My father was a dairyman who had leased 180 acres of bottom ground along the Coquille River, where he and my mother built up a herd of around 180 milk cows. They milked about 100 cows year around. Our family consisted of my older sister Sheila, my younger sister Sandi, and of course, Dad (Dutch), and mom, (LaVerne)...we were the Meyer family.

We enjoyed all the benefits of farm life; horses, cows, pigs, chickens, a beautiful Collie dog named Rex, and of course kitties. We had a giant vegetable garden each year. Lots of fruit trees also... apple, pear, cherry and peach. Life was good on our little farm even though the wages were meager.

On Columbus Day in 1962, my sisters and I were at school when a massive wind storm began to plummet our region. We watched from inside the school house while waiting on school busses to come pick us up and take us home. There were sustainable winds of up to 170 miles per hour that day, blowing down large trees, destroying houses and church buildings around our little town. Power lines were down everywhere. Some people lost their lives that day and some were seriously injured.

Finally, our bus arrived and we were taken to our home. As we stepped off the bus that day a large gust of wind picked up my baby sister Sandi, and nearly blew her away. Fortunately, my older cousin, Bill was there, and he reached out just in time and pulled her back to the ground. We rushed to the house and closed the door as quickly as we could.

The storm blew for hours and when it finally subsided, our old farmhouse had been lifted up, turned about 45 degrees and set back down askew with the foundation. It would never be repaired...too far gone. The storm had also blown our 40-foot-high silo over onto the barn, smashing through the roof and crushing some of dad's farm equipment that was stored inside, as well exposing all the winter feed to the torrential rains that followed. Our equipment, barn and silo were all demolished but surprisingly, all of our livestock made it through without injury.  Dad had no insurance to cover any of his losses.

Left with no way to rescue our farming operation, Dad had to sell off his herd and what equipment he could salvage, and we moved to town while Dad figured out what to do.  It was not an easy time for my parents, but I do not remember them ever complaining about any of their adversity in front of us children. Within a short time, Dad landed a good job working for the Oregon State Highway Maintenance Division and was assigned to the Coquille Oregon Division. He purchased a small house outside of town in a little community called Arago. There was one general store which had a gas station and a post office along with food supplies and so forth. A grade school was there as well. We lived there many years until all of us children graduated from high school.

As we settled into that small community, we made friends with the Hunt family who ran a good-sized dairy around the corner from our new home. They had children our age. I had ridden my bicycle around the area looking for summer work on a farm to earn money for football uniforms and school supplies. I landed a summer job with the Shull family who also had a rather large dairy operation. They allowed me to stay in their bunkhouse that summer. As it turned out, they were a Christian family and invited me to go to church with them each Sunday. I was introduced to Jesus Christ during my stay there, and I remember inviting Jesus Christ to come into my life, forgive me of my sin, and be my personal Lord and Savior. I stayed active in youth group and church all that summer until I returned home to prepare for football and the school year.

Meanwhile, back at home, my Mom had become good friends with Doris Hunt who was the wife of the dairyman around the corner from our new home. Doris was also a very active Christian lady of a Pentecostal persuasion. My Mom had rededicated her life to the Lord and she, along with my sisters were filled with the Holy Spirit and began praying in tongues. Oh my, what a handful! Haha! They had begun to learn of Jesus and His miracle working power and they were excited to say the least. They had begun attending the Foursquare Church in Coquille with Doris and her family.

At some point, they were trained by their Pastor to be effective intercessory prayer warriors. They began praying for my Dad and me. I had let my faith grow cold for a few years, and I believe it was Mom and my sisters’ prayers that helped me hang in the balance until I could come to my senses. Several years came and went, I graduated from high school, went on to join the United States Marine Corps for a few years and finally at age 27, I re-dedicated my life to Jesus Christ and answered His call to the ministry.  

You see, God didn't bring the storm and the circumstances it caused, but neither did He waste it. He used the opportunity to position our family so that we could hear of and receive Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. I began working in His Kingdom back then and now, in my 70's, I am just as thrilled to be serving as I was when I started at the age of 27.

I began in ministry with my wife, Glenda, (now deceased), along with some of our children. We played and sang contemporary Christian music in parks and various youth and church services around our region. I had learned to play guitar as a young man and even toured with a small dance band for a season. I had thought music and entertainment would be my profession, but God had other plans. He has used me in the worship music ministry all through the years and I still love to sing and play music to the Lord.

After a couple of attempts at Bible School, I eventually became acquainted with a young Evangelist, Dave Roberson, and he needed a music ministry to help in his meetings around the West Coast. I signed on and for 3 1/2 years I worked with Harvestime Crusades as a worship leader and Crusade Coordinator. In return for my services, Rev. Roberson trained me in the work of the Evangelist. I learned much about how to study and meditate on the Scriptures as well as working with the Lord in signs, wonders and miracles. Many wonderful manifestations of God's power were experienced during those times. I was convinced that God had called me and desired all of me if I were to accomplish His work. What a process of maturing took place in me!

When I left the Harvestime Crusades organization, I set out to build a similar ministry using music, preaching and signs, wonders and miracles as my calling card. It took a while, but eventually that ministry came to maturity. I am so blessed that the Lord Jesus Christ stayed with me during all those fledgling years.

Eventually that ministry developed into church planting. I served for several years helping to plant churches in the Pacific Northwest, Idaho and overseas in Uganda, East Africa and they still continue today. I enjoyed that ministry so much and am thankful to the Lord for using me in that capacity.

In the year 2000, I joined the Righteous Preachers Network, founded and directed by Dr. Mark T. Barclay of Midland, MI. After three years I graduated from his training course on the Ministry of Helps. This was a college level course for developing the ministry of helps in the local church, to help pastors build solid teams around them as they fulfilled their assignments in their respective communities.

In 2002, I formed Spirit of Life Christian Center with a heart to help believers develop their faith in God and be able to apply that faith in practical ways out in their communities.

In November of 2018, Glenda, my wife of 45 years, moved to heaven. The Lord Jesus was her first love for a lifetime.  After being widowed for a year and a half I came into contact with a friend, Jeanetta, whom I had known for 40 years. As we refreshed our friendship it was revealed of the Lord that we should be married. We were married on April 5th, 2020 and it has been so rewarding for us to share our lives together in the work of the Lord. Since then we have been so blessed of God! We truly anticipate the Lord using us to help God's people develop their relationship with Him to the fullest. As the saints are equipped they will take this Gospel of the Kingdom to the uttermost parts of the earth. What a privilege to serve!

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Yours in Christ, by way of the Cross,
Pastor Lenny Meyer