It was great to see the team from Salado, Texas in action today. They’ve done a terrific job of working with the kids.

They have already made a major dent in cleaning the apartment at Huntington Ridge.

I spent a lot of time at Lowe’s today picking out more paint and getting other supplies that the team needed. Bill Hickey and I kept seeing things that needed to be worked on. Best to get the stuff done now while we have the help!

I had fun at the mission at Azalea today. It’s great to see all the smiling faces. I did a “Candy throw” which is my version of throwing bread to ducks–except they’re kids. Listen, if someone was throwing free Snicker bars in my direction I’d lunge for them too!

I think most of you have heard us talk about Ashley’s boyfriend Miles. His sister Roxy is in the hospital now dilated to 4 cm trying to have a baby. Pray that the delivery will go well. I thank God I don’t have to have babies!

Pray also for my Dad’s Associate Pastor George Simms. He’s still SO sick and in the hospital in Austin. God is still in the miracle working business–I’m living proof of that!

Kathy and I had fun this evening. I ran a 4 mile loop racing after her bike. I did pretty good going uphill, but those down hills she’d just shoot on by! It was still fun. Absolutely fantastic weather!

I heard a couple of days ago that McAllen, Texas (where one of my best friends lives near the border of Mexico) had 100 degree weather already! Ay caramba!

Pray that we can get Jesse bonded out and into Peachford Hospital this week. It’s such a burden on me. I can’t sleep well thinking of him in that cell. I think I finally crashed out around 2am. I was working at my computer till after 1am. Then my brain is like the Energizer Bunny, it just keeps going and going and going. Pray that I will rest.

I don’t think I took a single Tylenol today. That’s progress! I have really suffered with headaches the last couple of weeks.

Love you guys!

I have a great team in town! They come all the way from Salado, Texas! They flew in to Birmingham last night and drove cars on into Atlanta. I had a great time briefing this team of college students.

I picked up my buddy Bill Hickey who will help supervise the construction of the mission apartment for Tim and Cathy Palmer who will be coming into town next month!

We took the team on a tour of the missions where they’ll be working and then to two shopping centers in the International Village. I like for them to see Carniceria Hispana #1 and Asian Square–in particular Ranch Market 99. They got a kick out of traveling all around the world in just an hour! What a trip! I especially enjoyed watching Kelsey try on and wear her new Vietnamese hat with such obvious delight. That was a lot of fun!

After taking the team around, Bill and I went over to FBC Doraville to check on the supplies that we had in stock–paint brushes, rollers and tape stuff. We also swung by Azalea Mission where I also keep supplies. Then we went to Lowes to get what we were missing, lots more cleaning supplies and the new paint–Winter Wheat–a lovely shade of yellow that Cathy Palmer picked out.

I really want our new missionaries to be happy in their new home. I really appreciate the financial support that you give to our ministry so we can repaint and fix up so they have somewhere cozy to call their home.

I finally got home around 9pm this evening. I enjoyed watching a movie with Kathy this evening. I was a good one, Fracture, with Anthony Hopkins–one of my favorite actors. Not a happy movie, but a good one.

Pray for our team working in town this week.

Pray especially for Jesse–that the DA will grant a bond so we can get him out of jail and into Peachford Hospital where he can actually get treatment. Please also pray for George Simms. He is a great friend and is my Dad’s Associate Pastor. He is in the Hospital in Austin and is at death’s door. Pray that in this time of resurrection, God will do a powerful miracle and heal George and my son.

Sure love you guys!

 Sunday, March 16th  11:59pm

Today Kathy and I went to FBC Mountain Park, which is MY church. I hardly ever get to attend there because I usually am speaking at another church or out of town. It was a real blessing to me. A very special spirit. The waves of love for me and for my family just poured out towards me. It was really quite overwhelming. Kathy said I went through a whole package of kleenex. The music in particular affected me. Songs of love for the Lord.

In my One Year Bible during this part of the year there’s a lot of talk in Leviticus about sacrifices. Most of them deal with fire. On February 20, the day after the fire, while I was in the hospital I circled the word “fire,” “burnt sacrifice” or charred bodies FIFTEEN times. I know, because I just got up from the computer, went to my Bible and counted them. I was the burnt sacrifice! And I thought my son was dead. The horror and the sorrow I felt . . . . and still feel when I think of my son in that cell, all by himself with no one to talk to. It breaks my heart.

I’m not sure why all this had to happen. But I believe one thing, “In whirlwind and storm is His way.” My son had wandered from the path. I talked with a friend of mine who is a chaplain at the Detention Center. David was the first person to see my son after he was put in prison. I called him today and begged him to go by and visit Jesse again. He asked me, “Do you think Jesse is at the end of his rope?” “I think so, David. He seems broken and forlorn.” “That’s when God can raise him up to the heights.” Pray that this will be a prophecy that will be fuflilled.

When I was in church today, during the music, I become full of His spirit. The waves of love pouring down from the Father, I raised my hand in adoration praising Him. Waves of love. He loves us so much.

And then I thought back on Leviticus. “What he demands of us is not burnt bodies of bullocks, but a true sacrifice of praise.”

Although I couldn’t sing, the muscles in my throat were clenched, as I raised my hand in adoration, I had a true sacrifice of praise.

Paul talked about being a living sacrifice. I’ve thought about that a lot in the last month. I think about the Father, sending His only son, a living sacrifice. . .the pain He must have suffered to watch his little boy die. When I thought my son was dead, and I knew in my heart nothing could survive the heat of that blaze, when I rode in that ambulance on the way to Grady. . . .the complete sorrow I felt was a pain much more severe than charred flesh.

I never really understood the depth of the Father’s love for me, until I really realized what He did. He sacrificed his Son, for me.

Life is so fragile. I covered news for years. I’ve seen SO much sudden death. We are but a wisp of smoke and we are gone.

Make your life count for something more than what can be burned up in a single moment!

I don’t know if you’ve ever experienced really severe grief. Try and call up those emotions again. Re-experience them. Now transfer those feelings onto the Father and get a glimpse of what He gave us for us! He only had one little boy. That is great love, my friend.