₦airaland Forum

Hello God, I called tonight
To talk a little while
I need a friend who’ll listen
To my anxiety and trial.

You see, I can’t quite make it
Through a day just on my own…
I need your love to guide me,
So I’ll never feel alone.

I want to ask you please to keep,
My family safe and sound.
Come and fill their lives with confidence
For whatever fate they’re bound.

Give me faith, dear God, to face
Each hour throughout the day,
And not to worry over things
I can’t change in any way.

I thank you, God, for being home
And listening to my call,
For giving me such good advice
When I stumble and fall.

Your number, God, is the only one
That answers every time.
I never get a busy signal,
Never had to pay a dime.

So thank you, God, for listening
To my troubles and my sorrow.
Good night, God, I love You, too,
And I’ll call again tomorrow!

– Author Unknown

Meditation: For He says: “In an acceptable time I have heard you, And in the day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. – 2 Corinthians 6:2

You will succeed because Jesus loves You!

Also read:

Life Train
My Friend Barry
The Cleaning Lady

A daughter complained to her father about how hard things were for her. “As soon as I solve one problem,” she said, “another one comes up. I’m tired of struggling.”

Her father, a chef, took her to the kitchen where he filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to a boil. In one he placed carrots, in the second, eggs, and in the last, ground coffee beans. He let them sit and boil, without saying a word.

The daughter impatiently waited, wondering what he was doing. After a while, he went over and turned off the burners. He fished out the carrots and placed them in a bowl. He pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. He poured the coffee into a bowl. Turning to her he asked, “Darling, what do you see?”

“Carrots, eggs, and coffee,” she replied.

He brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. He then asked her to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg. Finally, he asked her to sip the coffee. She smiled, as she tasted its rich flavor.

She asked, “What does it mean, Father?”

He explained that each of them had faced the same adversity — boiling water — but each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting, but after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak.

The egg was fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside hardened.

The ground coffee beans were unique, however. By being in the boiling water, they changed the water.

He asked his daughter, “When adversity knocks on your door, which are you?”

— Author Unknown

Meditation: “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” – John 16:33

You will succeed because Jesus loves You!

Also read:

The True Test
Arise and Rebuild
One Good Reason to Hang on (7)

1. Listen without interrupting ….. Proverbs 18:2

2. Speak without accusing …. James 1:19

3. Give without sparing …. Proverbs 21:26

4. Pray without ceasing …. Colossians 1:9

5. Answer without arguing …. Proverbs 17:11

6. Share without pretending …. Ephesians 4:15

7. Enjoy without complaining …. Philippians 2:14

8. Trust without wavering …. 1 Corinthians 13:7

9. Forgive without punishing …. Colossians 3:13

10. Promise without forgetting …. Proverbs 13:12

– Author Unknown

Meditation: Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. – Romans 13:10

And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?” So he answered and said, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself.’ ” And He said to him, “You have answered rightly; do this and you will live.” But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Then Jesus answered and said: “A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion. So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.’ So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?” And he said, “He who showed mercy on him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.” – Luke 10:25-37

You will succeed because Jesus loves You!

Also read:

The Bank of Time
God Never Found the Time
The Dance of A Lifetime – A True Story
Making Others Happy

One Sunday morning, a wealthy man sat on his balcony enjoying the sunshine and his coffee when a little ant caught his eye; carrying a big leaf several times its size from one side of the balcony to the other side.

The man watched it for more than an hour. He saw that the ant faced many impediments during its journey, but it would pause, take a diversion and then continue towards its destination. At one point the tiny creature came across a crack in the floor. It paused for a little while to analyze and then laid the huge leaf over the crack, walked over the leaf, picked the leaf on the other side then continued its journey.

The man was captivated by the cleverness of this ant, one of God’s tiniest creatures. The incident left him in awe and made him contemplate the miracle of creation and the greatness of the Creator. Before his very eyes was this tiny creature of God, lacking in size yet equipped with a brain to analyze, contemplate, reason, explore, discover and overcome. Along with all these capabilities, the man also noted that this tiny creature shared some human shortcomings.

About an hour later he observed that the creature had reached its destination – a tiny hole in the floor, which was the entrance to its underground dwelling. At this point, the ant’s shortcoming was revealed.

How could the ant carry the large leaf it labored to bring into the tiny hole? It simply couldn’t!

So the tiny creature, after all the hard work and exercise of great skills, overcoming all the difficulties along the way, just left the large leaf behind and went home empty-handed. It had not thought about the end before it began its challenging journey, and in the end, the large leaf was nothing more than a burden to it. The creature had no option but to leave it behind in order to enter its destination.

The man learned a great lesson that day. Isn’t that the truth about our lives?

We worry about our family; we worry about our job; we worry about how to earn more money; we worry about where we should live – a 5 or 6 bedroom house. What kind of vehicle to buy – a Mercedes or Honda or BMW or Porsche? What kind of dress to wear? All sorts of things, only to abandon all them all when we reach our destination and we realize we cannot enter with all these things.

We don’t realize during our life’s journey that these are just burdens we are carrying with such care and fear of losing them, only to find that in the end, they are useless and we can’t take them with us. The only treasure that lasts forever is our relationship with God, our creator.

You need to ask yourself, “Am I using my whole life to serve Him?

— Author Unknown

Meditation: For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? – Mark 8:36

You will succeed because Jesus loves You!

Also read:

Handling Life’s Storms
Saving the Man Who Saved My Life
Benefits of Wisdom (14): Longevity

Take me back to the old Paths
When Moms were at home, dads were at work.
Brothers went into the army.
And sisters got married BEFORE having children!
Crime did not pay; Hard work did;
And people knew the difference.

Moms could cook; Dads would work; Children would behave.
Husbands were loving; Wives were supportive, and children were polite.
Women wore dresses, and Men wore trousers.
Women looked like ladies; Men looked like gentlemen; and children looked decent.

People loved the truth, and hated a lie;
They came to church to get IN, not to get OUT!
Hymns sounded godly; sermons sounded helpful;
Rejoicing sounded normal; and crying sounded sincere.

Cursing was wicked; drinking was evil, and divorce was unthinkable.
We read the Bible in public; prayed in school;
And preached from house to house.
To be called a Christian was worth living for;
To be called a traitor was a shame!

Sex was a personal word.
Homosexual was an unheard-of word,
And abortion was an illegal word.
Preachers preached because they had a message; and
Christians rejoiced because they had the victory!

Preachers preached from the Bible;
Singers sang from the heart;
Sinners turned to the Lord to be saved!

A new birth meant a new life; Salvation meant a changed life;
Following Christ led to eternal life.

Being a preacher meant you proclaimed the word of God;
Being a deacon meant you would serve the Lord;
Being a Christian meant you would live for Jesus;
And being a sinner meant someone was praying for you!

Laws were based on the Bible;
Homes read the Bible;
And churches taught the Bible.

Preachers were more interested in new converts than new clothes and new cars.
Church was where you found Christians on the Lord’s day,
rather than in the park, on the creek bank, on the golf course,
or being entertained somewhere else.

Give me that old-time religion!
‘Tis good enough for me!
I still like the “Old Paths” best!

-- Author Unknown

Mediation: “Stand in the ways and see, And ask for the old paths, where the good way is, And walk in it; Then you will find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’” – Jeremiah 6:16

You will succeed because Jesus loves You!

Also read:
The Old Time Religion
I Liked the Old Paths
God’s Holding Patterns

Every Sunday afternoon, after the morning service at their church, the Pastor and his 11-year-old son would go out into their town and hand out Gospel tracts. This particular Sunday afternoon, as it came time for the Pastor and his son to go to the streets with their tracts, it was very cold outside as well as pouring down rain. The boy, bundled up in his warmest and driest clothes, said, “Okay Dad, I’m ready.”

