As I discover new additions to Brenda's blog I will copy them to this blog. I am sure Brenda will also take her liberty and copy some things from here for her blog.
God bless
Ren Rutledge
Now I will copy some content from Bren to get started. I will ask for permission later. :)
The following stories are copied from Brenda's blog.
The Man with the ax
My grandfather, John W. Rucks was a man that trusted God and lived by faith everyday. He preached and pastored in Arkansas for many years. This story is about the trip he took to Winslow Arkansas approx. 70 years ago.
Grandpa Rucks was taking his family to the next place he would be preaching a revival meeting. He really wasn’t sure where they were going, but he told his family, there would be a man coming out of the woods with an ax on his shoulder.
When they arrived in Winslow, they pulled over on the side of the road, and there he was , the man coming out of the woods, and just like Grandpa said, he had an ax on his shoulder.
He approached the man and told him his name, and that he was there to preach a revival. The man was excited and told my grandfather that they were looking for someone to preach and they were ready for revival.. They had a “Brush Arbor” meeting, and several were filled with the Holy Ghost.
I never really thought much about this story, It was told…I believed it…that was that.
Then something else happened that made the story more real to me.
Gary, Mom and myself went to the general conference in Salt Lake City, around 2001 (might have been 2000) Gary went to the business meeting for the preachers and when he came back to the motel he told me about a man he met. Gary said when he sat down at the meeting he introduced himself to the preacher sitting beside him, and told him where he was from. They shook hands and the preacher told Gary that his name was Bro. Hampton and he was from Winslow, Arkansas. Gary began to tell him the story about my grandfather. Then Bro Hampton said to him “ That was my uncle that had the ax on his shoulder” he went on to say that several members of his family received the Holy Ghost during that revival and several in his family were called to preach as a result of that meeting, and he had also heard the same story told through the years. Well Hallelujah !!!!!
My sister (Joy) made this comment:
My Daughter-in-law is the Grand daughter of the Hampton’s. Sis. Leona Hampton is Nicole's Grandmother, she attends our church. I believe it might have been Sis. Lenora's husband's dad who had the axe on his shoulder. I have never talked to Sis. Hampton about that story, but will do so when I return from B.O.T.T.(Because Of The Times) Joy
My Mother made this comment:
My half sister was an eye witness to this story of my family. I was a baby, my sister (Ruth) is gone but the story lives on, what a blessing. God is great.
The Accordion Case
My brother Rendal is 3½ years older than me. When I was about 3 or 4 we were playing upstairs while mom and dad were downstairs playing music. Dad played the guitar and mom played the accordion. They left the accordion case upstairs, and for a couple of small kids like Ren and myself, it looked like a good place to hide. Ren tried to get me to get inside the case, but I wasn’t sure that’s what I wanted to do, so he offered to get in first to show me what I should do. He got inside the accordion case and told me to close it. I could not get it completely closed , so he told me to sit on top of it., I did. While sitting on top of the case I reached down with my tiny hands and pushed both latches, and heard them “click”. Evan as a small child, I felt something was wrong with what we had done, so I knelt down to open the case, It would not open. All I could hear from my bother was a muffle, and I began to cry and say “me tant get it open” me tant get it open” . Mom and dad heard my cries, and realizing something didn’t sound right, they came upstairs and saw the situation quickly. They opened the accordion case and There was Ren, white as a sheet.
I have always wondered, what would have happened if I had gotten into that accordion case like he wanted me too. Hmmmmm, I wonder, do you think I would have been rescued? Oh yes, my dear brother would never leave me inside an accordion case, would he?
Healing In The Name Of Jesus
This story is written about me by my brother Ren…………
I remember the morning when my sister, Brenda would not wake up. I tried to shake her to wake her up for breakfast, but there was no response. I was only 8 years old. After calling for my mom and dad to see what was wrong with Brenda they also became alarmed. Brenda could not move and there was almost no sign of life. She was taken to Davis hospital in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. I will never forget the sad look on my father's face as he wept in our home for several days. Brenda had polio. In fact the doctor told our family that not only does Brenda have polio..."Polio has Brenda..." I remember crying as I went to visit my neighbors. Brenda and I had spent many days with the Browns down the street from where we lived, because my dad and mom were often busy in Church work and the Browns were good neighbors with children that we enjoyed spending time with. When they asked about Brenda, I broke down and cried as I told them how I found her that morning and how she could not talk or move.
I will never forget the knock on the door a few days later as brother T Richard Reed came to our home. He did not know about the situation with Brenda, but Brother Reed had been driving on a trip and was passing through Little Rock when he felt the leading of the Lord to go check on our family. When my father went to the door brother Reed met him with a smile. My father had not changed clothes or shaved for several days. All he would do was walk the floor crying and praying about Brenda. Brother Reed stood there with a smile on his face as the door opened. He saw the condition of my dad and asked what was wrong. As my father started weeping and talking to brother Reed between sobs I saw brother Reed push him back, and I heard him say with a strong voice, "Brother Rutledge get hold of yourself we serve a big God and he is able to heal Brenda...." Brother Read told my father to go take a bath and change clothes..." About an hour later they both left the house dressed in suits on their way to a small Church where a precious group of black friends were having service. My Father and brother Reed walked into the Church in the middle of service and my father cried out in desperation to these good people. He asked them to please call on God for his little girl. The preacher closed his Bible and got down on his knees. All the congregation went to their knees and started weeping and calling on the name of Jesus.
