As the Sparks Fly Upward: The Jimmy and Johnny Adventure Stories

By Dale Younce

Do things just seem to happen to you? Things are going along, and then all of a sudden, the unexpected happens?

Brothers Jimmy and Johnny Burns can relate to that experience. They do not go out seeking adventures. They dont have to because hair-raising adventures come to them. Author Dale Younces As the Sparks Fly Upward: The Jimmy and Johnny Adventure Stories shares some of those exciting stories. Illustrated by Margie and Matt Williams, youll follow the boys as they go to camp, play Little League, and even go hunting.

As the Sparks Fly Upward: The Jimmy and Johnny Adventure Stories teaches positive moral values and spiritual truths about God. There are even prayers scattered throughout the book. These stories provide school-age children with excellent and entertaining Christian reading material.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Jun 29, 2018
• ISBN: 9781973621645

Dale Younce

Dale Richard Younce is a retired professor of Christian ministries from the University of Mobile, Mobile, Alabama, where he taught New Testament Greek and biblical studies for more than twenty years. He earned a BA in classical languages at Mississippi College and a Th.M and a Th.D. in New Testament interpretation and exegesis from Dallas Theological Seminary. Before teaching at the University of Mobile, Dr. Younce assisted with the planting of two churches in Texas and spent eighteen years pastoring churches. While at the University, he preached in more than forty countries around the world as he led student mission teams. In addition, while at the University, he engaged in an extensive interim pastoral ministry. Dr. D has written Sunday school material for LifeWay, for David C. Cook, for the Bible Expositor and Illuminator, for Young Peoples Bible Class, and for Student Life. In May 2013, Dr. Younce was awarded the Universitys prestigious Shofar Award for sixty years of dedicated ministry to the Lord. In retirement, Dr. Younces responsibilities have changed. As he is fond of saying, When you work for the Jewish Carpenter, you do not get retirement; you get a new assignment in the vineyard. Dr. Younce is currently the interim minister to senior adults at Dauphin Way Baptist Church in Mobile, Alabama, where he teaches a Sunday school class and discipleship training. He is also writing for publication the stories he told his children and is now telling his grandchildren. Dr. Younce has been happily married for thirty-eight years to Dr. Alice Barron Younce of Troy, Alabama; they have four children and eight grandchildren. He enjoys his grandchildren, preaching the Bible, and writing, as well as talking about Jesus, UMS-Wright high school football, and University of Alabama football (Roll Tide).

Book preview

Copyright © 2018 Dale Younce.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

"Scripture quotations taken from the New American Standard Bible® (NASB),

Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973,

1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation

Used by permission. www.Lockman.org"

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue in this novel are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

WestBow Press

A Division of Thomas Nelson & Zondervan

1663 Liberty Drive

Bloomington, IN 47403

www.westbowpress.com

1 [phone]

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

ISBN: 978-1-9736-2163-8 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-9736-2162-1 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-9736-2164-5 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2018902584

WestBow Press rev. date: 06/28/2018

Contents

EPISODE ONE

Camp MoleEagle

Chapter 1   The Magic Word

Chapter 2   A Bad Beginning

Chapter 3   A Dirty Trick

Chapter 4   Sweet Revenge

Chapter 5   Turnabout

Chapter 6   Vesper Hour Pressure

EPISODE TWO

Adventures in Little League

Chapter 1   Rain, Rain, Rain

Chapter 2   A Rainy-Day Rescue

Chapter 3   Baseball Practice

Chapter 4   The Big Deal

Chapter 5   Important Conversations

Chapter 6   An Unexpected Honor

EPISODE THREE

Hunting Season

Chapter 1   Thanksgiving Holiday

Chapter 2   A Sign about a Snake

Chapter 3   Safety First!

Chapter 4   Target Practice

Chapter 5   Mom, a Rifle, and the Rats

Chapter 6   Worship in the Woods

Chapter 7   Danger in the Woods

Chapter 8   Getting It Right

Dedication

With thanksgiving to my wife, Alice, for her consistent support and encouragement which has resulted in the telling of these tales, I am forever grateful to the Lord for bringing us together.

Foreword

In 2003, Dr. David de Gruy published volume 1 of As the Sparks Fly Upward: The Jimmy and Johnny Adventure Stories. Dr. de Gruy, a resident of Mobile, Alabama, passed from this earthly life into the resurrection life of his Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, on August 10, 2016.

A graduate of Samford University’s School of Pharmacy, Dr. de Gruy opened his pharmacy in Mobile, Alabama. He also volunteered his services at the local community health center. Later he sold his pharmacy and went to work full time at the center.

Dr. de Gruy’s sterling character and his beneficent service to the local pharmaceutical and mental health communities were well known. Across the state, he was respected for his leadership as a member of the Alabama Health Study Commission: Task Force on Mental Health.

For many years, Dr. de Gruy served as president of the Auditorium Bible Class of Dauphin Way Baptist Church. It was there that I met him; I was the teacher for that class. This began a friendship of more than thirty years, during which we shared a mutual love of Bible study and storytelling.

In April 2016, Dr. de Gruy knew his health was failing. Knowing of my interest in storytelling, David asked me to take up the authorship of