His Pastor Dad asked, “Ready for what?”

“Dad, it’s time we gather our tracts together and go out.”

Dad responds, “Son, it’s very cold outside and it’s raining.”

The boy gives his Dad a surprised look, asking, “But Dad, aren’t people still going to Hell, even though it’s raining?”

Dad answers, “Son, I am not going out in this weather.”

Despondently the boy asks, “Dad, can I go — Please?”

His father hesitated for a moment, then said, “Son, you can go. Here’s the tracts; be careful son.”

“Thanks, Dad!” And with that he was off and out into the rain. This 11-year-old boy walked the streets of the town going door-to-door and handing everybody he met in the street a Gospel tract. After 2-hours of walking in the rain, he was soaking, bone-chilled wet and down to his very last tract. He stopped on a corner and looked for someone to hand a tract to but the streets were totally deserted.

Then he turned toward the first home he saw and started up the sidewalk to the front door and rang the door bell. He rang the bell — but nobody answered. He rang it again and again, but still no one answered. He waited, but still no answer. Finally, this 11-year-old trooper turned to leave, but something stopped him. Again, he turned to the door and rang the bell and knocked loudly on the door with his fist. He waited, something holding him there on the front porch. He rang again, and this time the door slowly opened. Standing in the doorway was a very sad looking elderly lady.

She softly asked, “What can I do for you, son?”

With radiant eyes and a smile that lit up her world, this little boy said, “Ma’am, I’m sorry if I disturbed you, but I just want to tell you that JESUS REALLY DOES LOVE YOU! I came to give you my very last Gospel tract, which will tell you all about Jesus and His great love.” With that, he handed her his last tract and turned to leave.

She called to him as he departed, “Thank you, son! And God bless you!”

Well, the following Sunday morning in church, Pastor Dad was in the pulpit and as the service began, he asked, “Does anybody have a testimony or want to say anything?”

Slowly, in the back row of the church, an elderly lady stood to her feet. As she began to speak, a look of glorious radiance came from her face. “None of you in this church know me. I’ve never been here before. You see, before last Sunday I was not a Christian. My husband has passed on, some time ago, leaving me totally alone in this world. Last Sunday, being a particularly cold and rainy day, it was even more so in my heart as I came to the end of the line where I no longer had any hope or will to live.

“So I took a rope and a chair and ascended the stairway into the attic of my home. I fastened the rope securely to a rafter in the roof, then stood on the chair and fastened the other end of the rope around my neck.

“Standing on that chair, so lonely and brokenhearted, I was about to leap off when suddenly the loud ringing of my doorbell downstairs startled me. I thought, ‘I’ll wait a minute, and whoever it is will go away.’

“I waited and waited — but the ringing doorbell seemed to get louder and more insistent and then the person ringing also started knocking loudly. I thought to myself again, ‘Who on earth could this be?! Nobody ever rings my bell or comes to see me!’

“I loosened the rope from my neck and started for the front door, all the while the bell rang louder and louder. When I opened the door and looked I could hardly believe my eyes! There on my front porch was the most radiant and angelic little boy I had ever seen in my life! His smile! Oh, I could never describe it to you! And the words that came from his mouth caused my heart, that had long been dead, to leap to life as he exclaimed with a cherub-like voice, ‘Ma’am, I just came to tell you that JESUS REALLY DOES LOVE YOU.’

“Then he gave me this Gospel tract that I now hold in my hand. As the little angel disappeared back out, into the cold and rain, I closed my door and read slowly every word of this Gospel tract. Then I went up to my attic to get my rope and chair. I wouldn’t be needing them anymore.

“You see, I am now a happy child of the KING, and since the address of your church was on the back of this Gospel tract I have come here to personally say, ‘Thank you to God’s little angel who came just in the nick of time, and by so doing, spared my soul from an eternity in Hell.'”

There were now no dry eyes in the church. As shouts of praise and honor to the KING resounded off the very rafters of the building, Pastor Dad descended from the pulpit to the front pew where the little angel was seated. He took him in his arms and sobbed uncontrollably.

Probably no church has had a more glorious moment and probably this universe has never seen a Papa that was more filled with love and honor for his son, except for one: This Father, God, also allowed His Son, Jesus, to go out into a cold and dark world. He received His Son back with joy unspeakable, and as all of Heaven shouted praises and honor to the King, the Father sat His beloved Son on a throne far above all principality and power and every name that is named.

There may be someone, reading this, who is also going through a dark, cold and lonely time in your soul. You may be a Christian, for we are not without problems, or you may not yet know the King. Whatever the case, and whatever the problem or situation you find yourself in, and no matter how dark it may seem, I want you to know that I just came to tell you, “JESUS REALLY DOES LOVE YOU!”

— Author Unknown

Meditation: nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. – Romans 8:39

You will succeed because Jesus loves You!

Also read:

What Jesus Did
A Lesson in Humility
31 Facts About The Rapture

A rich man looked through his window and saw a poor man picking things from his trash bin. He said, “Thank God, I’m not poor.”

The poor man looked around and saw a naked man in lunatic displays on the street. He said, “Thank God, I’m not mad.”

The mad man looked ahead and saw an ambulance carrying a patient. He too said, “Thank God, am not on the sickbed.”

Then a sick person in the hospital saw a trolley taking a dead body to the mortuary. He said, Thank God, I’m not dead.”

Only a dead person cannot thank God. Why don’t you thank God today for all your blessings and for the gift of life? Don’t forget also the gift of another beautiful day.

To appreciate life better, you need to visit three places:

The Hospital
The Prison and
The Cemetery
At the hospital, you will understand that nothing is more beautiful than health. In the prison, you’ll see that freedom is the most precious thing. At the cemetery, you will realize that life is worth nothing. The ground that we walk on today will be our roof tomorrow.

We all come with nothing and we will go with nothing. Let us, therefore, remain humble and be thankful to God, at all times, for everything.

— Author Unknown

Meditation: For Sheol cannot thank You, Death cannot praise You; Those who go down to the pit cannot hope for Your truth. The living, the living man, he shall praise You, As I do this day… – Isaiah 38:18-19

You will succeed because Jesus loves You!

Also read:

Always Be Thankful
Thankfulness Makes for Peace
There is Always Something to Be Thankful for

If you put a buzzard in a pen six or eight feet square and entirely open at the top, the bird, in spite of his ability to fly, will be an absolute prisoner. The reason is that a buzzard always begins a flight from the ground with a run of ten or twelve feet. Without space to run, as is his habit, he will not even attempt to fly but will remain a prisoner for life in a small jail with no top.

The ordinary bat that flies around at night, a remarkable nimble creature in the air, cannot take off from a level place. If it is placed on the floor or flat ground, all it can do is shuffle about helplessly and, no doubt, painfully, until it reaches some slight elevation from which it can throw itself into the air. Then, at once, it takes off like a flash.

A Bumblebee if dropped into an open tumbler will be there until it dies unless it is taken out. It never sees the means of escape at the top but persists in trying to find some way out through the sides near the bottom. It will seek a way where none exists until it completely destroys itself.

In many ways, there are lots of people like the buzzard, the bat and the bee. They are struggling with all their problems and frustrations, not realizing that the answer is right there “above” them.

– Author Unknown

Meditation: I will lift up my eyes to the hills—From whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth. – Psalm 121:1-3

You will succeed because Jesus loves You!

Also read:

The Struggle
Struggles of Life
Why You Struggle As A Christian

When I meditated on the word Guidance, I kept seeing “dance” at the end of the word. I remember reading that doing God’s will is a lot like dancing. When two people try to lead, nothing feels right. The movement doesn’t flow with the music, and everything is quite uncomfortable and jerky.

