CONGRATULATIONS MATT!

FIRST OF ALL I JUST HAVE TO SAY...GOD IS SOOO AWESOME!!! YESTERDAY I WATCHED MATT WALK ACROSS THE STAGE AND RECEIVE HIS DIPLOMA FROM FAITH BAPTIST BIBLE COLLEGE. HIS DEGREE IS A BACHELOR OF SCIENCE ASSOCIATE PASTOR/YOUTH PASTOR. AS I WATCHED HIM COME IN WITH HIS CAP AND GOWN ON READY TO RECEIVE HIS DIPLOMA, THE TEARS JUST FLOWED. (AND STILL FLOW AS I TYPE THIS) I COULDN'T DO ANYTHING BUT JUST PRAISE GOD FOR WHAT HE HAS DONE IN MATT'S LIFE. STARTING OUT WITH SO MANY THINGS AGAINST HIM...3 MONTHS PREMATURE-VERY SICK AND NOT EVEN EXPECTED TO LIVE, CEREBRAL PALSY AFFECTING HIS MOTOR SKILLS AS HE LEARNED TO DO ALL OF THE THINGS THAT COME SO NATURALLY TO MOST CHILDREN, TERRIBLE ASTHMA THAT KEPT HIM SICK AND COUGHING MOST OF THE FIRST 7 YEARS OF HIS LIFE, AND RIDICULE FROM CHILDREN WHO JUST DIDN'T UNDERSTAND. BUT THE THINGS THAT SATAN MEANT FOR BAD-GOD MEANT FOR GOOD! GOD HAS ALLOWED MATT TO OVERCOME THOSE OBSTACLES AND HAS NOW EQUIPPED HIM FOR MINISTRY! AND MATT IS INDEED STRONGER AND MORE COMPASSIONATE BECAUSE OF THE THINGS THAT HE HAS HAD TO ENDURE IN HIS LIFE. I WOULD NEVER HAVE IMAGINED THAT TINY 2 POUND BABY LAYING IN THE INCUBATOR FOR 3 MONTHS JUST TRYING TO SURVIVE WOULD BE SUCH A BIG STRONG HEALTHY YOUNG MAN...BUT GOD NEW THE PLANS HE HAD FOR MATT. PLANS TO PROSPER HIM AND NOT TO HARM HIM. PLANS TO GIVE MATT A HOPE AND A FUTURE!

SO I CONTINUE TO PRAISE GOD FOR WHAT HE HAS DONE IN MATT'S LIFE AND AM SO EXCITED TO SEE GOD WORK THROUGH MATT BRINGING YOUTH TO KNOW JESUS!