1000 bucks worth of dirt
By: Ed Smith

How much dirt can you buy for a thousand dollars? I had absolutely no idea, so I called a local landscape company and asked. A very friendly receptionist named Dixie estimated that a thousand dollars would buy about three truck-loads of dirt (about 54 tons); that is, if you want them to deliver it. But, if you pick it up yourself, you can get about 100 tons of dirt. Imagine loading 100 tons of dirt in the back of the mini-van! Whew! I am breaking out in a sweat just thinking about the work it would take to get the dirt home; and spread out over the yard!

Recently, I bought a piece of “real estate” that was such an incredible deal, it rivals all others I’ve seen! You see, I purchased a small jar of dirt that weighs about one half of one pound, and I paid $1,000.00 for it! So, you think I got ripped off? Just because I didn’t get a deed for my property doesn’t mean it was a bad deal!! Well, at least they threw in the jar and a cork and a really nice label for free! I thought it was a great deal! So, what is it that is so special about my dirt?

· Maybe it has oil in it, and represents a deposit we paid towards the purchase of a piece of land about to be drilled—and, I’m about to be rich? Well, not exactly.

· Or, maybe the dirt is from the front yard of the condo I bought really cheap a few years ago that I just sold for a mint….and I’m rich? Not exactly.

· Perhaps it is from a piece of land that my rich uncle left me in his will and I just sold it to a shopping center developer and am laughing all the way to the bank with their big fat check? Not exactly.

OK, so EXACTLY what is so special about that jar of dirt that makes it worth a thousand bucks? I’m glad you asked. I’m sitting here at my desk looking at the jar of dirt, and I simply can’t keep my eyes off it! The really nice label I told you about says, “Wesley College. 111 Wesley Circle, Florence, MS 39073…” That is the single most important reason that this jar of dirt is worth a thousand bucks! You see, this jar of dirt represents 40 acres in Florence, MS where a small Bible College is located. It is my Alma Mater. I enrolled at Wesley College in August, 1976 as a Freshman. I lived on that dirt for five years as I attended school and learned about God. I learned about ministry. I witnessed people with a heart of gold; people with hearts for Christ. It was during the time I lived on that dirt that a troubled kid brought his own truck-load of “dirt-garbage” to Bible College and left it there in prayer, under the caring guidance of people whose sacrificial giving of their lives helped to mold mine into the man of God that I became. It was on that dirt that so many wonderful things happened to me (and a host of other people, too), that a library could not hold all the testimonies of those whose lives were impacted for Christ. I don’t know of another college anywhere; Christian or Secular that would have invested as much into me as the people at Wesley College did. And, it all happened because a group of people had a vision to establish a facility that would train young people for the ministry. My jar of dirt represents Wesley College. My jar of dirt represents a vision that came to pass and has been used of God for decades in the salvation of lives and the preparation of God’s workers for His Vineyard!

Wesley College Needs Me
I learned recently that Wesley College is in trouble. Blame it on the recession. Blame it on leadership that went awry recently. Blame it on bad business decisions or blame it on the weather. Blame it on the devil if you want to. Probably all of these reasons and many more were contributors to the problem! A long list of problems brought Wesley College to its knees. And, now I am paying attention again! I’m late, but I’m here! I heard many questions: will Wesley College survive? Will the sponsoring denomination end up in bankruptcy if Wesley folds? Will the hurt that has been experienced amongst the people involved during of the demise of the college ever find healing?

Oh, my dear one! God is really good at fixing broken things! After all, if He can fix me, He can fix anything! But, please don’t take my word for it! If you have ever been touched by Wesley College—either directly or indirectly—I challenge you to simply REMEMBER and THINK. Remember what it was that God used to touch your life as a result of Wesley College. Remember God working in your life as He showed you the way of His blessing. Remember the many people who were blessed by the very existence of Wesley College. Think about the hundreds (thousands) of people Wesley College has touched. Think about the missionaries! Think about the pastors! Think about the Sunday School teachers! Think about those in a secular career that learned to take Jesus to work with them every day and the influence they make for Christ! All of these blessings and a host of others because of the influence of Wesley College! All because this institution was used of God to touch lives that touched other lives that touched other lives that touched me and you!! Just think about all the things God did on that 40 acres of dirt, and it will change your life! So, how much is a small jar of it worth?

