Recently I met one of the nicest, sweetest, refined, and gentle little old ladies one could ever hope to meet. She is from Thomasville Georgia and heard me speak at her church and subsequently read my book.
Yikes!
She came by Honey Lake and when she saw me standing in the lobby stopped by to say hello. She told me that the street, for which my book is entitled, Miracle on Luckie Street, was actually named for her grandfather whose name was Luckie.
Hmmm . . . I actually arrived at the intersection of Fairlie and Luckie streets and had no idea that they were actually named after individuals, rather I always thought it was just a clever play on words. In fact I’ve said many times that it was “fairly lucky” I ended up there, because that is where I got saved. I always assumed it was yet another example of God’s perfectness (and wit) to have me end up on those particular streets when I went to Atlanta to begin my new life as a baby Christian.
Yesterday I saw another example of God’s perfectness. Recently our Worldwide Ministry undertook a great project that we believe is sorely needed in this country. We are producing an album that commemorates the Ten Commandments and extols the virtues of observing them. On the album each Commandment is read and then followed by a short commentary of it, and then a beautiful song is sung that exemplifies that Command. An example of the First Commandment is as follows:
Commandment:
“You shall have no other gods before me”.
Commentary:
“Nothing is more important in life than your faith in God. He wants to be the absolute center of your life. By putting God first, you will see first-hand how truly great He is.
Song:
How Great Thou Art
Legendary football coach Bobby Bowden was recruited to read each of the Ten Commandments, world renowned pastor Bobby Welch was recruited to record the commentary for each commandment, and the Praise Minister for our Worldwide Ministry, Terry Warren, will sing the songs.
I find it interesting that God chooses to use these three men to produce an album to glorify His Holy name and Word. In fact it seems to me to be a “perfect” combination. Anyone who knows Coach Bowden knows that he is a man of God, totally dedicated to God first, and everything else (including football) is far below that.
Coach Bowden had a huge influence in shaping Terry Warren’s life. Beginning when he was just a small child, he used Terry as his ball boy for several years, even allowing him to travel with the team to all of their games. Later after he graduated from High School, Coach Bowden recruited him and gave him a scholarship to FSU. By his senior year Terry had become an All American linebacker and team captain. Bobby told me yesterday that particular team was his best ever.
Terry was not just trained to play football by Coach Bowden, but he also was taught many valuable lessons in life by this man of God and coaching legend. Terry like Bobby’s other former players feels forever indebted to him for his mentorship and spiritual guidance during those early years.
Dr. Bobby Welch is another influential person Terry has known most of his life who has had a significant impact in shaping Terry’s character and spiritual walk from the time he was a small child right up through today. Dr. Bobby Welch is a past president of the Southern Baptist Convention and the former pastor of First Baptist Church in Daytona Beach, Fla. where he served for three decades. He’s written a bunch of books and loves the Lord with all of his heart. He counseled Terry spiritually and still does to this very day.
So God assembles these three guys together to produce this album, but oh that’s not all folks. Interestingly it was FSU President Emeritus, T.K. Wetherell’s, idea to do the album about the Ten Commandments in the first place, thus another connection. T.K. also played football for Bobby Bowden way back in the ‘60’s and was greatly influenced by him concerning his spiritual walk both as a player and when he served as President of FSU as well.
Yep, I would say that God was definitely involved with putting together these men who love God to serve His purpose in edifying His word. It’s a “God thing”!
Yesterday Terry and I went to Coach Bowden’s home along with our technicians from Tallahassee, Christian radio station “Wave 94”, and recorded his portion of the album at his home.
It was an honor and a fun experience to visit him. Bobby of course is legendary and he holds the NCAA record for most career and bowl wins by a Division I coach, but to tell you the truth, the thing I admire most about Bobby Bowden is his reverence for God and his total dedication to Him.
He’s a humble man and it’s easy to love and admire him. He spends his time these days speaking and preaching, and in fact will be preaching at Honey Lake Church on September 8th, and you won’t want to miss that one! We are bringing in special singers to sing with Terry Warren and will also have a concert that day of celebration as well.
Bobby signed one of his trademark FSU hats for me yesterday and I asked him to sign it with one of his favorite verses.
I’m looking at it right now and it reads:
“To Bob,
Soli Deo Gloria – (Latin term for “Glory to God alone”)
Bobby Bowden
Psalm 42:1
Come by Honey Lake and see it in the trophy case outside the Whispering Pines restaurant, because it is vintage Bobby Bowden. He humbly gives God all of the glory for all that he is and has done. This great man of God is now 83 years young, and he looked at me and smiled and told me his mother taught him that verse when he was a child and it is still his favorite. (All you moms take note, imagine having your sons and daughters still signing their name with a verse that you taught them a lifetime ago).
Praise God’s Holy Name and Bobby Bowden’s faithful mother, and this GIANT of a man! It is readily understandable how Bobby Bowden achieved so much in his life and best of all he ain’t done yet!
Have a great day today and go to church this Sunday!
Psalm 42:1
As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God.