When one person relaxes and lets the other lead, both bodies begin to flow with the music. One gives gentle cues, perhaps with a nudge to the back or by pressing lightly in one direction or another. It’s as if two become one body, moving beautifully. The dance takes surrender, willingness, and attentiveness from one person and gentle guidance and skill from the other.

My eyes drew back to the word guidance. When I saw “G,” I thought of God, followed by “u” and “i.” God, “u” and “I” dance. God, you, and I dance. This statement is what guidance means to me.

As I lowered my head, I became willing to trust that I would get guidance about my life.

Once again, I became willing to let God lead.

– Author Unknown

Meditation: I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye. – Psalm 32:8

You will succeed because Jesus loves You!

Also read:

Guidance
Slow Dance
The Dance of A Lifetime – A True Story

There are some important things that your teachers didn’t teach you in kindergarten, and that you didn’t learn anywhere in the school. The following are 10 essential rules of life:

RULE 1: Life is not fair; get used to it.

RULE 2: The world won’t care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something before you feel good about yourself.

RULE 3: You will not make $40,000 a year right out of high school. And you won’t be a vice-president with a car phone until you earn both.

RULE 4: If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss. She doesn’t have tenure.

RULE 5: Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your grandparents had a different word for burger flipping; they called it opportunity.

RULE 6: If you screw up, it’s not your parents’ fault, so don’t whine about your mistakes. Learn from them.

RULE 7: Before you were born, your parents weren’t as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes, and listening to you talk about how cool you are. So before you save the rain forest from the blood-sucking parasites of your parents’ generation, try delousing the closet in your own room.

RULE 8: Life is not divided into semesters. You don’t get summers off, and very few employers are interested in helping you find yourself. Do that on your own time.

RULE 9: Television is not real life. In real life, people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.

RULE 10: Be nice to nerds. Chances are you’ll end up working for one.

Author Unknown

Meditation: For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. – John 3:17

You will succeed because Jesus loves You!

Also read:

Unanswered Letters
Five Rules to Be Happy
How to Enjoy Life to the Fullest

At a time when the church has become a ground for entertainment, we need revival.

At a time when a music minister competes and compares himself with secular musicians, we need a revival.

At a time when the altar of God is used for comedy, we need a revival.

At a time when a successful minister of the Gospel is measured by how rich he is and not how much impact he is making, we need a revival.

At a time, when passion for souls has been replaced with fashion parades in the church, we need a revival.

At a time when motivational speaking has replaced biblical preaching, we need a revival.

At a time when you really cannot differentiate between a daughter of Zion and a harlot, we need a revival.

At a time when pastors kill each other for posts and higher positions, we need a revival.

At a time when modern preachers now tell us that Jesus is not coming soon, we need a revival.

At a time when packaging and special effects have replaced the beauty of God’s glory, we need a revival.

At a time when sexual sin is referred to as weakness and the grace of God is taken for granted, we need a revival.

At a time when prophets prophesy by divination and profit from false prophecy, we need a revival.

At a time when the church does not know the difference between a witchcraft spirit and the Holy Spirit, we need a revival.

At a time when filling the seats in our place of worship has become a priority rather than raising disciples of Jesus, we need revival.

At a time when sinners feel comfortable in our churches and saints feel no sense of urgency to preach the good news to the lost, we need revival.

At a time when pastors are more concerned about how much money members give than how much the members truly love the Lord, we need revival.

At a time when the word of God is scarce, the fire on the altar is going out, and the priests have become blind, the watchmen sleeping, and holiness is no longer our standard, we need a revival.

We need a revival not a programme. We need a reawakening of our souls and a new awareness of the power of God. We do not need another jamboree, but true repentance coupled with a changed life. We do not need another noise, we need a shaking and a mighty rushing wind. We do not need another movement, we need a reformation.

We need the Lord to come again and restore us unto Himself. We need the Lord to open our eyes again that we may see Him. We want to see His Holiness again that we may see our depravity. We need a genuine outpouring of the Holy Spirit, we are tired of speaking in tongues and not living Christ-like. There is no other desire we have than to hear again the same voice that spoke in the valley of dry bones to bring us back to life.

Our nations are in darkness, yet we are the light. We cannot pretend anymore. Jesus, come again in your power and reawaken us.

We need a revival!

— Author Unknown

Meditation: …that our God may enlighten our eyes and give us a measure of revival in our bondage. For we were slaves. Yet our God did not forsake us in our bondage; but He extended mercy to us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to revive us, to repair the house of our God, to rebuild its ruins, and to give us a wall in Judah and Jerusalem. – Ezra 9:8-9

You will succeed because Jesus loves You!

Also read:

Shoes in Church
Church Football
Why Go to Church

1. The Bible will still have all the answers.
2. Prayer will still work.
3. The Holy Spirit will still move.
4. God will still inhabit the praises of His people.
5. There will still be God-anointed preaching.
6. There will still be singing of praise to God.
7. God will still pour out blessings upon His people.
8. There will still be room at the Cross
9. Jesus will still love you.
10. Jesus will still save the lost.

God whispers in your soul and speaks to your mind. Sometimes when you don't have time to listen, He has to throw a brick at you. It's your choice: Listen to the whisper, or wait for the brick.

- Author Unknown

Meditation: “Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near—at the doors! Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away". – Matthew 24:32-35

You will succeed because Jesus loves You!

Also read:

Best Gifts This Season
How to Make Your Sayings Sure (1)
How to Remain Current and Take Sure Steps

LOVE

The Special Feeling That Makes You Feel

All Warm And Wonderful.

RESPECT

Treating Others As Well

As You Would Like To Be Treated.

APPRECIATION

To Be Grateful For All The Good Things

Life Has To Offer.

HAPPINESS

The Full Enjoyment Of Each Moment.

A Smiling Face.

FORGIVENESS

The Ability To Let Things Be

Without Anger.

SHARING

The Joy Of Giving

Without Thought Of Receiving.

HONESTY

The Quality Of Always

Telling The Truth.

INTEGRITY

The Purity Of Doing What’s Right,

No Matter What.

COMPASSION

The Essence Of Feeling Another’s Pain,

While Easing Their Hurt.

PEACE

The Reward For Living

The 10 Most Important Things.

– Author Unknown

Meditation: But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her. – Luke 10:42

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. – Philippians 4:8

You will succeed because Jesus loves You!

Also read:

Crummy Sunday School Lesson
Important Life Lessons from Noah’s Ark
Focus on the Most Important Part of You

When I became pregnant with our first child in 2002, my husband and I were inundated with advice and old wives tales. I recall my aunts saying, “You can tell whether you’re having a girl if you’re carrying high.” Or was it “low?” We had a boy. Two of them. One is now six years old and the other is four.

Then I read an article somewhere claiming, “Don’t lift your arms up too high, or you might overstretch the umbilical cord and choke the baby.” I practiced prenatal yoga stretching. The downward-facing dog did wonders for my aching sides. Also, I am happy to tell you that both of my boys did not choke from the umbilical cord in vitro. They did have the occasional hiccups, however.

The advice was taken with grace, some with gritted teeth and some with genuine gratitude. What no one shared with us during my time of prenatal bliss were the post-partum events, which I was not prepared for. These occurrences span from the newborn phase through Kindergarten. I’ll just share with you my top four lessons in the school of parenting.

Lesson one, I was clueless as to how much discomfort was involved, down there. Note that this is after giving birth. I naively thought that the birthing process alone was the most painful part. The swelling and soreness after the baby was born were highly unexpected. Let’s just say that ice packs and an inflatable doughnut were my best friends forever, well, at least for a week or so.

