Happy Birthday, Jenn!

Happy Birthday, Jenn!

Sometimes God works quietly behind the scenes-bringing all things together and then there are times when His handiwork shouts so loud you have to be totally blind not to see it. This was the providential role God played with everything surrounding the birth of my precious daughter, Jennifer Elizabeth.

His work actually started in September of 1993 when our employer of 13 years decided to change our insurance. Every doctor we had gone to was no longer included as a covered caregiver. To say the very least, I was upset. I had established a long history with our doctors and had carefully chosen each of them and now, none of them were covered under our insurance.

The following January, I realized I was pregnant. I wrestled with Him over that. You see, I had lost 2 babies in the previous 3 years at the 20th week of pregnancy. My doctor had told me that if I were to become pregnant, more than likely, I would loose that child, too. She wasn’t sure what was going on, but both of us knew that there was a problem. At a bout the same time, a local hospital starting airing commercials concerning their high risk pregnancy center. The commercial asked about 5 questions, all of which I could answer “yes” to, and said if you answer “yes” to any of these questions you may be a candidate for their doctors. I called and got in with one of their specialists.

At about the same time, a co-worker and good friend called and told me she had been at a seminar and knew what my problem was...not realizing that I was pregnant. She told me as they described the symptoms, she felt sick to her stomach because she was so sure that was what was going on with me. She sent me all the information she had gathered and there began my journey.

When I met with the specialist, I was ready with information in hand. However, it was unnecessary. He had just returned from a conference that had many workshops dedicated to the condition he felt I had. He was sure of my condition and felt confident that he could get me to 31 weeks, which was his goal. When I went to check out, it turned out that our new insurance that I had complained about, covered everything with this practice...there would not be a single penny of out-of-pocket expense! God had made that change for the entire workforce just for our daughter....how good a God is that?

It proved to be a very difficult pregnancy. Lots of medication...bed rest...weekly trips to the doctor....hospitalizations....but on July 28, 1994 at 32 ½ weeks my precious daughter made her first appearance weighing in at 4 pounds. God had profoundly involved Himself in our life and the life of our baby girl. His hand prints were unmistakable!

Today she is 15 years old, an absolutely beautiful child, inside and out. I don’t think a mom could be more proud of her daughter. God still has His hand prints all over her life. He has gifted her in so many ways and blessed her with so many talents and abilities. It has been so awesome to see her grow and develop into the young woman she is becoming.

So today, I’m thanking God for changing my insurance for a year, as if to say...trust me, I know what I’m doing. I’m thanking Him for friends and family who stood by me in a very difficult pregnancy. I’m thanking Him for a husband who loved me through a challenging few years as we struggled with the loss of 2 babies and the unknown possibilities with the third pregnancy. Most importantly, I am thanking God for my daughter, my Jenn, whom I love with my whole heart. I love you, Jenn, Happy Birthday. Life has never been the same!

(PS—The employer changed our insurance back to the previous insurance the end of September, after my final post natal visit! How Great is our God!)

More thoughts on Sacrificial Giving…..

More thoughts on Sacrificial Giving…..

I ended my first blog on Sacrificial Giving with the following paragraph and four points:

So the question for me comes down to this, is it reasonable for me to be asked to give sacrificially? I would say yes, and I must give. God’s Word demands it. However, it is necessary that I choose wisely as I direct my sacrificial giving. In this pursuit of following God’s Word that calls me to be a living sacrifice, I am personally considering these four points:

• God’s purpose—Is my time, efforts, gifts, and/or money going to further God’s purpose rather than man’s agenda?

• Godly repentance—If sin was committed, in other words, if Scriptural principles regarding debt were ignored, has true repentance occurred and has the acknowledgment of the repentance been made public?

• Honesty and Integrity in leadership—Is there honesty and integrity in these dealings which create and/or convey the greater need? Is there responsibility and accountability?

• Modeling leadership—Is the leadership leading by sacrificially giving of their own resources? Are they modeling the response they desire to see?

The question is not whether I will give, nor is it whether I will give sacrificially. The question is: How and where and to whom? And then that I do it, with all my heart, and all that I am, and all that I have.

I would like to further address the idea of Modeling Leadership, leadership that leads by example. This is a Scriptural concept. How many times did the Apostle Paul admonish believers to follow his example and encourage those he was mentoring to be an example to those over whom they had been entrusted with leadership? Here are a few instances.

1Corinthians 11:1—Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.

