Relational Living

“Keeping company with Jesus we become insiders to the creation. It is not something ‘out there’ that we can adopt or ignore as we will. We can’t walk away from creation in order to attend to the Spiritual life. We are embedded in the creation; we are integral to the creation.”

Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places – Eugene H. Patterson

One of the hardest things to express in words is the ability to verbalize the importance of relationships in the Christian walk. In my walk through recovery and grief, it has become the most vital aspect of my life. My story and Will’s story takes on meaning only through relationships with other people. This is the power in grief support groups. We are able to share our experiences and it becomes real to us and we can work through the grief process together. The Holy Spirit power is manifested and multiplied in connections with other believers. That is witnessed in the transformation of a lady who joins a church after experiencing the change in her own heart and grows beyond her circumstances.

Almost all of my growth has been through the interactions with other people. Prayer life also plays a big part, but again, that is a relational discussion with God. In this walk I have become acutely aware of the power of the Body and without the world wide outreach during Will’s crises and the support of my church, I would not be where I am emotionally today. That love was present before the accident. It is one of the reasons that Will was who he became. It was the relationship to the Body that carried us through this trying time.

This became evident to me as I traveled to Haiti and shared Will’s story and shared my life. I got to extend the love of my church Body to a little boy that had very limited experience with the love of Jesus. Because my church and community loves and has a relationship with the Haiti Mission Team, we got to travel and extend that love to others. Because the Mission Team loves the people of Haiti we followed our calling and entered into relationships with the Haitians. All this love begins with God and is witnessed in His Son Jesus Christ.

John 1:10-17

He was in the world, and the world came into being through Him, yet the world did not know Him. He came to what was His own, and His own people did not accept Him. But to all who received Him, who believed in His name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.

And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen His Glory, the Glory of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.”

This past Saturday, I spent time with my friends in the homeless community, some of the most disenfranchised people in the United States. I have grown to love the relationships I am building with this community. They pray for me and receive my prayer with gratitude. Yes, there are homeless Christians. In fact some are well versed in Scripture. This relationship and the fact that they are a Spiritual people reminds me just how broken the world is. Because of the lack of understanding, people tend to see their condition as something to avoid. Yet I have found that they can be some of the most beautiful souls to interact with. There is a couple that we visit that always puts a smile on my face. They may not always make the best decisions, I don’t either, but they are always open and extend a love to us that borders on hospitality. And yet they live in a tent. Who knows what impact we will have with them? Who knows what our relationship with them will do? That is up to God and His grace, but I know what that relationship has done for me. I have learned just how broken I am. There is no condemnation extended from this couple yet I begin to understand the concept of sin in my life and the international need for God’s grace. Getting outside of ourselves and sharing life openly with others reminds us of our own condition and thus opens our empathic ability to relate to others and allows us all to experience the healing and Grace offered by our Lord Jesus Christ.

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations.”

You may never know what experiences you will encounter and what you will learn.

Haiti: A Mission of the Heart Day 2

I have been on several mission trips and each one posed its own kind of challenge. Some of them were physically taxing, like laying a 10,000 sq. foot concrete floor in a church in Costa Rica. Some were emotionally taxing, like painting the homes in an orphanage in Heredia. They all are Spiritually taxing and this trip was especially so. On Monday, we started a new adventure that took me to a whole new level of  "living outside the box". It was a beautiful trip, yet there were experiences that I did not expect.

The team broke into two groups. A group of ten stayed in town and visited the Children of Promise (COP) house and played with the children. They were anticipating getting to visit the Freedom House Orphanage to welcome the "restavek" (child slaves) rescued from another part of Haiti on Tuesday and were excited at the opportunity to be the first to greet these children. My group of six was to travel to a region in the mountains called Froi de Pen. It was going to be a three hour drive into the mountains over some of the most treacherous roads I had ever experienced. The road was rocky and at times so narrow that only one vehicle could pass at a time. The drop off was at times 500 to 1000 feet with no guard rails and if another vehicle approached we would have to pull close to the edge offering a beautiful if not nervous view of the valley below.

We drove through a river bed that floods during the rainy season and we passed Haitians walking down the mountain looking for water; all the while, our driver was saying that the land cruiser was on its last leg and sounding like it was struggling. We stopped half way to visit a roadside market and ate lunch.

