End of summer and a new beginning

Thanks to Taylor Martin and others who asked me to update this blog....so much has happend these past few months it is hard to know where to begin. Last Saturday was a huge milestone in our lives, as we moved our daughter into her dorm room at the University of Mobile...I know people at my church are tired of hearing about this move, and I try not to talk about it too much, yet I am so appreciative when people let us know they have been praying for us and for Alana, too. She seems to be enjoying life in the deep south, and of course we miss her. Yet, I am excited for the opportunities she will have at what seems to be a very special place. We are very thankful for a great roommate for her, Laura Ashley Ingram, and her wonderful family. This is a new beginning for her, and it is a new beginning for me in ways that I can't begin to explain. I believe God has some great things ahead for us in our student ministry at LBC. This past week through the death of 3 teens in our community I have been reminded again how precious life is, and how we need to "make the most of every opportunity" as Paul writes in Colossians. If you are a student at LBC reading this, please remember that God can use YOU to make a difference...we can't just accept teen drinking as "normal" behavior, because it can and does lead to death. YOU can influence your friends and help them make right decisions, and it starts with the decisions that YOU make. I have been reading today about things happening in the Dominican Republic where we have worked before, and ask you to pray for our friend there, Ingrid, who has been having some health issues. God has brought the things I have learned in the DR to my mind this week, which has helped me realize that our air conditioning unit blowing up is something I really don't need to worry about! He will meet our needs, and how could I complain about being hot when our friends in the DR do not have homes like we do and are so content! This was the busiest summer of my life, I think, and very rewarding. New things are ahead for us and I am excited about what God is going to show us and do in and through our lives. A part of us is now serving God in Mobile, Alabama I am thankful for that, and look forward to how he is going to use us here in Lexington.....KEEP BELIEVING!
John