I am so ANGRY… HOPEFUL… and DESPERATELY DETERMINED… all at the same time after watching this video “To The Edge Of The Sky” http://www.upworthy.com/their-sons-disease-has-4-families-racing-the-clock-to-get-a-promising-experimental-drug-approved?g=2

How much does it cost to get the FDA to stop blocking a proven cure from our son Samuel that would save his and thousands of other children’s lives???

“I feel like we have been locked in a prison with our son, with no food or water and the key that unlocks the door has been placed just out of reach on the edge of a table filled with food and water, that we are daily forced to look at, while crowds of other people are just standing there watching us slowly dehydrate and starve to death.”

<iframe src=”https://player.vimeo.com&gt;

“thanks for the reminder, DP!”

( I took the title from something my friend and fraternity brother, Rob Howard told me…)

I know that many of you who read this are going through some major struggles right now, physically, mentally and spiritually. How do I know this, well some of you have told me, and because I go through struggles of my own. Anyone who would say that they have not and/or are not, are just not admitting it to themselves.

These struggles that we all continue to go through at different seasons in our lives are probably the best thing for us and definitely where God is strongest in our lives (according to his word in 2 Cor. 12:9 and don’t forget Isaiah 4:31) for it is through these times of darkness and/or times in the desert that God is teaching us to depend on Him. This is a tough and humiliating lesson to learn that is vital to our survival and growth as Christians. Are we up for it, do we really know what we have gotten ourselves into when we gave our hearts to Jesus?

Well, it does not matter if we are up for it or not, because Christ said that he loves us and he will never leave us or forsake us (Dt. 31:6, Josh. 1:5, Ps. 94:14, Heb. 13:5. Yikes, that promise in the Bible always sounds so great when we need God, yet it can be annoying when we are doing fine or are running from the Lord. I personally got tired of running from the Lord back in 1998. And I am no longer annoyed with God’s amazing promise through His Son, Jesus Christ and yet it does not make it any easier to live in the reality of growing, knowing and daily living as a Christian in a world that is a total mess… However, knowing that the struggles are always going to present themselves and that they have a purpose allows me to respond differently and run to the cross for help. That is why when I read God’s word and get to a place in scripture like this morning, I am overwhelmed with thankfulness and renewed vigor for pressing on in my pursuit to be a godly man and want to pass it along…

‘Deal with your servant according to your steadfast love, and teach me your statutes… Your testimonies are wonderful; therefore my soul keeps them. The unfolding of your word gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple (amen). I open my mouth and pant, because I long for your commandments. Turn to me and be gracious to me, as is your way with those who love your name. Keep steady my steps according to your promise, and let no iniquity get dominion over me. Redeem me from man’s oppression, that I my keep your precepts. Make your face shine upon your servant, and teach me your statutes. My eyes shed streams of tears, because people do not keep your law… [Psalm 119: 124 – 136, ESV]

Don’t give up, God bless you today…

I close this morning with 3 things that I have taken from a friend and say to my boys every night: (1.) God loves you and there is nothing you can ever do to change that (2.) I love you and there is nothing that you can ever do to change that (3.) God has a very special plan and purpose for your life…

Sincerely in Christ,

Rob Springer

Proverbs 21:21

http://www.robspringer.com

Build THE Dream – Nehemiah

Thank you Karl Martin for your brilliant book “Stand” http://www.amazon.com/Stand-Karl-Martin/dp/1910012033

Thank you Thomas Dean for encouraging Samuel as well as our family.  Thank you for your fantastic songs (http://www.heknowsmyname.co.uk/)…  beautiful reminders that Jesus knows our names… soaring truths that we are never forgotten or alone in this life…

Thank you Central Church http://www.jesusattheheart.org/ for jumping in heart first for the sake of the gospel and loving the people you are given with the fierce love of Christ!

Hope to see you again soon!

I believe in God, the Father Almighty,

the Creator of heaven and earth,

and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord:

Who was conceived of the Holy Spirit,

born of the Virgin Mary,

suffered under Pontius Pilate,

was crucified, died, and was buried.

He descended to the dead.

The third day He arose again from the dead.

He ascended into heaven

and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty,

whence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy universal church,

the communion of saints,

the forgiveness of sins,

the resurrection of the body,

and life everlasting.

THE NICENE CREED

I believe in one God, Father Almighty,

Creator of heaven and earth,

and of all things visible and invisible.

And in one Lord Jesus Christ,

the only-begotten Son of God,

begotten of the Father before all ages;

Light of Light, true God of true God,

begotten, not created,

of one essence with the Father through Whom all things were made.

Who for us men and for our salvation

came down from heaven

and was incarnate of the Holy Spirit

and the Virgin Mary and became man.

He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate,

and suffered and was buried;

and He rose on the third day,

according to the Scriptures;

and ascended into heaven, and sits on the right hand of the Father;

And He shall come again, with glory,

to judge the quick and the dead;

whose kingdom shall have no end.

And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of Life;

who proceeds from the Father;

who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified;

who spoke by the prophets.

And I believe one holy catholic and apostolic Church.

I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins;

and I look for the resurrection of the dead,

and the life of the world to come.
 Amen.

