Mike Tremblay's Weblog

Summer Heat Of course it's always hot in Florida. Well, I'm from New England and I've seen it almost 30° below zero. I've also seen it snow in every month but July. So saying it's always hot in Florida is relative. Since moving here 8 years ago, my blood has thinned so a 50° day means a warm hoodie and hat. I've lost all respect for cold 🥶. In my latter years in Northern New Hampshire the rule was if my feet are cold the rest of me is cold. There are pictures of me sitting in my living room with two sweat shirts, a woolen cap and a blanket on me mid winter even though the woodstove just 6 feet away was putting out 80+° in the house.  Summer heat whether here in Florida or in dog days of summer (3 H's - Hazy, Hot, Humid) in NH are uncomfortable. It's staggering to me that people tolerated such heat prior to central A/C. Just this week in 90° temps and dew points at 73° when I got in our car I'd turn on the A/C immediately after starting it was so op

Epilogue....Series number 10 So this ends the series of events that have happened in my life from around a month after I turned 14 years old (September 1967) to around the time I began a relationship with my best friend, Kat in 1974. With that said, here's my disclaimer: in just about 90 days I will be turning 70 years old. Some of the details may be a bit off, but sincerely I am sharing my heart with the best recall I have. Unfortunately, most of the people I could confer with about details were folk in my parent's age group to which most are gone from us. Further, many of my peers are unreachable as we've lost contact. In fact, some of them were last seen at our wedding in 1976 and others in 1974.  I am sure some facts may be a bit off but none purposely. I happily will accept correcting where my memory has failed. If you are reading this and we're part of the story feel free to comment, or text or email details. Thank you for helping and understanding. Here's my

We are back. In the previous episode it was revealed that after leaving WOLBI I got a job at my hometown department store and purchased my first vehicle, a 1964 Ford Falcon Econoline van which I loved. It was only in my possession a few months before I cracked it up and replaced it with an inferior Rambler American. I thought I would never own another van but I did and here's the story. I had almost forgotten this element in my life until Greg Laurie, a So. California pastor put out the Jesus Revolution film a few months back. What I saw happening on the previews of the film reminded me of my own life at that time. While working at Ames, I was at my church in Eastford, CT. The post high school gang there (Jack, Bruce, Steve and myself) began thinking about a ministry to that day's youth. One of the guy's father worked at the only Christian bookstore in our area. It was in Woodstock, CT. Just north of Woodstock over the Massachusetts border was Webster. Their high school, Ba

Welcome back to my life adventure "B.M." (Before Marriage)! Actually, as you've noticed in some of the earlier episodes, I noticed Kathy in 1973 but really hooked up with her in 1974 and we became engaged in 1975. So this summer will be 50 years of becoming connected together. Then we were married in 1976 making this past anniversary our 47th. But onto the continuing saga. I had mentioned previously about Greg Laurie's film released this year "The Jesus Revolution". We were able to view the film a couple of weeks ago. It was a full reminder of what was happening in the late 60s and early 70s. All around the time of this adventure of mine being penned in this blog. Shortly after high school graduation (1971) and my 5 months into 1972 at WOLBI, I became a working man at my first 40 hr week job. A pre-Walmart New England retail department store opened their first chain in my home town of Southbridge, MA. A number of their early stores were housed in former mill

The story I began a few months back and left during Easter I am planning to return to very soon on the Monday Morning Blog. But as I have been meditating recently on my life I see I need a renewal to the Great Commission and Great Command of the Lord Jesus in my life. Around 2005, I saw something that I really never heeded as I read the Scriptures. In fact, it became my life mission. Simply put it was in these words that I began a new thing: Love God, Love Others, Make Disciples. For more than 10 years I made that my Life Journey. But I've noticed recently I have slowly slipped from that replacing it with feelings of resentment and downright hate. I would look down at others. I would see them as ignorant and stupid. I wasn't humbled but haughty at others. I would talk harshly and make faces at their ignorance. My heart became hard. I was no longer Loving God and certainly not loving others. This past weekend I was challenged to this failure in my life. Now it is ever present be

The WordPress Lifejourney account is about to be gone. We will put up all content on the two Blogspot accounts: the personal blog (you're on now) and the LifeJourney blog coming soon.

Just for this week ...  Easter - Resurrection.  Jesus has risen. He is alive. He lives.  The reality of the Living Jesus is seen daily in the lives of those who have put their faith and trust in Christ as their Savior. Life renewal occurs daily as people surrender to their lives to the Lord Jesus Christ. I remember in 1969, less than two years after becoming a Christ Follower, I was standing in the baptismal tank on Easter Sunday, publicly sharing my testimony of giving my life to Jesus by going into the waters of baptism...dead to self and alive in Christ. That day became a highlight in my life, especially since the event occurred on the day we celebrated Jesus' resurrection. He lives ... I too live! I hope for you that the Easter weekend beginning with Good Friday and finishing on Resurrection Sunday was as special for you as it was for me. Amen and amen.