Lesson two, the popular nursery rhyme along the lines of, “Snips of snails and puppy dog’s tails, that’s what little boys are made of” is a slanderous lie. Most of the little boys I have come across are sweet and sensitive children, including my own. They actually cry more than my two-year-old niece when injured. My niece just gets right back to playing without so much as a whimper. Meanwhile, our boys are milking the soothing process for as long as possible, just so they can get unlimited hugs from Mama. Also, if you’ve ever seen my sisters and me fighting as kids, the “sugar and spice and all things nice” phrase was not the most accurate description of us.

Lesson three, Cain and Abel suffered sibling rivalry before the birth of Christ. I highly doubt that this biblical archetype of brotherhood dispute will go away anytime in the near future. When my two sons fight, luckily, they don’t hit each other. Instead, they are the tattletale cops for everything that the other one does. The younger one is the Chief of Police in this department. Now I know why my mother would get so upset after walking into one of our childhood war zones. You get protective of each child when one hurts the other. Being a referee in this sport is like being a criminal judge for both parties.

Lesson four, the bittersweetness we experienced when our firstborn sauntered through Kindergarten was met with confidence, yet trepidation. Our son matured from a tender preschooler to an official big boy with big boy buddies who love Star Wars. The connection between father and son changed too. Our Kindergartner went from kisses to high fives at morning drop off. Then the emotional pull from each song recital was enough to make me long for those zombie-like nights of nursing at a fuzzy three o’clock in the morning.

As our boys grow older, I am aware that there will be more lessons to learn from. These four are just the beginning of a series of triumphs and challenges. I am quite sure that there will be more suggestions, solicited or unsolicited. In the meantime, I will continue to cry at school concerts and at each time an entire book is read without too much help from Mama and Papa.

By Charmaine R. Velasco

Meditation: Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it. – Proverbs 22:6

You will succeed because Jesus loves You!

Also read:

Gifts from Children
A Father’s Influence
Parenting: How to Make Life Easy for Your Children

1. Prayer is not a “spare wheel” that you pull out when in trouble, it is a “steering wheel” that directs the right path throughout the journey.

2. So why is a car’s windshield so large and the rearview mirror so small? Because our past is not as important as our future. So, look ahead and move on.

3. Friendship is like a book. It takes a few minutes to burn, but it takes years to write.

4. All things in life are temporary. If they’re going well, enjoy them… they will not last forever. If they’re going wrong, don’t worry… they can’t last long either.

5. Old friends are gold! New friends are diamond! If you get a diamond, don’t forget the gold! Because to hold a diamond, you always need a base of gold!

6. Often when we lose hope and think this is the end, God smiles from above and says, “Relax, friend, it’s just a bend, not the end!”

7. When God solves your problems, you have faith in His abilities; when God doesn’t solve your problems He has faith in your abilities.

8. A blind person asked St. Anthony: “Can there be anything worse than losing eyesight?” He replied, “Yes, losing your vision!”

9. When you pray for others, God listens to you and blesses them, and sometimes, when you are safe and happy, remember that someone has prayed for you.

10. Worrying does not take away tomorrow’s troubles… it takes away today’s peace.

11. Live simply, love generously, care deeply, speak kindly, and leave the rest to God.

– Author Unknown

Meditation: I charge you before God and the Lord Jesus Christ and the elect angels that you observe these things without prejudice… – 1 Timothy 5:21

You will succeed because Jesus loves You!

Also read:

Love Notes

A man just got married and was returning home with his wife. They were crossing a lake in a boat when, suddenly, a great storm arose. The man was a warrior, but the woman became very much afraid because it seemed almost hopeless.

The boat was small and the storm was really huge, and at any moment they were going to be drowned. But the man sat silently, calm and quiet as if nothing was happening.

The woman was trembling and she said, “Are you not afraid? This may be our last moment of life! It doesn’t seem that we will be able to reach the other shore. Only some miracle can save us; otherwise, death is certain. Are you not afraid? Are you mad or something? Are you a stone or something?”

The man laughed and took his sword out of its sheath. The woman was even more puzzled; what he was doing? Then he brought the naked sword close to her neck, it was so close that it was almost touching her neck.

Then he asked, “Aren’t you afraid?”

She started to laugh and said, ”Why should I be afraid? If the sword is in your hands, why I should be afraid? I know you love me.”

He then put the sword back and said, “That is also my answer. I know God loves me, and the storm is in His hands.

“So whatsoever is going to happen is going to be good. If we survive, good; if we don’t survive, good. Everything is in His hands and He cannot do anything wrong.”

-- Author Unknown

Meditation: As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the Lord is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him. – 2 Samuel 22:31

You will succeed because Jesus loves You!

Also read:

Trust Your Needs
The Essence of Trust
10 Things God Wants You to Know in a Recession

As I gazed up at the mountains, I was awed by their majesty;
I bowed my head and asked myself, “Why should He care for me?
I am not great like the mountains that tower so high above,
What is there about me that God can find to love?”

“Father, I am not strong like the wind that makes your tall trees sway,
I cannot sing sweetly like your birds; will you love me anyway?
But most of all, I am simply me, and often have cause to fear,
In spite of all my weaknesses, do you promise to be near?”

With eyes closed tight against my tears, I wished He could hear me pray.
Then I felt His Spirit tell me, “Child, look up, I have something to say.
“You are simply you, the spirit I love, a part of my great plan.
I put you here to learn of life and to return to me again.”

“You are more beautiful to me than the loveliest mountain I made,
And your strength exceeds that of the winds, so do not be afraid.
I love you not for what you are, but for what I know you will be.
I am always beside you watching you grow, you are very special to me.”

A smile touched my lips – I knew it was true, my Father had always been there
Giving me comfort and blessings and love and my own special talents to share.
So I do my best to make Him proud. I am not afraid, for you see,
He loves me not for what I am, but for what He knows I will be.

Author Unknown

Meditation: The Lord has appeared of old to me, saying: “Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.” – Jeremiah 31:3

You will succeed because Jesus loves You!

Also read:

A Mother’s Love
Explaining God’s Love
Of A Truth, Jesus Loves You

I wondered why I was in the queue of the accused at all. I am intelligent, aggressive, young, totally committed to my God. ‘What am I doing here with this sheet of supposed sins in my hand?’ I wondered.

I don’t drink, I don't smoke, I don’t fornicate, I don’t steal, I am righteous. Others should be here not me.

It was finally my turn to face the Man.

I placed my sheet before Him, He glanced at it and sighed softly. He looked at me and calmly said, “Guilty of idol worship.”

Imagine my anger, my fury, my indignation. I jumped out of the chair and said, “Of course not! Check the sheet again, check the name, It can't be mine.”

He sighed again and mentioned one of my names that no one knows.

I would not be stopped. “It's impossible!” I yelled. “I worship only God, the Most High, Maker of heaven and earth, the King of kings and Lord of lords. I bow down to none, I have no talisman, no amulet, no pot underneath my bed.”

“You are guilty of idol worship.” He repeated calmly.

He looked at me, I looked at Him. It seemed like forever. The room was silent. I could hear the clock ticking.

Then slowly I understood.

I am never late for bus/train station or air flight, but I am always late to church. I blinked.

My payments for services I enjoy such as Dstv, phone bills, etc., are never late, but I haven’t given tithes in three months. I looked down.

When meeting one of our local chiefs last week I would not even pick a call in the presence of earthly royalty, but I WhatsApp in church.

I wouldn’t interrupt my performance appraisal with my boss for anything, but I missed church last week because of a series on TV.

I wouldn’t let a day end without talking to my spouse, but today I just said ‘Hi God, Bye God.’ And I didn’t even pray last night. The room began to feel hot.

