This past week marked the end of my first year as a teacher at Mount Airy Christian Academy. The nine months began with great anticipation and excitement. It had been my earnest prayer and hope for quite some time that God would lead me to a full time position in a Christian teaching ministry, that I might be able to humbly use the gifts He has given me to encourage others in some small way unto His honor and glory. I was praying that God would use me to that end, and that I might be able to contribute to the ministry. Little did I realize that I would be given far more than I gave.
Early in the year, a tragedy struck my family as our son was assaulted and badly injured. His brain injury was severe and caused his hospitalization and subsequent rehabilitation to last for eight months before, gratefully, he was able to return to his position as a Sr. Airman in the United States Air Force.
We are thankful to God for His continued healing and for all those who have loved us so deeply. That love was exhibited in hundreds of ways, by thousands of people, who reached out with hands of care and hearts of compassion - your deeds and deeply felt prayers were a comfort to us that words cannot adequately express and we will be forever profoundly grateful for all you have done for us. We love you all.
I was recently thinking, that not only did God heal our Andrew, He also helped us understand the power of love as it is manifested in the hearts and lives of His people. We saw an evil act, one designed to bring harm and death, transformed into a thousand acts of righteousness designed to bring health and life. We saw a broken body and battered spirits raised to newness of life and a fallen young man raised on wings as eagles, one who now walks and is not weary and runs and does not faint.
God blessed, not only by restoring our immediate family, but by bringing to our mind's eye forever, never to be forgotten, the example of true brotherly love and affection in a family far bigger and far more strong in love than we had ever known before.
"Oh, the love of God is greater still, than tongue or pen can tell!"
I am inspired and humbled by your love and honored to be your friend. To my students, I can only repeat what I have often told you - I am inspired by you every day and cannot thank you enough for all you have done for me. I hope that this year has reminded you and all of us, again and afresh, of what a mighty God we serve. His power and love are adequate to meet all of our needs and save us unto eternity.
" If God is for us, who can be against us?"
Young people, live powerfully for Christ, remember always that we serve a powerful God who has given us everything we need for life and godliness. Remember, that no matter how we feel, it is a fact, that God loved us so much that He gave His Son in death for us, that we might live forever in His resurrection power.
Wherever God takes you in the days ahead, remember to look to Him for your wisdom and courage, stand for His Truth and live unashamedly for Him. In so doing, you will honor Him, bless others, and storm the gates of hell unto victory.
The redeemed, on the far side of the cross and in the glory of the empty tomb, sing a song of deliverance, challenging death, asking it, 'Where is your victory,' knowing all the while that the temporary victor was vanquished and swallowed up in the eternal life of the Risen One.
Fear no man and no thing - you are more than victors, more than conquerors through the One who loves us. You can turn the world upside down, shake it, pour out it's dross, and fill it with the power of His Spirit, if you live out His word in obedience, not mindful of self, but ever mindful of Christ.
You have shown me, again, all of you, that God is working in and through His people to transform evil to righteousness, hate to love, and death unto life. Truly, there is no greater power and it is all of God. All of it.
We serve an awesome God. Thank you for such eternal and profound remembrances. You are, indeed, all of you, truly unforgettable.
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