All,
My heartfelt thanks to all of you who wrote letters of congratulations to
Danny Cox for earning his GMA.
The ceremony is tomorrow night and, although Danny is no longer in MY outpost
I have been asked to say a few words as a commander who has "impacted" his
life.
I confess I feel woefully inadequate for the assignment. The idea of having
an impact on someone's life is a very sobering thought. I know I've spouted
about this on the 'net in the past but to be brought face up to the idea is,
in many respects (to me at least) frightening.
Someone will say, "Gary, he earned his GMA, you must've done SOMETHING right."
On the surface I will agree with that. But if all I/we have done is help a
young man earn a medal, I fear we have fallen far short of God's goals for
this ministry/program.
I pray that whenever a Danny (or any other boy) has looked at me he has seen
Jesus the Servant.
I pray that in God's building program for these lives I was and will be
always there with the needed brick and mortar and not a wrecking ball.
I pray that whatever of "me" they have incorporated in their value system
will "reach them, teach them, and keep them" for the Master Ranger.
========================================================
If anyone else would like to write a short note to Danny, just send it to my
e-mail address. I am printing them all out and putting them in a "Book of
Remembrance" for him.
=========================================================
One other thing, and Duane you'll probably LOVE this.
I've just been promoted to Area Commander for the Tidewater North Section
Northeast Area. What a title! I'm already bending over from the weight! ;-)
All this week my four sons have been heckling me, calling me a "Staff Weenie"
"Gee Dad, no more sleeping on the ground with the reg'lar folks, huh?"
"Dad, is it true that staff has jacuzzis?"
Lord, deliver me!
Seriously though, please pray that God will grant me His wisdom. We have
several churches whose outposts have died. My vision is to impact this
community with Holy Ghost fired Disciples of Jesus who are called Royal
Rangers; not with some boys who can be described as "oh, you're sorta like
Boy Scouts, huh?"
That is NOT a slam at Scouts. That's a slam at just having a "good" program
but not changing lives or winning souls.
Ad Dare Sevire,
Gary "Burn'n Heart" Rothwell
Sr. Cdr.
Outpost 59, Potomac District
Warwick Assembly
Hampton, VA
+++++++++++++++++++++++<<"Oh, to be a dead man
walking.">>+++++++++++++++++++++
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