The Wilkes Team

Words can’t truly describe the joy we all experienced as we witnessed the beautiful union between Joshua and Lisa.

Proverbs 18:22 

“Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing,

and obtaineth favour of the LORD.”

Revelations 19:7 

Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.

Solomon 2:16  “My beloved is mine, and I am his:..”

Job 41:17 

“They are joined one to another, they stick together, that they cannot be sundered.”

12 Comments » | posted in Family News

The night before the FEW conference we held a dinner in our home and invited Mr. Wayne Rautio to come and exhort us in the ways of righteousness!

Mr. Rautio encouraged us to continue to face each challenge and situation that we encounter by faith. Remembering what Christ has done for us and choosing to live in a state of faith vs. fear is so critical for our spiritual maturity!

Mr. Rautio, we all were motivated and encouraged deeply by your words of exhortation. Having you and your dear wife in our home was a honor. Thank you for being used by God to stir us up. May God bless you for putting us in remembrance of what we have in Jesus Christ.  ~ 2Peter 1:13

A time of special music was shared.

A surprise celebration of Dad’s and Amanda Neely’s birthdays!!!

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The faithfulness of God isn’t dependent on man’s decisions, nor is it manipulated by temporal experience and physical events. The faithfulness of God is built on the unchanging promises of God’s word. A wonderful testimony of this truth recently came about in the form of the West Virginia Family Encouragement Weekend. Being the first of it’s kind in the wild wonderful state of West Virginia we we’re filled with excitement to see how God would work. From going through the weekend, we found God’s faithfulness glimmer through conversations, messages, and songs so frequently and so poignantly.  Now that the conference is over the memories cause us to rejoice again and again at what God accomplished. He accomplished His will, He performed His master plan, and we stand in awe. Thank you Heavenly Father for your faithfulness to us. We truly don’t deserve it but may we always be grateful.

2 Comments » | posted in Family News, Ministry Reports

We appreciate our Dad’s visionary aptitude. He’s the type that doesn’t get so caught up in the present situations of life that the bigger picture is forgotten. Since moving to Culpeper and building our new home the present situations seemed to clamor louder then ever for our solitary focus. At these moments we will often hear from dad the need to remember. Remember that we didn’t move to Culpeper just to build a new home, create a happy environment, and enjoy farm life. We moved to Culpeper to be ambassadors for Christ, be a light on a hill, a channel of God’s love to those around us, sign posts declaring the message of the Gospel.  Though reminded, sometimes it’s easy to wonder how this vision will be accomplished. How can we be a witness for Jesus Christ to the thousands living in Culpeper?

A few weeks ago, dad put feet to this vision of being a "light on a hill". In Culpeper, there is an annual fourth of July Parade. Knowing this fact, dad shared with us the idea of putting together a float with the purpose of entering the parade. We, as a family, had never done something of this sort before but why not jump in and try?

The float would be patriotic but it would also have a strong family focus. On either side of the float signs would be put up proclaiming that the family is an indispensable building block of society. Other signs declared what is needed for a family to survive. In addition, a few short paragraphs were written on the family’s important part in the development of the USA, then printed off to hand out to those watching the parade. An integral aspect of the handout was the need for Jesus Christ in the life of a family. He is the one upon which the family should center their life.

When the fourth of July arrived, Grandpa and Grandma joined us as well as dad’s brother Nathan and his family. It was such a blessing to have their help and encouragement. Our good friends, the Neely family, also played an important part in the enterprise with their musical instruments, creativity in planning the float’s presentation, and their ever abounding cheerfulness.

We are still rejoicing over this experience and how God encouraged us through it. But now we are in a different period of history. It’s not the fourth of July but the 25th. How are we going to continue being the light on the hill? The next opportunity will be different. It might be a conversation, song, encouraging note, or a passing word to the cashier.  Purpose not to forget the vision – remember why God has placed you and your family on this earth.

4 Comments » | posted in Family News, HIS-story

What an encouraging, inspiring, and uplifting time we had with our dear friends the Martins.

Whenever we see the Martins our faces light up with joy! This is a family who clearly sees God’s hand upon their lives. They have experience the supernatural power of God’s direct action in their lives because they walk by faith and not by sight.

We are so blessed to know you all and to have spent the weekend with you!

The Martins were a team of energy-givers to us! We had quite a few work projects to get done around the farm and the Martin family helped us succeed our goals for the day!

Thank you Martin family for your joy and servant’s heart!

3 Comments » | posted in Family News

A huge wild crowd sat in the Roman Coliseum. With smiles of pleasure on their faces, they watched two gladiators, in the arena below, fight to the death. The Roman masses were infatuated with the shedding of blood. This was their past time; their means of amusement. It couldn’t just be wrestling or a horse race. Those were too tame. Let it be a death-fight! 

As the crowds watched, with anticipation, the horrible drama unfolding before them, a small intruder entered the arena. He walked over, stood between the two gladiators,  then declared with a loud voice: “In the name of Christ stop!” The gladiators did stop, then wondered and stared, all the while looking quite confused. The stupefied crowds also stared. Finally they aroused themselves: how could the daring man try stopping their means of pleasure and joy! A stone was hurled toward the intruder. Another came and then another, finally he was hit. The man, Telechumus, a monk of many years, faltered as the stones began to pound against his body. It didn’t take long till he fell and then died. Hence, his life was finished. What a waste? No, not a waste! On the contrary, what a stand! The consequence of this stand didn’t come till seconds after the monk’s death when the once wild crowds, now subdued and quiet, left their loved coliseum, left the place of their pleasure and joy. This was not a leaving today to return tomorrow, but a leaving with no return. Never again did the arena resound with crashing swords, cries of dying men, and roars of a wild crowd. Telechumus’ death ended forever the drama of the Roman Coliseum.*

One man willing to stand, even if his life was taken, stopped a practice which was loved by thousands, held the pleasure of emperors and noblemen, and owned a long wicked history. In the book of Ezekiel it is written, “And I sought for a man among them that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.” (Ezek. 22:30) Telechumus did stand in the gap. He was ready and prepared. When God looked for a man to end the drama of the Coliseum he found Telechumus instead of finding none.

In every age, culture, or society, God is looking for men and women to stand in the gap. He is looking for someone who will make a difference. Instead of pragmatically handling wickedness, they will stand upon their feet, raise the banner of righteousness, and step forward into the gap. The paramount duty of the Christian is to prepare for this moment. Prepare now while there is still time. Be Ready To Stand!

*Some doubt the veracity of this story but many reputable historians believe it to be historical and accurate.

3 Comments » | posted in Proclaiming the Truth