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June 2003 Table of Contents
A View From The Front Lines
All In The Family (of God)
By Kirk Lyons
 As I prepare to place a few words on paper for this month's issue, my prayer for all of you is that your Easter season was as glorious as the One whose resurrection we celebrate. I also hope you have had time to get away for some much needed refreshing and renewal. I hate to be a source of stress in anyone's life, but with our recent trip to MusiCalifornia, we were quickly reminded that the Christmas season is just around the corner. If my Christmas reminder was a jolt, I want to respond with a positive solution. If you order your Christmas collections or Octavos between 6/1/03 and 7/4/03, we will send them to you via free freight. Now that's better, isn't it?
I will also encourage you to stop by jjonline.com to preview the many incredible works available this year. If your internet service is not the avenue of preview you prefer, I would highly recommend Worship America in the Smokies, July 7-10. This event is jam packed with the best our industry has to offer. Music previews, worship services, a children's camp for your little ones, led again this year by Celeste Clydesdale, times of teaching with Will Flora from Chick-Fil-A, nightly premieres and artist performances that include Denver & the Mile High Orchestra. If you're busy that week, I would encourage you to attend our final Worship America in the Big Apple. After 10 years in this incredible city, worshipping together with all our friends at The Brooklyn Tabernacle, God has gently closed this door. We have a special line up this year that will ensure a New York like no other.
I always try to end these articles with stories of God's work in my life. I hope these are things some of you can relate to in your daily walk. For me they are reminders, put to paper, of God's incredible grace, mercy, and unconditional love for a wretch like me. Again, God has overwhelmed me with this latest marker along my life's journey.
It all started on Thursday night, April 24th, in San Diego, CA. While at MusiCalifornia, we were having dinner with some special friends. Paul Stetler from Rocky Mountain Christian Church in Niwot, CO, sat directly across the table from me that evening. As we shared about different things, I mentioned that my youngest sister lives in Longmont, CO, and that Shanda and I had recently visited. After finding that Paul also lives in the Longmont area and his church is located in the very next town, I asked if I could send him my sister's address so someone from their church could go by and visit. I shared that they were soon to have their second child and being new to the area I would love for them to get plugged into a church family. Paul graciously agreed and even reminded me as the evening ended to get their information to him. With what seems to be never enough time in a day, I regret to tell you that I never sent this information to Paul.
On Thursday, May 1, I received a call from my mother that my sister was suffering some complications and had gone to the hospital to be checked. Once there, she was almost immediately taken for an emergency C-Section. She was giving birth to a son, Kenneth Alexander, more than 6 weeks before he was due. My mom confirmed that both Kim and baby Alex were doing well. I asked my Mom to call and let us know the hospital and room number so we could call with our congratulations. As the day passed, neither Shanda nor I heard from my Mom with this information. I finally called that evening and when my father answered, I could immediately tell by the sound of his voice that there was a problem. The doctors had been trying all afternoon to stop some internal bleeding my sister was suffering from, and with all other options exhausted, had decided to take her back into surgery. I was in shock as my dad shared this with me. The joy I heard in their voices just a few hours earlier was now replaced with fear. I as tried to sort through all the thoughts that were running through my head, Paul Stetler flashed immediately before my eyes. After one simple phone call to Jerry, Shanda was able to contact Paul. She quickly explained the situation and asked if anyone from their church would be available to run over to the hospital to visit with my brother-in-law and see what might be done to help. Paul took the information and said that he would drop what he was doing and head to the hospital.
When he got there, Kim was still in surgery, but he was able to share, encourage, and pray with my brother-in-law. He left his card with him and said he would call to check on Kim later. He also told Angel that in a very few minutes he would be in choir rehearsal and would ensure that a hundred voice choir would be calling out to God on Kim's behalf. HELLO! If that doesn't make the hair on your arms stand up, you better go talk to a pastor in your church. Paul called me immediately after leaving the hospital and told me all that he could about the situation. He asked if there was anything else he could do and said that he would call me again in the morning.
After 3 hours of surgery, the doctors repaired and removed any source of problem Kim had. First thing Friday morning, Paul called to see if I had heard anything during the night and asked if it would be ok for him to visit again that day. We also learned that one of Kim's nurses in the ICU was a part of Paul's church. When she found out that Kim had no family in the area, she offered to coordinate with other members at the church to provide meals, childcare (they also have an 18-month-old) and anything else they might need. The first time I talked to my sister she was just overwhelmed with the outpouring of love and concern they were receiving from this church. She kept repeating to me, "they don't even know who we are." All I could say over and over was "This is what it's like to be a part of the family of God." So many times Shanda and I have been recipients of the same kind of love. It's not something you can explain, but I can tell you my sister and her husband were getting a full dose of it and they were overwhelmed.
It still brings tears to my eyes even as I write this today more than 3 weeks later. What started out as casual conversation over dinner, God had ordained to be a comfort to us during a time of need. More importantly it has been a testimony to a little sister and her husband, 1,500 miles away, of God's grace, mercy, and love. A love that was made real by a humble church family and a busy man of God that wasn't too busy to care. Thank you Paul Stetler, and thanks to all the folks at Rocky Mountain Christian Church. I will never be able to express how much you mean to me or how much I appreciate what you are doing for God's Kingdom.
The family of God; don't leave home or this planet without making sure you're a member!
Forever Grateful,
Kirk
PS: As I write, Kim, husband Angel, daughter Grace and little Alex are doing great. Keep praying for them.
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