By Dr. Sheila Schuller Coleman
In the Broadway musical, 1776, John Adams sings the lyrics, "Is anybody there? Does anybody care? Give up the fight, John! They want me to quit!"
What if John had given up the fight? What if he had quit? America exists today because a handful of brave men (and women) refused to quit, refused to give up the fight. Even though there appeared to be no hope, even though by all accounts they should never have won, they believed in the impossible and the rest is history!
My husband, Jim, my sons, and I watch the movie version of the Broadway musical, 1776, every year on the fourth of July as a family tradition. It is a delightful reminder of the faith and courage of America's founding fathers and the freedoms that we enjoy as a result.
Today, there are so many of you who are facing the impossible. Some of you have prayed and prayed and are not seeing the answers that you had hoped for. I wonder, have any of you called out in the dark silent night, "Is anybody there? Does anybody care?"
Well, this ministry is here to remind you week after week that we are here! We care! That's because Jesus cares about you! He came to earth to die to show you just how much he cares for you. And he has commissioned us to
show you that he is there for you and he will never leave you or forsake you!
So, we will not give up the fight! We will not quit! We will keep on striving until we climb over, find a pass through, or simply stay and turn this mountain into a miracle with God's help-so we can be there for you and for the many others who write and call us every week, saying:
"Sheila, I gave my life to Jesus. Thank you for saving my life."
"Sheila, I am on death row. You are my spiritual lifeline. I don't know what I'd do without you."
"Sheila, I have never been to church in my life. I saw you throwing sandbags off the pulpit. I have never watched you until I was surfing the channels and saw you. I lost my twin babies this past week. Please pray for me."
Thousands and thousands of these letters, phone calls, and emails-telling of lives being saved-arrive every week. Many of them are from struggling young people who cannot afford to give.
YOU are the stars of this ministry, keeping it sparkling bright to shine God's light on viewers near and far. YOU are the stripes of this ministry, helping to move it straight forward in its God-ordained mission to save lives through a message of hope. And, in the process, YOU are saving lives!
Any gift you give this year means that hope and love and life can be born in the hearts of millions of people who cry out, "Is anybody there? Does anybody care?" Because of you, they are hearing the message, "Yes! God is there! Yes! God cares! God loves you and so do we!" Thank you for being there for us so we can let the world know that God is there for them!
