Around the World in 88 Years -E Book - Arthur Burt

50 more, then 50 more, then 50 more! We became as busy ascould be, building pens and nests for all those revived hens andcollecting the eggs they were dropping over the place.These hens became a parable to me of my own life. I had startedpoor. And through Brother Archie’s asking me to take over hisshop in the village, I was earning a living making all kinds offloral arrangements for weddings and funerals. In addition, I wasgrowing chrysanthemums and cabbages in the big greenhouses.My provision was full.Eventually, my days began to get a bit too full. On Fridays, Iwould come home from working in the greenhouses about 5:30and would have an hour to get a bath and a meal. Then with acompany of people, I would drive into London to Lambeth TownHall for the glory meetings. To finish out the week, there wouldbe outreaches on Saturday and three meetings on Sunday in PaddockWood.I was worn out. I would just lay at the back of the hall and moan,“Oh God, I am utterly exhausted. Now, I have to go in there,start jumping up and down, bang on a tambourine, and sing anddance and preach.” I was doing far more than God wanted meto do because I was a people-pleaser. I had tried to oblige Archie,but I was doing what God had never told me to do. Finally, I hada confrontation with Archie.“Look,” I began. “God hasn’t called me to sell onions and cabbagesand do all these other things — making wreaths, crosses,and bouquets. I am willing to work but I can’t do everything.God has first called me to Himself.”My back was breaking. Everyday of my life, I needed to cram 30hours of hard work into a 24-hour day and had to more-or-lessimply to Archie that he was a slave driver. He had asked me tocome to help him with the church. Incidentally, he had said thatmy provision would not be from the church but from work thathe would provide.“Now,” I declared, “the work has taken priority over the ministry,and now I am living to you and not to the Lord. I’m notgoing to do that anymore.”118