Last night my Dad overheard Isaac lean over on the couch and say to PJ, “Hey, PJ…Do you see Dad, how he is smiling so much?” PJ answered, “Of course he is smiling, he’s happy to be home.”

I am home (the picture to the left is from today). I can’t explain to you all how wonderful it felt yesterday to leave the hospital with Dara and my dad, knowing that I was returning to my home. I haven’t stopped hugging Dara for the last 48 hours. I haven’t smiled more with my kids. Food has never tasted so good. I haven’t ever been so thankful for the parents that God blessed me with. Sleeping in my own bed, I felt like I was floating on clouds last night.

It still is so much to take in. Just two weeks ago, I came as close as one can to leaving this world (see x-ray pic below of bullet in my neck). Over the last two weeks, I have watched God bring thousands of people together in prayer. I have seen him unify a community here in El Salvador to provide unbelievable support to our family. I have watched God use three doctors and a host of nurses to care me through recovery. I have seen God slow a bullet, and safely land it in the only place in my neck that would not kill me. I have heard about a church in Abelines that has even more resolve to serve its neighbors, now praying through ways to make the community safer. Simply put, I have seen God actively engaged in my life and in the lives of others.

I don’t understand all that God is doing through this incident. I still struggle with understanding why God protected me, while there are other wonderful Christians whose lives have been cut short. Yet, it has been so evident to me that God is One who is engaged in our lives, not just a passive by-standard. Often, I think it easy to believe in our heads that God is active, but just go about our days living as though He is on a coffee break, or maybe tending the garden around the pearly gates. These last two weeks have only demonstrated to me the radical involvement God has in our lives.

Life is so precious. It is so precious because, God gifts it to us. In His mercy, God has let me have more life to live. Yet, I realize that my days are numbered. I didn’t die two weeks ago, but I will one day. So, I pray that I can continue to live a life worthy of our Lord. I pray that every day of my life will bring God glory, and will be spent serving others. I’m a walking example that none of us can protect our own lives, or the lives of those we love. I can only walk in a profound trust that God is in control, and that the safest place to be is completely in His will. The worst, no the best, thing that can happen is that I go on to be with Jesus.

Again, I want to thank all of you for your amazing prayers, emails, calls, and visits. Our family has been sustained through them all. In many ways, I thank God for allowing this to happen, just to see the amazing body of Christ at work. Dara and I are going to be taking the coming days and weeks to get our lives back in order. We are looking forward to talking to you, and responding to emails. I have about three weeks of check ups and recovery. My voice is still very weak, and I struggle a bit on the phone. But, we are so encouraged with where my health is, and the doctors expect me to recover fully.

Many of you have asked how you can continue to pray for us. Here are some thoughts:

Pray for our family over the coming weeks as we try to re-engage in life here in El Salvador. Pray that God will melt the fear that still exists, and provide a divine peace.
Please pray for a complete recovery of my throat and voice.
Please pray for the church in Abelines, and in all of the ENLACE supported communities, that they will be used as agents of peace among the violence.
Pray that God will begin to bring complete healing to El Salvador. Pray that through His love, and through the Church, poverty, injustice, and violence will be defeated. Pray that people’s hearts will change in this country through the gospel, and that there will be hope.
Pray for ENLACE. We want to be a ministry completely submitted to God’s will and direction. We are preparing to grow this year to respond to more churches in El Salvador. Pray for God’s protection and provision. If interested, visit ENLACE’s website at www.enlaceonline.org for more information.

In the coming weeks and months, I hope to write more about what God has done through the shooting, and more importantly what He continues to do daily in all of our lives. Check back to our website for more updates, www.runningonwater.com. I pray that you are as encouraged as we are by the wonder and grace of our Lord.

Take care,

Pete