When we arrived at our destination we saw where we where going to be sleeping. We were welcomed by the house owner and shown into a little room with a table and a pot of coffee that reminded me of Greek Style coffee. It was brewed in a pot with sugar and grounds boiled together then filtered through pantyhose. The joke was "I hope they used a clean pair." It was too sweet but we were grateful for the break and the discussion over a hot cup of Haitian Joe.

We were welcomed with open arms and were given a level of hospitality that Americans rarely show each other.

We spent the rest of the day evangelizing to the village and the surrounding community. Sorry there are no pictures but instead of taking pictures we wanted to focus on the work at hand. We prayed over two ladies, one with a hip/back problem and another with a "crazy son". We faced three witch doctors and we meet several families and invited them to a VBS in a local field. We had some success in getting folks to accept Christ and we met a lot of resistance. One man in particular, who was a known voodoo witch doctor, was visibly under conviction. However, it was pointed out that in order to convert, this man would have to give up his livelihood. You could see the conviction in his eyes but he could not bring himself to make the decision. It was apparent though that we had planted a seed.

The Spiritual battle was palpable. I could feel the conflict with our efforts and I got the impression that we had stirred up some trouble in the Spirit world. I was not fearful, but I was drained. Because of that I was thankful to have the opportunity to go to church that night.

It was a beautiful experience, the music was in direct contrast to the voodoo drums one can hear throughout the night and the singing, though off key, was powerful. The Holy Spirit was present and one could not help but feel moved. I got the privilege of sharing my testimony and I shared the story of the hospital, the support I received from the Body and the miracle of Will and his love. It occurred later how profound that was for me. Will's legacy is now in a remote village in Haiti. Talk about the spread of this little boy's love and I felt like this was the true beginning of his ministry. I again felt energized but it also was an emotionally taxing Holy Spirit moment.

We closed out the night back at the little house. We had to be conscientious as to putting the ladies in the center of the house as we wanted the first line of defense to be the men. So we took thin mats and moldy blankets and squeezed 6 men in a tiny room. If you had to go to the bathroom you ran the risk of stepping on a team mate or falling on top of them if you misstepped.

Oh, I almost forgot the most interesting encounter that day. We received an apparent blessing from the house owner. What I thought was soup with potatoes and carrots was in fact bouillon. It was quite tasty and had this unusual cream taste. I was informed that it was not cream based but we still could not figure out what was the unusual taste was. The clue however was the long stringy tube that resembled an intestine and a small pouch that still had food in it. This was the stomach and the intestines. Later I discovered that one of the team members had discovered a tooth and something chewy he could not identify. The nice lady had cooked the entire goat in the pot with the vegetables. We now knew what the special taste was. It is amazing what you tolerate when you are hungry!

Haiti: A Mission for the Heart Day 1

On July 13th I started a new journey that has stirred my Spirit for this sort of ministry. This particular mission has become a focal point for the ministry I am wanting to continue in Will's memory, and as I took this walk, it became very clear that this was the beginning of a new path and vision for me. I am so thankful for the opportunity to have gone and I want to convey that  appreciation to all who made this trip possible.

The trip from the US to Haiti was fairly uneventful. There was some air turbulence and one short delay related to a team member's passport, but overall we had a very peaceful excursion; however, what I encountered upon arrival was a shock. I had heard stories and I knew the region was impoverished but I was overwhelmed with how much devastation and brokenness that was still part of the environment. It can only be understood as a witness and I can only attempt to describe what I saw and felt.

Even in the best areas the roads were dust and rocks and trash lined the sides of the roads. Any buildings that could be considered usable were in some stage of disrepair. Most of the buildings were damaged beyond repair and yet life seemed to continue. People seemed to be eking out survival, that is the only way I can describe it. That opinion changed with time, yet at the moment all I saw was total devastation. This devastation occurred almost 5 years ago and they are still reeling from the aftermath. It was compounded by the preexisting poverty already in place and from the outside the situation looks hopeless.

Everywhere you looked one could see life trying to resurrect itself. People where living in these homes without roofs. People had built make shift shelters next to destroyed structures. Some had even made houses out of damaged truck trailers. On one particular trip I saw a wrecked school bus that had slammed into a stone wall. Instead of removing the bus the locals incorporated the bus into the wall for protection. The thing I began to notice the most was the ingenuity and resolve the people of Haiti had. I never really heard them complain or question their reality. They just seemed to get up and continue the best they could. Not sure how fair this statement is because I was there for a week and only met a small group of people but the impression I got was not of despair. I wonder how many of us in the states would not try to blame someone else for their predicament?

