Aug 18, 2011
Aug 16, 2011
Cameron Horner Update
Men,
I wanted to give you an update on the young man that I asked you to pray for Cameron Horner. My buddy Kevin provided us an update yesterday and I'll just pass on to you what he wrote us.
A bunch of us drove down to Wilmington yesterday to visit him and his family. From an “earthy” standpoint, things don’t look so hot! He broke, and compressed vertebrae at the C-3 region in his neck as well as severing his spinal cord. Doctor’s give “default” information based on what they can observe in conjunction with past experience and based on this, they say that he’ll never walk again. But the fact is that The Lord had plans for the young man BEFORE he injured himself and we’re not so big that we can thwart His plans. He has one more surgery scheduled today to insert stainless steel rods in his neck. Thursday, they’ll fly him down to Atlanta and he’ll start rehab at a center there.
So anyway… was talking to the young woman who rescued him (Christina) to find out EXACTLY what happened. She told me that him and her were on the dock and that there were signs ON the dock that said, “NO DIVING”. She’s a certified lifeguard. She said he dove in once and did just fine. She pointed to the sign and told him to CUT IT OUT and he told her that he knew how to shallow water dive, but she told him that from what she observed that he did NOT. Then he dove again and just didn’t come up like he did last time. She said she was just starting to become concerned when he came into view. She said this made her mad because young boys at her pool would pull pranks like this to get her attention (she’s VERY attractive). She jumped in and smacked Cameron on the leg HARD!... but there was no response. She smacked him again and then started to think that something was wrong. She carefully turned him over and he was blue, but very soon after that started breathing and talking to her. He told her that he couldn’t feel anything below his chest and that he was having a LOT of trouble moving his arms and legs. At this point she knew what happened and she screamed at the top of her lungs to a woman who was within sight to dial 911, and she floated him to slightly more shallow water and waited with him for EMS. If Cameron had been by himself, or if less observant or experienced people had been there, he’d most likely NOT be with us now.
We got to go in two at a time to visit him, for a few minutes each. They’ve got him mildly sedated because his head is in a “halo” in order to prevent movement. I went in with my oldest son Ben and we prayed for him and just told him we were glad he was alive! He was happy to see us and told us he loved us. He’s FULLY AWARE that he did something unwise, but his joy is INTACT. Molly didn’t go in. She just couldn’t do it. Cameron spends a fair amount of time at our house and it really hit home with Molly. Being an RN, she sees this sort of thing a LOT and it was just too much for her to see one of her own like this. But she visited and encouraged the Horner family.
He can’t swallow correctly just yet. They expect that will clear up as soon as the swelling in his neck decreases. They’re feeding him through an NG tube. He has motor control of his arms, but fine motor control of his hands just hasn’t returned yet. His right hand is better than his left. He was almost able to form a handshake with his right hand, but the left hand just won’t cooperate.
Christina told me that he dove into 4’ 8” of water. She and I think that his arms must have already been down past his head and that he struck his head on the top toward the front. He has NO markings on his forehead or top of his head from hitting anything and I asked him WHERE he plowed into the bottom! He said he just didn’t know! Christina said that the bottom was packed sand.
Several of us feel that he’ll walk out of the rehab center in Atlanta. I don’t know why we feel this way, but we do. At this point though there’s nothing any of us can do except help his family and keep him and them all up in prayer before The Lord.
I’ll keep you guys posted and thanks for praying.
… Kev
I wanted to give you an update on the young man that I asked you to pray for Cameron Horner. My buddy Kevin provided us an update yesterday and I'll just pass on to you what he wrote us.
A bunch of us drove down to Wilmington yesterday to visit him and his family. From an “earthy” standpoint, things don’t look so hot! He broke, and compressed vertebrae at the C-3 region in his neck as well as severing his spinal cord. Doctor’s give “default” information based on what they can observe in conjunction with past experience and based on this, they say that he’ll never walk again. But the fact is that The Lord had plans for the young man BEFORE he injured himself and we’re not so big that we can thwart His plans. He has one more surgery scheduled today to insert stainless steel rods in his neck. Thursday, they’ll fly him down to Atlanta and he’ll start rehab at a center there.