I would never miss going to the bank because of the weather, but I missed the fellowship on Wednesday and Friday because it was drizzling.

I would wear my party colors to party meetings and not care what anyone thought of me, but I hate to talk to my workmates about God because of what they will think of me.

I always have the latest tech gadget you can think of but my Bible is so worn out. I can’t even find the book of Jude in my Bible anymore.

The last thing to touch before going to bed and the first thing in the morning is my phone, chatting on Whatapp or replying offline messages. And never bothering to talk with God or reading His word.

I felt so hot in the room, a nervous sweat on my forehead. I felt so ill and weak, all of my anger and self-righteousness was gone, leaving immense guilt in its wake.

I slowly got off the chair and knelt by His feet and said, “I am sorry. I am guilty as charged; guilty of idol worship, guilty of placing others, humans, technology, before You. I am guilty of idol worship.”

He smiled gently, looked at me with those compassionate eyes of His and He gave me a fresh sheet and said, “Go and deliver souls! Now I want you to inform others to alert them as I know they are not aware of what they are doing.”

-- Author Unknown

Meditation: ‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me.’ – Matthew 15:8

You will succeed because Jesus loves You!

Also read:

How Not to Provoke God to Anger (3)
How Not to Provoke God to Anger (4)
10 Commandments for A Godly Employee

I was a freshly minted graduate of a leading B School and wore its stripes proudly on my shoulders. I was to join a British Multinational in one of their plants in Gomia, Bihar, as a Management Trainee. They chose only the best. And I was full of it, all puffed up.

The night train from Calcutta would reach Gomia in the morning. I had a letter that said that there would be a car to pick me up from the station and take me to the guest house.

The coal-fired engine creaked up to the station and I alighted with my canvas hold-all; yes, we had such things in those days. There was not a soul in sight to receive me. I felt let down. I heaved the luggage on my shoulder and came to the exit. There I saw a nice car. The driver in khaki shorts and a white coloured tee shirt was walking towards the car. Aah, my driver, there he was!

I went up to him and brusquely asked him to open the trunk and keep my luggage. He asked me in Hindi, who I was and I introduced myself. All this in a condescending way, and asked him to take me to the Guest House. He said he would be happy to drop me. The driver heaved the luggage in, opened the rear door and had me seated. He asked me if I was comfortable. This was getting better.

Throughout the ride, he asked me questions about my family, etc. in a kind sort of way. I responded in monosyllables, irritated with a driver, who spoke too much.

Near the guest house, he alighted and a couple of the staff ran up to the car and saluted me. I thought I saw some exchange with the driver and they respectfully carried my luggage. I waved out to the driver, who wished me the best in my new job.

The next day was a big day. I was to meet the big daddy of the place- the Chief Executive – Dr S.K. Varma. I was nervous.

I went in early to the factory. His secretary ushered me into a corridor that led up to the room. I knocked on the door and walked into the large office. The big man in his overalls had his back to me and as he turned I recognized the man he was the driver in factory clothes.

I burst out, “Hey what are you doing in this office?”

He gave me a broad smile and in chaste English said he was Shiven Varma, and asked me to take a seat. I choked and could have died in that instant. My feet were all jelly and I apologized profusely for my behaviour and was at a loss for words.

He said that he had come to the station to see off a friend. And he had seen me and wanted to be of assistance. And played along, for he knew I had mistaken him to be a driver.

He offered me tea and had a long conversation. Said that outside of work one should not wear their education, only use them. And never referred to the incident. Almost as if it did not happen.

As I walked away, I learnt the greatest lesson in humility. So, the guest house staff were actually saluting him, not me! My ego came crashing down. Shoulders hunched, weighing heavily with lessons learnt, I exited his office.

Humility is playing a role, any role, sans ego, whatever the role may be. Even if this were that of a driver. Dr. Varma never referred to this incidence ever, not even in an informal chat. He was driving home a lesson in humility.

Author Unknown

Meditation: By humility and the fear of the Lord Are riches and honor and life. – Proverbs 22:4

You will succeed because Jesus loves You!

Also read:

Bring Something Home
Thinking of Divorce? Think Again
Know Where You Are Heading in Life

When there is a casting down, you will be proclaiming a lifting up. – Job 22:29
Your God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. – Philippians 4:19
He knows the thoughts he has towards you, they are thoughts of good and not evil, to give you an expected end. – Jeremiah 29:11
You will never see the righteous forsaken, nor will you see their seed beg for bread. – Psalms 37:25
Even though the young lions lack and suffer hunger, because you and your household trust in the Lord, you will not lack any good thing. – Psalms 34:10
Because you trust in the Lord with all your heart, and you do not believe in what man says, the Lord your God shall direct your path. – Proverbs 3:5
In these hard times, His grace will be sufficient for you, and His strength and Glory shall be made manifest in your weakness. – 2 Corinthians 12:9
Because it is not of him that willeth nor runneth, but of God that showeth mercy, you will receive abundance of mercy and compassion from every angle of the earth in this period of grace. – Romans 9:16
Surely, as the race is not for the swift, not the battle to the strong, as bread is not to the wise, nor riches to the men of understanding, even as favour is not exclusive to men of skill; your time and chance to excel even in these times is here. – Ecclesiastes 9:11
Finally, remember the Lord thy God, for it is he that giveth thee the power, the ability and strength, to make wealth, because he wants to establish his covenant which He made long ago. – Deuteronomy 8:18
– Author Unknown

You will succeed because Jesus loves You!

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How to Thrive During A Recession (1)
How To Thrive During A Recession (2)
How to Thrive During A Recession (3)

A wealthy woman was serving a life sentence in prison. Angry and resentful about her plight, she resolved that she would rather die than living the rest of her life in prison.

Over the years she had become friendly with one of the prison caretakers whose job, among others, was to bury dead prisoners in a graveyard outside the prison walls. When a prisoner died, the caretaker would ring a bell which everyone would hear to announce the death of an inmate. The caretaker would then place the dead body in a casket. Next, he entered his office to fill out the death certificate before returning to the casket to nail the lid shut. Finally, he put the casket on a wagon to take it to the graveyard for burial.

Now familiar with this routine, the woman devised an escape plan which she shared with the caretaker: The next time the bell rings, she would leave her cell and sneak into the darkroom where the coffins were kept. She would then slip into the coffin with the dead body while the caretaker is filling out the death certificate. When the caretaker returns, he would nail the lid and take the coffin outside the prison with the woman inside alongside the dead body. He would then bury the coffin.

They had both arranged for special vents in the coffin so there would be enough air for her to breathe until later in the evening when the caretaker would return to the graveyard under the cover of darkness to dig up the coffin, open it, and set her free. She would also carry along a small flashlight to enable her to see in the darkness.

The caretaker was initially reluctant to go along with this plan, but since he and the woman had become good friends over the years, and knowing that he stands to gain a lot from this wealthy woman, he eventually agreed to do it.

The woman waited several weeks before someone died in the prison. She was asleep in her cell when she heard the death bell ring. She got up and slowly walked down the hallway. She was nearly caught a couple of times. Her heart was beating fast. She opened the door to the darkened room where the coffins were kept. Quietly in the dark, she found the coffin that contained the dead body, carefully climbed into the coffin and pulled the lid shut to wait for the caretaker to come and nail the lid.

Soon she heard footsteps and the pounding of hammer and nails. Even though she was very uncomfortable in the coffin with the dead body, she knew that with each nail she was one step closer to freedom. The coffin was lifted onto the wagon and taken to the graveyard outside. She could feel the coffin being lowered into the ground. She didn't make a sound as the coffin hit the bottom of the grave with a thud.