For us as a team, unity became the most important part of our trip. From staying together at the airport to supporting each other during emotional or physical stress, we fostered a  sense of community. That was very apparent when we made our first stop at the orphanage, before our final resting place for the evening. The response from the children was very heart warming and it became immediately apparent how much this team meant to the people of Haiti. It was not just about a group of Americans coming to help. It was about a group of people who had not seen each other for a long time. It was about people who were loved because of the relationship that had been built over the years. That is something to see. It was something I began to realize very quickly. I was allowed into this relationship and am grateful for the experience.

I fell in love with a country and its people in a very short week. The environment was harsh but the people make the country and the people were very accepting and open. Well, except the soccer players, they did talk a little smack. Good thing I did not know Creole.

Yes, I played soccer with Haitian teenagers and I held my own thank you very much.

The first day ended with us arriving at the Mission House, a new structure that Reach Haiti uses for its teams and for other visitors. We were tired and ready for bed. The first day was such a blessing and I could not wait for my trip into the mountain.......that would become the biggest challenge for me.

My Walk

This is a story about brokenness. This is a story about redemption. This is a story about the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. This story is about Resurrection and a new life emerging. This is a story about a new beginning and living a Kingdom Life now.

I pray that this story touches someone who is facing a crisis in his or her own life. I pray that someone remembers my lesson when they face a crisis in the future. The actual crises is immaterial, the pain and suffering in these times are real and if one person finds comfort in what I am about to say then my own pain and suffering is justified in my heart and I find comfort in that.

All of us, whether you are aware of it or not, will hit a moment in our lives where our decisions, or the decisions of others, leave us broken. We grow into our lives with that hurt hanging over our heads and develop patterns of behavior that can be very detrimental to our personal well-being, not to mention the train wreck we can leave behind. Whatever form of damage we each develop, it comes with an ingrained behavior that is so entrenched that we find ourselves in a perpetual cycle of destruction. Consequences are sometimes not enough to break that cycle and as dramatic as those sometimes are, some folks continue to live in darkness and misery. Sometimes we never even realize that there is a better way to live.

Most of my adult life was like that. I have struggled with substance abuse issues as long as I can remember. Experimentation began as early as 12 years of age and continued through my early college days. At first it was all fun and games. I have fond memories of fraternity parties at Auburn University and the of the summer binges when I had no responsibility. Those were good times. I will make no bones about that, but as the years moved on I found it increasingly more difficult to find any success in life. You see, I was blind to the damage it was causing and eventually I had established those bad behaviors that continued to haunt me into the later years of my life.

As time progressed I became more aware of how wrong those behaviors were. I began to suffer consequences. I have been to jail, I have lost jobs and careers, and I have lost family and important relationships in my life. I hated how I felt physically. I hated hurting people around me and hated the way I felt about myself. I always took responsibility for my actions; in fact, I took the attitude that I would always have this problem and that I had accepted my role in life. I was a lost cause and that became ingrained into my thinking as well.

So far this story is very similar to most Alcoholics Anonymous stories. This is a typical journey most addicts could claim as their own. This, to the world, was normal and I was destined to be a failure. I had consigned myself to that walk and had come to believe that I would always be second best, or worse.

That was when I said a prayer that would change my life. I prayed that I God make me the kind of man he wanted me to become. Somewhere deep inside I knew that I had a purpose but had no idea how to make it happen. That is when my life began to change.

I knew I was deeply troubled. I knew my sins. I wanted a way out and tried on numerous occasions to make that happen. Somewhere in this mess I had created, I knew I needed a God that would do for me what I could not do for myself. I tried and repeatedly I failed. If I was second best and worthless, what was my motivation? What would make me continue until something finally took hold?

At the age of 42, I received a gift from God so powerful that I had no choice but to face this thing head on. This gift was the biggest risk God had ever done for me and things started to slowly sink in. I suddenly had a bigger purpose in this world.

I had resigned myself to being fatherless. My wife at the time was unable to have children medically and I was happy to take her children from a previous marriage as my own. I enjoyed the role as a stepfather and learned invaluable lessons. I took the role seriously and was content to live my life that way. One can only imagine my surprise when I was told that my wife was pregnant. The doctor was so surprised he asked her, “How did this happen?’ He was an OB/GYN, so I know he meant the improbability of her getting pregnant, not questioning the act necessary to get her pregnant. But here he was, a beautiful miracle child named William Keith Smith. I was overwhelmed. I was going to be a father. I had a new purpose in life and I threw myself into it with abandon.

