“Dear Friends,
In 2013 my family and I travelled to England from the United States for vacation. I chose not to take my Bible with me because of limited space in my luggage.
After several days without any contact with the Word of God, I was feeling very down and discouraged. When we checked into a hotel in London, I was delighted to find a Gideon Bible which I read excitedly!
Thank you for your work encouraging the body of Christ and bringing lost souls to salvation.
May God bless you richly for all you do!
Valerie Fountain
Mississippi, United States”
The Hotel Bible Placement That Made History
HOTEL/MOTEL
The town of Superior is nestled in western Montana among a series of gulches along the Clark Fork River. When the historic Mullan Road was created back in the 1800s, it was the first wagon road to allow travelers to pass through the Rocky Mountains into the Pacific Northwest. The road ran through Superior.
In the early 1900s, a railroad expansion into Superior opened a new route for more goods and people to flow in and out of town. One of the people working on that expansion project was Archie Bailey, an accountant for a railroad contractor. Archie was a regular guest at the Superior Hotel. He was also a Gideon.
Archie believed in the power of God’s Word. In the autumn of 1908, he got off the train, walked across the bridge into Superior, and entered the hotel. He approached Edna Wilkinson, the hotel’s proprietor, to see if he could place a Bible there at the hotel desk clerk’s station.
Superior Hotel in the early 1900s
Edna countered with a bigger proposition: could Archie actually place a Bible in each of the guest rooms? Archie agreed. On November 9, 1908, Archie placed an order to The Gideons for the first 25 hotel Bibles. That was more than 2 billion Scriptures ago.
“A single copy of God’s Word in a hotel or motel room has the potential to touch up to 2,300 lives during its six-year life span.”
Archie nor Edna may have fully understood the significance of that Bible placement. Similar to how Mullan Road and the railroad expansion opened new routes for travel and commerce through Superior, Archie was opening a new route for God’s Word to travel into Superior and throughout the world.
Why hotels? A single copy of God’s Word in a hotel or motel room has the potential to touch up to 2,300 lives during its six-year life span. Over the years, there have been many testimonies of individuals who checked into a hotel and came to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ as a result of reading a Bible placed there by Gideons.
You can still see the Old West frontier influence around Superior. The tin roofs and tall facades of old historic buildings have helped preserve the rustic charm of the community.
Sadly, the Superior Hotel burned to the ground in 1940. An automobile business was later constructed on the property. However, the significance of that location has not been forgotten. Today, if you stop at that property at Mullan Road, you will see a historical marker attached to the building’s cinder block wall, commemorating that first hotel Bible placement.
Gideons Still Place Bibles In Superior
Richard Clark is a Gideon who lives in Superior. At 77 years of age, the agriculture industry retiree says he loves placing Bibles in hotels. He placed hotel Bibles at a large hotel a few miles away the last weekend of October. “It just brings tears to your eyes when you do the work of the Lord at those hotels,” he says. For years, Clark has been placing and distributing Scriptures in Superior. In fact, he helps maintain the Scripture supply at the motel that stands just a few hundred feet away from where the Superior Hotel once stood.
Kreg Worrest of the Missoula Camp, Montana has spoken on behalf of The Gideons at churches in Superior on multiple occasions. “It’s very exciting to share the story of The Gideons, especially at churches in the town where that first hotel Bible placement occurred,” he says.
As a manufacturing consultant, several years ago Kreg actually helped a supplier of skateboard and bicycle helmets secure a location at the exact spot where the Superior Hotel once stood. It was then that he first noticed the commemorative plaque on the building’s wall. Little did he know, he would end up serving as a Gideon a few years later.
“Even though it’s been over a hundred years since that first placement, God’s Word still has the same relevance, because His Word is eternal.”
Michael David Houlihan is the camp president of the Missoula camp, which serves the Superior community. He is proud of the local heritage The Gideons share with the community. “Even though it’s been over a hundred years since that first placement, God’s Word still has the same relevance, because His Word is eternal,” he says.
Each year, more than a million Scriptures are placed in hotels through The Gideons International. No one this side of heaven knows how many lives have been changed as a result of reading those Scriptures. However, the Lord knows. And that is what truly matters.
Originally Posted November 4, 2016
A building collapses and a new life is built
Testimony
Laymon was working on a construction site in Arkansas when a building collapsed, injuring him and killing two men by his side. While recovering in his hospital bed, Laymon encountered the truth of the Gospel through a Gideon-placed Bible. Here is Laymon’s story, in his own words.
My trade was ironworking. I would climb up tall towers and big structural buildings. It was dangerous work. When I was up walking on those narrow beams, I would ask the Lord to help me and commit to live for Him, but when I got back on the ground, I never followed through on my promises.