Philippians 3:17—Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you.

2Thessalonians 3:7—For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example.

1Timothy 4:12—Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.

Titus 2:7-8—In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned….

I think it’s fair to say that Paul led by example, his life was marked by integrity and he could say with confidence, “Don’t just do what I say, do what I do! Follow my example as I model my life after Christ.” That is what I mean by Modeling Leadership; leadership that leads by example, maybe even to the point where words become unnecessary.

I find it interesting that this concept is also clearly portrayed in the Old Testament. I direct your attention to 1Chronicles 29:

Then King David said to the whole assembly: "My son Solomon, the one whom God has chosen, is young and inexperienced. The task is great, because this palatial structure is not for man but for the Lord God. With all my resources I have provided for the temple of my God--gold for the gold work, silver for the silver, bronze for the bronze, iron for the iron and wood for the wood, as well as onyx for the settings, turquoise, stones of various colors, and all kinds of fine stone and marble--all of these in large quantities. Besides, in my devotion to the temple of my God I now give my personal treasures of gold and silver for the temple of my God, over and above everything I have provided for this holy temple: three thousand talents of gold (gold of Ophir) and seven thousand talents of refined silver, for the overlaying of the walls of the buildings, for the gold work and the silver work, and for all the work to be done by the craftsmen. Now, who is willing to consecrate himself today to the Lord?" Then the leaders of families, the officers of the tribes of Israel, the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds, and the officials in charge of the king's work gave willingly. They gave toward the work on the temple of God five thousand talents and ten thousand darics of gold, ten thousand talents of silver, eighteen thousand talents of bronze and a hundred thousand talents of iron. Any who had precious stones gave them to the treasury of the temple of the Lord in the custody of Jehiel the Gershonite. The people rejoiced at the willing response of their leaders, for they had given freely and wholeheartedly to the Lord. David the king also rejoiced greatly.

David praised the Lord in the presence of the whole assembly, saying, "Praise be to you, O Lord, God of our father Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, O Lord, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all. Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name. "But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand. We are aliens and strangers in your sight, as were all our forefathers. Our days on earth are like a shadow, without hope. O Lord our God, as for all this abundance that we have provided for building you a temple for your Holy Name, it comes from your hand, and all of it belongs to you. I know, my God, that you test the heart and are pleased with integrity. All these things have I given willingly and with honest intent. And now I have seen with joy how willingly your people who are here have given to you. O Lord, God of our fathers Abraham, Isaac and Israel, keep this desire in the hearts of your people forever, and keep their hearts loyal to you. And give my son Solomon the wholehearted devotion to keep your commands, requirements and decrees and to do everything to build the palatial structure for which I have provided

David led by example. He not only gave out of his resources, but it says he gave out of his personal treasures of silver and gold. He gave willingly, freely and in a way that demonstrated that he knew he was a steward of the possessions God had entrusted him with. He realized that the LORD had provided what he was giving and he was giving back what really belong to Him in the first place. But also notice that the people rejoiced at the willing response of their leaders. The willingness and example of giving demonstrated by the leadership caused great joy among the people and encouraged them to do the same. That, I believe is to be the example of Modeling Leadership....leadership that is willing to not only say “Do what I say, but....do what I do.”

Unshakeable…….

Unshakeable…….

I have very fond memories of the Pastor I was raised under. He was not perfect by any means, but he was a man who loved God and loved the people of his church. On Sunday morning he would stand outside the door of his office and greet everyone as they entered the building. As it got closer to the beginning of the service and people were taking their seats, he would walk up and down the isles shaking hands and welcoming everyone. There was a genuine love and connection with his congregation. He loved the Scriptures and although had little more than a Bible School education was able to teach with great passion and conviction. He had memorized many Scriptures that, to this day, when I hear them, I think of him. One of those many verses is 1Corinthians 15:58: Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. (KJV, the version he quoted from) He would quote this verse to every new member as they received, what he called, “The right hand of fellowship.”

I was reminded of that verse this morning as I was reading through Luke 6. This is a wonderful chapter that has many things that could be written about, but this is what really struck me, the thought of an unshakeable house.

