ALWAYS and CONSTANTLY

https://mailchi.mp/atkh/always-and-constantly

https://mailchi.mp/atkh/always-and-constantly

Dear friend of All the King’s Horses Ministry, 

I wrote to you in May for Bryson’s 35th Birthday (see: http://allthekingshorsesministry.com/bryson-is-35-years-old/ ). and I am beyond grateful for your outpouring of good wishes. If Bryson’s lifelong journey proves anything, his story is a testament to the power of Jesus Christ to sustain any broken person who comes up against any “impossibility” in this world.   

Much as in your life, there is precious little time to reminisce. There are always new battles to fight, isn’t that so?. The Apostle Paul said the following about our journey here. I ask you to pay close attention to his choice of the words “always” and “constantly” in the following passage:

“we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death works in us, but life in you.” 2 Corinthians 4:8-12

Indeed, death works. How odd! God’s ways are higher than ours (what an understatement). Our experiences of “death” cause us to cease, once and for all, from relying upon ourselves, or any other human or worldly resource, as we learn to rely fully upon the grace of Jesus Christ. 

It would be nice if we could learn this lesson of reliance upon Christ once and for all. But our experiences of “death” just keep coming, don’t they? After suffering more brokenness and anguish than any human being I have ever observed up close during his 35 years in this world, my son was called upon to endure yet another gut-wrenching blow a few years ago: his battle against blindness. Indeed, he became legally blind in 2015, just after the first edition of my book was first published. Three very fragile and sensitive surgeries have restored his sight during the past 5 years. But again, the hits just keep on comin’ (I hear you Paul: “ALWAYS / CONSTANTLY.”). 

Friday evening before Memorial Day (5/28) Bryson’s eyes simply stopped working. He put his face in his hands as we were watching television and said, “Dad, I can’t see at all!” After tucking him safely in bed, demoralized at 8:30 p.m., I left a panicked message with Dr. David Chu’s answering service. 

He called me back in 30 minutes (yes, at the outset of a Holiday weekend – that’s the kind of Man Dr. Chu is) and after hearing the symptoms, he instructed me to get him right over to University Hospital in Newark, where Bryson and I spent a good portion of our Memorial Day weekend. After 10 days of new medications (in addition to our 12 time per day regimen of meds) Bryson seems to be staving off the impact of a new complication which is vexing him. But the month of June involved yet one more emergency visit to see Dr. Chu.

As of the date of this newsletter, Bryson’s eyes are stable.  However, stable may not be the most honest expression of my physiological / emotional condition. 

I was due down at Bridgefest in Ocean Grove on June 24th for three days of ministry and speaking, and had been looking forward to this event all year. But I was not destined to make it on this day. About 5:30 a.m. as I was getting out of bed to prepare for the trip, I had a physical collapse. It was not a major event (such as a few other collapses you have read about in my book). Even so, I woke up on the bathroom floor, half in and half out of the bath tub, after being out cold for an hour or so.

Thankfully there was no concussion this time, and after a day of consuming Saltine crackers and ginger ale, I was able to get down to Ocean Grove for the official start of Bridgefest the next day. My dear, amazing friend Tony Prezioso had gone down a day earlier and put up our All the King’s Horses tent, and had everything set up for me when I arrived.

This amazing friend then assisted me through all 3 days of ministry. In my weakness, and with Tony’s help, the Lord sustained me to minister to scores of hurting people during those three days, causing this event to be one of the most powerful ministry events in the history of All the King’s Horses Ministry (founded in 2014). I am truly in awe of God. 

Bryson had a blast with his friend Jon Muzikowski during those three days, and it was a very necessary and valuable time for both Bryson and me, who needed a break from being in such close quarters at home together.  As always, God provided a way, enabling me to walk in His victory, as HE defines victory, not as our shallow world system defines it. 

As I conclude this newsletter, let me ask you a few questions: “What is your impossibility? Do you know that the grace of Jesus Christ is sufficient for you? Will you allow Him to provide a way for you to proceed? Will you allow “death” to work in you as you learn to rely upon Christ alone?” 

After all these years I can tell you with confidence, there is no better way to live.

Your brother in the battle for Christ, 

Barry Milazzo