me through that writing process while I was writing. I took six weeks to finish it in the mountains. And he would fast and pray for me to write that book. And then he was called to us, our family, my husband and me, to serve the farm. He said if I could just… in fact I’m just going to do that the rest of my life. But when the books were published and the ministry was birthed, then we knew his place. And a man was in our midst then said, “Martha, you’re the missionary, and you keep looking for a missionary; you’re it.” So… But the interesting thing to me is…I want to take one more thing, and that is about what you wanted to do as a child, credit cards and all that, bank statements. (Laughter)
(J) This is a roast; this is what this is. (Laughter) Ok, no, it’s good, it’s good; this seat’s really hot.
(M) I’ll tell it. (Laughter)
(J) Well, when I was little, about twelve years old, I’m just, I’m a peculiar person, ok. I come from a peculiar people. We’re all peculiar people, but I’m a peculiar person. (Laughter) And so the Lord…I have to believe it was Him, because it’s… Ok, twelve years old, got it… I signed up for every frequent flyer program, (Laughter) every hotel program that I could. I wanted every card I could possibly get. I got my checking account, had my ATM card; I was real excited about that. And at twelve, yeah, well I absolutely didn’t have a credit card. I wanted one really badly. But there was just something in me that really was so into… I mean, you know? I’d look at it and go… I mean some of the accounts I have, I’ve had them since I was twelve, you know? I’m going, it’s so bazaar. You know, I mean, I can go anywhere, you know? I didn’t stay at any hotel, but I was signed up thinking I’m ready to go! (Laughter) So, what I saw is just the providence of the Lord in that He’s, He was just setting me up. Because now I have multiple credit cards, and I have, and I maintain many, many, many, many… yeah, I mean you know? We’ve traveled, we travel a lot, and we use the points that I’ve learned since I was twelve to use. You know, I’ve learned that system before I even go into a hotel. (Laughter) I’m like going, alright, you’ve just got to get this, and this, and this, and then you sign over that and get… so I was ready for it, and we’ve flown you know, first class to Ireland, three people. We’ve stayed in three rooms for nine nights; it was three nights, three rooms…
(M) Was that with Joan?
(J) No, that was with Rosemary and Elsa and, and…
(M) Oh yeah.
(J) We did that free! We do a lot of free stuff.
(M) I cannot tell you… The people in our midst know this, but I cannot tell you what John can get out of a dollar. (Laughter) And he uses every point system that you can have, and he keeps up with them. I couldn’t possibly keep up with them that well. And he is literally a travel agent. He can arrange a trip, all the details and everything, and get the very best price, and so he’s a travel agent and technical man, accountant; I don’t know what else.
(J) So it was, I just see a lot of things in my life that was really providence; it was… God was setting me up, you know?
(M) I just think it’s real interesting that how perfectly His will fits, even when somebody like Carole and I don’t know it, it fits who He’s made us to be. It’s, it’s from eternity past.
(J) Was that more than you bargained for?
(Response from person in the group that asked the question.) No, no, that was awesome. Thank you.
(J) That’s more than I’ve given, so.
(Response again.) It was God.
(J) Well the story is, is really awesome. And someday I’ll get it down.
(M) One thing that John did, that someone else is doing recently, he burns every bridge behind him. There’s nothing to go back to. He sold his business in Florida. He got rid of his apartment, drove a U-haul with it up here, and severed all his relationships, burned his entire past. And it stayed that way for some time. Two of his Orlando friends are here now, and… But it was strange; made us look real strange. (Martha laughs) But it really was God. It was a gift to John, to us.
(J) You all have any other questions? I mean not of me, but you have any more questions? You can give a question if you want, but.
(M) My side of it is that it was the most amazing provision for me to fulfill God’s will for me. I couldn’t do without John; there’s no way. And there are other people who’ve been added and work with us, Jennifer now, fantastic. Carole works with us, and everybody pitches in. Everybody, everybody contributes and works. And it’s just, it is a Kingdom issue, it is a Kingdom provision. What you’ve just heard is something in the Kingdom that God set up so that I can do this very here, and have sound and computers and everything. Because everything, everything is done so that I can speak of Him, tell about Him.
(J) One other thing, one other quick thing. Ok, I’m just going to trust God with this, ok. The way I was raised is my Mom really called for me to serve her. Ok? I can leave it at that, all right. I was a servant of my mom. And I see the providence of even that. I mean as a boy it was painful, but the fact is, is that God has redeemed that entire thing and now I’m able to serve this woman. I’m able to give my life freely to this woman. And ah… But see, I didn’t get there without a pain, without a past behind it, but it’s glory now, and I appreciate it and I’m able to do it.
(Background comment)
(J) Well, I appreciate that, and yes, that’s exactly what it is. If it’s me really, it’s nothing, it’s just you know. But He’s, He can do that practical and move through, and I can watch Him cater to her. And, I mean she’s pouring herself out all the time. And I can watch Him serve her. (John speaks with deep emotion here.) A lot of people, you know, they question our relationship. And it’s strange; I mean it’s strange. (Laughter) I know, believe me I know it’s strange.
(M) We know.
(J) But ah, but I’m able to watch ah, a man… Because I’m really watching it, I’m not doing it; I’m watching it. I can watch Jesus through a man, how He would give His life. The fact of my giving my life and surrendering my life, and loving her like Christ loved the church. And it’s precious and it’s holy and it’s real special. And ah…
(Someone) It is a witness.
(M) Is it really?
(Group response) Yes, oh yes.
(M) Ohhh, Witness, yeah.
(From Group) It’s like God coming down to earth and being a Carpenter and making coffee for me.
(J) Right. Right.
(Someone) It’s a witness.
(Group response) I just remember when we went to Israel and on that trip there weren’t a whole lot of us, but it was mostly ladies, and one young gentleman was from Russia.
(J) Elijah.
(Group response) And I noticed how much you schooled him, because you attended so well to us, not just to Martha, but the attention you gave to all of us older ladies. And you schooled him, and he started picking up on his own accord. (Another speaks) And I remember one time we walked through the streets of Jerusalem and sometimes it’s a little intimidating because there are the crowds and the people selling things and all. And he would take responsibility for me sometimes; let me help you, let me get your pass for boarding. He learned it from you. So your example’s not just what you were to us, but what you became through him too.
(M) My oldest son went to Israel with us. We did a little small family, and our ‘Body’ trip to Israel and just confined it to us. And he’s always loved John, you know, always been complimentary to him. But when he went on that trip he came away quite impacted, and because I’m able to just go my way and I don’t have to think about a lot of things… And John is there. You know how he did to us, takes care of everything. And he understood completely what God had done, and knew that it was very much God. And there’s a provision; otherwise I could not do it. I wouldn’t have, I wouldn’t have tapes, I wouldn’t have books, I wouldn’t have booklets, I wouldn’t have an office, I wouldn’t have a computer, I wouldn’t have travel, I wouldn’t have anything of this. So that, that is probably the biggest illustration of the Kingdom in my life that I could give you, is that I never dreamed nor wanted a ministry. And ah, it’s far beyond what I… I would love to have traveled; that was fine. But I couldn’t possibly handle the luggage and the details and the just making it through the airport. I had one trip to my son’s in the airport, and I came back and said, “John, you’ll even have to go with me to my children, because (Laughter) I just don’t know how to go through an airport without you.” I’m just that spoiled and that provided for … He does a magnificent job. Thank you.
