In Chicago now...

The KPC STL YG Winter Retreat was good.  I'm glad that God gave me the opportunity to go and preach, counsel, and reconnect with those brothers and sisters.  Let's keep praying for Simon, the youth pastor, and the other leaders.  May we all be broken instruments in His hands.

God is faithful in all things...even in getting me to the retreat.  Sonia and I were praying on Sunday morning before heading off to church and I slipped in a "Lord, if you want to bless us with an SUV with 4-wheel-drive for our trip, so be it.  Thank you."  I had reserved a sedan.  After church when we got to the rental place, they only had a smaller sedan and a minivan, neither of which matched my reservation.  While pondering which to take, a man (wearing a Purdue sweatshirt; he graduated a couple decades before Sonia did!) drove an SUV into the parking lot and walked into the office.  He said he had rented from their other location but had wanted a minivan when all they could give him was an SUV.  So he wanted to exchange for the minivan.  The gentleman behind the counter offered us the SUV.  We took it and thanked God.  (This is the third time in the last 15 months that we've been blessed with a free upgrade to an SUV.)  Later that day, while driving through Georgia and Tennessee, I found the roads in fine condition.  But then I got to Clarksville, TN, and into Kentucky.  Snow, ice, and accidents.  I saw one car on its side in the highway median.  I switched into 4WD mode and made it over several snow-ice areas with ease.

Thank you, Lord, for your providence, in materials, in revelation of your goodness and faithfulness, and in your Spirit's presence and your Fatherly love.  Thank you for all you've done in 2004!  By the grace You displayed through Your Son on the cross, we have access to everything we need for life and godliness.

Thank God for 2004!