So anyway… was talking to the young woman who rescued him (Christina) to find out EXACTLY what happened. She told me that him and her were on the dock and that there were signs ON the dock that said, “NO DIVING”. She’s a certified lifeguard. She said he dove in once and did just fine. She pointed to the sign and told him to CUT IT OUT and he told her that he knew how to shallow water dive, but she told him that from what she observed that he did NOT. Then he dove again and just didn’t come up like he did last time. She said she was just starting to become concerned when he came into view. She said this made her mad because young boys at her pool would pull pranks like this to get her attention (she’s VERY attractive). She jumped in and smacked Cameron on the leg HARD!... but there was no response. She smacked him again and then started to think that something was wrong. She carefully turned him over and he was blue, but very soon after that started breathing and talking to her. He told her that he couldn’t feel anything below his chest and that he was having a LOT of trouble moving his arms and legs. At this point she knew what happened and she screamed at the top of her lungs to a woman who was within sight to dial 911, and she floated him to slightly more shallow water and waited with him for EMS. If Cameron had been by himself, or if less observant or experienced people had been there, he’d most likely NOT be with us now.
We got to go in two at a time to visit him, for a few minutes each. They’ve got him mildly sedated because his head is in a “halo” in order to prevent movement. I went in with my oldest son Ben and we prayed for him and just told him we were glad he was alive! He was happy to see us and told us he loved us. He’s FULLY AWARE that he did something unwise, but his joy is INTACT. Molly didn’t go in. She just couldn’t do it. Cameron spends a fair amount of time at our house and it really hit home with Molly. Being an RN, she sees this sort of thing a LOT and it was just too much for her to see one of her own like this. But she visited and encouraged the Horner family.
He can’t swallow correctly just yet. They expect that will clear up as soon as the swelling in his neck decreases. They’re feeding him through an NG tube. He has motor control of his arms, but fine motor control of his hands just hasn’t returned yet. His right hand is better than his left. He was almost able to form a handshake with his right hand, but the left hand just won’t cooperate.
Christina told me that he dove into 4’ 8” of water. She and I think that his arms must have already been down past his head and that he struck his head on the top toward the front. He has NO markings on his forehead or top of his head from hitting anything and I asked him WHERE he plowed into the bottom! He said he just didn’t know! Christina said that the bottom was packed sand.
Several of us feel that he’ll walk out of the rehab center in Atlanta. I don’t know why we feel this way, but we do. At this point though there’s nothing any of us can do except help his family and keep him and them all up in prayer before The Lord.
I’ll keep you guys posted and thanks for praying.
… Kev
Aug 12, 2011
STOP...DROP...AND PRAY
Men,
A young man by the name of Cameron Horner is believe to have broken his neck and currently the reports are that he can't move anything below his waist. This was due to a diving accident that happened yesterday and it is too early to know anything for sure.
Cameron is a good friend of my buddy Kevin Knox's son Jake. He's also very close to the entire Knox clan. I've met this young man a few times and he is a quality young man. I believe if you met him, you'd be glad you did.
Praise God that his mother had the wisdom to pull him from the water and that there was anyone even there to pull him from the water.
Pray for comfort and courage for his family and Christina the young lady Cameron is courting.
Pray for Cameron to rely on the Lord and not be afraid.
Pray for Cameron to remember that God is Sovereign.
Pray for the doctors to be brilliant.
Pray for everyone to have faith in God's will and His power.
A young man by the name of Cameron Horner is believe to have broken his neck and currently the reports are that he can't move anything below his waist. This was due to a diving accident that happened yesterday and it is too early to know anything for sure.
Cameron is a good friend of my buddy Kevin Knox's son Jake. He's also very close to the entire Knox clan. I've met this young man a few times and he is a quality young man. I believe if you met him, you'd be glad you did.