I was still suffering from my substance abuse problems and at the time I did not fully grasp all that the gift meant. That would come later.

I threw myself into being a parent and gave a big portion of myself to being a “good daddy”.  However, I was also putting a lot of energy into my sin as well and neglected a big portion of my life. I ended up losing my family, Will’s mother and my two-step children. I also came very close to losing my child.   

His mother filed for divorce when Will was barely three. If all things were equal and that was her only reason, then she was justified and did the right thing. Either way I am grateful for the outcome.  There was a key moment during the divorce where I was having a meeting with my lawyer. In that moment I was given the option to accept what his mother was offering concerning custody. That custody arrangement was very limited and I was torn about what to do. I would either have to trust his mother to give me more time, or I would have to trust the court to legally give me more time than she was offering. My lawyer looked at me and said, “Considering the facts and your predicament, most men would accept this and move on with their lives.”

Deep down inside my soul I began to feel this sensation of a power and a resolve far greater than I had ever experienced. It occurred to me that I AM NOT MOST MEN!! In a painfully emotional moment I set my heart to do whatever it took to fight for my relationship with my child. I was going to stand for his rights when he was not being given a voice. I was going to be this boy’s daddy and I give it everything I had.

So I started the journey, having faith that God would make a way. I went down some strange roads. I had tough times where I went for days with out food or sleep. I went to hours of counseling and 12 step meetings. I sank myself into service work but most importantly I turned to my God, my Higher Power, and with abandon relied on Him for my strength and endurance. I had to put my complete trust in Him and rely on a miracle in the courtroom. I was blessed to get a very good custody arrangement and it helped keep William stable during this crazy time in his life.

All this time I still questioned if I was going to make it through. I wondered if Will would see the fight I went through for his sake, but as he grew over the next two years I began to see that yes he was learning what it meant to trust God and it showed in his demeanor. He knew his daddy loved him and he loved his daddy. He trusted me and I watched him gain a confidence in himself that had come from what I was teaching him. Everyone who knew him understood the impact I was actually having on his life, even if I did not always see it.

Life seemed to take on a level of stability I thought I would never see again. I began to plan for an alternative future with my son that did not include a normal family life. I was making plans for the next step in our life and things were finally settling down. 

Then on Sunday, March 30^th 2014, I received a frantic phone call from his mother that Will had been in an accident and was not breathing. I was at home and was told to go to Children’s Emergency and that was all I got. I drove with abandon, not knowing the extent of the injuries. All I heard was accident and not breathing. I started calling my friends. I called those people that had been on the walk with me during my recovery and those who had been beside me during the divorce. My walk with Will had already touched so many people that within hours my support started to flood in. I got to the hospital and learned that what had happened was the worse case scenario. He had been under water for at least 10 minutes and without a heartbeat for almost an hour. Having a medical background told me that he was already too far-gone and I realized at that moment that all I had left was prayer. And pray we did. With in hours the community had so overwhelmed the hospital that extra staff had to be called in. So many friends poured in that the staff at Erlanger, a nationally known regional trauma center, started to making comments like, “I have been here 15 years and I have never seen this kind of support.” Knowing Erlanger had had its share of traumatic accidents involving children that is a big statement to make. With in days we had a prayer circle that circumnavigated the world. We had reports of people in China, South America, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Costa Rica, South Africa, the Philippines, Canada, Ireland and the UK all praying for my son. Every state in the US was represented and the story began to spread. I started to believe in a big miracle, I started to believe in a complete healing.

On April 5^th 2014 William succumbed to his injuries. We spent one more night with him as Tennessee Donor Services tried to locate recipients for Will’s life saving organs. On Sunday April 6^th, I said my final goodbyes as they rolled Will to the OR to take my son’s life giving organs, so that someone else would not have to experience the same loss that I was experiencing. He was known for being a kid who shared and I know he would of wanted me to do that. As I watched them roll him out the door I knew my life was never going to be the same. I suddenly had this urge that I needed to get out of there. I gathered up all the stuff that had accumulated in that week and headed for the door, I heard Will’s mom say “Tony.” I turned and saw her face and I knew what she was thinking because I felt the same way. I asked her, “You do not want to leave do you.” She said, “NO, this has been the best experience of my life.” She was right. All the prayers focused on that little room and the Holy Spirit hovering over this little boy had created a sanctuary for his mommy and his daddy. There was healing for a lot of people and Will received the ultimate healing. Three families received the phone calls that their loved ones had a second chance at life. My church family has pulled together and rededicated their ministry because of what transpired and I got to live in the presence of my loving Father.

