into the north woods

Praise God for this cabin in the North Woods where we can take rest.

Greetings in the name of the Most High God and the fellowship of Jesus Christ our Lord.  All praise to the Maker of this north woods wilderness in the midst of which I now sit.  But, more about that later.  I am penning this entry on my dinosaur laptop, hoping to save it on a disk and then send it out to you when I can find internet access.  The last couple of days have been an amazing chapter in this journey, and there is much to say.

I believe I penned the last newsletter in Iron River, Wisconsin inside that closed library.  That day (Friday), I pressed on for what turned out to be another 40 miles before I finally crossed the state line into Minnesota.  Based on reports from locals along the way, we avoided the shortest and easiest route via Superior, Wisconsin over the St. Louis River and into Duluth. I was told that the bridges were dangerous; and the map showed the roads to be freeways (a big no-no on a bicycle).  Instead, I headed due west and a little south of the city on some rural roads so as to cross at Oliver.  This turned into a slog right in the face of a nasty headwind.  What I thought would be 10 miles turned into 20, and to cap it all off, there was no sign welcoming me to Minnesota as I was told there would be (Later, we found out that Hwy. 2 going into Superior was not a freeway, and the bridge actually had a bike path). Well-intentioned advice from locals is not always good advice.  Nevertheless, I regret not the woes.  The Lord gave me a couple of good witnessing opportunities.  After 72 miles, I was glad to call it a day.

Finally, Minnesota

So, we drove back into Superior, hoping to find a cheap motel for the night.  It was supposed to rain, and the night was cold.  Besides, we needed a good rest before hitting the streets of Duluth on Saturday.  The motel search was a huge headache.  All day we prayed for the Lord’s provision, but it seemed absent, and He seemed silent.  Most places were booked solid for the night (Only the Lord knows why?  It is supposed to be the off-season up here).  Anyway, we finally settled for an overpriced Days Inn on the harbor (the only place we could find a room).  What was the Lord doing?  After a quick dinner at a nearby café, it was time for a hot shower and much needed slumber.

It wasn’t until Saturday morning that God revealed His reasons for having us at the overpriced Days Inn.  The night before, a young man held the door open for me as I was lugging in our cooler.  I did not have a Gospel tract at the time, so I went into the room and grabbed one.  On my way back out to find him, I prayed that the Lord would put him in my path again if he was supposed to hear the Gospel.  The young man was gone.  Well, Saturday morning, while Jamie was taking a shower, I decided to sneak out to the whirlpool and give my tired legs some therapy.  While soaking, this young man came up, and we began to talk.  He asked why I would ride a bicycle across the country (I always enjoy answering this question; ‘tis a great bridge to the Gospel).  I said, “Do you really want to know?”  When he responded in the affirmative, I laid out the truth plainly.  As it turned out, this was the same young man who held the door for me the night before (I did not learn this until later).  Richard was very open to the Gospel.  He took a New Testament and a Gospel tract.  He also asked if he could call me sometime.  I pray God that the phone rings at some point with his voice on the other end of the line.  Please pray for his salvation.  The Lord definitely had His hands on this encounter.  Such an occurrence made the headaches of hotel searching and the pricey nature of the room seem to fade into the realm of unconcern.  I was also able to witness to this lady out by the pool.  May the Word of the Lord not return void.

After checking out of the Days Inn, we milled around downtown Superior, Wisconsin for awhile, hitting the last Wal-Mart for several hundred miles, Northwest Outlet for a headlamp, and a local Greek café for some breakfast.  All three places provided interesting witnessing encounters.  In front of the Wal-Mart, the cross-country team from Superior High School was having a bake sale.  I liked the looks of these two loaves of zucchini bread sitting on the table, so I thought I would buy the bread and proclaim the Gospel to this group of young people.  Having run cross-country in high school myself, it was easy to strike up a conversation.  When all was said and done, Gospel tracts went into the hands of the entire team, and all heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  At the Northwest Outlet, we had a long conversation with Greg, one of the employees.  What started out as small talk about headlamps, the Boundary Waters, and Isle Royale, led into the precious Gospel of Peace and Truth.  May the Word of God work effectually in his heart unto everlasting life.  Finally, at the Greek café, Jamie was very bold to proclaim the Gospel to this young busboy.  His spirit was sweet, and he listened with open ears.  Oh, that he would be saved!

