Heaven is Richer Today

Many years ago, before we were even married, Dwight and I were the sponsors of the youth group in our church. One day we learned that a young preacher from New York was going to be in a small town in Eastern Colorado for a rally. His name was David Wilkerson and he had written a book called The Cross and the Switchblade, about a man named Nicky Cruz.

David had left a very nice pastoral position in a rural area of Pennsylvania, because he felt God calling him to New York City to work with troubled youth - it was in the 50s and the drug culture was just beginning. Nicky was a gang leader, and threatened David's life. Nicky was won to the Lord through the love shown to him by David. He has subsequently written many books and has a ministry as well. David Wilkerson, besides many other facets of ministry, began Teen Challenge. Nicky Cruz eventually became the director of that drug recovery program.

Little did we know that, years later, Teen Challenge would become a huge part of our lives. We never dreamed, before our marriage, that our lives would become so enmeshed with the horrific consequences of drugs. Teen Challenge is a hard program. But with God's intervention, and through Teen Challenge, Kevin's life was saved. We are so thankful.

I was so sad to learn last night of the death of David Wilkerson in a head on car crash in Texas. I was sad. But then I realized he is now where he's been preparing himself and so many others to spend eternity. When I read the article, I clicked on his blog, which he had written for yesterday, the day he died. Please take time to read it, too. He knew where he was going, and now he's there.