THE RUT REPORT Issue #8
A different kind of week
Hey everyone, welcome to this week's edition of the Rut Report. It's a little different this week.
I always tell y'all that Full Rut is a way of life. This week I want to show you what I mean by that.
I've got a video to share of a young man who's inspired me more than just about anybody I know. He rang the bell this week — beat cancer for the second time, at 17 years old. I wanted you to have his story right here, where nothing can take it down, because you never know what happens on social media.
And if you're going through something hard right now, I want you to watch this and think about Colton. Think about how strong he is. Faith and prayer move mountains. I believe that with everything I've got.
— Dwayne
Colton
That's my good friend Colton, 17 years old, and today he rang the cancer bell for the second time in his life.
Twice. Once as a little boy, and now as a teenager. And in all of it, I never saw him flinch. Never heard him say one negative thing. He worked hard the whole way through and came out the other side strong as an ox.
Seventy-five spinal taps.
Let that sit for a second. Seventy-five. I've known grown men who couldn't handle one with a good attitude, and this young man went through seventy-five and kept his spirits up the entire time. Kept mine up too. I'll be honest with you — you cannot be in a bad mood around that kid. There's no way. It's not possible.
When he started this last round, his family handed out little bracelets. I put one on and I told Colton I wasn't taking it off until he rang that bell. I told him, when you ring it, you get to cut it off me yourself.
Today he did.
I want to thank his mom and dad for letting us be part of it, and I want to thank God for answering our prayers. Because that's what this was. A whole lot of people praying, and a boy who never quit, and a bell ringing on a Thursday.
So here's what I'll leave you with.
Next time you're down. Next time it feels like too much and you're ready to quit on something. Think about Colton. Think about seventy-five spinal taps and a smile that wouldn't come off his face. If that young man can walk through what he walked through and keep his eyes up, you and I can handle whatever's on our plate this week.
I'd ask you to share this one. Not for me. I don't need a thing out of it. Just share it because good news ought to be shared, and Lord knows there's enough of the other kind going around.
Let's put something good into the world today.
God bless Colton, and God bless every one of you.
— Dwayne
One more thing this Labor Day
Enjoy the long weekend with your people. Fire up the grill, get on the water, hug your kids a little longer than usual.
And somewhere in there, say a prayer for the folks who don't get the weekend off — the ones standing a post so the rest of us can flip burgers in peace.
We don't forget them around here.
See you online and please consider sharing this with our friends.