May 31st, 1972

1. May 31st, 1972 A messy miracle began

4. As Christians, we have the privilege of having a personal relationship with the Almighty GOD of the universe. That's amazing, but it doesn't stop there. What's even more amazing is that He is not only GOD of the big stuff, but He is also GOD of the little stuff, The tiny details of life that often pass us by. Don't ever snicker at anyone who says that there's no such thing as guardian angels – 'cause I've retired a bunch of them.

5. He is not only GOD of the big stuff, but He is also GOD of the little stuff, The tiny details of life that often pass us by. Don't ever snicker at anyone who says that there's no such thingas guardian angels – 'cause I've retired a bunch of them. Avg life span is 12 years & only 10% reach their 18th birthday. There are only 9 adult hemophiliacs in N TX.

6. He is not only GOD of the big stuff, but He is also GOD of the little stuff, The tiny details of life that often pass us by. Don't ever snicker at anyone who says that there's no such thing as guardian angels – 'cause I've retired a bunch of them. Avg life span is 12 years & only 10% reach their 18th birthday. There are only 9 adult hemophiliacs in N TX. As an atheist, my faith was in odds and probabilities.

7. He is not only GOD of the big stuff, but He is also GOD of the little stuff, The tiny details of life that often pass us by. Don't ever snicker at anyone who says that there's no such thing as guardian angles – 'cause I've retired a bunch of them. Avg life span is 12 years & only 10% reach their 18th birthday. There are only 9 adult hemophiliacs in N TX. As an atheist, my faith was in odds and probabilities. Clearly, my odds of coming out of this at all, much less clean, were getting ridiculous.

8. City of Hope hospital in Duarte, CA (Not your average hospital) The City is dedicated to pure research “Our scientific excellence stems from our dedication to aggressively pursue lines of inquiry outside traditional paradigms.” They've never billed a patient in the hospital's history. Prospective patients are dying to get in. If you need some gene therapy, or pre-phase I trial or never been tried before procedure, the City is your place if you can get in. They could give me the blood glue – and they could research my inevitable brain damage.

9. He is not only GOD of the big stuff, but He is also GOD of the little stuff, The tiny details of life that often pass us by. Don't ever snicker at anyone who says that there's no such thing as guardian angles – 'cause I've retired a bunch of them. Avg life span is 12 years & only 10% reach their 18th birthday. As of 2007, there are only 9 adult hemophiliacs in N TX. • It took some time for me to hear Him, but GOD was sending clear messages: • My faith inadequately described reality – not just my reality, but everyone's reality (by my faith I couldn't have been alive), and

10. He is not only GOD of the big stuff, but He is also GOD of the little stuff, The tiny details of life that often pass us by. Don't ever snicker at anyone who says that there's no such thing as guardian angles – 'cause I've retired a bunch of them. Avg life span is 12 years & only 10% reach their 18th birthday. As of 2007, there are only 9 adult hemophiliacs in N TX. • It took some time for me to hear Him, but GOD was sending clear messages: • My faith inadequately described reality – not just my reality, but everyone's reality (by my faith I couldn't have been alive), and • GOD was in control – Always is.

11. He is not only GOD of the big stuff, but He is also GOD of the little stuff, The tiny details of life that often pass us by. Don't ever snicker at anyone who says that there's no such thing as guardian angles – 'cause I've retired a bunch of them. Avg life span is 12 years & only 10% reach their 18th birthday. As of 2007, there are only 9 adult hemophiliacs in N TX. • It took some time for me to hear Him, but GOD was sending clear messages: • My faith inadequately described reality – not just my reality, but everyone's reality (by my faith I couldn't have been alive), and • GOD was in control – Always is. • GOD was setting the stage for me to listen to Him.

13. The Gospel of John is about who Jesus is and is organized around the “I AM” statements, not sequential events Samaritan woman at the well speaking of the Christ, “I who speak to you am he” 4:26 “I am the bread of life.” 6:35 “I am the light of the world.” 8:12 “I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be” 8:24 “then you will know that I am the one I claim to be” 8:28 “I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "before Abraham was born, I am!" “I am the gate for the sheep.” 10:7 “I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.” 10:9 “I am the good shepherd: 10:11 ”I am the resurrection and the life.” 11:25 “so that when it does happen you will believe that I am He.” 13:19 “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” 14:6 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.” 15:1 “I am the vine; you are the branches.” 15:5

14. Samaritan woman at the well speaking of the Christ, “I who speak to you am he” 4:26 “I am the bread of life.” 6:35 “I am the light of the world.” 8:12 “I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be” 8:24 “then you will know that I am the one I claim to be” 8:28 “I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "before Abraham was born, I AM!" “I am the gate for the sheep.” 10:7 “I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.” 10:9 “I am the good shepherd: 10:11 ”I am the resurrection and the life.” 11:25 “so that when it does happen you will believe that I am He.” 13:19 “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” 14:6 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.” 15:1 “I am the vine; you are the branches.” 15:5 John's climax comes in an ascending level of questions when Jesus asks the intellectual question, “Who do people say I am?” and you get the blah answers, a prophet, Elijah, etc. And then follows it with the first real question for all of us:

15. Samaritan woman at the well speaking of the Christ, “I who speak to you am he” 4:26 “I am the bread of life.” 6:35 “I am the light of the world.” 8:12 “I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be” 8:24 “then you will know that I am the one I claim to be” 8:28 “I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "before Abraham was born, I AM!" “I am the gate for the sheep.” 10:7 “I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.” 10:9 “I am the good shepherd: 10:11 ”I am the resurrection and the life.” 11:25 “so that when it does happen you will believe that I am He.” 13:19 “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” 14:6 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.” 15:1 “I am the vine; you are the branches.” 15:5 John's climax comes in an ascending level of questions when Jesus asks the intellectual question, “Who do people say I am?” and you get the blah answers, a prophet, Elijah, etc. And then follows it with the first real question for all of us: … but who do YOU say I am?

16. Samaritan woman at the well speaking of the Christ, “I who speak to you am he” 4:26 “I am the bread of life.” 6:35 “I am the light of the world.” 8:12 “I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be” 8:24 “then you will know that I am the one I claim to be” 8:28 “I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "before Abraham was born, I AM!" “I am the gate for the sheep.” 10:7 “I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.” 10:9 “I am the good shepherd: 10:11 ”I am the resurrection and the life.” 11:25 “so that when it does happen you will believe that I am He.” 13:19 “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” 14:6 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.” 15:1 “I am the vine; you are the branches.” 15:5 John's climax comes in an ascending level of questions when Jesus asks the intellectual question, “Who do people say I am?” and you get the blah answers, a prophet, Elijah, etc. And then follows it with the first real question for all of us: Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living GOD!! … but who do YOU say I am?

17. Samaritan woman at the well speaking of the Christ, “I who speak to you am he” 4:26 “I am the bread of life.” 6:35 “I am the light of the world.” 8:12 “I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be” 8:24 “then you will know that I am the one I claim to be” 8:28 “I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "before Abraham was born, I AM!" “I am the gate for the sheep.” 10:7 “I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.” 10:9 “I am the good shepherd: 10:11 ”I am the resurrection and the life.” 11:25 “so that when it does happen you will believe that I am He.” 13:19 “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” 14:6 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.” 15:1 “I am the vine; you are the branches.” 15:5 John's climax comes in an ascending level of questions when Jesus asks the intellectual question, “Who do people say I am?” and you get the blah answers, a prophet, Elijah, etc. And then follows it with the first real question for all of us: Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living GOD!! … but who do YOU say I am? This is powerful, but it doesn't hit home. The question is not who Jesus is, but who He is TO US! Not head knowledge, but heart knowledge … life changing knowledge The crescendo comes in the upper room when Jesus asks 'Doubting' Thomas who He was and his response should thunder in each of us: MY LORD AND MY GOD!

18. How about an Easter story from Exodus? (You tell me if this isn't really the heart of the Easter story)

22. Jn 20:11-12 “but Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus' body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.” Exodus 25:17-22 And thou shalt make a mercy seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof. 18 And thou shalt make two cherubims of gold, of beaten work shalt thou make them, in the two ends of the mercy seat. 19 And make one cherub on the one end, and the other cherub on the other end: even of the mercy seat shall ye make the cherubims on the two ends thereof. 20 And the cherubims shall stretch forth their wings on high, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and their faces shall look one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubims be. 21 And thou shalt put the mercy seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee. 22And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.

23. Behold the Mercy Seat! And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with theefrom above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony

24. Chapter 2 Helen, Amy & Jihad Fadlallah Glendale, CA 1983

26. Chapter 2 Helen, Amy & Jihad Fadlallah Glendale, CA 1983

27. I cried a tear, you wiped it dry I was confused, you cleared my mind I sold my soul, you bought it back for me And held me up and gave me dignity Somehow you needed me You gave me strength to stand alone again To face the world out on my own again You put me high upon a pedestal So high that I could almost see eternity You needed me, you needed me And I can't believe it's you I can't believe it's true I needed you and you were there And I'll never leave, why should I leave I'd be a fool 'Cause I finally found someone who really cares You held my hand when it was cold When I was lost you took me home You gave me hope when I was at the end And turned my lies back into truth again You even called me "friend" You gave me strength to stand alone again To face the world out on my own again You put me high upon a pedestal So high that I could almost see eternity You needed me, you needed me You needed me, you needed me Music by Anne Murray Lyrics by Randy Goodrum