My wife, Virginia, urged me to go to church with her, but I went just a few times. During the church’s revival, my wife gave her heart to the Lord. I did not.
Two months later, I was working on a large building on the University of Arkansas campus. We were connecting a five-ton beam over 60 feet in the air when there was a big jolt, and the entire building came down.
“I thought if I died and went to hell it would be what I deserved.”
The two men standing beside me were killed. My back and right leg were broken in several places. I thought about calling on God for help, but I had broken promises to Him so many times before I was ashamed. I thought if I died and went to hell it would be what I deserved.
In the hospital, my mother inquired if I’d ever asked God to save me. I couldn’t talk, but I shook my head “no.” I purposed in my heart, however, if God would spare me and let me raise my little boys, I would live for Him. From that moment, I began to improve.
About three weeks later, the doctors put a ten-inch rod in my right leg. The pain was so severe I would break out in cold sweats and couldn’t sleep. One night, my wife found a Gideon-placed Bible in the table next to my bed and began to read John, chapter 16. When she got to the last verse, it seemed as though God was speaking to me, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart, I have overcome the world.”
Oh, I wanted the peace Jesus could give whether I lived or died!
That night I fell asleep without pain medicine. I later discovered my wife had slipped that Gideon-placed Bible under my pillow and prayed, “Lord, save my husband before he leaves this hospital.”
God answered that prayer in mere hours. I woke up in severe pain and thought I was going to die. I began praying earnestly, then I heard a voice say, “Turn over on your stomach, and that pain will leave you.” I thought, “This is the Lord speaking to me, and I’m going to try.” Then it seemed as though two big hands gently turned me over.
Suddenly the room was filled with the presence of the Lord. I was standing, jumping up and down in the middle of my bed, laughing, and crying uncontrollably. Then a nurse rushed in. She told me not to move because I was all broken up. I told her I had to tell my wife what had happened, and the only way I would stay in bed was for her to call my wife.
For over 50 years now, I have preached the Gospel all over the world. I’ve pastored eight churches and held many revivals. And it all began with that Gideon-placed Bible.
Thank you, Gideons, for what you do.
—Laymon (Fort Gibson, Oklahoma)
Freedom Behind Bars
Testimony
On March 16, 2017, Gideons in the Dominican Republic participated in a distribution at a police station. After providing each officer with a New Testament, the Gideons received permission to distribute New Testaments and speak to prisoners being held at the police station. “We soon discovered there was one only prisoner inside, and he observed us with curiosity as we handed Scriptures to police personnel,” said Gideon Robinson Candelario. “When we approached him, he introduced himself as Carlos, and he asked for a New Testament. I knew nothing about what he might be dealing with personally, but I felt led to share Psalm 27, so I opened the New Testament and began reading:
“Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud; be gracious to me and answer me! You have said, ‘seek my face.’ My heart says to you, ‘Your face, Lord, do I seek…’ For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the Lord will take me in.”
Robinson was surprised by the reaction Carlos had to these words. It was clear they affected him in a mighty way. After a few silent moments, Carlos shared the story of his childhood. He lost his father when he was only two years old. Not long after, his mother abandoned him. As such, the young man grew up without familial love, guidance, and social acceptance. Now, he was 18, trapped behind bars, bitter, and dejected.
…regardless of where he was or where he had been, God accepted him and loved him, as a father loves a son.
The passage from Psalms moved him because it assured him regardless of where he was or where he had been, God accepted him and loved him, as a father loves a son. “With a heart broken, but touched by the power of the message of God, when he listened to the plan of salvation, Carlos accepted Christ as his Savior,” said Robinson. “In one simple, honest moment, the life of this young man was changed. He may face more troubles in life, but he now has ultimate peace. How awesome is our God.”
Easter Activities
Hi folks,
I’ve been going through a black time in recent months. I was staying in a hotel in London last week and I hope you don’t mind but I took your very special book home with me.
Wow. After the first 12 pages I can now see the sunshine and smell the fresh spring flowers. Thank you so much for opening my crying eyes. Please forward details of where I can make a donation.
Once again thank you,
Michael
God is at work in this world. Share the Good News this Easter.
During the Easter period, around 25,000 New Testaments & Psalms will be handed to members of the public at Easter events around the country by Gideon members. Inside the New Testament is a special Easter bookmark pointing people to the story of Jesus’ death and resurrection.
Please pray for many opportunities for Gideon members to witness this Easter. Pray that people will read the Good News and, like Michael, their eyes will be opened to what Jesus has done for them through His ultimate sacrifice on the cross and that they will put their faith in Him.
We thank you all for your support and we wish you a very blessed Easter.