Then, it was on to Duluth, the last city of any real size for quite some distance.  Shortly after crossing the river into Minnesota, the Lord placed us in Canal Park.  From our human perspective, it seemed like we just happened upon the place. ‘Twas cold, but the clouds broke. The scenery was amazing, and the coastal hills reminded us of the San Francisco Bay Area.  Oh, the places we get to see!

Anyway, after walking up and down the streets for a short while and handing out some tracts, we moseyed over to the waterfront where there was a wide sidewalk and a lighthouse.  People were out and about, but it did not seem like the environment was suited for preaching.  As we strolled up, however, a crowd seemed to instantly appear out of nowhere.  By God’s Providence, we were standing right below this famous aerial bridge that actually raises itself into the air while maintaining its horizontal position so as to allow barges and boats to pass beneath its beams.  People flocked down to the sidewalk to behold this engineering marvel.  Instantly, I knew that the Lord had sent me to these people.  Woe was me if I did not preach.  I was a little scared.  Away with fear; God hath not given us that spirit (II Timothy 1:7).  So, with Jamie nearby, I mounted this cement wall and began to preach the Word of the Lord.  Immediately, everyone turned to see what was going on, and I heard an “Amen” echo from the crowd.  This was a spiritual shot in the arm, so I continued in boldness.  After the boat passed by, the crowd began to disperse; so I winded things down.  Then, I was approached by the “Amen Lady.”  Jackie and her daughter were very encouraged, and we had a nice conversation that spiritually edified all of us.  Jackie requested prayer for her church in Forest Lake, Minnesota (a suburb of Minneapolis/St. Paul).  They had stood up against an adult bookstore in their church vicinity for a long time, and the place finally shut down.  Yet, the end of the battle seemed to cause spiritual flames to flicker and falter.  She asked that we pray for revival in her church and community.  Please join us in such intercession.  As for her daughter, she is a freshman in high school who really wants to be a bold witness for Jesus.  I ended up giving her a stack of solid Gospel tracts and encouraged her to distribute them at her school.  Please pray that she may be bold for the Word of God and the Testimony of Jesus Christ.  After we parted ways, Jackie chased us down again to get our picture.  She wanted to take it to her church so as to have that local body lift us up in prayer.  Oh, the joys of Christian brotherhood.  What an encouragement this encounter turned out to be.

Preaching on the Waterfront in Downtown Duluth

As we started to head in the direction of the truck, Jamie was very bold with these three high school girls and an older couple from California.  Also, more Gospel tracts went out.  The truck was on the other side of the aerial bridge, so as we were beginning to cross, the warning bell went off.  We were delayed while it lifted up to allow boat passage.  Did the Lord orchestrate this timing so that a man and two teenage boys would hear the Gospel?  Only eternity will tell.

Once the bridge was back into position, we walked across.  About midway, I noticed that lots of people were still milling up and down the sidewalk below.  The acoustics were great, and the whole city of Duluth lay before my eyes.  Thus, the Lord prompted me to do something a little crazy.  I lifted up my voice like a trumpet—“People of Duluth . . .”—and preached from John 3 to the groups of below.  Many faces immediately turned to hear the crazy man preaching from the bridge.  The Word went out, and the name of Jesus was lifted up.  May the Word burn in the hearts of those who heard in the same manner that it burned in the hearts of the two disciples on the Emmaus Road (Luke 24:32).  What an amazing day, but it was far from finished.

