October 5, 2005

Senior Trip half-way sold out!
As of today, Susan Puckett (office manager of our International Offices at SeniorTrip.org) tells me, we have sold 1,433 tickets to Senior Trip. If you are considering being a part of our very first Senior Trip (indicating that there WILL be others), you better get signed up! It will be sold out soon!

October 4, 2005

Chris turns 20

My nephew, Chris, turned 20 the other day (9/27). It seems like yesterday I was rocking him (I always used small rocks... just kidding.) I used to rock him and sing him to sleep. Now he's full grown. And he just moved into his first home. I'm proud of you, Chris.

Chris Lowry

Charlie, Chris, Katelyn and Missy

My father, Chris' grandfather, is always writing notes and stories to his grandchildren. Here's Papa's letter to Chris on his 20th birthday:

Dear Chris,

A lot has happened in the last year:
1) You have finished your Freshman Year at Liberty University.
2) You have taken a Spring Break to the beach.
3) Your family has moved into a beautiful new home.
4) Your sister, Courtney, has started dating.
5) You are in your Sophomore year at Liberty University.
6) You have moved out and on your own with some roommates.
7) AND your little cousin, Katelyn, has started walking, and is now 13 months old.

Chris, I still think of you as my 'Pal' and can remember when you were two years old, you would walk through our front door and holler, "Hey Pal, where are you?"
I would answer, "Pal, I am back here in the Family Room."

You would then come into the Family Room and I would be the horse and you would be the cowboy and ride on my back as I crawled around the room.

I am telling you this because I want to impress on you that as you grow older, time seems to fly by and what formerly seemed to be long months and years, seem to become shorter and shorter.

Always take time to tell your loved ones that you love them. Also, tell your Mother and Daddy that you love them and appreciate what they have done for you, your brother and sisters. No one except JESUS loves you more than your MOM and DAD!!!

When you become a parent, you will be more able to appreciate the many things that your parents have done for you through your growing-up years.

When you become a Grandparent, you will appreciate spending time with your Grandchildren and spoiling them.

In Acts 2:17, you will read: "And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams."

You are a young man and shall see visions, I am an old man and dream dreams. I believe that you as a young man shall have visions of things you can do in your future, and I say do not be afraid to follow your visions, after you pray about your plans. If you pray about doing something and have peace about it, then do it. If you don’t have peace about it, don’t do it.

Nana and I often talk about you and both of us are really, really proud of the fine young man you have become on this your 20th birthday.

We really appreciate the hugs and 'I love you' statements you give both of us.

We also notice the nice patient way you treat your brother and two sisters. They are real fortunate to have you for their older brother.

I predict that many good things will happen for you in this your 20th year. Great things will happen for you in college and in your personal social life.

One bit of FREE advice from your 'Pal': Do not let anybody ever tempt you to do anything that you would not even consider, if JESUS was standing next to you, BECAUSE HE IS ALWAYS THERE!!!

Chris, I want to tell you a story I heard many, many years ago. In late August of 1946, a young man in his early twenties was on a train. He was in an army uniform.

An elderly man sat next to him and started a conversation. He noticed that the young man looked sad. He asked the young man where he was going.

The young soldier told him the following story:

"Sir, when I was in high school, I rebelled against my Mom and Dad. They seemed so old-fashioned. My Dad is a preacher and my Mom is the pianist in the church. They would not let me do the things I wanted to do."

"One day in my senior year, I got real mad and swore at my Dad and Mom and told them I was leaving home and did not care if I never saw them again. I joined the army that day by lying about my age."

"I have not spoken to them in over six years. I was overseas in the war and they never knew it. I saw many of my buddies killed. Before one of them died in my arms, he asked me if I knew JESUS. Before I could answer, he told me he accepted JESUS as his savior at the age of nine."

“I knew he was dying, by looking at the wound in his side. And I wondered why he was asking me if I knew JESUS. Then he said, “I know I am about to pass from this life, but I am going to be with JESUS in Heaven this very night, and I would like you to meet me there some day.”