Why do you call me Lord, Lord, and not do what I tell you? Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great. (ESV)

Is anyone struggling with some shakiness today? I have to admit, when I look at the conditions of our nation and think about how things have changed in a matter of a few months, I get a little uneasy. The economy….unemployment….giving greater power to the UN….our backing away from our traditional strong support of Israel….nationalized healthcare….the governmental takeover of the automobile industry and our banks….lack of support for the idea of marriage being between a man and a woman…..abortion….the list goes on and on, doesn’t it? But in these verses we find the answer on how to become unshakeable….knowing and obeying the Word of God. According to Luke 6, when we listen to God’s Word and obey them, we are building on a deep and strong foundation. It is a foundation so strong and deep that the strongest forces of nature will not be able to destroy it. Knowing God’s Word and living in obedience to His Words gives us the ability to be “Steadfast, unmoveable, and always abounding in the work of the Lord.” It gives us the courage to hang in there in the face of incredible opposition, even the attack of the enemy himself.

So today, I want to encourage you with the challenge of getting to know God, His Word and then applying them. If you’re already doing that, Praise God! If you need to develop the habit of a regular time of Bible study and prayer, why not begin today? This is best remedy for any shakiness you may be experiencing.

Sacrificial Giving......

Sacrificial Giving......

I was recently in a leadership situation in which I was challenged to give sacrificially and to encourage others to do so. This particular situation involves far reaching decisions that were made in healthier economic times. So I began to ask, “What is sacrificial giving and what does it look like in terms of its practical application?” Since I believe that the Scriptures provide our most fundamental framework for truth and decision making, I went back to them.

My first thought was the reminder of King David’s statement in 2 Samuel 24:24. I’ve included some of the context here:

On that day Gad went to David and said to him, "Go up and build an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite." So David went up, as the Lord had commanded through Gad. When Araunah looked and saw the king and his men coming toward him, he went out and bowed down before the king with his face to the ground. Araunah said, "Why has my lord the king come to his servant?" "To buy your threshing floor," David answered, "so I can build an altar to the Lord, that the plague on the people may be stopped." Araunah said to David, "Let my lord the king take whatever pleases him and offer it up. Here are oxen for the burnt offering, and here are threshing sledges and ox yokes for the wood. O king, Araunah gives all this to the king." Araunah also said to him, "May the Lord your God accept you." But the king replied to Araunah, "No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the Lord my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing." So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen and paid fifty shekels of silver for them. David built an altar to the Lord there and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. Then the Lord answered prayer in behalf of the land, and the plague on Israel was stopped.

David’s sacrifice to atone for his sin had to involve a cost to him. He would not and could not offer a sacrifice to God that cost him nothing. That was sacrificial giving to him, there had to be a cost associated with it.

I also was reminded of the scene of the widow in Luke 21:1-4:

As he looked up, Jesus saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. "I tell you the truth," he said, "this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on."

In this scene the widow is putting in what appears to be a very insignificant amount of money into the offering box (ESV), but in fact, it was all she had. It meant that she would not have money to pay for food, clothes, or household needs to say nothing of the vacation, Starbucks or cable tv. She was giving sacrificially, all that she had. She was not giving out of her excess, what she didn’t need to live on, but ALL she had. That was sacrificial giving and there was a huge cost associated with it.

Finally, I thought about Paul’s admonition to the Romans in chapter 12:

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Our bodies are to be offered as living sacrifices; sacrificial giving is more than throwing a few extra dollars in the offering plate to help with the church debt. It involves a lifestyle of sacrificial service; giving of our money is just one of its many aspects. Sacrificial giving is really sacrificial living, the realization that all I am and have is His and it only makes sense, in return, to return it to Him through my acts of giving and serving. This type of sacrificial giving is not something that is natural for us, nor is it being modeled for us. Jesus lived it, He willingly laid down His life for us—the perfect example of sacrificial giving....and living. The apostle Paul modeled it; he gave of himself sacrificially for the cause of Christ.

So the question for me comes down to this, is it reasonable for me to be asked to give sacrificially? I would say yes, and I must give. God’s word demands it. However, it is necessary that I choose wisely as I direct my sacrificial giving. In this pursuit of following God’s Word that calls me to be a living sacrifice, I am personally considering these four points:

• God’s purpose—Is my time, efforts, gifts, and/or money going to further God’s purpose rather than man’s agenda?

• Godly repentance—If sin was committed, in other words, if Scriptural principles regarding debt were ignored, has true repentance occurred and has the acknowledgment of the repentance been made public?

• Honesty and Integrity in leadership—Is there honesty and integrity in these dealings which create and/or convey the greater need? Is there responsibility and accountability?