Finally, she heard the dirt dropping onto the top of the wooden coffin, and she knew that it was only a matter of time before she would be free at last. After several minutes of absolute silence, she began to laugh gleefully feeling free already and chanting that he was free!

Feeling curious, she decided to light the flashlight to find out the identity of the dead prisoner beside her. To her horror, she discovered that it was her caretaker friend, her only hope to freedom, lying next to her!

Many people go around believing they have life all figured out; that they are well connected and can orchestrate people and situations to suit their whims. But sometimes things just don't turn out the way they planned it. It is always best to have a Plan B.

I don't know what tomorrow holds, but I know Who holds tomorrow. The happiest people don't have the best of everything, they just make the best of what they have. But then, even the best fails. Only God never fails.

Author Unknown

Meditation: O Lord, I know the way of man is not in himself; It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps. – Jeremiah 10:23

You will succeed because Jesus loves You!

Also read:

Happiness
The Measure of A Life
Purpose: Created to Lift and Repress

Some years ago I attended a self-improvement seminar and the speaker was Jim Rohn. He said, “Everything matters in life, some things a little and some things a lot, we just don’t know which is which.” And I believed him.

Now if I may, I would like to relate a personal experience that occurred when I was a motorcycle officer that strengthened this belief and taught a young man that everything in life does indeed matter.

I was a motorcycle officer with the Los Angeles Police Department and I was working speed complaints out of West Traffic Division. On the 6th of January, 1986, I was working a speed complaint on one of the streets in the hills of Bel-Air. It was around 9:30 in the morning. I was stopped at the base of a hill and had set up my radar on the handlebar of my motorcycle and was watching the traffic coming down the hill.

This was a residential area and the road was narrow with numerous curves and was posted at 25 miles per hour. I had just finished writing a couple of tickets when I heard the audio on the radar, looked up the road and saw a small sports car coming down the hill. I glanced at the digital readout on the radar unit and saw that the car was traveling close to 50 miles per hour. I stepped out into the street and waved the driver over to the curb.

The driver was a young man in his early 20’s on his way to UCLA for a morning class. I told him why I had stopped him and started to write him a ticket. He, of course, didn’t want the ticket and tried to talk me out of it. His name was Christopher and he was a good kid. But he was trying his best to get me to not write him a ticket. Never rude, always polite, but determined to convince me to let him go.

We bantered back and forth, he would raise his voice in support of his position, but I calmly explained why he should get the ticket. When he saw I was still going to write him the ticket, he asked me, “What If I had not stopped, you were not on your motorcycle, would you have chased me?” I replied, “Most likely not”.

About this time, I heard the audio on the radar and noticed that the digital readout registered 52 miles per hour. I looked up and saw a young man coming down the hill on a motorcycle. I stepped out in front of him and waved him into the curb. He was going too fast and passed us, but he was slowing down. I walked towards the motorcycle rider and my back was to Christopher.

The motorcyclist had turned around and was coming back to me. Then he suddenly made a quick U-turn and sped down the hill. I turned around and walked back to Christopher and said, “Well, one got away.”

He said, “I waved him on”.

I said, “What?”

He said, “I waved him on.”

I replied, “Oh, no! You should not have done that.”

He had a puzzled look on his face and asked, “Why not, it won’t matter?”

I told him everything in life matters, some things a little and some things a lot. We just don’t know which is which. The look on Christopher’s face clearly indicated to me that he did not believe me. I finished the ticket and we talked a little more about life and philosophy, then Christopher went to class and I went to court.

Three days later, I was back working that same area and had three cars stopped. While I was writing the tickets, I noticed that a car coming up the hill had stopped across from me. There were three or four guys in the car. It was obvious to me that they were waiting to talk to me.

I finished the last ticket and the driver of the car got out and walked over to me. He had a very sad look about him. I could tell something was bothering him. As he approached me, he asked, “Do you remember me?”

“Yes,” I replied, “you are Christopher.”

He then said, “You taught me a valuable lesson the other day when you told me that everything in life matters. I didn’t believe you then, but now I do.”

“How do you mean?” I asked.

“Do you remember the boy on the motorcycle?” he asked.

“Yes,” I replied, “I do remember him.”

“Well,” he said, “he was my roommate and that is why I waved him on. I thought I was helping him. After he turned around he made a wrong turn and went down a street, which ended in a cul-de-sac and hit a large planter in the centre of the cul-de-sac. He died instantly. You were right when you said everything in life matters.”

I was shocked and found it hard to believe, even though I had been with LAPD for 18½ years. We talked for a few more minutes. I expressed my sorrow, we shook hands and then we both left.

I rode to the station in Venice and looked up the traffic reports for the 6th of January and sure enough there it was. I still could not believe it. I mentioned what had happened to another officer who was in the station at the time. His response was that the kid deserved to die for fleeing the scene; I thought this cannot be happening; I don’t want to be like him.

As police officers and especially motor officers we are supposed to be saving lives, not pleased because some kid made a bad decision and died. Over the next several days I gave a lot of thought to this situation and my life in general. I decided I didn’t want to be a police officer anymore and I needed a change. So I resigned in February 1986 after 18½ years with LAPD to pursue my passion, network marketing.

I thought that I should listen to my own advice about how everything matters and look at this situation as an opportunity to make some serious changes in my life. I’ve never regretted leaving LAPD even though my business plans didn’t quite work the way I had hoped back in 1986. But over the years they have and I have had a successful network marketing business since 1995.

Could now be the time for you to make a life change? If it is, I would encourage you to do so. Based on my experience you will not be sorry. I will be 68 in September 2010, I’m in great health and could not be happier.

By Duane Spears

Meditation: “While the earth remains, Seedtime and harvest, Cold and heat, Winter and summer, And day and night Shall not cease.” – Genesis 8:22

You will succeed because Jesus loves You!

Also read:

The Prodigal Couple
The Connectedness of Life
The Little Man at Home Depot

When my son was only about three years old, he and his sisters were playing a game that involved chasing each other around the house with loud giggles of laughter erupting every few minutes whenever one of them came close to tagging one of their siblings.

The giggles were interrupted suddenly by a loud crash followed by a blood-curdling cry of pain. I jumped to my feet and ran to the living room where the apparent mishap had occurred. My son had come around the corner too fast and had fallen headfirst into the corner of a table. I quickly picked him up from the floor where he was lying and held him in my arms both to comfort him and to examine the wound. Streams of blood gushed from his forehead.

By the time we reached the emergency room, his tears had subsided a bit, but I was nervously anticipating the slight trauma still ahead of us. After examining my son’s forehead, the doctor confirmed that he would need to stitch the wound in order for it to heal properly. The good news was that the cut would require only one stitch. The bad news was that the doctor planned to do it without any anesthesia. “We can stick him once or we can stick him twice,” the doctor informed me.

I was then told that giving him a shot to anesthetize the area would be just as painful and traumatic as giving him the single stitch. The shot would then have to be followed by a second “stick” to actually stitch up the wound. I reluctantly agreed with the doctor and opted for the single “stick”.

I encouraged my son that he was being a “brave little boy” as the doctors and I gently strapped a restraining device around his tiny body to keep him from thrashing around on the table during the procedure.

Inside, I was fighting back tears as he looked at me with frightened, but trusting eyes. “Keep looking at Daddy,” I encouraged him. “You’re being a very brave little boy.” His huge eyes remained locked on mine as the doctor gently washed out the cut and prepared to stitch the wound shut.

“Okay, here we go,” the doctor said quietly. “It should be quick.”

“Keep looking at me,” I said, trying to smile and draw his trusting eyes into mine. “Daddy’s right here.”

