Brown's Daily Word 4-21-09

Good morning,
Praise the Lord for the glorious Good News of Easter. Christ is Risen. He is Risen indeed. He came, He saw, and He conquered death. He is alive for- evermore. Because of His victory we are more than conquerors through Him who loved and who loves us still.
We had a very special Easter celebration. Jeremy, Janice, Micah, and Simeon joined us for Easter, coming in on Good Friday. Janice and the children stayed a few days past Easter with us. I call Micah and Simeon our Fresh Air children from Boston. We are blessed with a very large yard - almost 7 acres around the church and parsonage. We have lots flowers in bloom, especially daffodils. When Micah wants to go outside to play she says, "Let's go to the park." Even Simeon looks at the swings, points, and says, "park".
The November, 2001 Sports Illustrated magazine covered the baseball World Series in which the Arizona Diamondbacks recovered from a slump to defeat the New York Yankees in the last inning of the final game. It started the editors thinking about the greatest comebacks in history. So, they produced their list of the "TOP TEN COMEBACKS OF ALL TIME." It was quite a broad list. Elvis Presley was on it, as a result of his TV special in 1968 that revived his sagging career. Muhammad Ali made the list when he returned from his forced seven-year exile from boxing, to reclaim the world championship. Harry Truman made the cut, owing to his 1948 victory over Thomas Dewey when all the polls had him losing by a large margin. When Michael Jordan gave up baseball and returned to his first love of basketball, he found a spot on the top ten comebacks in history. Even humanity was on the list - after recovering from the Black Plague of the 14th century, in which 25 million Europeans died. Number two among the all-time comebacks was a tie between Japan and Germany, both of which were devastated during the Second World War but became world economic powers within a generation. Number one - as named by the editors of Sports Illustrated magazine in the November 12, 2001, issue - the greatest comeback of all time ... Jesus Christ. AD 33. We can place our hope and trust in the greatest comeback of all time: the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Through Him we can experience victory. Death could not keep Jesus Christ, down. Jesus came, He saw, and He conquered sin and death. He is alive for evermore. May the Risen Savior infuse us with His Resurrection power as we worship Him and serve Him day by day.
I am enclosing a testimony written by the daughter of a man we have been praying for.
Have a blessed and wonderful day. He is Risen. Alleluia!

Brown.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXCAhKDZRlo
UPDATE On Jack Hoppes:
Good Monday evening to you all:Please forgive the long string of recipients. There are many who need to hear this message. As I write this email I am listening to beautiful worship music with Tim, my mom AND MY DAD! A week ago today, my father was released from the hospital with Hospice and given three days to live. Tim, my cousin Pat and I went to the funeral home to make final arrangements. I have never cried so much in such a short period of time. Not because of my own sense of loss, but for the deep love I have for my father and wanting to see him set free from the torment of body and soul. On a beautiful, sunny Easter morning my father awoke saying he felt great mentally, physically and spiritually. To say it was a week of sorrow, reminiscing and strong prayer would be an understatement. We would be crying one minute, then laughing the next as we reminisced and shared our love with and for each other. God's presence was almost too much to bear at times it was so strong. My sister Debbie shared with all of our family and some friends the day before Easter a letter she had been given in which the Lord told her that we kept giving dad to the Lord then taking him back. He said to her STOP PROJECTING WHAT HAS NOT HAPPENED! She reminded us all that the miracle has already occurred. My dad was diagnosed in October 2007 and given six months. He has beaten the odds by 12 months already! A neighbor came over and in a house full of people sang "It Is Well With My Soul". Easter Sunday morning Tim told me it was as if the Lord was waiting for everyone to let him go so he could begin to do HIS work. He is still weak, but improving and although he must watch his food intake at present, he has an appetite. He continues to tell us he is hungry and has moved from clear liquids to soft foods. Please feel free to forward this to anyone you would like to. Many have been thinking of and praying for my father as well as the whole family. To say "thank you" would not be sufficient to express our gratefulness to God for all of you. Please continue to pray as it is something we all still need. My father is the strongest witness to God's grace in the midst of severe trial that I have ever experienced. My mother's strength and grace as his caregiver is beyond description. The lives they have touched for the Lord, and will continue to touch, may not be fully known until they both stand before the Throne.I must also say that God brought Tim, me and my sister Sandy here for another purpose as well. My dad asked Tim to look at a sump pump they have in the basement (a northern thing). It was days before failing. Tim was able to make all the repairs as well as take care of other things for them. Also, their refrigerator died today. Tim and I were able to take my already frazzled mother to get another one while my sister stayed with my dad. Tim has been a rock, helping my father in numerous ways including staying with him at night so my mother can get the rest she needs. He has been a tremendous support to them as well as a comfort and strength to me that I have needed. I am so grateful for him.God is great and able to do far above anything we can even imagine! What happens from this day forward is God's business. We have witnessed a miracle! God bless all of you!much love to you all, TM