• Modeling leadership—Is the leadership leading by sacrificially giving of their own resources? Are they modeling the response they desire to see?

The question is not whether I will give, nor is it whether I will give sacrificially. The question is: How and where and to whom? And then that I do it, with all my heart, and all that I am, and all that I have.

This is my desire
To honor You
Lord, with all my heart
I worship You
All I have within me
I give You praise
All that I adore
Is in You

Lord, I give You my heart
I give You my soul
I live for you alone
Every breath that I take
Every moment I'm awake
Lord, have Your way in me
(Song Title: I Give You My Heart, Words and Music by Reuben Morgan)

May every gift that I give be “a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God.”- Philippians 4:18b

“When you walk through the fire....”

“When you walk through the fire....”


We’ve been doing the Beth Moore Bible study of Daniel on Wednesday nights. This past Wednesday we studied the third chapter of Daniel and the trial of fire that Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego faced by choosing not to bow down to the image King Nebuchadnezzar had made. I've been thinking about how that lesson flies in the face of so much of the current "Name it and Claim it" and "Prosperity" type teachings that are out there. (I don't want to call them gospels, because in truth there is only ONE Gospel--see Galatians 1) These teachings appeal to us and our need for comfort and security because who wants to suffer--I don't any more than you. But the TRUTH is that we will face trials--difficult situations that will demand every ounce of strength and courage we have to get through them. I believe one reason why there is so much confusion here is because the Old Testament looks at trials from a "cause and effect" perspective. Very simply, the message of the Old Testament is "Blessings for obedience; Cursings (punishment and testing) for disobedience." However, once we get into the New Testament and especially after the Cross and Resurrection, a shift begins. The focus now becomes getting the bride (Church) ready for her groom (Christ). That means there are areas in our lives that need work--Ephesians and Colossians both refer to putting off the old and putting on the new. The old refers to our former, sin and self-centered way of doing things as compared to the new, which involves the idea of denying self, serving and putting the needs of others before our own.

This process is often accomplished through trials. Romans 5:3-5 makes this point very clear, "...we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us." James 1:2-4 also confirms this, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." The trials that we face, as followers of Christ, have the purpose of conforming us--making us look more like--His Son. Romans 8:28-29 makes this point very clear, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers." His overarching goal for us is become like His Son.

I also want to say that some of the trials that we go through are a result of our own doing--sinful choices that we have made. There will be consequences when we are willfully disobedient. Furthermore, our loving Father disciplines us when we need it. He treats us with love even when, maybe especially when, disciplining us. It proves that we are His children and that He's interested in how we live. It's never pleasant at the time, but it's always for our good. Sometimes it's the only way He can get our attention--I know it has been true in my life, without His discipline I would have continued in my disobedience.

The trials we face have purpose, either to discipline us or to conform us. The thing we have to keep in mind is that our Father loves us--He proved it by giving His Son for us, while we were His enemies. He will never allow our discipline or the refining and conforming trial to be more than we can handle--He will be watching us, with us, at all times during the process. I like what Warren Wiersbe has said: “When God permits His children to go through the furnace, He keeps His eye on the clock and His hand on the thermostat. His loving heart knows how much and how long.”

We have to begin to see our trials from God’s perspective. Few of us ever fully understand the simple but biblical truth—the heat of suffering is a refiner’s fire, purifying the gold of godly character and wisdom. Yes, “When you walk through the fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I AM the LORD your God....” (Isaiah 43:2-3) You can put your hope and confidence in this, He will be right there with you as you go through trials because He is your God and He loves you.

"Occupied" with the Word

“Occupied” with the Word

Acts 18:1-5: After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. And he went to see them, and because he was of the same trade he stayed with them and worked, for they were tentmakers by trade. And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and tried to persuade Jews and Greeks. When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul was occupied with the word, testifying to the Jews that the Christ was Jesus. (ESV)

As I was reading this chapter, those 4 words jumped off the page at me—“occupied with the Word.” I had never seen that particular wording before, but this year I’m doing my daily reading from the ESV and there it was. I began to think about that word “occupied.” It conjured up many mental images, but the first one to come to mind happened to be the sign I’ve often seen near the latch on a bathroom. Paul was occupied by the Word, by the Gospel. It was on his mind night and day and he spent many of his waking hours reasoning, persuading, testifying, defending and proclaiming it. That’s exactly what he was doing when Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia.