With precision and swiftness, the doctor quickly stabbed the curved needle into the swollen flesh near the cut on my son’s forehead. My son’s eye’s widened as he gasped in pain. Then in a whimpering voice that carried the sweetness and innocence that only a three-year-old can summon, he looked up at me and said, “Please don’t do that again, Daddy.”

My heart broke. How do you explain to your three-year-old son that the pain he is experiencing – the pain that, in his mind at least, was caused by me – was inflicted with love, with a desire and design to bring healing? Oddly enough, that is one of my most precious memories of my son’s early childhood. The procedure was over almost as quickly as it had begun and, after a few hours, my son had returned to giggling with his sisters. (Running in the house, however, was forever banned from that point onward.)

His trust and sweet response to the ordeal continues to pierce my heart with love for him. This episode is also a reminder for me of our heavenly Father’s love and care for us and for those around us who may be experiencing a painful season in life.

In my mind’s eye, I can envision God holding us as our Father whenever we’re hurting and telling us to keep our eyes on Him and to trust Him, even if we don’t understand why things are happening to us. When we’re tempted to blame Him for our pain or to cry out, “Please don’t do that again, Daddy,” we can take comfort in knowing that He is very near to us, that He loves us and to trust that, even though we may not always understand, there is a higher purpose at work in everything that happens to us.

So keep your eyes on Him. Trust Him. He’s holding you and healing you. He will never let you go. Know, too, that giggling – or however you experience joy – will soon be a part of your life again.

By Tim Wright

Meditation: Then it shall be, after I have plucked them out, that I will return and have compassion on them and bring them back, everyone to his heritage and everyone to his land. – Jeremiah 12:15

You will succeed because Jesus loves You!

Also read:

The Painter
The Boat Painter
The Pains of Intimacy

A boat docked in a tiny Mexican fishing village.

A tourist complimented the local fishermen on the quality of their fish and asked how long it took him to catch them.

“Not very long,” they answered in unison.

“Why didn’t you stay out longer and catch more?”

The fishermen explained that their small catches were sufficient to meet their needs and those of their families.

“But what do you do with the rest of your time?”

“We sleep late, fish a little, play with our children, and take siestas with our wives. In the evenings, we go into the village to see our friends, have a few drinks, play the guitar, and sing a few songs. We have a full life.”

The tourist interrupted, “I have an MBA from Harvard and I can help you! You should start by fishing longer every day. You can then sell the extra fish you catch. With the extra revenue, you can buy a bigger boat.”

“And, after that?”

“With the extra money the larger boat will bring, you can buy a second one and a third one and so on until you have an entire fleet of trawlers. Instead of selling your fish to a middle man, you can then negotiate directly with the processing plants and maybe even open your own plant.

You can then leave this little village and move to Mexico City, Los Angeles, or even New York City! From there you can direct your huge new enterprise.”

“How long would that take?”

“Twenty, perhaps twenty-five years.” replied the tourist.

“And, after that?”

“Afterwards? Well, my friend, that’s when it gets really interesting,” answered the tourist, laughing. “When your business gets really big, you can start buying and selling stocks and make millions!”

“Millions? Really? And after that?” asked the fishermen.

“After that, you’ll be able to retire, live in a tiny village near the coast, sleep late, play with your children, catch a few fish, take a siesta with your wife and spend your evenings drinking and enjoying your friends.”

“That’s what we are doing now,” replied the fisherman.

The moral of this story is: Know where you’re going in life, you may already be there!

Author Unknown

Meditation: Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: – Philippians 4:11

You will succeed because Jesus loves You!

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The Awakening
World’s Greatest Chef
10 Commandments for A Godly Employee

My child,

Give up! Give up those hurts of the past. It’s time to move on. satan loves to have you live in the past because that renders you ineffective to live in the present, in the now.

Tell Me, child. What is it that has happened to you? Who hurt you? What mistakes have you made that you regret? Did what happen to you change the fact that Jesus loves you, and He died on the cross for you so you could live in heaven with Him for all eternity?

Can anything or anyone ever change that fact? You know that nothing can ever nullify what Jesus did for you on the cross. If that’s true, and it is, then nothing else matters, does it?

There is nothing that can happen to you, nothing anyone can do to you that can ever change the fact that My Son, Jesus, loves you and died on the cross for you so you gain heaven for all eternity. No one can ever take that away from you. No One!

Hold on to that thought. Put things in their proper perspective. When you do that, you’ll see that being loved unconditionally, attaining salvation and having the right to go to heaven is your ultimate goal. Everything else pales in comparison to that.

Even physical death cannot take heaven away from you, for then the real you-your spirit-just changes abodes. Physical death for Christians is moving from living in the temple of the Holy Spirit, your body, to living in heaven.

I know, My child, I know. Your mind is often filled with hurtful things that happen to you. Sometimes you even say to people “You don’t know how much it hurt Me when such and such happened.” Well, I ask you again, does what happen to you in the past change the fact that Jesus loves you and died for you, and now you can spend eternity with Him in heaven? I don’t have to wait for your answer, because I know immediately your mind said, “No!”

Then, child, nothing else matters! Compared to eternity, all problems are nothing. Loving Me, being in My family, gaining the right to live in heaven for eternity, that’s what’s important in life. If you lose that, you’ve lost it all. Don’t hold grudges. forgive! Nothing you can gain on earth can make up for that loss, and nothing can happen to you on earth that can take that away from you- Nothing!

Love,

God

Author Unknown

Meditation: Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? – Isaiah 43:19

You will succeed because Jesus loves You!

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Giving to Jesus
Did Jesus Use A Modem?
Why Did Jesus Fold The Napkin?

Push…Puuush!” I called out to my friend, but it appeared that there was no use in trying anymore. My car was stuck in the mud, and I was on a double date. I was just 16 years old, and I wanted to make a good impression on my pretty and intelligent date. However, hearing the motor rev with the car still stuck in the mud did not earn brownie points for my friend or me in the eyes of our dates.

We continued to push and push, but there was no getting my car “unstuck” from the mud. Sharon, my date, was revving the car’s engine while Jeff and I were pushing and pushing. Finally, I said, “Enough!” Embarrassed, I approached Sharon as she sat behind the wheel of my mother’s red station wagon. Before I could speak I noticed the gear on the car: It was set on neutral!”

I set the gear to “drive,” instructed Sharon to wait until I gave her the signal to press down on the accelerator, and then went back to help Jeff push the car out of the mud.

That was our first date. Even though I got mud on my slacks, I had love in my heart. I was “stung” by the Love Bug.

Sharon and I dated seriously throughout high school. I went away to college as Sharon was finishing her senior year in high school. Our love, which was blooming, was only matched in size by our long-distance telephone bills.

The next year, Sharon joined me at the University of Texas. We were so happy. We thought we were on top of the world. We thought our lives were set. That was true until that eventful evening when in a split second our lives changed forever.

On February 18, 1981, we were studying at the library of the University. It was late, and Sharon told me that she had to return to her dormitory to go to sleep. We slid into my car and headed toward her dorm, but, unfortunately, my gas gauge was registering “empty.” I pulled into a nearby convenience store, borrowed $2 from Sharon, and walked into the store to pay for the gas.

Things do not always work out as one plans them. Unfortunately, the store was in the midst of a robbery, and one of the thieves forced me into the cooler. He followed me, pushed me to the floor, and calmly shot me in the back of the head-execution-style! The story does not end there. Yes, the criminal thought I was dead, thus eliminating any witness to the crime. However, when the thieves left the store, I still had a faint pulse.

Very few people believed I would remain alive much longer. That is why the police transferred my case to the Homicide division. That is also why the neurosurgeon when he was awakened at his home to see me at the hospital, came quickly but returned home, as he believed an operation would be futile.

