A BIG day!

We've been waiting for this day for 7 years! 7 years ago today, our dear friend Rich was incarcerated for poor choices that cost him 7 years of his life and a lot of pain. There was a day that I wondered if he would ever breathe the same air as us. After a transformational forgiveness journey, our relationship is renewed and strong!

This morning at 8:00am, he will be released from Jail! At his request, and our joy, Tricia and I will be there with his Mom and Stepdad in about an hour.

There are loads of lessons that Rich has learned and he wants other people to learn from his own experiences as well. As time goes by, he hopes to use his story to make a difference in other lives.

We are rejoicing this morning, with a tinge of nervousness. We have seen amazing growth in him over the years! We believe that God is full of grace and redemption and he loves restoring people. It's one of his favorite things to do! And Tricia and I are honored to play a part in it.

Today will be exciting. Lots of firsts for Rich that I cannot wait to experience with him:

• First time in a restaurant in 7 years!
• First time to ever touch an iPod!
• First time to see the neighborhood and area that he has lived in for 7 years!
• First road trip in 7 years.
• First time that he will have walked the streets with full honesty and disclosure of who he is and what he has experienced. Something freeing about that.

He already told us that the first step is McDonald's....of all places. ;-)

Pray with us for this day and Rich's journey ahead. Prayer works!!