Happy Birthday, Zach!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ZACH

“Nothing brings me greater joy nowadays than hearing that ‘my children’ are living in the truth.” 3 John 4

Twelve years ago today, we were at hospital in Maryland waiting for the arrival of our fourth child. Zach was our “surprise” baby. Julie was our youngest at that point and there would be twelve years difference between their ages!

God blessed us with a wonderful new baby that day, and it is hard to believe that he turns 12 today. We took a lot of ribbing because we were in our 40’s when he was born. One of my speaker friends, Dr. John DeBrine, announced that the reason they now had handicap ramps in the schools is for old fathers like me who would be in wheelchairs for parent teacher nights! Funny, John!

Time has a way of flying by, and Zach is now at that interesting age where life begins to change from boy to young man. It has been fun and scary to watch the transition. He has literally grown like a weed – he’s taller than me – and some of you are laughing saying, “That’s not hard, Welte!”

I am thankful that at an early age, Zach trusted Jesus Christ as His Savior. Living at Keswick has been good thing for Zach because he has fallen in love with the ministry of the Colony of Mercy. There are days that I think if we would let him, he would move in at the Colony. He loves the guys and isn’t afraid to tell them the tough stuff. In fact, in some ways, I think he has the upper hand because of his age of innocence – they seem to listen to him and consider his wisdom, which at times is way beyond his years.

Everyone of us prays that his kid grows up to be a man who loves Jesus. I am thankful today that Zach is not just one of God’s kids, he’s mine too! Zach, I love you and I am very proud of you. Happy 12th birthday. – Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s KESWICK

God’s WORD for YOU – Proverbs 21; Isaiah 62-64; 1 Timothy 1

Think About This: Not without design does God write the music of our lives. Be it ours to learn the tune, and not be dismayed at the "rests." They are not to be slurred over, not to be omitted, not to destroy the melody, not to change the keynote. If we look up, God Himself will beat the time for us. With the eye on Him, we shall strike the next note full and clear. If we sadly say to ourselves, "There is no music in a 'rest,'" let us not forget "there is the making of music in it." The making of music is often a slow and painful process in this life. How patiently God works to teach us! How long He waits for us to learn the lesson! – Ruskin

Crown Financial Instructor and Keswick Board Member, George Hutchison, has a new weekly blog on our America’s KESWICK homepage. Check out this week’s entry: http://keswickgeorge.blogspot.com/