September 27

This month is nearly gone! Today we had the first cool weather of the fall. It was really refreshing. Chapel was very meaningful. Heather Mercer did a wonderful job of speaking. You may remember her as one of the young women who had been kidnapped in Afghanistan by the Taliban. What a passion she has for those who don't know our Lord, Jesus. The church she attends in Waco is working now to plant a new congregation in northern Iraq among the Kurds. Heather reminded us that there is only one Christian minister per every million Muslims. Her response was, "Lord, I'll take a million." Wow!

Things continue to go well with my heart rehab. I'm getting stronger by the day. I drive into Lexington three times each week and do aerobic exercise under the watchful eye of the nurses at Central Baptist Hospital.

Last week I missed a couple of sessions. Felicia and I went to Dayton, IN, where I held the only Dayspring we kept on the fall schedule. Dayton UMC is the church where Philip's wife, Holly, was raised. It was great being with the church for our third time, and even greater that Holly and her two babies flew in for the week. We had some wonderful times of baby sitting and catching up on hugs.

We've had two people in the last week come and tell us stories of life changing encounters with God through watching one of the dramas on video. One was in Dayton last week and one was here in Wilmore. On both occasions, the video watched was Elijah and the ones who watched were teens. The story in Dayton was told by a proud dad who reported that his son got the video when we were there last. "He watched it at least a hundred times and has even begun showing it to his lost friends." The one in Wilmore was very similar, from a mother from New Braunfels, TX. Felicia was participating in a small group of seminary spouses when this woman recognized her and reported, "Your husband did a video of Elijah that my 12-yr-old son got at summer camp. He's shown it to 3 of his friends, and they've given their hearts to the Lord because of it!" Is that awesome or what!

I led worship in a couple of chapel services this month. After one of the services, the leader of the seminary worship team asked me if I could play the piano with them for the President's Gathering in Asheville, NC, at "The Cove". One of the exciting parts of that story is that I will have the opportunity to introduce two of the new songs I've written. One of the signs that this sabbatical is helping is that the creativity is returning. God has given me four new songs already!! I am so excited to be writing again. I am taking some of Charles Wesley's old hymns and rewriting them with new lyrics and melodies, but retaining the wonderful theology. I'll keep you posted on the progress. I hope to be able to produce a new CD at the end of this time in Wilmore with music the whole Body of Christ can sing.

I can't thank you enough for all the prayers and support that have made this refreshing time possible. Bless you, bless you.

Wesley