Good report… his mercy sustains us!

"Who has believed our message? To whom has the Lord revealed his powerful arm?" Isaiah 53:1NLT

Labor Day weekend we were in Colorado Springs with our son Andy @ the Air Force Academy Prep School's annual Parent weekend. We were excited to see Andy as he had been gone from home for six weeks and to watch his mama hug her baby boy, LOL! We went to class with him and toured the incredible facility @ the Prep School. The Prep School is exactly what the name implies… Preparation! Prepare the kids to enter the rigors of the Air Force Academy and its military lifestyle. The precision excellence was inspiring as we saw the development of our kids into the BEST. We never dreamed Andy would be in this school and he has been challenged in every aspect of his life. Football has been his ticket to enter the academy and then the unthinkable happened the 1^st afternoon we were with him watching him play in his 2^nd college football game… Injury. I saw the big tackle perform as us old mean offensive lineman would say "we got him"… a cut block. Andy's knee buckled from the impact and the roll of the #300 pounder over his leg. Andy's leg was flopping as he hobbled off the field and I knew he was in for the first time in his life a trial of pain and endurance. He tried to get back on the field as the trainer had to hide his helmet… he is tough but now the challenge of mental toughness like he has never experienced is facing him. Now he is having to walk alone with God to be his strength and source… growing up is tough at times but necessary for God to develop character in us for his service. Nothing develops character faster than pain and suffering both physically and mentally. When we are laying flat on our backs the blessing is that it makes it a lot easier to look up! Jesus never fails us… whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved!

We spent the remainder of the weekend with him feeding him and getting him a few supplies and a computer monitor for his Xbox (I split the cost with him… this was a 1^st). The greatest thing we did all weekend was attend church @ New Life Church (NLC) in Colorado Springs. NLC has been under such a horrible mess with Bro. Ted Haggard's situation. This is the 2^nd time we have attended the church and our report is God has broken his people in this local church. We cried in worship with our brothers and sisters' bearing their burdens… it was incredible as the presence of the Lord filled the house. Our report is this body of believers has weathered the storm and the Prince of Peace has accepted the offering of thanksgiving. We listened to the message by Asso. Pastor Rob on 'Maintaining Faith'. This guy is some kind of sharp but I listened to a comment that reflected something I have experienced in my own life. He said… "God has sustained us because we have kept our focus on the mission field in supporting missions and those on the front lines for God." I sat in awe as it took such brokenness to get this revelation. God has sustained us in America by his grace and mercy for one reason… to reach the LOST, those who have never heard the good news of the story of Christ Jesus. Today is 9/11 and I remember where I was on this day… doing a Jesus film campaign in a village in Sri Lanka. America does more to send the gospel to the unreached that any other "Christian" nation in the world. God's hand is still on our lives and our country… Psalms 33:12 says 'Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord'!

We trust the Lord for a good report on Andy's knee and for NLC. They sat in their new pastor this past weekend… God's grace is more than we can think or imagine. Weeping endures for the night but joy comes in the morning… Jesus we love you and thank you for continuing to pour out your grace and mercy upon us for your name to be glorified in the whole earth!