Today as I reflect back on all that I have experienced, I find comfort in the fact that I know there is a loving God that searches for us in the darkness. I know that a heavenly Father has sacrificed his Son; I understand that pain, so that we can have a new lease on life and have a beacon to look to while we are still in that darkness. I know that there is a Holy Spirit active in this world that is the power behind transformation, even when we do not know it is happening. I know this because I am a witness to it in my own life. I have just faced the worst possible crises a father may ever have to face and yet I find comfort and a supernatural peace that I thought I would never experience. I have been given the opportunity to keep Will’s memory alive by spreading this message of hope to others. I have a purpose and that purpose is to live life to its fullest and to spread the life changing story of Jesus Christ to others. My motivation is to offer hope to all who suffer and to spread the story of love that was taught to us by one 4 year old boy. A boy that I can proudly call my son.

Thank You For Listening and May God Bless You and Keep You Always.

Peace

Tony Smith                  

Passion to Grow

Part of my story was the desire to become the best father I could be for Will. He deserved that from me. I was a wreck Spiritually and decided to Man Up and walk a walk that would make Will proud of his father and, being a part of me, proud of himself. With a passion I had never before experienced, I set my goals on transforming my life so I could make that a reality. Looking back I have no regrets and firmly believe that I had become that which I had set out to become. I believe Will knew it too. He was young but he was already Spiritually mature beyond his years. I know this because of my relationship with him and the stories I have heard others say about him.

I praise God daily that I was allowed that opportunity and that I was given that motivation to succeed. Without God I would not have been able to accomplish that transformation. I had to make that choice and the walk was a tough one, but I did it for the love of a child. That decision has been honored and again I am grateful.

I have every reason to be devastated by the loss of my son but because of the work and the transformational power of the Holy Spirit, I was able to stand firm during the most difficult time in my life. I weathered the storm and now have a powerful testimony to share.

Matthew 7:24-25
" Therefore anyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.

My house stands and thrives because I chose to build my foundation on the Cornerstone, that Cornerstone is Jesus Christ. My passion for my son's sake continues even after his death. The goal of that passion is to spread that message to others. The message of love and grace that transforms lives is available to all.  My new heart drive is for others to understand that and to walk that path with them as we all grow together.

I crave those relationships with others that mutually builds each other up. I want our story to mix with yours and help others understand this transformative power. I have added an email link that send new published blogs directly to you.  I am building a ministry out of this tragedy to honor Will that will offer hope to anyone who suffers in despair. The process is slow moving but WILL'S WAY MINISTRY" is taking shape and will serve as platform to offer hope and healing to others.

If you wish to contact me or this developing organization please email me at willswayministry@gmail.org

May God Bless You All

Seeds From Heaven

"Our journey toward abundant living is like walking a spiritual labrynth repeatedly, from an ever deepening inner space. We walk toward the center to be transformed by God's love; then we walk outward to transform our small space in the world by reflecting God's love. There is no intention to trick us or get us lost along the journey, But there is mystery. Always mystery. And awe. And amazing grace."

-From Abundance by Marilyn Brown Oden

I received an amazing gift this week. I went to a Christian concert at the Riverbend festival in Chattanooga, TN. The performer was Toby Mac and ever since I saw him in Lexington, KY, Will has been so excited about getting to see him here. Toby Mac became one of his favorites. I guess he liked the beat.

Will spoke repeatedly about getting to go, but the thing I remember the most was his unwaivering belief that Toby Mac would sing "Our God is an Awesome God" and "Bless the Lord, Oh My Soul". That kind of music is usually outside his music genre, yet Will was convinced that if I asked Toby Mac he would certainly sing those songs.

I was excited about going. I love his music as well and was going with my dear friend Fab, also a beleiver in the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit. She holds a special place in my heart and I am glad that she was there to experience this as well.

I went with a heavy heart. I knew how excited I had been that Will and I were going to go to this concert together. We were always up for an adventure. I saw other fathers lifting their children onto their backs and other children dancing at their parents' feet. In those moments I reflected on my own loss.

The performance was great. Toby Mac put on a good show for Chattanooga. It was full of energy and worship and I was moved by the words he spoke that night. All in all it was a very pleasurable evening.