Easter 2017: Hope For All
inspirational
When Jesus prayed in the garden of Gethsemane before His crucifixion – agreeing to carry out His Father’s will though it included measureless agony – He thought not just of His approaching death, nor His faithless disciples, nor the cruel betrayal of a friend.
He thought of us.
The gospel of John records that Jesus prayed for all who would ever believe in Him. Wishing to impart to all His followers glory given from above, though they would cause his death, Christ interceded for a world destined to die in sin apart from a Savior. He did this not simply through pleading on our behalf that we would be spared from a deserved punishment, but by serving as a substitute.
Through this act, the death of a sinless man won innocence for all who would receive it, and His resurrection can secure a resurrection for all who confess that his sacrifice was both necessary and enough.
This Gospel is good news for all, in that we can be treated as both guiltless and righteous, with no barrier remaining between us and a holy God. Through the miracle of Easter, all has been set right between mankind and their loving Creator. There can now be an eternal embrace that cannot be broken.
Hallelujah and happy Easter.
“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 ESV
A Voice and a Vision
Testimony
A product of a simple upbringing, Jimmy Fortune’s rise to stardom is perhaps as surprising to him as to anyone else. He grew up in rural Virginia, distant from any fanfare, which he says served him well. Jimmy draws comparisons between his youth and the quiet life depicted in the beloved 70s television show The Waltons. Nelson County was a quaint, and in many ways idyllic, setting for both the show and Jimmy’s childhood. However, his voice would one day be heard far beyond those foot hills.
Jimmy began to show musical inclination from a young age, and in time began to reveal a great talent. His voice and skill with a guitar developed with each small, local performance. While many genres have informed his taste and style, Gospel music was his first love. The messages contained within Gospel were foundational in both Jimmy’s career and Christian faith. As he honed his craft and advanced in the music industry, conveying the truth he cherished became Jimmy’s primary motivation, even in the secular realm.
In 1982, Jimmy joined the renowned country group the Statler Brothers, beginning a career that would span twenty years. The group was an ideal fit for Fortune, as the other members shared similar Christian beliefs. Having great success commercially, the Statler Brothers traveled from coast to coast, singing for audiences of up to 100,000. It was indeed a dream come true, and it seemed Jimmy was living under God’s favor, using his talents to glorify Him.
However, though well-churched and familiar with Christ, there was a time when Jimmy was estranged from God. “I believed in God, but hadn’t let Christ totally have me,” he said. Growing up, his family was splintered by his father’s struggle with alcohol abuse, leading to a harsh exposure to the corruption of sin. Though traumatic at times, Jimmy recalls the fiercely devoted prayers of his mother fighting for her husband and children. Providentially, Jimmy’s father was deeply moved by the message of a visiting evangelist. The Gospel touched him as if he’d never heard it before, and thenceforth, he left his addictions behind and lived a changed life. Witnessing the transformation of his father was an impactful experience Jimmy never forgot.
He needed a Savior to rescue him not simply from adversity and the pain caused by others, but from himself.
Still, as Jimmy progressed in his career, he began to stray from the principled path he had previously walked. His life was not as rosy as his success may have indicated. He was suffering through a painful divorce, his father was dying of cancer, and no earthly pleasure could distract him from his feelings of deep seated isolation. While on tour with the Statler Brothers in 1993, Jimmy sank to his lowest point of despair. In a hotel room, discouraged and ashamed, he felt useless and without hope. Then, he noticed the Gideon-placed Bible. Retrieving it from the night stand, he opened it to Jeremiah 5:25: “Your iniquities have turned these away, and your sins have kept good from you.”
This was revolutionary for Jimmy. He needed a Savior to rescue him not simply from adversity and the pain caused by others, but from himself. In Jimmy’s words, “It was like the Lord was telling me, ‘Jimmy, it’s your sins, not your mother or father, your wife or your friends, it’s your sins that [are] keeping the good things from coming to you.’” This was the answer he needed.
Through tribulation, Jimmy gained a greater understanding of the powerful message of the Gospel he’d been singing about for years. He has experienced his share of emptiness, and he promotes the remedy every chance he gets. “Being in my position [of singing] for years in country music, I can show people that you can be happy without all the booze, drugs, sex, and all this other stuff. You can survive and live a better life with the Lord.”
“This is what my life is about – planting little seeds of hope in places where the dirt might be a little hard and dry.”
When the other members of the Statler Brothers decided to retire, Jimmy had the convenient excuse to relax and conclude his career as well. Yet, he felt there was a new opportunity to blend his music and faith. This combination of his two musical passions, Gospel and Country, has provided a broader platform for his faith than ever before. It has been both freeing and fulfilling. He gets to share the hope in Christ he has found, both through song and personal testimony. While he has encountered some resistance to his openness regarding faith, Jimmy feels assured of his call. “This is what my life is about – planting little seeds of hope in places where the dirt might be a little hard and dry.”
