As I reflect on our journey to East Tennessee—leading up to it, during our time there, and as we left—I see so clearly that it was all part of God’s divine plan. Years ago, I referred to this kind of journey as God’s perfect mosaic. Imagine a massive tapestry: from the front, it’s a breathtaking work of art, seamlessly beautiful. But when you turn it over, you see the chaos of threads—some crisscrossing endlessly, others cut short abruptly. Yet, even in that seeming disorder, God’s hand is at work, crafting something perfect.
For years, whether acknowledged or not, this organization—the Lettermen of the USA—has been guided by God's hand.
It’s not just about the footballs we’ve given. It’s more than the motorized scooters and wheelchairs we’ve provided or the laptops gifted to Gold Star Children to support their education. It’s more than the homes we’ve furnished for elderly veterans to find peace in their final days, the porches we’ve repaired, or the foundations we’ve restored. It’s more than paying power bills for veterans who had to choose between food and electricity or covering rent to prevent evictions. It’s more than the meals we’ve stocked in refrigerators or the Thanksgiving turkeys we’ve shared.
It’s more than the hotel rooms secured to stabilize veterans or the honor flights funded to recognize their sacrifices. It’s more than the bus trips we’ve provided for Vietnam veterans or the work we’ve done to bring Alabama its first Fisher House. Soon, it will be more than the Heroes Village we will build.
It’s all these acts together, part of a larger, divine tapestry. We have been called to offer small drops of fresh water in a vast sea of despair, bringing hope where it had been lost. Whether we realize it or not, we have followed the guidance of the Holy Spirit, fulfilling a mission far greater than ourselves.
This journey to East Tennessee was another thread in that tapestry. It began with destruction: 31 trillion gallons of water wreaking havoc, leaving behind devastation few could remember ever seeing. Yet, we brought the City of God to a place that had lost nearly everything. We brought hope to a man like Junior, a 74-year-old veteran who served in South Korea during the Vietnam era.
For me personally, East Tennessee was a journey of faith. Leading up to our trip, I faced spiritual attacks and doubts—barriers meant to stop me from going. But I prayed and pressed forward, knowing we carried something greater than furniture and supplies; we carried hope.
On the night of our arrival, after unloading supplies, I was utterly exhausted. Patrick, the leader of Boone’s Brigade, offered to take me to a hotel while others made the trip back to Birmingham. That night, I prayed fervently, asking God if diverting so many resources from Birmingham to East Tennessee was truly His will. I needed assurance that I had followed His guidance.
When I arrived at the Hampton Inn in Jonesborough, the front desk clerk offered me a choice of rooms: a first-floor room or a king room on the second floor near the elevator. I chose the king room, eager to stretch out after such a long day. As I entered the room, I noticed the TV was already on—a rare occurrence in all my years of travel. I didn’t pay much attention at first, but as I sat on the couch, I glanced at the screen and froze. Playing on the TV was my favorite movie, It’s a Wonderful Life.
At that moment, I felt an overwhelming peace. That film—a story of hope, redemption, and the impact of one life—was God’s way of saying, “Well done, my faithful servant.” It was His answer to my prayer, His confirmation that we had done what He called us to do.
Faith is believing what we do not yet see; the reward for this faith is seeing what we believe.
That night, I saw.
As an organization, we have been part of something far greater than any of us. God’s hand has guided our work, and He continues to weave our actions into His perfect mosaic. Let us move forward with the same faith, trusting in His plan and knowing that our labor is never in vain.
As it was in the beginning, is now and will be forever.
Darryl Fuhrman
Chief Bottle Washer
Lettermen of the USA
Phone: 205.394.7521
Website: lotUSA.org EIN: 82-3593860
EID: 000-398-405
Comments