Thursday, March 20, 2003

Thursday, March 20 Wonderful prayer service night. Well attended, deeply moving. One person told me afterwards, “I didn’t know how much I needed this service until it was over.” I was touched by how many people stood to share Scripture verses. Special thanks to WMAQ TV (NBC 5) for broadcasting live from our sanctuary at 6:30 PM and then showing a brief clip from the service on their 10 AM newscast. Last night we published the names of 35 men and women in the Armed Forces who either attend Calvary or are immediate family members of members and regular attenders. Afterwards we received two other names. I also spoke with someone in the Reserves who said half of her unit has already been called up. She expects to be called up very soon. This war has come very close to home already. We are so proud of those who serve our nation in this time of crisis and we pray God to send his angels to protect them.

Wednesday, March 19 I spoke to the 5th-8th grade classes at Oak Park Christian Academy this morning about the impending war with Iraq. The students were attentive and obviously concerned about both the war and the threat of terrorism in the US. They asked many perceptive questions about Saddam Hussein and how the war might go. We agreed together that we would hold on to the Word of the Lord that tells us to “Fear not” no matter what happens around us.