New Life – New Direction
Today we worked on cleaning up my wheelchairs. This included the new racing wheelchair that we picked up yesterday. After dismantling if for cleaning, I wasn’t sure if we would get it all back together, but it looks like we made it. I aired up the tires and even made a trial run down the sidewalk.
Today also marks the last day of antibiotic treatments. It has been six weeks since I was hospitalized and IV antibiotics were started in the intensive care unit at the hospital. This marks the longest and most intense round of antibiotic treatments that I have received. Tomorrow, I have an appointment with my urologist. So we will try to bringing him up to date and see if we can get some of the hospital MRI’s to him before our afternoon appointment. The visiting nurse will also come to remove the PICC line from my arm marking the official end to this multiple times a day regimen.
I am testing my limits on my journeys with my walker. I walked from my recliner in the living room to the bathroom. However, on the way back, I pushed it a little and began to get weak. Debbie was helping move my wheelchair my direction when my knees seemed to give out. So it wasn’t as much of a fall as a collapse. I was near the couch and was able to get myself with some assistance from Debbie onto the couch, so I just laid there for a while and enjoyed the rest before finally moving back to my power wheelchair.
BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY…
There are several verses that come to my mind when I think of the change that Christ desires to bring into a person’s life.
“ Therefore,if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” (2 Cor. 5:17)
“ For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” (Colossians 1:13,14)
“But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.” (Ephesians 2:4,5)
Following Christ is marked by and characterized by the word, “new.” Paul called us a “new creation” and declared “the new is here!” As a Pastor I would enjoy hearing individuals share their own story of their journey of coming to faith in Jesus Christ. The change they experienced and how that decision impacted their life.
Scott one of our graduates from our Teen Challenge men’s program (180 Ministries) recently wrote to update us on his life…
“…since graduating I have completed a YWAM missions training/trip as you are aware of. Somehow managed to graduate CCU with a Bachelor’s degree in Social Science and Global Studies, I got married,and as recent had a baby boy named Titus! And most recently accepted a job working for OMF international as the US short term Missions Coordinator for Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam.”
When Scott came into Teen Challenge he was addicted to drugs and living a life without hope or direction. But because of God’s grace and power working in his life he was made new, rescued and given life.
Scott goes on and says…
“As I look at my faith, my family, my future and my past I see the finger prints of Teen Challenge all over it. I am eternally grateful for being part of this ministry that changes the fabric of our society and gives hope to hurting individuals. Honestly had it not been for Teen Challenge and a very active God I’m 90% sure I wouldn’t be where I am today.”
I am thankful that God’s love and power changes lives today. You can find out more about the life changing programs of Teen Challenge at www.teenchallengerockymountains.org
You can sponsor me in my wheelchair efforts in Colfax 5K on May 17 and invest in changed lives through Teen Challenge by logging onto www.coloragives.org/ksummers