 A Civil War Miracle
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Major Daniel Webster Whittle (1840-1901)
I have been crucified with Christ,
it is no longer I who live
but Christ liveth in me,
and the life I now live
I live by faith of the Son of God
who loved me and gave Himself to me.
This week I came across a most fascinating story of a Civil War miracle that led to the writing of a hymn that beautifully depicts the heart of the discipleship ministry of Journey in Christ! Be encouraged!
THE MINISTRY OF GOD'S WORD
Daniel Webster Whittle fought for the Union in the Civil War. Before he left home, his Christian mother put a New Testament in his backpack. He left as a man without Christ. His mother cried many prayers for her son.
Whittle was injured in the Battle of Vicksburg necessitating the amputation of one of his arms at the elbow. As he recuperated in a Richmond hospital, he found the little New Testament in his backpack.
He was gripped as he read the entire New Testament. Then he read it through again, more clearly seeing the way of salvation through Christ, yet without a step of faith to receive Christ as Savior.
One night, a nurse awakened Whittle to ask him to pray with and for a dying young man. The nurse assumed Whittle was a praying man because he was always reading the New Testament.
Whittle told the nurse that he had never prayed a prayer in his
whole life. Yet, the nurse persisted for Whittle to pray for the young
man because Whittle was the only man in the ward the nurse never heard
curse.
Here is the rest of the story in Whittle's own words:
Moved by his (the nurse's) appeal, I arose from my cot, and went with him to the far
comer of the room. A fair-haired boy of 17 or 18 lay there dying.
There was a look of intense agony upon his
face, as he fastened his eyes upon me and said:
"Oh, pray for me! I am dying. I tried to
be a good boy. But since I became a
soldier, I have learned to be wicked. I
drank, and swore, and gambled. And now I am dying, and I am not fit to die! Pray for me.
Ask Christ to save me!"
As I
stood there and heard these pleadings, God said to my soul by His Spirit, "You know the way of
salvation. Get right down on your knees and accept Christ, and pray for this
boy."
I dropped on my knees and held
the boy's hand in mine, as in a few broken words I confessed my sins, and asked
God for Christ's sake to forgive me. I
believed right there that He did forgive me, and that I was Christ's child.
I then prayed earnestly for the boy. He became quiet, and pressed my hand as I
pleaded the promises. When I arose from my knees he was dead. A look of peace was upon his face, and I can
but believe that God, who used him to bring me to my Savior, used me to get his
attention fixed upon Christ and to lead him to trust in His precious
blood. I hope to meet him in heaven.
THE MINISTRY OF PRAISE
10 years after the war, Whittle became a preacher and hymn writer. Following are the lyrics to "Christ Liveth in Me," one of his 200 hymns.
These words of praise are prayerfully rooted in God's Word and beautifully depict a foundational truth of the ministry of Journey in Christ.
Once far from God and dead in sin,
No light my heart could see;
But in God's Word the light I found,
Now Christ liveth in me.
Chorus
Christ liveth in me,
Christ liveth in me,
Oh! what a salvation this,
That Christ liveth in me.
As rays of light from yonder sun,
The flowers of earth set free,
So life and light and love came forth
From Christ living in me.
Chorus
As lives the flower within the seed,
As in the cone the tree,
So, praise the God of truth and grace,
His Spirit dwelleth in me.
Chorus
With longing all my heart is filled,
That like Him I may be,
As on the wondrous thought I dwell
That Christ liveth in me.
Chorus
CLOSING
Our choice is to trust our human efforts in life or to trust Jesus, who is the only true Life (John 14:6), to live in and through us -- just as He lived through Daniel Webster Whittle in that prayer for that young man.
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PS
Joy and I at homecoming festivities at Clemson University.
Joy with Clemson Tiger quarterback Tajh Boyd. 
Me and Joy in a homecoming float.
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About 
Discipleship through
Counseling
Teaching
Training
Gregg Gibbons
Pastoral Director
Michael Chalmers
Training Director
Kellie Boggs
Fellowship Director
Joy Gibbons
Ministry Assistant and women's ministry coordinator
Carole Blyth
Board member and women's ministry coordinator
Randy Garrick
Board member and Elder Holly Ridge Baptist Church
Paul Crews
Board member and Pastor Mountain Creek Baptist Church
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Partnership
I believe with all my heart that ministry is through relationships.
I thank my God upon every remembrance of you for your partnership in the gospel (Philippians 1:3, 5).
 
YouTube link below of my ministry commissioning service that included testimonies from several partners, including Bobby Richardson, former 2nd baseman for the NY Yankees.
Please contact me to learn more about partnering with me. I'd love to hear from you!
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On September 19th, Lifetime Ministries (formerly Lifetime Guarantee Ministries) published one of my Rest Stop articles.
Following is the link to this article:
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Ministry News
Next 8-month Advanced Discipleship Training to start January 2013. Clink on the following link for our brochure:
Gregg teaches freedom from anger through Christ at The Haven of Rest rescue mission in Anderson, SC Mondays 6:00-6:45 pm. You are welcome to attend with Gregg anytime!
Gregg is mentoring men and couples in an office at Holly Ridge Baptist Church in Simpsonville SC and at an industrial plant in Duncan SC.
Michael is mentoring men and couples in an office provided by Mountain Creek Baptist Church, Pendleton Street Baptist Church,and Earle Street Baptist Church in Greenville SC.
Carole and Joy, along with others trained through Journey in Christ, will be leading discipleship Bible studies Jan 23 through March 20, 2013 for 7 female employees at an industrial plant. This is a follow-up of their transformational ministry to the ladies in the Spring and Fall of 2012.
Michael is leading a weekly small group for Earle Street Baptist Church in Greenville this Fall.
On Nov 8-10, Charles Payton and Francie Beard of Grace Life International Charlotte were ministry partners for teaching our 8 students in the 6th of 8 sessions for our 8-month Advanced Discipleship Training. See photo below.
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Archives
Link for Rest Stops
since August 2010:
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Contact Info
JOURNEY IN CHRIST, INC.
655 Fairview Road
Suite H-188
Simpsonville SC 29680
(864) 483-3201 (Gregg cell)
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