Las Vegas |
| Posted by Bill Orf (billorf) on Nov 20 2007 at 9:49 PM |
As I look back on the ten days spent in Las Vegas for the PBR world finals, I am once again amazed. For the sixth year we have given our Father all we have as we continue to serve the family and fans of the PBR. Over the years you have heard me pour out my heart as I have shared the stories of victory and defeat in the life and the lives of those in the PBR who call Jesus their Lord. It has become common for us to have tales of mass gatherings in public venues as people pour in to hear the testimonies of bull riders. We commonly tell stories of how individual lives were changed for eternity because of generous demonstrations of love being shown through individuals. I love to tell the stories and even more I love experiencing them. But I am afraid we have a tendency to take these things for granted or even become guilty of treating Holy, sacred things as common. The stories I tell are not to just inspire you or solicit your support because we are doing such important things. I tell these stories with the same heart that the writer of Hebrews 11 had. He saw the importance of people knowing how one person’s faith showed up in an action and that action changed the course of countless lives. Each story began with the phrase “By faith”. So with the same desire for each of you I write this.
By faith, the Coomler and Willer family committed themselves to serving the PBRO. Now, five years latter they have personally delivered hundreds of thousands of Bibles and other life giving materials to PBR fans as well as earning the right to speak into many lives because of the love shown. By faith, Cody and Stacey Custer presented themselves to the Lord as a rodeo family. Now there has been a vast multitude of lives forever changed as the sport of bull riding has caused a shift in our cultures perception of Christian men. Children have grown up with heroes who desire nothing more than to experience the presence of God in their lives. Women have seen that it is right and proper for men to honor them and pray for them as God’s own daughters. The sick and oppressed have experienced men who have been considered superstars, humble themselves before the Lord and pray for them out of desperation to see them healed. Men have been given permission to be masculine while maintaining the heart of God for people. They have seen that it is ok for men to cry out for help and be so transparent that they share their deepest fears and regrets in a desperate attempt to communicate God’s love for people. By faith, Brooks and Stephanie Brewer said yes when the Lord put an opportunity before them to travel the country with the PBR. As a result, there has been thousands of people experience for the first time, what it feels like to be in a true worship setting. People can never settle for anything less than being a true worshiper who worships in Spirit and truth. God’s children have experienced the joy and exhilaration of being among a group of people who are all pouring their heart out to their Father in one voice and one Spirit. By faith, Ron and Faith Kingston and Dusty and Jamie Lapp surrendered two weeks of their lives to the Lord as they came to Las Vegas for the fourth year in a row to just be available for our Father to use. Not knowing what they were going to do and not given any promise of compensation, the presented themselves as submitted servants to Cody and myself. As a result, they became invisible equippers who worked faithfully behind the scenes to do whatever needed to be done. Ready in season and out as a faithful laborer should be. Always abounding in joy. By Faith, Lee Akin said “I am Yours Father” and he became a world famous bull rider who loved God. By faith, Mary Akin responded to the Lords voice when he called her to marry his son Lee. By faith, this couple entered into a covenant marriage and committed all of themselves to the Lords service. By faith, in the spring of 2007 Lee Akin wrote in his personal journal, “Father, equip me to do your will today in Montgomery Alabama”. By faith, Mary once again surrendered her devastating circumstances into the hands of the Lord as her husband laid hopelessly still in a hospital bed. By faith, in the fall of 2007 Lee and Mary Akin stood before 1500 people in a Las Vegas ball room as Mary communicated the supernatural story of how the living God still rescues his people and still heals our bodies. I could go on forever If I were to tell the stories of faith from Wiley and Amy Petersen, Mike and Jaimie Lee, Kody and Candice Lostroh, Dustin and Jessica Hall, Austin and Kristen Meyer, Me and Leslie, Justin and Ericka Moeller, Andy and Julie Taylor, Chris and Annette Woodruff, Chad and Sarah Denton.
Now I ask you. What are you doing by faith? What do you believe?
Fighting the fight of faith, Todd and Leslie
