Family … Prayer

My family has encountered several transitions in these past months. Nick and Meredith were married for one year on May 28. Peyton, our first grandchild, was born on September 22. Dad died on November 17. My niece, Kristy, and her husband, Rodney, had their first baby within the past month. The baby was diagnosed with Down’s Syndrome, and they discovered yesterday little Macy will have to undergo open heart surgery within the next few weeks in Houston. My Mom sold her home and this past weekend moved into a rental home, awaiting decision concerning the future. With Mom’s transition and Macy’s challenges, the days have been wrenching for the family. Please pray for all of them, especially Macy and Mom.

Our family faces each one of these challenges with the reality that our God is with us. I was raised in a Christian home. Mom and Dad always took me to church, at least three times a week. It was a small Southern Baptist Church and on a great day would touch 40-50 people weekly. One of those events that emerged into our schedules weekly, was Wednesday night prayer meeting. We never missed. Perhaps it was in that setting as a child, even though I did not understand it all nor at times appreciated it all, that God instilled the need for and power of prayer in my life.

In a Training Union class on Sunday nights we studied as teenagers Dr. John Bisagno’s book called, The Power of Positive Praying. This book was the first book I had ever studied on prayer and my dear teacher brought it to life for all of us. Through a family, a church, and ministry to teenagers, I learned the value of prayer.

I entered into my personal relationship with Jesus Christ at a Saturday night youth prayer meeting at my home church. The little building still stands and I can take you to the very place where I knelt down and prayed for Christ to come into my life. From that point on, our small group of teenagers would gather in various settings just for prayer. Prayer is real in my life and has been for a long time.

I ask you to intercede in prayer for us right now as Jeana and I face the next week in our lives. On Monday, I speak at the Pastor’s Conference. I have been asked to address the subject in a break-out session: "Reaching the World Through Multi-Campus Churches". I conduct this break-out session in back-to-back one hour sessions next Monday morning. On Tuesday afternoon at 2:15 p.m. (EST), my name will be placed into nomination, by Dr. Johnny Hunt of Georgia, to be the next President of the Southern Baptist Convention. As of this moment, there are two other candidates who will also be nominated and who knows– there may be more. From this point of nominations being completed, the messengers attending the convention will vote. The issues appear to be complex, but the reality is they are quite simple. I do not testify I understand matters completely, but all I know is to continue to seek God in prayer.

Please mobilize the troops in our church to pray for us. I love you dear people of God. I only wish the Southern Baptist Convention had experienced the privilege to know you prior to next Tuesday. Regardless, what is most important is to pray. Prayer is our greatest tool to deal with the matters at hand.

From day #1 in this journey with you, I have told you, let’s pray and leave all in the Lord’s will. While much has changed since that day, our conviction has not.

Just pray.