By Larry Stover

April 25 and 26 are going to be exciting days at Praise Park Ministries Church of the Nazarene.

On Saturday, April 25 at 6 p.m., the church will host an area youth night. The theme for the evening is “Revolution.” There will be lively Christian music and lots of refreshments. Most importantly, Taylor Morton will be coming to speak to the gathering.

Taylor is a former University of Alabama football player whose career was cut short following a battle with cancer. He has been able to inspire thousands of youth and young adults with his message of faith and endurance. For those who have heard him, they are familiar with the phrase, “Never, never give up.” This is something Taylor learned from his younger brother Trent who passed away in a tragic accident while Taylor was in high school.

Area youth groups are welcome to join with us Saturday night. The church is located on the corner of Highway 22 and Big Pine Drive in Valley Grande. If you have further questions, call the church office at 874-8041.

Praise Park will also host their fourth annual Dallas County High School athletes Sunday, April 26. This has become an exciting annual event for the congregation.

Breakfast will be served from 9-10 a.m. This meal, fit for royalty, will include biscuits and gravy, eggs, bacon, sausage, pastries and sweet beads galore, fresh fruit and a whole lot more.

A highlight of the morning will be introducing the athletes to the congregation.  There will also be special guest speakers to encourage and motivate our students.

I appreciate the assistance from Coach Willie Moore, DCHS athletic director, and his wife Linda in making this happen. They give outstanding leadership for this program at the church. We couldn’t accomplish this annual event without them and a host of volunteers.

I have had many former DCHS athletes ask me about coming back this year to join in on the celebration. We cordially invite all who have ever been involved in athletics at DCHS to make this a homecoming event.

The 2014-2015 school year is winding down. There are a lot of activities at area schools. Be sure to check your calendar of events. Our young people deserve our presence at school events. Doing so makes life “Simply Beautiful!”