HEADED TO SHYUMACHI

I'M SITTING INSIDE DOLCE VITA THIS MORNING, NOT OUT IN THE PARKING LOT. TODAY, JEB AND GORDON AND PATRICK AND I WILL GO OUT TO SHYUMACHI AND TAKE OUT TOOLS AND FOOD AND WATER, ETC. TO BE USED NEXT WEEK. IT IS ABOUT AN HOUR AND FORTY FIVE MINUTE DRIVE. COLYA WAS SUPPOSED TO GO WITH US, BUT HE JUST CALLED TO TELL ME THAT HE IS SICK.

I HAVE BEEN TAKING GORDON AND PATRICK DOWN TO THE STADIUM AND WORKING THEM OUT ON THE STEPS AND DOING SOME DRILLS. THEY ARE TROOPERS. DOING WELL.

MOM MADE US FRIED CHICKEN AND MASHED POTATOES AND PEACH COBBLER LAST NIGHT. BEST MEAL I'VE HAD IN A MONTH. I RAN ABOUT 4 MILES AND THEN CAME HOME AND WE WATCHED "BRIANS SONG". I CRIED AGAIN.

JEFF FLYS OUT OF THERE TODAY!!! LOOKING FORWARD TO HE AND COURTNEY BEING HERE.

THINGS ARE ABOUT TO GET BUSY. THE GROUP GETS HERE SATURDAY.

I'M THINKING ABOUT AND PRAYING FOR YA'LL OFTEN. I WANT TO REAFFIRM TO YOU AGAIN TODAY HOW IMPORTANT ENCOURAGEMENT IS IN THE COMMUNITY OF GOD. WE GET BEAT UP CONTIUOUSLY IN THIS WORLD. OF COURSE, THIS WORLD IS UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE EVIL ONE, AND DISCOURAGEMENT IS ONE OF HIS GREATEST TOOLS. FOR THAT REASON, GOD ESTABLISHED A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE COULD COME TOGETHER AND GET SOME RELIEF FROM THAT ONSLAUGHT. THE CHURCH. I'M CONVINCED THAT IF WE DID NOTHING BUT USE THE MINISTRY OF ENCOURAGEMENT TOGETHER, COMMUNITY WOULD BE WELL WORTH IT! HOW ARE YOU DOING WITH THAT? THERE IS ENOUGH NEGATIVISM, SYNOSISM,AND DISCOURAGEMENT OUTSIDE OF COMMUNITY. LET'S WORK ON INCREDIBLE ENCOURAGEMENT WITHIN. IT SHOULD NEVER BE SAID THAT WE HAVE NOTHING TO DO SO AS LONG AS THERE ARE PRAYER NEEDS AND PEOPLE WHO NEED ENCOURAGING.

LOVE YA'LL. YA'LL LOVE EACH OTHER.