Praise God that his mother had the wisdom to pull him from the water and that there was anyone even there to pull him from the water.
Pray for comfort and courage for his family and Christina the young lady Cameron is courting.
Pray for Cameron to rely on the Lord and not be afraid.
Pray for Cameron to remember that God is Sovereign.
Pray for the doctors to be brilliant.
Pray for everyone to have faith in God's will and His power.
Jul 20, 2011
TOLERANCE
Men, during my daily Bible reading plan, I was in James chapter 4. Again, it is hard to be in the book of James and not find a juicy, meaty piece of truth that you can really chew on for a while. The particular verse that got me this morning was James 4:4 You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
Reading this verse made me stop and think of the constant barrage from the world to be "tolerant." You ever see those bumper stickers that spell out the word tolerance with the different symbols of different religions? Ever wonder what tolerance Really means? Webster's dictionary defines it for the world in several different ways:
But what does God's Word say about "Tolerance?" The word tolerance is translated from the word anochē. Vines Expository Dictionary defines it as "a holding back." It denotes "forbearance"...a delay of punishment. In Romans 3:25 Paul is talking of God's forbearance with men; forbearance is the ground, not for His forgiveness, but His withholding of punishment. In Romans 2:4 His forbearance represents a suspension of wrath which eventually must be exercised unless the sinner accepts God's conditions.
The world wants you to believe that you are a bigot, a racist, even hateful unless you are tolerant of the beliefs of others; to the world, tolerance means you have to accept these other belief systems or else you're not much of a Christian. So what are we as Christians supposed to do with that? Aren't we supposed to love our neighbor...even love our enemy? YES!! Emphatically YES!! I encourage you to follow your Heavenly Father's lead in ALL things, but particularly in the case of "tolerance." This is why He gave us His standard in His written word and His word says in James 4:4...friendship with the world = enemy of God. I don't know about you guys...but I do NOT want to be an enemy of God.
Reading this verse made me stop and think of the constant barrage from the world to be "tolerant." You ever see those bumper stickers that spell out the word tolerance with the different symbols of different religions? Ever wonder what tolerance Really means? Webster's dictionary defines it for the world in several different ways:
- capacity to endure pain or hardship : endurance, fortitude, stamina
- sympathy or indulgence for beliefs or practices differing from or conflicting with one's own
- the act of allowing something : toleration
- the allowable deviation from a standard; especial
- the capacity of the body to endure or become less responsive to a substance (as a drug) or a physiological insult especially with repeated use or exposure
But what does God's Word say about "Tolerance?" The word tolerance is translated from the word anochē. Vines Expository Dictionary defines it as "a holding back." It denotes "forbearance"...a delay of punishment. In Romans 3:25 Paul is talking of God's forbearance with men; forbearance is the ground, not for His forgiveness, but His withholding of punishment. In Romans 2:4 His forbearance represents a suspension of wrath which eventually must be exercised unless the sinner accepts God's conditions.
The world wants you to believe that you are a bigot, a racist, even hateful unless you are tolerant of the beliefs of others; to the world, tolerance means you have to accept these other belief systems or else you're not much of a Christian. So what are we as Christians supposed to do with that? Aren't we supposed to love our neighbor...even love our enemy? YES!! Emphatically YES!! I encourage you to follow your Heavenly Father's lead in ALL things, but particularly in the case of "tolerance." This is why He gave us His standard in His written word and His word says in James 4:4...friendship with the world = enemy of God. I don't know about you guys...but I do NOT want to be an enemy of God.
Jul 18, 2011
You kiss your mother with that mouth???
Men,
During my quiet time this morning I was in James chapter 3. How infinitely hard not to be convicted by reading the book of James? In fact, if you're not convicted by the book of James, you're lying to yourself and you need to take a closer look in the mirror called "the Bible." James 3:1-12 is about "The Tongue of Fire." James is exhorting his audience that just as a small fire, sets aflame a great forest fire, "the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell."