Then, during the encore, something "magical" happened. Toby strung together some of his most popular songs and in the middle of the last part of his performance he started singing "Bless the Lord, Oh My Soul". I was so ovewhelmed that I fell on the ground. My whole body lost strength and I collapsed to my knees. Tears of joy were streaming down my face and I was overwhelmed with a sense of gratitude. My son must of asked Jesus if He would let his daddy know that he was enjoying the show right along with me. The Holy Spirit moved over me and poured that comfort and love into my soul and I felt it in the goose bumps that covered my body.

Luke 24: 45-49

Then He opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, "This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgivness of sins will be preched in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high."

The disciples had not asked for it. It was a promised gift from God. That power overwhelmed the masses at Pentacost and empowered them to start a movement. That community of believers started humbly, yet with power, and spread around the world. That movement is continuously impacting lives and that power is real!

I am grateful for the Holy Spirit in my life. I am grateful that my son's story and my life are part of that movement. That power is my motivtion to share my life experiences and the comfort I receive in times of pain. It is my encouragement when other people experience grace and healing from my tragedy. It is the power that moves ahead of our own lives and arranges moments like the concert experience. This moment was set in motion before the tragedy even happened. That is what is so profoundly powerful about my story. That is the mystery!

I hope and pray that what I have lived and experienced will continue to touch and heal the hurting. If that happens, and it already has, then all the pain in my life is worth it. God Bless all who are on this journey with me.

To see Toby Mac sing "Bless the Lord, Oh My Soul" click the link below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntQ1-TQMpX0

Spiritual Glue

Acts 2:42-47

They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. 

The above passage was used in a talk to the Tween Mission Weekend Breakfast. I had been asked to come speak because Melia Warren, the Director of Children's Ministry at HUMC, was taking the children to TC Thompson Children's Hospital and to Ronald McDonald House as part of their mission project. Those places have a special place in the hearts of both of Will's parents. The purpose of those missions involved having the children make teddy bears and then have them delivered to children currently in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. The unit that Will, and his family spent the last week of his life. They also made goody bags that were going to be given to the nurses who work in that unit.

The group also took food to and toured the Ronald McDonald House. Will's mother, Kacey, holds that organization close to her heart as they allowed her to stay and remain close to Will. They do that for all families of critically ill patients and it is a huge service. There are families that would have to travel 100 miles or more from their home to be with their children.

I was asked to give a talk on why this was an important mission and what it means to me. What followed will become a cornerstone of "Will's Way Ministry". To me what came out of preparing this talk was the true purpose of what I want people to see coming out of this tragedy. I have spoken before of the blessings I receive on a regular basis of Will's presence. He is still all around me and I am grateful for that. With Father's Day coming up and his recent birthday, those moments are going to be really important. Before I spoke, I got the overwhelming sense of his presence. He played in that gym and I could still see his lunch bag lined up on the benches by the door. I could even see him running toward me when he saw me with a big smile on his face. Sometimes I would stand quietly and watch him play, loving every moment of that memory. During that morning devotional i was speaking at, they played a song that he had learned in vacation bible school. One of the ones he could never get quite right, but I felt him singing it with them and remembered how adamant he was that he had it right. That was one of those arguments you just don't fight. It was never that important anyway. Will always seemed to get the gist of what they were teaching. He always showed the unconditional love that Jesus taught. That I am proud to say was who Will was.

This brings me to the point I want to make. The Holy Spirit is the glue that binds all believers together. what ever your Christian background, the stuff that makes us unique is the presence of the Holy Spirit. with out it we have no power and are ineffective in our walk. I felt the Spirit move in so many ways this weekend and want to send out a special thanks to the people of Hixson UMC and to all those world wide who prayed for us and continue to do so. Will learned what he learned from this fellowship of believers and I learned, so I could pass it on to him, from this fellowship of believers.

We as Christians should always remember our infant Baptism as I remember Will's. It was a promise from the community to love, nurture and support the immature child. My community of faith did just that for me and my son over the last several years. They continued to extend that to his mother and her family, and to strangers we met in the hospital. With this act of mission outreach they are still teaching children and extending this heart of community to others.

That is to become the legacy of Will. He was brought up in a loving community, was prayed for by a world wide community and his reputation as a peace maker continues to resonate in peoples hearts. That is the power of the Holy Spirit! The Body of Christ! That is what community is supposed to be about.