I just want to say THANK YOU, family for your intercession on our behalf. Shortly after writing yesterday morning, the Holy Spirit began to comfort, and bring peace anew. I know many of you have never let up in your prayer support, and Deanna, the girls and I are so very thankful.

This weekend and next, here at Highland Lakes, we are having the Winter Youth Retreats for state Southern Baptist churches. We will have 200 students or more both weekends. I heard from a blogger from North Vernon, whose daughter is coming this weekend. She was one of the 97 who committed to take BJ's place on the mission field at his funeral celebration. We have never met this family (we will tonight!). There were many we did not know on that day. That they were there, was a move of God, uniting the body of Christ in ways I am still in awe of.

One of the things that stirs our hearts like nothing else, at this point, is seeing students commit to serve in missions... here or abroad. To meet this young lady and her mother will bless our hearts, greatly!

I was on the phone last night with a close friend in Oklahoma, who told me of a youth minister who played the dvd of BJ's celebration, recently at his church. 11 students committed to take BJ's place, as a result. To see God continue to move in this way is such a comfort to Deanna and me.

Clearly, this is not about BJ, but about serving God in missions. Something we are all called to do, in some way. To see students motivated to "go" because of his story, to see the Lord use it as a tool to raise up this generation is huge to us.

Every missionary... or believer for that matter, is inspired at some point by the life and committment of another. To see our Savior take the life and death of our son, who lived and died serving his Lord, and make much of it, is uniquely humbling
for us. It is a platform from which we have been allowed the privilege to minister, and serve. We do not take that lightly.

That you would allow us to share with you this journey, and open ourselves... often at our most vulnerable points... without your passing judgment, but simply lifting us up and encouraging us, is a gift from the Father. Today, we want to say THANK YOU, once again for serving Jesus, by standing beside us in this fight.

We are honored to have family like each of you... reader's and/or writer's, you bless us!

dad



Mark A. please e-mail me at bahiggins1259@msn.com