Preaching from an Aerial Bridge to the Streets Below

From Duluth, we changed latitudes and drove slightly northeast about 100 miles to the small town of Ely, Minnesota, the gateway to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.  Once again, the Lord’s blessings rained down.  Phone calls had been made, and we were immediately hooked up with Pastor Bob of Berean Baptist Church (I told you all the story of how this came to be in a previous newsletter—God’s amazing Providence).  He welcomed us into his home as they were having dinner with two other Christian couples from the church.  Thus, we enjoyed some wonderful homemade pizza and sweet Christian fellowship.  We were then directed about 20 miles out into the middle of the wilderness to this YMCA camp where a family from the church served as caretakers.  They put us up for a few days in this sweet two-story log cabin with all amenities.  Right now, as I pen this report, I am enjoying a warm fire in the fireplace and the solitude of the North Woods.  Jamie and I are absolutely loving this. Our only company in the immediate vicinity are the plethora of stars, the Milky Way, Burntside Lake, illusive wolves and moose, and thick groves of amazing aspen, white birch, cedar, pine, and fir.  Only the Lord knows what kind of other critters are scampering about out there.

Sunday morning, we were truly ministered to at Berean Baptist Church.  Pastor Bob had me give a testimony before the church, and then he preached from James 3:1-2.  I was reminded that my calling carries with it great responsibility.  I must be careful with my words and speak the truth in love, for those that teach the Word shall receive the greater condemnation if they should err in their proclamation.  WOE IS ME IF I DO NOT PREACH THE GOSPEL!

During church, I turned around to see Frank Bauer (the man watering his flowers in Ohio who shouted an “Amen” as I pedaled by a day after we had actually planned to leave Monroe—the rest is history) sitting a couple of rows back.  He actually drove up from Monroe, OH with his father-in-law for the week.  Who would have ever thought that I would be enjoying the blessings of Christian fellowship with the plant-watering Ohio man in the North Woods of Minnesota.  God’s sovereign Providence continues to amaze us.  Only the fool can say in his heart that there is no God.

Anyway, we enjoyed lunch and fellowship with Frank and his father-in-law out at their cabin.  Sunday night, several couples from the church came out to Camp Du Nord where we had a potluck dinner in this sweet log banquet house.  This was set up as an opportunity for Jamie and I to share some of our stories to interested ears.  The evening was a huge blessing, and we were greatly encouraged as fellow saints prayed over us for our well-being, the efficacy of our ministry, and the health of our unborn baby.

Potluck & Christian Fellowship at Camp DuNord

Jamie and I plan to embrace refuge here outside of Ely until Friday morning.  Some snow may be coming through, and Jamie has a doctor’s appointment on Monday morning.  Please pray that all goes well.  The Lord has already provided in that we found a doctor willing to see her, and she actually attends Berean Baptist.  I was totally burned out when I biked into Minnesota, so we will spend the next couple of days recharging.  Lord willing, we may get to enjoy some hiking and canoeing with Frank.  Also, there may be an overnight trip out to Isle Royale National Park in the works.  God’s will be done.  May this time in the wilderness be a time of solitude and fellowship with the Almighty as we seek His will for the next step in this journey.  With Ely, Chapter 2 comes to a close.  The Minnesota Interior and the brutal Dakotas lie ahead.  So help us, God!  With the winter bearing down upon us and undoubtedly brutal conditions lying in our path, we determine to embrace and firmly grasp the attitude of Queen Esther in Esther 4:16.  We press on toward the mark of our high calling in Christ Jesus, and IF WE PERISH, WE PERISH.

Well, I better close for now.  The hour is late.  Hopefully, I can have some internet access to email this in the near future.

Until next time, we are most affectionately yours in the service of the King of Kings.

Deo Vindice,

Jesse & Jamie Boyd
Full Proof Gospel Ministries
Isaiah 12:2

P.S.  It is Monday afternoon, and as I prepare to email this thing, I will add a short appendix.  This morning, we saw Dr. Priggey in Ely, Minnesota.  Everything is fine, and we were able to hear the strong heartbeat of our baby once again.  All praise to the Most High!  This doctor’s visit was His provision.