In my senior year of high school, I prepared to be moving away from my parent's home in Massachusetts to a Christian camp ministry in New York state. I would graduate in May, 1971; then head to the Word of Life Inn Bible Conference for adults in June and slide a few miles south to Word of Life Bible Institute in September to study God's Word and theology. I was preparing to do some sort of Christian ministry. While at my home church in Connecticut, I loved being used to teach the youth Biblical truths. My thoughts at that time, I may become a Bible teacher after graduation and further training in seminary. My thoughts and my plans were flipped when the summer camp ministry door closed after I arrived in about three weeks. I won't go into detail as to what happened but my perspective at that time had some facets of blame-shifting which absolved me of any blame. I tried reasoning why the summer job ended without seeing anything I may have done to warrant being told to pack my

There are three impactful events in my life that are up next. Today's post is the first. In fact, the recent events that took place in Wilmore, Kentucky at Asbury University is the reason behind my sharing these stories.  I do not remember where and when, some of the details of the past are fuzzy ... But this I do remember. Ray offered to take me to a church in Worcester where a revival was going on. Again the details are fuzzy but the main point was clear. God was at work and I was witnessing it. As a fairly new follower of Jesus, this was all new to me. I had never experienced anything like this before. But I was amazed at the confessions, the crying, the humility, the spontaneous words of prayer, the hugs, etc. This was not anything anybody conjured up, it was a moving of the Holy Spirit of God. After a few hours, Ray and I had to leave. But we left knowing God was in that place.  Sometime later we went back to experience more. The work of God was ongoing. I was amazed at what I

The Life story continues... In the summer of 1969, I had a summer job/ministry at Word of Life Inn in Schroon Lake, NY. That continued for the next summer and for a few weeks in 1971, the year I graduated from HS. Just a couple of notations here:    - I recently found out that the Inn (which was renamed the Lodge) was sold and closed. This was a shock to me as those summers were used by the Lord to develop depth in my walk with Him. Some of my work mates were attending a college in Tennessee and I became impressed with that school because of these guys I worked with. I applied but my HS grades were under par so I was denied entrance into the college but did get approved to attend their Bible College. That summer in 1970, I knew Word of Life was opening their own Bible Institute so after being rejected in Tennessee but accepted into their Bible Institute, I reasoned why travel to Tennessee when NY was closer to home. I applied to WOLBI and was accepted for the fall 1971 school year. Tha

The time period: September 1967. The place: Southbridge, Mass. The story: A 14 year old HS freshman's account of his meeting Jesus Christ as his Savior and the beginning steps of his life as one of His followers. The invitation: If you would like to directly contact, or if you have a question for Mike, use the LifeJourney email: lifejourneyconnection@gmail.com or text: 603.960.4949. On with the next segment... My times of discipleship with Ray, Mrs. O, John DeBrine, youth group or church just did not address any kind of strong opposition people may have toward the Gospel message when shared. Neither discussed was the devastation I was feeeling with the physical attack I encountered on my paper route while telling others of the new life Christ offers. But it's important to say that even though I was completely floored by the incident, I never once denounced my faith or desired to turn away from my Savior. But I did have very strong feelings about witnessing or sharing my life st

 The events noted in parts one and two ... And now part three are reflections of activities that took place in the fall of 1967. I was a freshman in High School. That's the 9th grade folks. A very long time ago. The Lord is bringing back to my mind these events now, some 55 years later. Some of these things I have not thought about for years and years and more years (even decades).  Just as soon as the Holy Spirit was working in my heart to grow in my new faith, I sensed His moving in my heart to be an "active" follower of Jesus. I sensed it was my duty to live for Him. It was my duty to proclaim His Good News to others. It was my duty to be active for Him. I was becoming a deeply devoted Christian. It was more and more of a Holy Spirit burning in my heart to do things His way. No longer was my life my own but His. My disciplers, my daily teacher of the Scriptures on the radio program, my studies in Sunday Bible classes, youth group and worship services all pointed to a d

 My testimony of my encounter with Jesus Christ was documented on Listen to this ... #1, both here and my longtime blog mike-tremblay.blogspot.com. That encounter led to some of the most amazing and unbelievable life journeys for this young high school freshman.  Two wonderful Christ-Followers began to instill in me the wonders of my new life in Christ. I already mention Ray, a faithful friend who became instrumental in my following Jesus as Savior. He didn't quit when he first took me to the outdoor Youth Rally in Worcester, Massachusetts and I didn't respond to the preacher's invitation to follow Christ. He once again took me to Boston and Tremont Temple where I did make that vital decision to give my life to Jesus. Of course Ray rejoiced in my choosing Christ in my life. But he knew that I needed to grow in my new faith. He continued to bring me to rallies and meetings to help me build my life on the Lord Jesus and learning His Word (the Bible). A daily morning radio sho

 In the early fall of 1967, I had a friend about 10 years older than me, who took me under his spiritual wing. He invited me to go to Boston for a youth meeting on a Saturday night. It was at that rally, my spiritual eyes were opened when the Gospel was presented ... I was a sinner, needing the Savior, Jesus Christ who gave His life for me to take my penalty for sin and cleanse me. That night I received Christ as my Savior and Lord. When Ray offered to take me to Boston for a Christian Youth Rally, my reasoning was to go to the large city which intrigued this 14 year old. The Lord God had something else in mind. He used the largest city in New England to have me sit in Tremont Temple near the Boston Common and hear John Debrine proclaim the Good News of salvation in Christ I desperately needed to hear. Through Holy Spirit conviction I had a transformation experience. At this point in my life I went faithfully to church on Sundays with my family. It was here we met Ray and his dear moth

BLESSINGS OF A NEW YEAR I am thinking about 2022. The year didn't go fully as planned. It did, however, go exactly how God planned. He reminded my just yesterday something of significance He did for us in 2022. I will not share the details because it's not the point, but I will share with a simple statement that the faithfulness of God Almighty has been a dynamic reality this past year.  We left 2021 with our roofing company which replaced our leaky roof with a brand new one but causing the living room ceiling to collapse in front of us. God's faithful hand of protection and care kept that ceiling from coming completely down until just a day or two from when the repair team showed up to fix the ceiling. The crew of three dwindled later that day to a 60 year old man working by himself to shore up the existing woodwork that was totally weakened and damaged over the years prior to our purchase 6 months earlier. the roof was replaced in one day in mid-October. The ceiling worke