Darren LeBlanc

worth the 5 minutes

March 12th, 2009 | Category: Other

22 comments

22 Comments so far

  1. Emily Ferris March 12th, 2009 5:06 pm

    SO worth the five minutes! Thanks for sharing!

  2. Venessa Benson, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada March 12th, 2009 5:27 pm

    Thank you for sharing!

    I’m glad you’re #1 on my blog-reading list!

  3. lisi March 12th, 2009 6:06 pm

    that was awesome.

  4. Lavenia Balina March 12th, 2009 10:42 pm

    I LOVED IT!!!!!!!!! WOW!!! THIS HAS JUST BEEN AN AMAZING NIGHT SPIRITUALLY FOR ME. I CAME HOME AND I TAUGHT AARON TO MAKE HIS FAVORITE MEAL, BAKED ZITI. WHILE MAKING IT HE PUT ON WOW GOSPEL PRAISE REALLY LOUD AND SO THE HOUSE WAS ROCKING. THEN WHILE THE ZITI WAS BAKING I JUST LISTENED TO HELEN BAYLORS TESTIMONY AND MORE MUSIC FROM WOW GOSPEL. I FELT LIKE THE SPIRIT OF GOD WAS JUST RUNNING THROUGH MY VEINS. FOR A MOMENT I COULD SENSE GOD’S INCREDIBLE LOVE AND I THOUGHT OF YOU AND MISTY. I CRIED AND I PRAYED FOR YOU. I THOUGHT I WOULD LOG ON TO SEE WHAT IS UP AND I FOUND THIS INCREDIBLE VIDEO DISPLAYING MORE OF GOD’S UNENDING LOVE. THANK YOU FOR SUCH AN INCREDIBLE VIDEO. THATS THE KIND OF LOVE YOU HAVE ALWAYS SHOWN TO OTHERS FROM MY POINT OF VIEW. THAT EXTRAVAGANT LOVE.
    LOVE LAVENIA

  5. Megan Ziegler March 12th, 2009 11:48 pm

    Darren…that was one of the BEST SERMONS I have ever heard! If only everyone in the body of Christ could imitate this coach and the families from his school…..

    Thank you for encouraging me that there are still Christians out there who are “walking their talk!” People who know that there are things in life more important than being cheered for or winning a game.
    Reminded me a little of Batman Dark Knights scene with the two boats-one full of prisoners and one not. Anyway, thank you for shining light on a topic very close to my heart!

    I used to work for the Juvenile Justice Commission for years and seeing every one of those incarcerated students struck a chord in my heart because they reminded me of the young men I taught. I have experienced first hand the emotional, mental, and spiritual bankruptcy these young men face everyday being raised in situations and neighborhoods where “just say no” isn’t an easy reality. Did you know that research suggests that many adjudicated youth-especially boys-are violently abused and severely neglected as children? I have watched young men make the right choices and choose to clean up and start over without drugs and gangs only to end up reincarcerated or murdered within days to weeks after they left my program. It was horrible.

    Too often we judge people by the mistakes they make, color of their skin, or neighborhood they come from and never look at them as people or attempt to understand what has caused them to become who they are. How easily we forget that the people God chooses to use and bless are frequently the least of these…according to human standards. In God’s judicial system, we are all sinners and deserve to be “put away.” I am sure those young men will remember that experience for the rest of their lives. Perhaps some, because they were shown what love and life can look like not just preached to about it, will choose to walk a different path now. God help us to be like that coach and school! May we all pray for those young men.

    Heard Chris Tomlin’s new song, I Will Rise, today. Maybe it was just for me but it was as if Misty were singing it/speaking through it….a deep and beautiful song. No matter what cancer or this world does to any of us, nothing can ultimately defeat the love and life of God. With Easter right around the corner, may we not be so focused on the cross that we forget the empty grave. May we not shout “Hosanna” on Sunday with outstretched arms then “Crucify Him” but a few days later with a hammer and nails.

    Praying for you and your AoH team as April 1st draws closer! Keep the faith!

  6. Lauren March 13th, 2009 12:05 am

    So very awesome! Thank you so much for sharing this

  7. Bernadette March 13th, 2009 1:59 am

    This is amazing. Wow! What a blessing. Thank you for sharing.

  8. Jessica March 13th, 2009 8:38 am

    i’m sitting here at work, crying at my desk. i’ll definitely be sharing this one with my students.

  9. Heather March 13th, 2009 9:12 am

    Compassion and a general concern for others regardless of who or what you are is how everyone should be. Our world would be a much better place if we all led our lives by this example. Some people can change, learn from their mistakes and move on.

    Nice way to Start my day Darren…. Thanks

  10. Yvonne Moss March 13th, 2009 9:32 am

    Watched this through tears… if only we all as Christians had this heart for the lost!

  11. purejoy March 13th, 2009 10:01 am

    wow. kleenex alert!!
    i’ll be sharing this with our youth pastor at church. i work with the youth and we are celebrating one person making a difference.
    thank you so much for posting. it was WELL worth the 5 minutes.
    blessings to you this week.
    press on

  12. Melissa K and family March 13th, 2009 11:28 am

    thank you thank you thank you thank you for posting this! Absolutely amazing testimony of what can happen when we truly walk as Jesus did.

  13. Angela Kirsch March 13th, 2009 11:34 am

    Wow! I cried. That was beautiful…

    Just like how we’re forgiven and redeemed…

    God has boundless love for us…

  14. Beth March 13th, 2009 2:10 pm

    THIS is how we make Jesus known: by actions, example, and loving others…no matter what.

    Great video.

  15. Amy Trouwborst March 13th, 2009 2:46 pm

    Darren,
    This week has been a really, really tough week for my family. You have no idea how your post has touched me. Thank you so much! Still praying for you often, Amy

  16. Sheree March 13th, 2009 6:45 pm

    Beautiful. The folks from the church truly showed these boys that all deserve the chance to be loved. Like the movie, “The Gridiron Gang”, except that God was in the mix with this.

    Jesus with skin on. :o)

  17. Gina March 13th, 2009 10:55 pm

    I have given you an award… Stop by and pick it up.

  18. Gail Scalzo March 14th, 2009 10:05 am

    Hi Darren, thank you so much for putting this video up for us to share. The love of our Lord shown here is so amazing and to see those boys faces and to now have them to pray for it wonderful. We have the opportunity in our ministry in Asbury to work with people from the jail system and to show God’s love and hope to them is what it is all about. The change that comes about, the awakening of their spirits is such a gift. I will continue to pray for all of the boys, the coaches and the people in that town that extended love, not concerning themselves with what had taken place but concerning themselves with that second chance to turn ones life around by being shown that Amazing Love that was shown to us on the Cross. Love you, Gail

  19. Michele March 14th, 2009 4:40 pm

    Thanks Darren – this is such an awesome story of the love of Jesus. I read it a couple of months ago and cried then too… I had the boys watch it with me and can’t wait to show it to Darrell.

    Praying for AoH.

  20. Kristin McCoy March 14th, 2009 10:35 pm

    Amazing. I know this made Jesus smile.

  21. Valery Kirby March 15th, 2009 12:22 pm

    This is what the love of Jesus is all about. Thanks for sharing.

  22. Marie March 18th, 2009 11:55 am

    What a beautiful thing to do! It is the picture of Christ to those boys! Love it!

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