Mere donation?
So, you think you understand now?…this was all about a donation to Wesley College and not the purchase of a jar of dirt, right? Not exactly.

You see, when I bought that jar of dirt, I was planning to support Wesley College anyway—true enough. And, the “advertised price” of my jar of dirt was 40 bucks a jar—or 30 bucks a jar if you bought it during that particular weekend, but I gladly paid a grand for mine! And, I think I got the best deal of anybody present at that meeting! There was a silent auction where some priceless heirlooms and a lot of “stuff” was sold. A lot of money was raised for Wesley College there. Then, there was the Gold City concert. The offering there, including one large donation, raised a lot of money for Wesley College. And, the DVD’s of the Westminster Reunion in Tehuacana! Precious! The recording of John Ragsdale, one of the men of God who ordained me into the ministry and is now home with God….it was precious and wonderful! But, I still think I got the best deal with the dirt!

Tehuacana Dirt
I talked to the young man whose son came up with the idea for the company that excavated, authenticated, bottled and sold the dirt as a fund-raiser for Wesley College; Mr. Orain Tubbs. Orain told me that he is planning to go to Tehuacana, Texas; the former location of Wesley College (known as Westminster College many years ago) and dig up some dirt to bottle and sell as a fund-raiser for Wesley College. Now, I ask those reading this article who attended Westminster College; “would you buy a thousand dollars worth of Tehuacana dirt?” I bet you would! And, I ask you this, “if you do buy some Tehuacana dirt, will you think that your Tehuacana dirt is more valuable than my Florence dirt?” The truth is, I’d hate to try to live on the difference, wouldn’t you?!

The Real Reason
The real reason I consider my dirt as being so special is because of what it represents. It represents a place that was built and dedicated to the service of God in the training of young men and women for Christian Service—and it has done that faithfully for decades. Pastors, evangelists, missionaries, Sunday School teachers and a plethora of other beloved people who serve God with all their heart, soul and strength were trained at Wesley College. Many students who came to Wesley College were lost in sin when they got there and found Christ on those grounds. Lives were changed, those in bondage of sin were set free. Calls to the ministry abounded, and now we reap the fruit of those years. The many unforgettable chapel services, prayer meetings, missionary conferences and instructional classes that took place on that 40 acres of dirt through the years, the experiences of a lifetime that happened on that campus. On a personal note; my wife and I have a very significant “special event” that took place for each of us while standing on that dirt. It involves two special spots of dirt “out in the field” behind the campus that have tremendous significance in our lives; because it was there that a “dragon” is buried. Marie and I both dealt with and watched God put to rest demons that oppressed us and kept us in bondage in ways that I won’t explain in this article, but it was there that we were SET FREE!! Recently, I drove onto Wesley Drive as I came on campus for our alumni reunion recently (the same weekend that I bought the dirt), I felt a chill run up my spine as I remembered those “graves” that once were marked by a long since rotted “cross” made of sticks that were stuck up in that dirt at the very spot where those demons were driven out never to haunt us again.

