The book of Jonah has always been intriguing to me, especially knowing that this book was my first sermon. The year was 1980 and in the spring of that year, the Lord called me to preach. I announced my calling on a Sunday morning and as my pastor was shaking hands after the service, he told me I needed to get myself a tie, because I was going to preach the following Sunday night. I was beyond nervous, yet excited knowing I was going to preach. It was with great excitement and expectations that I poured over my little blue Dollar Store bible. Before the week was over, I was ready to preach from the book of Jonah. On that Sunday night, I read chapter one and I preached, though I did not want to leave him in the belly of that fish, so after a good hour of preaching, I covered all four books, and I have never looked back.