LET ME INTRODUCE MYSELF

Memorial's bus minister, Norman Slate, and I traveled years ago to the East Coast workshop in Richmond, Virginia. Point out Terry Rush when he walks in, said one woman to Norman. That's him over there. Where? Right there in the coat and tie. That's Terry Rush?, the woman asked in disbelief. Well, I've listened to his tapes for years and I thought he was a large black man.

Years later and early one morning while in Nashville to speak at Jubilee the stranger on the elevator said, Man I'm not believin' it. What's that?, I asked rather shyly. My wife's your first cousin and she's wanting to see you. She is? I didn't know I had any cousins in the church. Yep, you sure do from West Virginia and she's sure excited to see you! Really? I didn't even know I had cousins in West Virginia. Well, buddy you do and if you got time I'm takin' you to meet 'er right now! Off we went and he kicked the door open to find his wife with hair in curlers, I brought 'eem! You brought who? Your cousin Terry Rush! No, she snipped, not Terry Rush!!!! I said Jerry Rushford!!!

But the biggest indication of who I really am is what the little eight year old boy wrote in my Bible immediately after I had signed his and then I asked if he'd sign mine. With great effort to make a commanding statement, the young man penned, Dear Mr. Rush.....you are an anonymous preacher. Oh, he didn't know I had already learned that in Richmond and Nashville.