Heaven in Florence?
I remember back in 1976 that I felt like I’d died and gone to heaven when I arrived on campus at Wesley College. I thought Florence was about as close to heaven as one could get on this planet! However, reality set in when I discovered that there was a satanic group that also lived in Florence—just down the road from Wesley College! But, through all that, I learned that God is really in control of my life—not the devil—I also learned that absolutely none of the bad things that I’d experienced in my young life had taken God by surprise! I learned the precious words from a song, “God weeps along with man, and takes him by the hand. Tears are a language God understands…” I learned that “It is Finished, the battle is over! It is Finished, they’ll be no more war…It is Finished, and Jesus is Lord!!….” meant true victory for me because Jesus died for ME! I learned that “Jesus, I heard you have a big house…big enough to let a kid roam…” meant that God has room for me, too—and that I was accepted, loved and validated in His presence! I learned that “At the Cross” meant that I had a refuge! A place that I could run to and there find God’s grace….no longer was I in disgrace! I learned that Heaven is a place to long for….and that it would, indeed be mine some day. I learned that there are actual people who really pray (out loud!) for me and you! I experienced it first hand on the day I passed by Mrs. Langton’s trailer while doing maintenance next door and hearing her call my name out loud!! —only to realize that SHE IS PRAYING FOR ME BY NAME!!! I sat and wept when I realized how much she loved me! How much she cared for ME! The troubled kid with more baggage than an airport terminal (and maybe as confused)! I had not ever felt that kind of unconditional love and acceptance in my life! I had never been validated in that manner before. There is no doubt that I was in God’s will at Wesley College.
While I was at Wesley College, I was in danger. I desperately needed someone who would just love and accept me! I needed someone to believe in me. As a Christian, I was told, and I believed that God Himself provided those things for me. However, God knew that I needed a human being who would do that as well. So, He introduced me to a lady that I called “Momma.” I called Patsy Gilmore “Momma” along with many other students who called her that in honor of Patsy and Frank’s daughter Michelle. Michelle had spina bifida, and was in a wheel chair most of the time. She could use a walker occasionally. I loved Michelle like she was my little sister! She was a promise. She was a possibility. She was a promise with a Capitol P…”A great BIG bundle of po-ten-tiality.” Michelle has been in Heaven for many years now, but her sweet touch on my life lives on to this day. So, it was easy for me to call Patsy “Momma” out of respect back in those days. But, down in my heart, I needed a Momma! And, I found one! Momma Gilmore believed in me! And, I knew it! She said to me, “you can do this if you put your mind to it!” I wanted so badly to sing back in those days, but I couldn’t carry a tune in a washtub. But, Momma was patient and let me try. She worked with me a lot in those days—she endured a lot of sour notes from this guy trying to sing bass and still sounding like he was in puberty. She also endured a lot of immaturity and a selfish attitude that often got in the way. It took a long time for all she taught me to sink in and help me become the man of God I am today! But, OH, when Momma sang! I thought surely that I was listening to the voice of an angel! Maybe some thought it was a waste of time for me to take music under Momma’s teaching, but indeed, it was NOT! I now use the training I received in diction and breathing techniques from her instruction in my radio broadcasting career on a daily basis! Sometimes, I find myself singing “NAH NAY NEE NO NOO” early in the morning to warm up my voice when I have to “hit the mic” before sunrise! And, I still love to sing!! More now than ever, because Momma Gilmore believed I could do it.

I Found Myself at Wesley College
It was at the altar in that chapel that I found true peace in my heart as a young man…it was in one of those classrooms that I heard men and women of God instructing me in the things of God by what they said but more so how they lived their lives in front of us. It was on that 40 acres of dirt where I met my bride. It was during the time while living on that dirt that I made friendships that are so much deeper than words can describe. Friendships that are ongoing to this day….Friendships that are strong, although separated by miles and time. Friends that genuinely love each other. But, sometimes we forget. Sometimes sin blinds us so much that we can’t even see the blessings we are basking in. Sin that causes us to go to sleep and not realize bad things are happening….sin that causes us to hurt ourselves…and to hurt others. And, it is shocking to wake up and smell the coffee and realize that something precious is in deep trouble and might be lost. It is the saddest thing in the world when a family breaks up. And, there is a precious Christian family that is hurting very badly…and needs a healing touch from God.

Time Passes and Stuff Happens
Thirty Four years have passed since the day I enrolled as a student at Wesley College. Marie and I had the privilege to go back to WC in 1993 and live on campus again. We spent a year there as a volunteer worker (she was a student again…and we had three teenage boys at home, too!). Marie went to school part time, and I volunteered as maintenance director, bus driver and general all-around flunky. We LOVED our time at Wesley…and we wanted to stay, but that simply was not possible! We made many more “friends for life” during those days, including the young man whose son came up with the idea of “famous dirt” as a way to build a business “from the dirt.”