First I have to say thank you to Noah’s (and his teammates) Coaches and here’s why…

It’s a cold Sunday morning (which I love by the way… don’t tell anyone :0) and we are out on the football field watching our son Noah and his ‘Bear’ Teammates get ready for one of their final games. I guess you could say we have taken the church to the football field today… sort of…

This short story began last week as a result of a brief conversation the prior week with one of Noah’s coaches about my desire to help Noah understand the values and priorities of God, Sundays and Football…

It’s so cool when the gospel gets spoken without the need for words. And for me, being a guy with absolutely no lack of words, this was an unusual and special experience.

My son Noah told me that the coaches approached him after practice and said they knew how important church was to our family and since the game was on Sunday would your dad want to say a few words and pray for the team before the game.

When Noah told me this my whole spirit lit up, like a spark plug igniting an engine!

Well, here we are this morning and this is the word and prayer God had for the team. Go Bears!

GEAR up for the Game:
In Ephesians 6:10-18, Paul gives the team the pre-game pep talk and reminds us to check our football gear. He’s talking about gearing up for battle, but football players also gear up for the game. If he’d been thinking about football he might have phrased it this way, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the uniform, so that you can take your stand against the opposing team… Therefore put on all of your gear so that when the game day comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the shoulder pads of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the shoes of readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the face mask of faith, with which you can conquer all the opponents’ plays. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, your playbook, which is the word of God. Let’s all commit the game to God as we kneel for a locker room prayer, that we might prove victorious in this game.”

Ephesians 6:10-18
The Whole Armor of God
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation,
and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints…

Rob Springer
‘perge’
Proverbs 21:21
http://www.robspringer.com

As I begin my day this morning with my usual routine of stumbling to the coffee maker, then to the shower, then to my knees at my favorite chair I begin to talk with God…

My mind is so full of thoughts about my son Samuel… hopes, fears, joys, concern, hope, love and, well, the words will not come out to express my emotions…  I am not even sure I have a good grasp on how I am feeling… regardless of me, and my thoughts, my heart continues to cry out to God and here is how God answered in his still soft way this morning…

Psalm 95:1-96:13, “Come let us sing to the Lord, let us shout to the Rock of our salvation…”

Then I looked down at my right hand and saw the yellow plastic hospital bracelet with an aqua snap.  I was given this bracelet to wear when I arrived at the Ronald McDonald house… and met my amazing little boy with a smile bigger than his face waiting with great anticipation behind the sliding glass doors to tell me about his days adventures and show me his new comfy PJ pants and super cool Colts slip on slippers.  I was bursting with joy to see him and my amazing, beautiful, incredibly accomplished super, wife, mother and friend… The reason for my excitement was not only because I was thrilled to see them both and be able share this monumental experience together, but also because I had a totally unexpected gift for Samuel that I knew he was not expecting, really wanted and was sure it would be a while before he might get it.  So as I, with great pride and joy  grabbed him up in my arms and kissed his neck and squeezed him as tightly as I dared, I then gently set him down on his precious feet and casually gave him a plastic Game Stop bag and stepped back to take in his response!  Precious, beautiful moment, nothing to do with the gift, everything to do with the look on my precious, beautiful sons face…  His reaction and surprise was like having warm liquid joy poured all over me and soaking me to the bone!

Ok, back to the yellow plastic bracelet with the aqua snap.   As I looked at it again today (thinking about Samuel being in a brain scan tube today and the numerous blood draws and PT that are down the road, and many other new, unexpected things…) I was reminded of my private vow that I would not take it off until Samuel was through this and/or I was given or asked to put on a new one to wear during our different stays at the hospital.  This morning, with my head full to the point of bursting and my heart filling with joy and hope from the Lord and his soft, gentle, faithful voice I saw with new eyes the word “GUEST” on the yellow bracelet with the aqua snap that I had been wearing since Tuesday.  I was immediately reminded of God’s very clear word that we are not of this world, we are aliens… in this world, but not of this world.  I think this little yellow bracelet with the aqua snap changed my life this morning…

God reminded me in this gentle, quiet, incredibly loud moment… that He is in control and the worries, sicknesses, diseases and problems of this world do not apply to me, Samuel or my family.  God is in control and these outward, human things (for lack of a more descriptive way of expressing) are at worst only distractions and at best (and probably more correctly) incredible opportunities, and precious moments with God to know Him more and draw into Him closer…

So as I cry out to God with praise, and all my human emotions, fears and questions, I also praise Him because I along with Strong, Unwavering Samuel…

and the rest of the Springer crew (Precious-Faithful Mary,

Compassionate-Wise Noah… …Noble-Determined Elijah and Joyful-Passionate Levi).. …are all fearfully and wonderfully made… (Psalm 139:14), precious treasures that will not lose heart… (2 Corinthians 4:6-7, 10-18), God knows the plans He has for us as we seek Him with all our hearts… (Jeremiah 29:11-13); so we will continue to praise the Rock of our salvation through this… (Psalm 95:1-96:13) and continue to pursue righteousness and love in all things… (Proverbs 21:21)

Then I got in the car and headed down Van Avenue to City Hall and this is the song God sang to me “Our God” by Chris Tomlin…

Ahh… God is good… All the time… God is good…

Phillip Samuel Michael Springer my Hero…