“If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.”
John 12:26

Another servant has gone on to glory. Very few of you may have had the privilege of knowing Herman Spencer Gilbert. He was an intelligent man who was gifted in many ways. He dedicated himself to God and His Church. He was a passionate student of the Bible and had memorized more Scripture than most. He was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 1985. When I entered the family in 2000, Spencer welcomed me like a son. The family was familiar with grief and pain after losing Heather’s late husband, James White, to an aggressive cancer. His death had left a large hole in our lives, especially for Heather as she was trying to raise two very young children on her own. As God brought Heather and I together, I wanted to ask for Spencer’s blessing before we announced our engagement. I will never forget his tear filled bright blue eyes when he said, “This could be the answer to our prayers”. Sharing pain and suffering has a way of binding hearts together in faith.
Heather had always remained close to her mom and dad as the years went by. When we married, we knew that dad’s disease would worsen and so we planned to remain as near as possible. God blessed us to minister to two special congregations that kept us close by. I watched as he fought Parkinson’s with all his strength. He gave us a lot of excitement along the way (especially when he would disappear with the car keys!). Mom stayed by his side through it all. Finally, it reached a point where his declining health was more than mom could bear alone. In 2009, God answered our prayers so that we were able to find a perfect home that we could share so that daily life would not be quite as challenging. Along the way God provided us with numerous loving servants who helped support us through the trials. This summer when New Road contacted me about the position opening here in Waco, we felt it to be an answer to prayers. Coming to Waco brought all of the family together. Just days before Spencer died we were all there together. I know this was the peace that he was needing so that God could take him home. I want to say thank you for all your prayers, encouragement, and love. God has blessed us by the life of his servant.