THANK YOU . . ROY CLOUDT

I've been thinking recently about people who had a great influence on my life. My life has been like most; it is the reflection of many people who touched my life with their love and support. One of those people is Roy Cloudt.

I headed to East Texas State University, Now Texas A&M Commerce in the fall of 1959. I had just completed two summers of mission work, had led music in a local church and for several revivals. I was now ready to find a place to minister as a Music and Youth Director . . if I could just find a church and pastor willing to give me the chance.

After visiting with the BSU Director at East Texas, he told me that a church pastor had recently called him about a position in the church. They needed someone . . and I needed a church. I called Roy Cloudt, talked with him on the phone, and then headed over to First Baptist Church of Howe, Texas for a visit. It wasn't long before I was the new guy . . serving on the staff of a church . . doing what God had called me to do.

Roy and Joyce Cloudt were wonderful encouragers to me, and they became lifelong friends because of that simple phone call made in 1959. That's 50 years. As an aside, that reminds me that little baby Carla will be 50 years old this March.

I often stayed in the Cloudt's home; they became my confidant and counselor before RL and I married. They stood alongside RL and me in Howe . . later at Calvary Baptist Church of Denison . . and then at Second Baptist Church of Baytown. We served together in three different churches and felt God's power at work in the lives of many people. We literally raised our families together in their young lives.

I owe Roy and Joyce a great deal of thanks. They had confidence in me when I didn't know what I was doing. They continually taught me God's word, taught me how to do church ministry, and stood with me in some difficult times.

Thank you . . Roy Cloudt (and Joyce)