Unfortunately, since those wonderful days, I became detached from Wesley College, especially during the past decade and a half. I got caught up in my “own ministry,” and felt that things at Florence were in good hands because I knew and trusted the leadership that was in place there. But, when sin made its way into the haven we knew at Wesley College; when the devil went for the jugular of our precious Wesley College, he and almost hit it! When the recession and the leadership mess combined caused churches and people to pull back their contributions and abandon our headquarters operations. When the Missions Department curtailed its operations; and when Wesley College faced possible foreclosure and closing—it was then that I awoke from my slumber to realize that Wesley College was now in grave danger. The monster-sized bills had piled up—the IRS wanted their money! And, the IRS is not famous for their patience and understanding in these matters!! And, there was no money to pay them! The banking situation went sour and endangered the future of the school. People got hurt and walked out because of the “stuff” that was happening—and, I’m talking about GOOD people! People that God has used for His Glory for years; maybe decades—many of these people simply couldn’t take the stress any longer and they left. Leaders fell, and they fell hard. Families fell apart. People got out their swords and went for each other’s throats. Some chose to sit in judgment of all that had happened and they spouted and spewed. And, here I was; so far detached and so much asleep that I didn’t even know this was happening until I saw the “mushroom cloud” that appeared on my radar.

Rude Awakening
The truth is that this disaster within my beloved church hit me like a baseball bat. I truly think that if someone had actually hit me with a baseball bat, it wouldn’t have hurt any worse than what I discovered when I awakened from my slumber. I truly hate the way we got here. I truly hate the sin that caused this whole situation. I truly hate the circumstances that are before us now. I hate the massive overload situation that must be immediately addressed if the college is to survive. I hate the pile of red ink that threatens the future of Wesley College and hampers its current operations. But, most of all, I HATE what the enemy has done to separate and divide HIS people that have loved each other for decades! I hate the situation, but this very day, I am more in love than ever with the people involved…EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM!!!

Enough is Enough!
So, ladies and gentlemen, I am announcing today that, “I have had enough!” I am fed up with defeat. I am fed up with satanic weapons tearing everything down that God built! I am fed up as I stand and watch those weapons of Christian destruction from the pits of hell firing their ungodly weapons at us and destroying precious people, families and ministries!! I am fed up with all the fighting and hurting that has happened and still continues amongst our precious loved ones! I’m fed up with pouting instead of praying! Did I say that I am fed up? If I didn’t say it, please let me say it now! I am fed up!

Don’t just sit there, do something!
I decided that being fed up wasn’t enough, so I decided to do something about it! I bought a jar of dirt that was excavated from the 40 acres of Wesley College. And, as I sit here looking at that jar of dirt, tears fill my eyes! Tears of sorrow for those that are broken because of these attacks. Tears of sadness because so many of my brethren gave everything to help in the building of God’s ministry at Wesley College only to watch it burn before their eyes! And, these people are hurting! And, I am hurting with them! Tears for those that are angry and cannot seem to let go of all the “garbage” and find peace. But, I also have tears of HOPE and tears of JOY! Tears as I ponder what I believe in my heart is already happening at this very moment!! Tears that make my heart leap with joy and cause a chill to run up my spine because I know that with God, “I can do all things through Christ…!” Tears because I witnessed many of my hurting brethren as we, together began remembering and claiming God’s promise of restoration for our school and church… Tears of Joy as I realized that this thing is not hopeless!

It’s a Story About My Healing
Being a Gospel Music lover and Christian Radio Broadcaster, I usually default to music for encouragement. I thought about the Gaither song….“Then came the morning! Night turned into day, the stone was rolled away! Hope Rose with the DAWN!” HOPE is Here Ladies and Gentlemen! Jesus is here! I am convinced that God is going to heal this whole thing somehow! The excitement now literally explodes within me as I ponder the healing that is taking place even now! The reality that this healing is deep and widespread, and is just getting started makes me rejoice in my heart as I think of the future of Wesley College! I am expecting this coming school year to be the best ever! I KNOW that God is not finished with the church, and He is not finished with His college! He has many more things to do through her yet!

Someone aptly surmised the current situation by this analogy: he said that our college and church is in the “emergency room,” and is very sick. Good analogy! But folks, I’ve personally been there and done that. I’ve passed dangerously close to death’s door due to my heart problems back in 2006. The doctors gave up on me. They said that it would take nothing short of a miracle for me to survive! They also said that, even if I did survive, my future prognosis was bleak. But God! (That’s enough!). But, Jehovah Rapha came to that hospital and paid me a personal visit! I’m not supposed to be sitting here at this computer typing this letter. I’m supposed to be “dirt” today. But, God, my Healer paid me a visit. He touched me and I was made whole. “It’s a story about my healing. The Great Physician ministered healing to my soul.” I am here only because of Jehovah Rapha’s touch! And, I experienced all of these emotions simply by purchasing a jar of dirt!! What a deal I got on some under priced real estate! I cannot put any value on what I feel at this very moment! No words can describe it!