I decided to look up the word “occupy” in Webster’s 1828 Dictionary. Here’s a summary of what I found:

1. To take possession. To keep in possession; to possess; to hold or keep for use. To take up; to possess; to cover or fill. Paul took possession of the Gospel, it was very personal to him. He made it his own. In fact, in Romans 16:25-27, he actually calls it “my gospel.”

   “Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith--to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen”

   Don’t be confused here, he was not preaching a gospel about himself or a gospel he invented, Romans 1:1-6 makes this very clear,

   “Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.”

   It was God’s Word—the Gospel—that Paul possessed and that possessed him.
   
   
2. To employ; to use, to busy one's self. Paul busied himself with the Gospel. It was what he did. Paul is first introduced in Acts while present at the stoning of Stephen (Acts 7) In chapter 9 of Acts, he is confronted by the very Jesus he was persecuting. Upon his conversion, within a matter of a few days, he is in the synagogue proclaiming Jesus as the Son of God.
   
   

   “For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus. And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.” And all who heard him were amazed and said, “Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem of those who called upon this name? And has he not come here for this purpose, to bring them bound before the chief priests?” But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ.” (Acts 9:19b-22)

   Paul busied himself, kept himself employed, by proclaiming God’s Word—the Gospel.

Is there really anything better that we can occupy ourselves with than the Word? There are many good and noble things that are begging that we be occupied with them, but they are not the best, we MUST be occupied by the Word. Why?

It is God breathed. The Word is actually the Words of God, as if He is speaking them to us Himself. He breathed them upon the inspired writers and we need to read them as if He were speaking them directly to us, as if they were coming from His mouth.

It is our Weapon. Ephesians 6 tells us to “Take up the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.” It is our best and surest defense. But to use it effectively, it must occupy us and we must know it.

It is Truth. In this world of relativism and pragmatism, His Word stands alone as truth. It is Truth that can be lived by, stood on, fought for, lived for and maybe even defended for....to death.

It Sanctifies us. The same passage that tells us God’s Word is Truth, tells us it sanctifies us. His Word purifies us, but as we read it and apply it to our lives, one of its wonderful benefits is that it brings healing to our brokenness.

Are you, like Paul, “occupied” with the Word?

Happy Birthday, Matt!

Happy Birthday, Matt!

Today, January 20, is my son Matt’s birthday. He is 23. When I think about him and reflect on his birth I’m amazed and truly grateful that he is alive today. He chose to make his appearance in very dramatic fashion. Following a full day of work for me, I went home, had dinner with Randy and two and a half year old Jonathan, and began my usual routine of stationary bike riding. Shortly into my exercising, I felt moisture and realized there was blood on the seat of my bike. I was hemorrhaging. I quickly called my doctor and was told to meet her at the hospital. I called Randy and he returned from work and made arrangements with my mom to watch Jonathan. Within two hours, our son was delivered by emergency c-section at 32 weeks.

He was critically ill, so ill, that the Neonatologist told Randy that he had a 50% chance of making it. That first week he spent in the NICU, he was lifeless, often too sick to even breathe. I will never forget the Sunday I walked into the NICU, one week after his birth, to find him screaming at the top of his lungs and bright red with emotion. The doctors and nurses told us he had turned the corner, he was going to make it! He spent another couple of weeks in the NICU and we were finally able to bring him home along with all kinds of monitors....but he was home and we were so thankful for that.

He was such a cute toddler. When he was in the NICU, they had to shave his head for IVs. So we decided that we would not cut his hair. That all changed when one day, while grocery shopping, I was told by an older gentleman that I had such a lovely child, “she looks like Marilyn Monroe.” He was a beautiful child, but he was not in any way a girl.

The nurses had told us that the babies that make it out of the NICU are strong willed—that describes Matt perfectly. He is and always has been determined. He’s always worked to be the best he could be and because of a strong competitive nature, better than anyone else. In academics, he excelled in every subject. In sports, a standout soccer, roller hockey and lacrosse player. He has the ability to visualize a sports move and then replicate it; he is a truly natural athlete.

Beneath that strong competitive nature is a tender heart. He is very thoughtful and considerate of what makes his family happy. He always seems to know what would bring a smile to our faces. He has become a young man of honor and integrity with a great work ethic. We are very proud of him.

So today, Matt, Happy Birthday! I want you to know that I love you and am so very proud of you. I pray that God will continue to work in your life and give you direction as you seek His will for your life. May He continue to bless you in all you do.