Saturday, February 12, 2011 10:00pm

Garren has had a great day. He continues to take small steps toward recovery. The steps are small, but very good. He is breathing over the ventilator very consistently. He has responded to several pain tests, very small responses, but a response none-the-less. He coughed, ever so slightly. Garren is a long way from where he needs to be. But this is a start.

In the mean time I continue to be blown away at what seems to becoming a movement of sorts. Word about Garren is spreading to places I never would've expected. I am receiving notes from people whose prayer lives have been impacted tremendously because of what happened to Garren. I am hearing about prayer circles happening in the most unexpected places.

This morning my sister-in-law stopped at a gas station to pick up several copies of The Enquirer Journal. The local Monroe, NC newspaper had decided to run an article about Garren. We made the front page. So she picked up 3 copies. When she went to pay, the cashier asked her if she realized that she had more than one copy. Paulette replied that she did, that the front page article was about her nephew Garren. The cashier looked at her and said "This morning, when we opened the store, we saw that article. We stopped, gathered around, and prayed for that family."

I received a comment on this blog: "Today 30 wrestlers (Chase had a tournament today) at Marvin Ridge wore a blue shoe lace in Garren's honor. We are beside you in prayer for the long run!" Then I found this on facebook: "I don't know Garren but it brought tears to my eyes today at the wrestling match when one of the kids won a medal and held up a sign that said "For Garren"! What a great thing for a kid to do in honor of a friend."

Yesterday, at Porter Ridge Middle School - where Garren went last year, before he was redistricted to Piedmont Middle School - the students wore yellow in honor of Garren.

I'm not really sure what to think about all of this. As my oldest daughter Kara said, "This is the kind of stuff you read about in movies!" And she's right. You hear about stuff like this, but to be at the very center of something like this is truly humbling.

There are many more stories like these. We are so thankful for so many people who have taken an interest in Garren. This is by far the most difficult and stressful thing I've ever faced in my life. I would not wish this on anyone. But to know that we are exactly where God wants us, and that this event is being used in amazing and miraculous ways to point people to Jesus - that is just humbling. Who am I, to be used in this way?

"Father - thank you for your amazing love for us. Thank you for using us to have an impact for you on people you love all around the world. Jesus, we join with these friends of ours around the world in asking you to bring healing and restoration to Garren.

- In Jesus name we pray, Amen."