The Point of the Matter
I tell you, the most precious gift God has given me in a long time is the gift of a jar of dirt taken from the 40 acres at Wesley College. It is precious because the sight of it invokes within me a renewed passion for Christ, a renewed sense of vision for what He called me to do, and a host of other things. So, I consider my purchase as “cheap” considering what it has already given back to me! What a deal! But, I need to say this thing; lest you think I am looking at this jar of dirt as a shrine of some sort that has some kind of magic power to heal, or that the dirt has any supernatural properties at all. Please allow me to tell you this—it is a jar of dirt. Dirt cannot heal you. Dirt has no special power. It is dirt, plain and simple. But, God created man from the dust of the ground, and He raised up Wesley College from the dirt of that 40 acres. My jar of dirt awakens memories that stir my soul and bring passion back into my life because of the memories it invokes. Not because the jar of dirt has power. It does not. That is my point.

Hurting People Hurt People; Healed People bring Healing
It is a very true statement that “hurting people hurt people.” But, when a hurting person lays down his hurt at the foot of the Cross, he finds true healing then and there. After the Holy Spirit comes into a hurting person’s heart and heals it, the former hurting person is transformed into person that brings healing instead of harm as they share what God did for them! We stop hurting and start healing. We are a helper instead of a hurt-spreader. Many people who are in the heat of the events in Florence of late that ripped into and is threatening to destroy Wesley College have walked through a hellacious experience in recent days as they watched hurting people hurt people. Some got caught in the crossfire and were injured as a result of the battle. Most are simply “battle fatigued.” Hurtful things were said. Harm was done. But, ladies and gentlemen, Jehovah Rapha is here! And, now is the time for healing to come. Now is the time to let it go and ask our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ to bring His healing to us.

A Half-Million Dollars worth of Dirt
I am issuing a formal challenge to a minimum of 500 people who will join me in buying 1000 dollars worth of Wesley College dirt. A half million dollars will go a LONG way towards fixing this situation and putting Wesley College on solid footing once again. And, it will change your life AGAIN if you will just do it!! If the engine in your car was burned out, you would find a thousand dollars from some place and get it fixed! You would rather do that than walk, wouldn’t you? Well, the very heart and soul of our church—Wesley College—is in deep trouble and in danger of bankruptcy and closing forever. So, I challenge you to wake up and smell the coffee!! Buy a jar of Wesley College Real Estate and put it in a prominent place. Then, look at that dirt and shout, “Glory Hallelujah!” because God changed your life through Wesley College, and He is changing your life once again right now! That makes this jar of dirt the most valuable piece of real estate on the planet Earth. Your gift will help Wesley College to continue her mission of training Professionals for Christ! And, I’m certain that Momma will give you a hug when you do! Just do it! OK??

Now, if you are reading this article online and have no idea of the people of whom I speak, then I ask you this: Do you understand the culture war that is going on in our country this very day? Do you understand that Bible colleges are closing their doors in every state in the Union these days? Do you understand that many of the Bible colleges that remain open have compromised the truth of God’s message in order to gain students? If so, you understand the value of a Christian Education. The value of an education from a Christian Worldview. Perhaps you or someone you know is looking for a truly wonderful place to get a bona fide Christian Education? Then, please allow me to recommend Wesley College in Florence, Mississippi to you with my whole heart! You can reach them at www.wesleycollege.edu., or contact me directly at 256-845-1256 and I’ll get you in touch with these wonderful people. And, why don’t you consider buying a jar of dirt while you’re at it? You’ll be investing in a wonderful Christian College whose ministry has touched thousands of lives and continues to do so, in spite of the storms!

I pray for blessing and comfort to each of you that read this article, whether a member of this church, an alumni of Wesley College, or a visitor to our webpage. God Bless you for reading.

Never forget that you are each loved with an everlasting love! I love you dearly, but more importantly, God Loves You, and has an incredible purpose and plan for your life. Accept it today, won’t you?
In Our Master’s Joyful Service,
Ed Smith