"Do You Know (INSERT NAME HERE)?"

Several years ago while we were serving as a pastor in Wichita, Kansas, I sent Thanksgiving cards instead of Christmas cards one year. In the weeks leading up to that Thanksgiving I thought about many special people that God had brought into my life at strategic points. I sat down and wrote many of these people cards expressing my appreciation for them and the fact that they allowed God to use them to minister to me and my family.

It was amazing to me how many great men and women God had used to bring encouragement and blessings to us. So many had been instrumental in the discipleship process in our Christian experience. I literally wept and cried for hours over a period of weeks as I praised God for these individuals, ministries and families. I thought it proper to let them know exactly how they impacted my life and the life of my family. That is how I came to send Thanksgiving cards that year.

As a result of those cards I received several interesting phone calls, cards and letters in return. Most of the people that had affected me so much had no earthly idea that their actions spoke so clearly and dearly to me! They were just working for God, doing their duty and living their lives. But in the course of walking and talking their normal Christian lives they had touched me and my family more deeply than I could express. 

This encouraged me even more to tell folks what a blessing they are to others as they live and minister for Christ. My expression of thankfulness may be just the thing somebody needs to keep right on doing what they are doing. The individuals doing the most good may not even know it.

I have been thinking about all of this again lately. I realized a few weeks ago that I have a platform in this blog to shout from the housetop. I can express my thankfulness for those that have impacted us and all of our MILLIONS of readers can know it.

So I am starting a new series on the blog that I am calling, "Do You Know (INSERT NAME HERE)?" I won't be able to be as personal as I would be in a letter or card addressed to an individual but there are a whole lot of super people out there that I would like for you to know. In fact we are meeting more great people all of the time. This will give me an opportunity to introduce to you or remind you of people we have known a long time and also great folks we have recently met.

I will start tomorrow with a person we have known for less than 18 months. We will see how it goes from there. I might do one a week or 10 in a row. It will depend on how the mood strikes me. Let me know what you think and feel free to chime in any time.

God bless you all...

Davy