A few days later my mother was at the foot of the bed at the Davis Hospital praying and calling on the name of Jesus when she heard a sound behind her. The voice of a little girl was calling for her mother. When mom turned around she saw Brenda standing up in the middle of the bed with a smile on her face and heard her asking for a coke.
Mom called to the nurses, and when they came they saw what was going on and called for the doctor...
When Doctor Robinette came into the room Brenda was walking around drinking a coke and the Doctor said to all present..."There was nothing we could do...but a higher power came into this room and did this work...."
Polio had been taken from Brenda's little body and she was completely well and able to return home. Here we are more than 50 years later and Brenda still has her testimony. She has never been bothered by polio again in any way. God took polio out of Brenda's life and gave her a new life. Today Brenda has a beautiful healthy family. God has been good to Brenda and the Rutledge family.
Written with happy tears.
Ren Rutledge
Preachers Kid (PK)
Growing up a PK has its up and downs, about like anything else. There were really good times of meeting interesting people, and going to a lot of interesting places. I always enjoyed helping mom serve visiting ministers and their families after a good church service. One of the best parts of going to church is getting to eat and fellowship afterwards. It was fun to sit and listen to preachers tell stories and good things that were happening in other places around the world.
My Dad (Rev. M. J. Rutledge) was pastor of Dew Drop United Pentecostal Church during the 50’s and early 60’s in Pine Bluff, Arkansas
One visiting evangelist that I remember as a child stands out in my mind. His name was Mervin Miller, and he was single and just starting in his ministry. I was 8 going on 16. While Bro. Miller was preaching a revival for us, he became very ill with the Flu. He had to stay in bed for a month, and it fell my lot to see after him. We rented a small television (oops should I tell that? ) and I enjoyed sitting on the floor beside his bed watching TV, and waiting on him to tell me what he might need. I was happy to help him in anyway I could,
( I had a little crush on him.) I guess that was my first preacher to take of.
Being raised a PK has helped me to know how to be a better pastors wife. It takes a lot understanding and prayer to work with people.
Today I am pastor's wife of The Apostolic Church in DeWitt, Arkansas. Recently My cousin Brian Rushing and his wife Wendie agreed to help in our services. Brian is at the beginning of his ministry and he sings and preaches in our Sunday afternoon (4:30) service. It brings back memories watching God use him as he begins his journey working for the Lord along with Wendie and their two boys Jacob and Ashton. At the present, because of having to take care of my in-laws in Pine Bluff, we are riding together on Wednesday nights to go to church in DeWitt. Last night on the way home I asked Jacob how did he like going to church in DeWitt. He said “I like to go to church in DeWitt because we always get to eat after church” and “ I enjoy playing with the other kids too” He said he also enjoyed the services. That conversation made me smile. Jacob is learning to be a PK.Silly Songs
My brother's name is Rendal, so through the years we have been called Ren and Bren. We had a music store once called “Ren and Bren House of Music” we taught piano and guitar lessons, sold sheet music and LP albums . The younger generation doesn’t know what LP records are…….my grand-daughter, Shelby came in my house several years ago and saw a stack of LP albums. She picked one up and said “Wow, that’s a BIG CD !!!!”
Ren has written several hundred gospel songs and you can hear lots of his music on renrutledge.com
There were a couple times that we were called upon to entertain and we had to come up with a song for the occasion.
First Baptist Church in Pine Bluff, Arkansas invited up to sing at a banquet. They wanted a song to go with the theme of the party so we came up with the Jupiter Blues. Ren played the bass and I played the accordion.
We got a standing ovation after singing this song.
THE JUPITER BLUES
Oh I'm so blue
So Blue
I've got the Juuuuuuuupiter blues
Oh I'm so blue
So blue
I've got the Juuuuuuuupiter blues
Ren - I thought I could make it without her
Bren - Oh please won't you come back to me
Ren - I thought I could go on, but now I'm all alone
Ren/Bren - And nothing in this universe can satisfy me
We were invited to entertain at the the Coon HuntersAssocition annual fund raising Coon supper in Gilett, Arkansas.and this song was written just before we got up to sing by Ren.
Coon Hunters
Coon hunters, coon hunters
You can’t beat the life of a coon hunter
Sleeping in the day time, hunting at night
There is nothing like a coon……..hunter
I can’t remember the verses, but it was a big hit that night.
Another time I was needing a song for a talent contest in Cahokia High School. I was in the 9th grade. We came up with this song to the tune of “My Bonnie “ We won!!!!!
My Neighbors
Last night as I lay on my piller
Last night as I lay on my bed
I stuck my big feet out the winder
Next morning my neighbors were dead
Bring back, Bring back, oh bring back my neighbors to me, to me
Bring back, Bring back, oh bring back my neighbors to me.
I’m sorry I’m rid of my neighbors
I don’t think they thought much of me
And if I had it to do over
I think that I might wash my feet.
Radio Days
In the late 60’s and early 70’s Ren had a job playing music at KADL radio station in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. I wanted to be just like my big brother, so he helped me get a job on Sunday afternoons playing gospel music at KPBA radio. We were both on air at the same time. Ren called me on the phone once and told me what record he was playing next, so I played the same thing….we were trying to confuse the listening audience Later I left KPBA and went over to KADL, and on Sundays we had the “Ren and Bren Gospel Music Program” It was just a regular work day for Ren, but for me it was a very special time of my life, and I was having lots of fun.
Relaxing In Pine Bluff
Healing In The Name Of Jesus
Good Things Happen
Surprise Birthday Party Part 1
Surprise Birthday Party Part 2
Surprise Birthday Party Part 3
New Jerusalem Here I Come