In verses 9-11, he is pointing out the same mouth that blesses the Lord, curses men. These verses are probably the most painful verses in James. How can we taste the sweetness of the Father's name and chase it with the bitterness of cursing other men? After all, aren't ALL men "made in the likeness of God? Isn't man the crowning glory of His creation? How hypocritical of us, especially Christians, to curse others when before Jesus, we were just as worthy of such curses?
Men...I challenge you to read James 3 today and challenge yourself to bridle your tongue.
With all His love in me,
Danny
During my quiet time this morning I was in James chapter 3. How infinitely hard not to be convicted by reading the book of James? In fact, if you're not convicted by the book of James, you're lying to yourself and you need to take a closer look in the mirror called "the Bible." James 3:1-12 is about "The Tongue of Fire." James is exhorting his audience that just as a small fire, sets aflame a great forest fire, "the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell."
In verses 9-11, he is pointing out the same mouth that blesses the Lord, curses men. These verses are probably the most painful verses in James. How can we taste the sweetness of the Father's name and chase it with the bitterness of cursing other men? After all, aren't ALL men "made in the likeness of God? Isn't man the crowning glory of His creation? How hypocritical of us, especially Christians, to curse others when before Jesus, we were just as worthy of such curses?
Men...I challenge you to read James 3 today and challenge yourself to bridle your tongue.
With all His love in me,
Danny
May 20, 2011
Are You Salty??
Men,
I was listening this morning (as I do every morning just about) to Wisdom for the Heart by Stephen Davy, and he was delivering a message from his series "The Depravity of Man...The Deliverance of God." This series is an incredible explanation of the depravity of man as Paul describes in Romans 3:10-18. Stephen "pulls off the blindfold to reveal the true condition of man." It's a great tool for evangelizing because it is "far from depressing, because an honest self-understanding is the beginning of hope...hope in the One who can truly deliver."
The message today was entitled, "Seasonings of the Tongue." In this message he is teaching about the "Divine Diagnosis of Mankind's Mouth," a reference to Romans 3:13 "Their throat is an open grave, with their tongues they keep on deceiving, the poison of asps is on their lips." He lists several different kinds of tongues:
• a flattering tongue (Psalm 5:9),
• a proud tongue (Psalm 12:3),
• a lying tongue (Proverbs 6:17),
• a deceitful tongue (Psalm 120:2),
• a perverted tongue (Proverbs 10:31),
• a wicked tongue (Psalm 10:7),
• a soothing tongue (Proverbs 15:4),
• a destructive tongue (Proverbs 17:4),
• a gossiping tongue (Proverbs 25:23).
He goes on to say "It is the tongue which:
• makes or breaks apart a marriage,
• makes a home a pleasant environment or a desert,
• makes friends or loses them,
• strengthens a church or divides it,
• attracts people to Christ or repels them,
• honors God or curses Him.
Stephen continues throughout this message describing the deception, the untold damage, the internal despair that the tongue inflicts and reveals. Then he reminded us of Jesus' words in Matthew 12:34 "...the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart." DAGGER!!!!! It is heart wrenching for me to think of my life before knowing Jesus and the things that my tongue has done. It is shameful to think of the things that my tongue SINCE I've been walking with the Lord.
But then Stephen closes with a lesson of how we SHOULD live. Colossians 4:6 says "Let your speech always be gracious, as though seasoned with salt..." He explains how important the use of Salt is. In Pauls day it was "akin to treasure." It was used as currency in the market place. Roman soldiers were paid in salt. That's where we get the phrase, "a man's gotta be worth his salt." Salt was valuable. Stephen says "Just as salt makes food more palatable by enhancing the natural flavor of food, so choice words, used appropriately, enhance a person's reputation as being a gracious person." He goes on to list some valuable words for us to use often and abundantly and I wanted to share them with you:
PLEASE - "When you say please, you are revealing humility and you are treating the other person, not as an object placed on earth to serve you, but as a person with dignity and honor."
Thank you - "When was the last time you thanked your wife for dinner. Told her that it was delicious."
