It
was a wonderful summer with 7 weeks of basketball camp in Colorado
Springs and Divide, CO, as well as Hemet, Indian Wells and
Lake Arrowhead, CA. I also did two shows for Bellevue Baptist
Church youth and their basketball camp in Memphis. This church
is huge with 27,000 members! This summer I was able to do ministry
with over 1,100 people. The Lord continues to provide opportunities
and His Word is being shared.
I
have some very exciting news about the ministry. Kevin
and Rachel Boaz are joining Hoops of Hope staff. They
are both full-time teachers and are raising support right
now (Kevin will finish out this school year). Kevin has been
named the Director of Camps and Missions. His dual responsibilities
will be to recruit more camps for the summer and to enlist
volunteers for overseas mission trips. His secondary jobs
will be to aid with the prison team and to write camp curriculum.
Rachel will be aiding with office work and support raising.
I am thrilled that the Lord led them our way. Kevin has volunteered
with us for about 3 years as a summer league coach, camp
coach and he and Rachel have traveled to Africa together
to do basketball clinics and other ministry. It is neat to
see this wonderful couple come and join in full-time Christian
ministry. Please continue to pray for them as they raise
support and secure ministry events.
I
would like to thank all the volunteers and players at our
1 st Annual 3 on 3 Charity Basketball Tournament. The money
will go to help our prison team and for ongoing operations
of Hoops of Hope. We had 13 teams, raised $3,500 and had
several corporate sponsors. We even made the local papers.
If you are interested in giving toward this fundraiser, there
is still time.
What
God is Teaching
Seth has turned three and he is developing very well. He is talking a
great deal now and he loves to pray. It is so wonderful to see his little
prayers go from copying Dina and me to actually forming his own. He has
shared with me lately that “God loves us all and He is the best hugger.” If
you think about that, it really encompasses most of the Bible and Christian
doctrine! Let’s break this statement down word by word. God (the supreme
power in the Universe and the All-Mighty Creator) loves (supernaturally
in a way that only God can do) us all (that’s you and me) and He (see
above) is the best (Webster’s defines it as “in the highest degree”)
hugger (someone who closely embraces). Wow!!! You mean to tell me
that there is a God who loves me and wishes to hold me close? That is
exactly what Seth is saying! I tell you, that kid is a genius, a real
prodigy!
That
really is the point of God’s love letter to us, the Bible.
Jesus created us all to fully enjoy Him and yet we broke that
relationship by our own sin. The Lord didn’t give up rather
He came to die for us and reunite us to Himself. He offers
the free gift of salvation. All you have to do is receive it,
even today, right now! “…yet to all who received Him, to
those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become
children of God”—John 1:12 (NIV)
Prayer
Requests
• Kevin and Rachel Boaz
• Dina, Seth and I to continue to grow as a family
• Debbie Wadle’s appeal
• My Papa
• Finances
Sept-Dec
Calendar
If
you are interested in booking me, please do so now especially
for Upward Basketball shows or for summer camps. I have a
new 6 _ minute promo video done by Jeff Krieger, AIA videographer
(thanks Jeff) that you can show to your church or school.
Let me know if you want one.
Thank
you for continuing to stand behind us in this endeavor. The
Lord continues to encourage us that we are in the right place
and I want to be consumed by His call!!!