"He then told me how I could do that, and he led me through a prayer, in which I acknowledged I was a sinner, and that I knew JESUS was the son of God and that He died for my sins and rose on the third day. I asked JESUS to forgive me of my sins and come into my heart as my savior."

"After I prayed that prayer, my buddy smiled and said, 'I will see you in Heaven', and he passed away in my arms."

"I carried his medals and dog tags to his mother and daddy last week and told them what I just told you. They hugged me and said, 'Our son was a rebel in high school and ran away from home and joined the army before he finished his senior year. Before he shipped out for overseas duty, he called home and asked us to forgive him. We had not heard from him for over four years and, of course, we told him he was forgiven and that we loved him. He wrote to us several times after that phone call and we wrote to him every week."

"After visiting with my buddy’s parents, I wrote a letter to my parents and asked them for their forgiveness. I also told them about my buddy and how he led me to the Lord as he was dying in my arms."

"I told them that I would be on this train today. This track goes right by the southern corner of my parents' farm. I told them that the train, if on schedule, would be passing their farm around 3 p.m. and, if they forgave me, to tie a white string on one of the branches of the old oak tree that stands in the southern corner of the farm. If I saw a white string, I would get off at the station in town, otherwise, I would understand and stay on the train."

Then, the young soldier asked the elderly man the time. He said, "It is five minutes to three."

The young soldier then said, "I fought in eight campaigns and was never wounded. I saw many men killed. I was really scared in every battle, but never as scared as I am now. I am afraid to look out the window."

He asked the old man to look out the window and let him know if he could see a white string on any of the branches of an old oak tree they should be passing any minute.
The young soldier bowed his head and the old man could hear him praying.

The old man gasped and shouted, "Oh my!!!"

The young soldier looked at the old man and asked him if there was a white string on any of the branches.

The old man replied, "Son, this is August and it must be 90 degrees outside but I just saw an old oak tree that has so many white sheets tied to so many branches, it looks like that tree has been in a snow blizzard.”

As the train pulled out of the station, the old man could see the young solider still being hugged by his Mom and Dad.

Chris, I told you this story because when I heard it, it made an impact on my life. It made me realize that my parents loved me and always did what they thought was the right thing to do in raising their children, even though at a young age, I thought they were a little old-fashioned.

I pray for you every day and also at night just before I go to sleep. It is always a good feeling to know that JESUS makes intercession for me and you when we ask our Heavenly Father for something in JESUS' name.

Nana and I are so glad that we have been able to watch you grow up and become the wonderful person we hear so many good things about all over this town of Lynchburg.
AND, remember, we are 'Pals' forever!!!

Love,
Papa

October 3, 2005

Studio pics and a new look
Check out the new look for The Mark Lowry Show page on the reMarkable site. My Web site editor, Penny, designed the new look. Brava, Penny. It's terrific!

My friends, Larry & Sheila Colclasure, were in Nashville for a Christian Psychiatry convention of some sort and they stopped by the studio where I am recording my new project.

Also, in the studio that day with me was LordSong: Kim, Michael & Amber. They were singing some background vocals. Here are some photos:

Amber singing in the studio.

George Hairr, engineer/producer/redneck, "Huh?"

Kim (one of the greatest singers on earth), George (see above)
and Michael (redneck/fisherman/dog lover)

Kim smiling and posing by her microphone.

October 1, 2005

Thanks for stopping by!
The total number of visits during September, 2005: 129,819.
The average number of visits during a month is 115,507.89.
The smallest number of visits occurred on Sat, Sep 24th 2005 with 2,893 visits.
The largest number of visits occurred on Fri, Sep 30th 2005 with 10,901 visits.
On average, the smallest number of visits occurs on Sunday with 3,410.57 visits.
On average, the largest number of visits occurs on Monday with 4,314.69 visits