I appreciate you - " Talk about a treasure in words. Like flavoring to food – so these words bring spice and flavor to the heart."
I am sorry...I was wrong - "What rare words. There are no loopholes in these words; there is
no escape clause; there are no excuses – just full admission."
I forgive you - "Perhaps there are no more powerful words in the human language than those. There might be a marriage that would instantly begin to heal, if those words were spoken. There might be a relationship between a son and a father, business associates, two believers caught in conflict, whose lives would once again enjoy the flavor of life itself, if those words were spoken."
Stephen shares an old prayer with us..." O Lord, fill my mouth with worthwhile stuff, and then nudge me when I’ve said enough.”
I have a question for you Men...ARE YOU SALTY?
I was listening this morning (as I do every morning just about) to Wisdom for the Heart by Stephen Davy, and he was delivering a message from his series "The Depravity of Man...The Deliverance of God." This series is an incredible explanation of the depravity of man as Paul describes in Romans 3:10-18. Stephen "pulls off the blindfold to reveal the true condition of man." It's a great tool for evangelizing because it is "far from depressing, because an honest self-understanding is the beginning of hope...hope in the One who can truly deliver."
The message today was entitled, "Seasonings of the Tongue." In this message he is teaching about the "Divine Diagnosis of Mankind's Mouth," a reference to Romans 3:13 "Their throat is an open grave, with their tongues they keep on deceiving, the poison of asps is on their lips." He lists several different kinds of tongues:
• a flattering tongue (Psalm 5:9),
• a proud tongue (Psalm 12:3),
• a lying tongue (Proverbs 6:17),
• a deceitful tongue (Psalm 120:2),
• a perverted tongue (Proverbs 10:31),
• a wicked tongue (Psalm 10:7),
• a soothing tongue (Proverbs 15:4),
• a destructive tongue (Proverbs 17:4),
• a gossiping tongue (Proverbs 25:23).
He goes on to say "It is the tongue which:
• makes or breaks apart a marriage,
• makes a home a pleasant environment or a desert,
• makes friends or loses them,
• strengthens a church or divides it,
• attracts people to Christ or repels them,
• honors God or curses Him.
Stephen continues throughout this message describing the deception, the untold damage, the internal despair that the tongue inflicts and reveals. Then he reminded us of Jesus' words in Matthew 12:34 "...the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart." DAGGER!!!!! It is heart wrenching for me to think of my life before knowing Jesus and the things that my tongue has done. It is shameful to think of the things that my tongue SINCE I've been walking with the Lord.
But then Stephen closes with a lesson of how we SHOULD live. Colossians 4:6 says "Let your speech always be gracious, as though seasoned with salt..." He explains how important the use of Salt is. In Pauls day it was "akin to treasure." It was used as currency in the market place. Roman soldiers were paid in salt. That's where we get the phrase, "a man's gotta be worth his salt." Salt was valuable. Stephen says "Just as salt makes food more palatable by enhancing the natural flavor of food, so choice words, used appropriately, enhance a person's reputation as being a gracious person." He goes on to list some valuable words for us to use often and abundantly and I wanted to share them with you:
PLEASE - "When you say please, you are revealing humility and you are treating the other person, not as an object placed on earth to serve you, but as a person with dignity and honor."
Thank you - "When was the last time you thanked your wife for dinner. Told her that it was delicious."
I appreciate you - " Talk about a treasure in words. Like flavoring to food – so these words bring spice and flavor to the heart."
I am sorry...I was wrong - "What rare words. There are no loopholes in these words; there is
no escape clause; there are no excuses – just full admission."
I forgive you - "Perhaps there are no more powerful words in the human language than those. There might be a marriage that would instantly begin to heal, if those words were spoken. There might be a relationship between a son and a father, business associates, two believers caught in conflict, whose lives would once again enjoy the flavor of life itself, if those words were spoken."
Stephen shares an old prayer with us..." O Lord, fill my mouth with worthwhile stuff, and then nudge me when I’ve said enough.”
I have a question for you Men...ARE YOU SALTY?