Just got home from the Focus Simulcast!

Wow. What an amazing experience to have had the honor to be part of the Focus on the Family Marriage Simulcast. I should have known it would be a special time when I left Arizona and it was 84 degrees -- and landed in Denver and it snowed driving down to Colorado Springs! The day I landed, literally, while I was driving down to the Springs, Dr. Dobson was speaking at chapel for all the Focus employees -- and he and Shirley resigned from the Focus Board! That was this past Friday. I was supposed to go to a dinner with all the speakers, including Gary Smalley, Beth Moore, Gary Thomas, and Del Tackett (not to mention Jeremy Camp, the musician for the day) -- but I'm still battling a bad ear infection and went to bed at 8:00pm. (My wife Cindy was bummed I couldn't go and get Beth Moore's autograph! (<:) Saturday, I was the last speaker. I was charged with wrapping things up and with bringing the "high view of marriage" each speaker have given, down to the practical "how do I live it out at home" level. To do that, I walked out with a red balloon. I went through a short review of what each speaker had done, and how their message had "lifted up" our view of marriage -- Gary Thomas on how marriage should be more about holiness then happiness; Beth Moore with insights from Ephesians 5, Del Tackett with high thoughts from Genesis 2, and Gary Smalley, who challenged people to be sold out to Christ and consumed with prayer. All lofty ideals and all a great way to "lift up our eyes" to all marriage could be. With each speaker I mentioned, I let the balloon get higher and higher as I talked about each speaker. then I shared how my session would be about bringing "up there... down here." And I pulled the balloon down and started my talk. I hope it was helpful for folks to hear about The 2 Degree Difference. It was really fun to get to talk to the 900 folks in attendance, and to the 500+ churches across North America who were tuning in via simulcast. We need that "high view of marriage." And we also -- Cindy and me included -- need to bring all those "up there" ideas... "down here." Stay strong. Lord bless, and more later, JT

High Speed Grief and a family that needs our prayers

Yesterday, I opened an email from AMFM, a marriage and family ministry that links together pastors and marriage and family ministry leaders from across the country. The email said that a friend of ours from Texas was literally minutes away from losing their 12 year old son. Conner Deal was fighting for his life in a hospital in Dallas. His parents, Ron and Nancy, having brought him down from Amarillo to a larger hospital were at side. Ten days before, he was doing great. He caught a cold, it went into his lungs, and now he was fighting for his life against pneumonia. We gathered as many people together as we could in our office, and prayed for this family and this young man and his parents. (As others prayed, I thought of having lunch with Conner and his family after I'd spoken at his father's church. I could see him running towards a water park this past August near the hotel his family stayed at for the AMFM conference. A precious, active, awesome kid.). Several people prayed, and when we lifted our heads, another email popped up, sharing the news that Conner had gone to be with the Lord. I can't explain how sad it was to step into that life and death drama at light speed. I also can't imagine the grief that the Deal family is having to cope with this day. Technology is a great thing. But on this day it carried sad news at high speed. Please pray with us for the Deal family, today, and in the really tough days ahead.

Welcome to John Trent's Blog on building StrongFamilies!

A blog devoted to building StrongFamilies? That's right! Welcome to this very first posting of what will be a frequent chance for me to share thoughts, stories, prayer requests, studies, and comments in general concerning all things marriage and family. As I write tonight, I'm thinking about my friend (now passed away) named, Dr. Jerry Falwell. From my hotel room, I can see Liberty University. Jerry built this University that began in 1971, and today, it's a sprawling campus in Lynchburg, VA, with thousands of college and graduate students (And a pretty good basketball team! Check out the league leading, Lady Flames!). I'm getting ready to speak at a Valentines Banquet tomorrow night (Friday night), at Travis Avenue Baptist Church (with Dr. Kevin Leman). Today, the church, like the University, is growing by leaps and bounds -- and it's new Pastor is... Jonathan Falwell. Jerry's oldest son. And that's what I wanted to post about. Several years ago (try fifteen!) I was asked by Dr. Falwell to come out and do a "marriage and family seminar" at his church. (Their first one). Guess who sat in the front row? Dr. Falwell. Guess who was sitting next to him? His wife and children -- including Jonathan. And afterwards, guess who got to go out to a local Subway with Jerry and his whole family for dinner? Me. Dr. Falwell was demonized in the press for years. On that night after the seminar, and in all the years I knew him after that, he was an incredibly warm and caring person -- and he was the real deal as a husband and father. With a crushing schedule, he took time for hiswife wife and kids. I saw him laugh with them, hug them, his eyes shine with pride as he introduced his wife and children to me. Jerry's gone now, but his legacy is going strong. I can see it as I look up at the lights shining in a huge new dorm. I know I'll see it when I shake Jonathan's hand tomorrow night. Not many of us are going to leave a University behind as a legacy -- but all of us who are parents have the opportunity to leave a loving legacy to our kids. Makes me think how much I miss Cindy and my girls back home. I'm going to call home... again. I'll let you know  how the seminars goes...