#PrayForLondon
On Wednesday, three members of the Gideons National Office Team were travelling through London on their way to a meeting in Kent. Sat on the London Underground between Euston Station and Charing Cross, one lady spotted the Gideon badge on our jackets and began sharing her story with us.
She was on holiday in the Lake District many years ago where she was involved in a serious car crash. Luckily, or so she thought, she was totally unharmed. When she got back to her hotel room she opened the drawer by her bedside and took out the Bible, placed there by The Gideons. She opened it on Psalm 34 where she read, “The righteous person may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all; he protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken.” Psalm 34:19-20
It was at that moment she gave her life to the Lord. She realised it was not luck that helped her survive.
Of the millions of people to pass through London that day, we were sat next to this lady. We were so grateful to God for this encouragement at the outset of a busy day.
Less than a mile from where we left this lady at Charing Cross was a stark reminder that day of how much we need the protection of our Saviour.
Wednesday 22 March 2017 was also the day that London, the UK, and the world witnessed a terrible attack on Westminster and on our nation. Please join us in praying for our nation and those affected by Wednesday’s terrorist attack:
- pray for those who lost loved ones in the attack
- pray for those who were injured
- pray for our Prime Minister, Theresa May, and Leaders of Government
- pray for those who follow evil ways and seek to inflict violence on others that they would find Jesus
- pray for peace to fill our nation
We live in a world of evil and darkness but we serve a Risen King who has the victory over evil and darkness.
From Restlessness to Rest
Testimony
From Restlessness to Rest
In 1982, I had just graduated from college with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration. I was working for a wonderful company named Alphagraphics. It was a good job, affording me growth opportunities within the company, but my soul was restless.
Though the work was smooth, the company was growing, and I had the favor of my superiors, I knew it was not what I was created to do.
I had given my life to Jesus as Lord and Savior some years before, and I was growing more committed to living out my faith. I continually prayed, “Lord, what will it mean for me to be fully committed to You?” Still, I remained restless within. I had known for some time I was being called in a different direction. However, I seemed powerless to move ahead.
My job required some travel and extended stays in motels. One night after work, exhausted, I laid on the motel bed. Nothing on television seemed worth my time. I looked over to the end table by the bed, and saw a Bible. At that point, the lifelong development of my faith seemed to gain great traction. I opened the Bible and began to read in Philippians 4, “..for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound…I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”
My restlessness was a result of not allowing myself to be completely immersed in Christ.
As I read, it felt as if my dry and thirsty soul was being watered. I realized my circumstances were not causing my restlessness. My restlessness was a result of not allowing myself to be completely immersed in Christ. I resolved to heed Paul’s advice on the secret of spiritual contentment – to put all things under the Lordship of Jesus. When I do that, it doesn’t matter what the circumstances are, His power is in me to guide me through them.
This experience changed the trajectory of my life. I am eternally grateful a Gideon-placed Bible was on the nightstand in that Motel 6 in Austin, Texas, in 1982. Within a few weeks of reading and re-reading Philippians 4, I dropped to my knees and said to God, “Ok, I will submit to Your will. I will be a pastor.”
Thirty-five years later, most people who know me hear repeatedly my life verse is Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” They know the point of the verse is not “me doing all things,” but the strength of Christ in me when I put him first in all things.
Thank you, Gideons, for your ministry of placing Bibles. I am a life that was changed.
Live by faith
Hello
I knew of the Gideon Bible but I have just discovered your website and realised you are an organisation that helps spread the Gospel by sharing the Word of God with people.
The Gideon Bible saved my life on 11 November 2003. I was at the lowest point in my life, I lost hope in everything and in the world. Absolutely nothing could renew my mind or give me hope. I was given a Gideon Bibles outside Middlesex University in Enfield, London. I read the whole book of Matthew and no words can explain the calm feeling that flowed from inside me, I felt this peace that I have not felt in a long time and I had the best nights sleep ever. I woke up the next day full of confidence and hope, the key Scripture that has been my anchor in my life since that day is to “live by faith, not by sight.” 2 Corinthians 5:7.
My life has grown like a seed into a tree ever since. To keep my testimony short, I was told I would never have children but my faith has cured me and I am now blessed with two beautiful children, my son Jacob and my daughter Jada. My wife and I are truly blessed and we give all praise and glory to God and I thank Him for His power and wisdom that has renewed my mind and transformed my life from the inside out.
Thank you and God bless everyone involved in sharing the Word of God to the world. Now that I have found and discovered your organisation, I will now start supporting the work to help spread the Gospel.
God bless always,
Victor