I was going through old files in my office today to make room for more, when I came across an old file of correspondence. The file was filled with cards, letters and notes from people who had written me across the span of the past eleven or twelve years.
Some of the notes just simply said, "Thank you for sharing your life story. It has changed my life forever." Others were small notes, handed to me at a venue where I might have spoken across the years to say..."We love you."
Still, there were others that were long, heart-wrenching letters from people who felt the need to share THEIR story with me, after having heard my testimony via tape, CD or spoken "Live" at a venue they had attended.
As I sat and read these letters, one after the other...I found myself moved to tears by the mercies our God extends to us all. He so lovingly uses the simple things to open hearts that have been bound for far too long. I found that to be the case with my simple story as I read the stories of so many who had found forgiveness and freedom by the inspiration of what God had extended through my simple testimony. So, they took the time to write and share with me, all of the things our Lord has done for them.
What a blessing! Some of the letters I remembered. Others I had forgotten. It is so hard to keep track of all the stories across the years by letter and/or email that I have received. They run into the thousands by now. I truly do remember more than you might imagine, however...I must be honest and say that some of the more precious ones I read today had been long erased from my memory.
So today...I took the time to read them again and remember.
Then, God prompted me to sit and write each and every one of them and tell them what a blessing their letter from long ago had been to me today. I thanked them all over again for taking the time so many years ago to write me. Little did they know that, "What was spoken so far in the past", would be such a blessing to me today.
You know...today I feel so blessed and honored of God for a number of reasons. For one, "He has forgiven me of so much, and all of those things...so undeserved."
He has blessed me with the opportunity to travel and share my life story in places I would have never dreamed possible. Others have read my book and still thousands more have my testimony CD and continue to pass it along to those who are so desperately bound in the shadowy stronghold of the enemy.
I have a wife and family who love me deeply. That is especially precious, because you see..."They know me the best." They see the Danny many of you don't get to see, and yet...they love me most. What a gift! Yes...I have so many things to be thankful for today.
However, TODAY...I am most thankful for the letters God allowed me to find while thinking I was on a simple mission of cleaning out old files. I'm thankful for each and every life and family represented by each address and signature across those pages. I write today to say to them (in case they follow this ministry), what a blessing you have been to me.
Ministry is not about having a big name or standing on stages and passing out CDs or books. It is not about having websites, booking agents, or being known or unknown.
Ministry is not about the denomination we associate with, or the history of our family and the breeding we take great pride in. It is not found in our astounding knowledge of the Bible or our ability to quote verse after verse without benefit of notes or reminders. No...that's not what real ministry is about at all. It is about what those old letters brought to my doorstep this morning.
It is all about..."Touching Lives."
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