MIDWEST: A Word from the Bench

I am reading a book from Chuck Swindoll called, "It is always something, Getting through the tough stuff!" What a blessing this book has been and has really put in to perspective the struggles that we deal with each day and how to handle them. I would highly recommend it. This week I went turkey hunting with my dad who is going to be 80 years old. I had been calling for him all morning and we had had no luck, then right behind me I heard a shuffling in the leaves. I slowly turned around and there stood 15 yards away two deer totally oblivious to our presence. I believe that when we least expect it, that is how God surrounds us with his peace. He tells us that we cannot understand the magnitude of it. So as I have been told by a good friend, "BE STILL!" This week I have had the privilege in ministering with one of our Pros Rich Garza. We have been in Public Schools in North Arkansas. Ray McElroy is back in my old stomping grounds in Southwest Kansas. He is working with Pastor Terrell Giddeons this week in Public Schools and will finish up Sunday at a Baccalaureate at Elkhart High School. I pray that the rest of your week is blessed and full with the peace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Our Spring Semester is just about over and it has been a wonderful 5 months. Rich Garza just finished up an outreach in the Trinidad CO area. We worked with a new Team Captain Kevin Long and his wife Mona and with Rich reached over 1600 kids this week in Colorado. The FCA in the Stillwater OK area with their director John Talley hosted Ray McElroy and reached schools from Oklahoma City to the Stillwater area. Ray spoke to over 1900 kids in the Public Schools. Next week John Earle makes his way to Rapid City SD to work with our friends with the FCA. Bob Parsons is the director in that area. Michael Cobb is heading to Herington KS and will be working with Mark Hinca of KJIL Radio. Check them out on the web at www.kjil.com. Mike will be speaking in schools in Salina, McPherson, Herington, Hillsboro and Canton Galva KS. Each evening in those communites he will be speaking at a Youth Rally. We are expecting God to work in big ways next week as John and Mike share with them their life and the hope that they have in Jesus Christ. Have a wonderful week and may the peace of our Lord, Savior, Comforter and Counselor Jesus Christ be with you all.

What a blessed week it was in Hollis Oklahoma with Lecrae and Ray McElroy. Ray spoke to over 1000 kids in public schools in three days and we finished it off with an evening event with Lecrae. 750 kids showed up with 136 of them making decisions to change the direction they are going by placing Jesus in the drivers seat. Up North we were given another opportunity to work with our friends in South Dakota with the FCA. John Earle and the group worked through the snow and more kids today understand that their hope must be in Jesus Christ. Okmulgee and Elk City Oklahoma were blessed with Rich Garza and Devon McDonald as they shared with over 4000 students that you're not born winners, you're not born losers, you are born choosers and that your choices don't just affect you, they affect other people. Steve Grant spent 3 days in Southeast Kansas speaking to over 1500 students on keeping themselves free from alcohol, drugs and purity. I am so glad that our Lord, Savior, Comforter and Couselor Jesus Christ has found me worthy to be in the ministry. Blessings to you.

I am looking forward to this week as I am flying to Oklahoma City then driving to Southwest Kansas. We are beginning to plan for the the big Saw you at the Pole event in Liberal Kansas. In the last two years we have worked with FFH and Big Daddy Weave and have seen close to 10,000 fill the stands at Redskin Field and nearly 1,000 make decisions for the Lord. It is such a blessing to work with our Team Captain Cliff Abbott and the host of wonderful people in that area whose heart is to reach the lost. God is so faithful each year and we are expecting big things to happen again in September. One of our Pros John Earle is spending sometime with our FCA Brothers in Watertown and Sioux Falls South Dakota and another one of our Pros is in Hollis Oklahoma working with a wonderful Youth Pastor Chris Carlisle. We will conclude the Outreach week in Hollis with a Wednesday Night Rally with a concert from Lecrae at Will Husband Memorial Field. Please continue to pray for us and the work that Sports World is doing in schools across the country. It is a real blessing to have the opportunity to work with this ministry and the wonderful volunteers in the Midwest Region. Blessings and peace to you all this week.

This week we have Michael Cobb in the Southwest Missouri Area working with a local FCA Director David McCulley and Devon McDonald in the Seminole Oklahoma Area. We have reached our halfway mark for the Spring Semester and have seen some amazing things happening in schools across the Midwest. My Assistant Donna put together some numbers for the Southwest Part of Missouri for me so that we could let people know the impact that we are having in this part of the Region. In 2 1/2 years we have reached 74 Cities, 191 Schools and over 66,000 students. It is amazing the work being done by God through Sports World and the lives that are being changed by students deciding to make better choices. I have been asked to start working the Montana and Wyoming area so I will be spending a little time up North developing some new teams for Sports World. I would encourage all of you to continue to pray for Sports World and the work that is being done across the country. God is continually opening doors for us and we would ask that you continue to share your experiences with other people about Sports World. I will continue to pray for all of you and I am very thankful for all that you do for us. Blessings and peace to you.

I hope this message finds you all well blessed and dancing in God's favor. I love March for several reasons. In the Ozarks it is a new season, the trees are starting to bud, grass begins to turn and the Lake begins to wake up from it's Winter Nap. Also, I love March Madness, it is a lot of fun to see teams get a chance at a new season (unless it is against my beloved Jayhawks!). It is refreshing in many ways but more importantly it reminds me of new life. I grab onto and embrace the greatest gift ever given to us in the crucifixion and resurrection of our Lord, Savior, Comforter and Counselor Jesus Christ. Now, that is NEW LIFE! I pray that as this new season approaches your area that you take the time to grab onto and embrace the gift given to you. Let's take a time out and just let God speak to us, remind us where and what He wants us to be doing and enjoy the race that He has us running. You all are a blessing and it is a privilege and an honor to work with all of you. I am sure that I will see you on the road soon. Keep running!

It is hard to believe that it is March. Wow, how time has flown by this semester. We are so encouraged by this semester as we are seeing more and more kids getting the opportunity to hear our Pros speak the truth into their life. Last week I was in Northeast Missouri, Southeast and Central Kansas. After 1400 miles of driving and 31 schools I really became discouraged wondering if what I am doing is truly making a difference. After a healthy conversation with a friend of mine from Branson MO God also reminded me of the thousands of comments that I have gotten to read about kids in our schools today who have decided to choose to live their life drug free, to get out of a relationship that is unhealthy and to feel free enough to share with us their deepest hurts so that they can get help. It is most encouraging to see kids finally make the choice to let Jesus lead them through their life. Let's keep running for HIM! Blessings.