A New Adventure

When I was younger, I read two books written by Mark Twain, Tom Sawyer, and Huck Finn.  I’m certain that based upon words acceptable then, but not now, these books are probably shunned.  Nevertheless, reading these books gave me a sense of imagination and adventure.
 
Now, every morning when I wake up, I imagine that God has a new adventure for me to experience.  I tell people sometimes it’s good to step outside your comfort zone.  It is there, outside your “normal,” that often you create memories.
 
Here’s an adventure outside my normal limits.  On October 4, 1997, Promise Keepers planned a million man “Stand in the Gap” assembly to worship God in Washington, D.C.  I told one of my enterprising friends, “You find the transportation and we’ll go together.”  I never thought another thing about it until weeks later when my friend called and said, “I got a way to go to the “Stand in the Gap” event.”  Of course, I’m thinking there’s football that day.  My friend convinced me that a year from now I wouldn’t even remember who won the game, but this would create a life time memory.
 
We hooked up with a “Stand in the Gap” charter flight leaving Des Moines in the early morning and returning immediately after the event.  Here are some of the memories I created that day:

• Standing at the doorway of the jet and giving every man a “high five” with a “God bless you!”  They all got one “God bless you!” and I got over two hundred;
• It was my plan that as long as we were there only once, we should be right at the stage.  We arrived at 10:00 AM and there were so many men already there we had to retreat to the Washington Monument, a mile from the stage set up near the Capitol Building.  What an incredible blessing to have so many men worshipping God together;
• Along the way, some guy asked if he could join us.  He saw my Iowa cap.  Though he was from Nebraska, we happily invited him along with our Iowa connection.  Eventually we found a spot for now seven of us.  All of us wanted to see some of the memorials before the event started.  Nebraska said, “I’ll save our spot and watch all your gear.”  He was there when we got back! J
• The opening statement was delivered by a Native American who said something like, “In the name of Jesus, welcome Pilgrims!”

I could go on and on about what an incredible blessing that day was in my life, but I’m running out of space.  All of this to say, go out and create an adventure as you make lifelong memories!
 
God Bless You!
Pastor Allan
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