Philadelphia Closing

Ben Franklin Bridge over the Delaware River

No, Philadelphia isn't closing. My conference has come to a close and the reason I used the title above is because we had a closing speaker that was so outstanding he almost brought me to tears with the truth of his message. His name...is Michael Broome, his message...is one of tremendous inspiration to me. It was as God designed it for me. He spoke directly of facing tragedy and finding the silver lining it it. I can only portray a small part of his message but will try my best. I encourage everyone to go to his website and view his video clip.

He begin by discussing tragedy in our lives. He related the story of Teddy Roosevelt, the 26th president of the United States, who as a young man lost his wife and mother within hours on the same day. He penned the next day, "The light of my life has gone out." Roosevelt though recovered and later made the statement that, "life is a joy for those who demand it!" Even through tragedy you should demand joy.

He was tremendously funny when delivering his message. As I guess any motivational speaker would be. He spoke of one of his own personal tragedies of when he and his wife discovered that they would not be able to have children. Instead of dwelling on this loss, they searched their options and soon acted on their next best option, adoption. They proceeded to adoption only to have their first attempt fail at the last at the last moment before taking the child. On the solemn ride home he and wife sat in silence until his wife turned to him and said, "Well, if we can't adopt a child, we could always adopt a highway." Humor, he says lightens the load of the heart. Abraham Lincoln was reading jokes from a book when his lead general announced to him that they had lost almost 20,000 men in one of the battles of the war. He asked the President how he could read jokes when such tragic news was upon them. President Lincoln said that without laughter sometime during the day his heart could not survive such continuing tragic loss.

He spoke of gratitude and how it is the creator of joy. He also gave advice on worry and fear that was echoed by another speaker who opened the meeting. He said "The more you fear something the more you increase the odds of it occurring." This parallels a great statement I read from Thomas Jefferson in his Canons of Conduct years ago, "How much pain have cost us the evils which have never happened." Patty and I need to embrace this sage advice.

After the meetings closed I got to see some of our nations history. It was pouring rain and I was soaked but I didn't let it stop me. Below is a picture of the Independence Hall.


Inside is where the Declaration of Independence was formed and signed as well as the United States Constitution. Both documents were penned and signed in the room below.



Lastly, directly across the street is where the Liberty Bell resides. It was interesting that you have to go through airport security like measures to enter either location. There are two pictures, one just of the bell and one of the bell and clock tower of Independence Hall where the Liberty Bell used to reside.




I fly out at 1:55 and should return to K-town by 4:00. The weather is now beautiful and hopefully it will be an uneventful ride home. I'm looking forward to seeing Patty and the kids. Patty's 4th treatment will be on Monday. I ask each of you to pray that it will be tolerated much better then the last.

I can't thank each of you enough who continue to intercede on our behalf in prayer. My appreciation runs deep knowing that there are others approaching God on our behalf. Thus, I say, THANK YOU, with my deepest sincerity.