Sun, Nov 22 2009
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Published October 27, 2009 09:16 am - Oct. 27, 2009 Area pastor tries to live as a witness Don Nichols believes Christians should have a positive attitude, and it should show. By RENEE FITE Press Special Writer
Don Nichols lives his faith, and walks his walk with a smile on his face. He never meets a stranger, or misses an opportunity to share a laugh. Soon, he’ll retire after 30 years of service as a pastor in the Tahlequah, Muskogee and Eufaula communities. But even without the pulpit, his mission won’t change. “I like to bring a little joy to people’s lives by having a positive attitude about things,” he said. “Of all people, Christians ought to be happy and optimistic. There’s so much negativity and sadness.” He said he always tried to conduct himself so people will recognize him as a Christian witness. “Honesty, integrity and a positive attitude should be attributes of Christian people,” he said. The Northeastern State University graduate has focused his time and talent to benefit veterans, along with most everyone else he’s ever met. “I just like helping veterans and helping people because of my own experiences,” said Nichols, a Vietnam veteran and Purple Heart recipient. Nichols was shot four times while trying to rescue another soldier and friend who had just been showing off a photo of his new baby – a baby that soldier never got to see. “I never forgot the sacrifice he made – his wife made, his child made, who had to grow up without her dad,” Nichols said. “That’s a defining moment. That’s when I accepted the Lord.” Although he promised God to serve him if he would spare his life while at death’s door, the Marine eventually kept that promise. “It still affects me; I certainly wasn’t a Christian at the time,” he said. “It looked at the time like the worst, but it probably wasn’t. Out of that experience, I knew I wanted to be a pastor.” The bi-vocational pastor also recently retired as the first national director of Direct Deposit, a program he established at the Muskogee regional office for his denomination. After completing his undergraduate work in 1972 and his master’s in education, he went to work for the Office of Veterans Affairs as a benefits counselor, and worked as a management analyst for the oversight division of the regional office. 
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