However, when the doctor returned to the hospital in the morning, he was shocked to see that I was still alive. He told my parents that an operation was necessary, but he added that he would be surprised if I survived the surgery.

I fooled all of the medical experts and survived the surgery. However, the surgeon warned my parents that even though I was still breathing, I would probably never be able to communicate with anyone or understand anyone who was attempting to communicate with me. Basically, the surgeon stated, I would be “a vegetable.”

Hearing those words, my father told Sharon, “Get on with your life.”

Sharon quickly replied, “Mike is my life.”

Even though we were not yet married, Sharon believed in the vows, “in sickness and in health.” She dropped out of college for one semester to be with me at the Rehabilitation Hospital in Houston where I was eventually transferred. Sharon was spending her time with her “drooling boyfriend in the hospital” while other college freshmen were spending their time at parties.

Eventually, Sharon returned to Austin to continue her college education. Once again we had enormous phone bills. My goal was to also return to Austin, to the University of Texas, to be with Sharon. Eighteen months after no one thought I would survive, I accomplished that goal. One of the primary reasons was … Sharon, my love, who refused to give up or give in.

Four years after returning to college, I graduated. For me, that meant I could finally propose to Sharon, my light at the end of the dark tunnel. She was the one who would always encourage me to look forward and not to focus on the past.

On a beautiful day in May, Sharon and I exchanged vows and were married. We were meant to be together. We had dated for nine long and eventful years, but I realized at the wedding that it was worth everything. Sharon was truly my soul mate.

We have been married for many years and we have a beautiful daughter, Shawn. We have experienced so much-some bad, but more, much more, good. This is not just a “love letter” to my wife, but the story of a girl’s overcoming everyone’s “rational” thoughts to stay behind with her critically injured boyfriend. To me, it shows what kind of woman Sharon is–a beauty inside and out. Further, it shows the lesson of not giving up on one’s dreams. I give Sharon all the credit for my recovery – not me. I don’t know where I would be without her – definitely not where I am today.

Michael Jordan Segal, who defied all odds after being shot in the head, is a husband, father, social worker, freelance author, and inspirational speaker, sharing his recipe for happiness, recovery and success before conferences and businesses.

By Michael Segal

Meditation: Many waters cannot quench love, Nor can the floods drown it. – Song of Solomon 8:7

You will succeed because Jesus loves You!

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26 Life Principles
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Time to Fly from the Nest

I was in Haiti in October 2005 researching my book on modern-day slavery when I contracted a severe case of malaria. A young Haitian man named Bill Nathan, then 21, who manages a shelter for homeless boys in Port-au-Prince, took me in and attended to me daily as I lapsed in and out of consciousness. He found the chloroquine that kept me alive.

When the epic earthquake struck Port-au-Prince on Jan. 12, 2010, I saw a chance to repay the debt.

At 4:51 p.m. on that day, Bill was on the seventh floor garden on the roof of the Maison St. Joseph, a sanctuary of peace for some 20 boys who have been abandoned by their families, or who, like Bill himself, were child slaves. He had just ushered five of the boys down to their chores on the ground floor, so that he could enjoy his one daily indulgence: a few moments of solitude in the roof’s little gazebo, surrounded by potted plants, before evening prayers.

Two minutes later, the quake smashed open the building, and the top three floors pitched northward, hurling Bill down nearly 80 feet onto a neighbor’s concrete roof, where he landed briefly, apparently on his back. Almost immediately, he tumbled onto a tin-roofed shack, and then to the ground. A neighbor later said she saw Bill “flying like a bird.” In his last moments of consciousness, Bill saw the top three concrete floors of the orphanage, along with a massive wind charger hurtling toward him. Instinctively, he rolled out of the way and grabbed a clothesline, pulling himself into a corner before the cement crashed exactly where he had fallen. His legs wouldn’t work, so he crawled for several feet over broken glass, before passing out.

The first three floors of the house, where all but one of the boys were gathered, shook “like a scene out of Titanic,” said house founder Michael Geilenfeld, but, miraculously, they did not collapse. Had the quake hit 15 minutes later, all of the boys would have been on the sixth floor. Tragically, a 25-year-old American seminary student was crushed on the fourth floor.

Forty-five minutes passed before the others in the house discovered Bill, unconscious but alive. The older boys carried him on a table to Kez Furth, 24, a volunteer American nurse living next door. For the next four days, Furth treated him on the floor of her 500-sq. ft clinic-apartment, outfitted with less than the average public school nurse. At the same time, she attended to dozens of other victims, who convened in a refugee camp up the block. Some had traveled up to a mile for treatment.

When news of the quake reached me, I immediately called Bill’s cell phone, to no response. On Wednesday morning, I reached out to Miles Wright, the no-nonsense, burly Texan who serves as treasurer of Hearts With Haiti, the group under whose umbrella Maison St. Joseph and two other similar facilities run. Over the next 48 hours, we heard just sporadic reports that Bill had regained the ability to sit up, then to walk gingerly, but that overall his condition was worsening. Miles immediately resolved to act: “‘Round where I’m from, when your family’s in trouble, you show up.” On Thursday night, we convened in Ft. Lauderdale. Through the extraordinary support of Hollywood director Tom Shadyac, a friend of Bill’s and mine, we were able to hire a small twin-engine plane. Although that morning the FAA had ordered a ground stop on all flights bound to Haiti, I worked the phones, and by the next morning, we were packing the six-seater with two Haitian surgeons and some 200 lbs. of medical supplies and baby formula.

After dark on Friday, the U.S. military finally cleared us to land in Port-au-Prince, and we drove into the city past clusters of Haitians standing in defiance of the destruction around them, praying and singing in impromptu street concerts. The orphanage lay half-shattered. Concrete chunks hovered precariously over surviving structures, suspended only by rusty re-bars. Maison St. Joseph had been looted of its store of rice and beans. When Geilenfeld hired a neighbor to carry some of the remaining food to a more secure location, a desperate crowd by the Caribbean Market mobbed the neighbor, beat him, and stole the provisions.

In the candlelight of Furth’s clinic, Bill lay on his stomach on a mattress on the floor, his arms outstretched. He was in a great deal of pain and had difficulty moving from that position, but he managed a smile when I came in to hold his hand. I lay next to him that night, with Furth resting on an adjacent mattress. It was a sleepless night: on the other side of the wall lay a trapped dog that howled whenever tremors moved the rocks around it. Furth said it had been slowly starving to death for four days. The clinic had just finished the last of its clean water.

The next morning, I helped Furth make her rounds of the refugee camp, and we rushed Bill by van to the airport. We faced resistance from the Marines guarding the entrance. Attempting to make an order from chaos, they were understandably wary of admitting a non-responsive Haitian, even when he was carried by three passport-holding Americans. Finally, a lieutenant named Brandon, disciplined but sympathetic, heard my plea: “It’s a matter of honor,” I said. “This man saved my life, and I need to help him.” ABC News anchor Dan Harris, a mutual friend of Bill’s and mine, backed up my story, Lieutenant Brandon waved us through. French medics gave Bill a morphine drip and we loaded him, along with a 19-year-old American who survived the quake, onto our waiting charter. (See the top 10 deadliest earthquakes.)

Why did Bill deserve a special mission? Not just because he saved my life. Helping people is what Bill Nathan does. Orphaned at age seven, Bill was taken in as a slave by his neighbors who forced him to do domestic work and beat him mercilessly when he did not perform to standard. According to UNICEF studies, such child slaves number as many as 300,000 in Haiti; typically, desperate parents yield their children to fraudulent recruiters willingly, a phenomenon that becomes more pronounced after natural disasters. After three years of bondage, Bill was rescued by an American nun who had known Bill’s mother. She brought him to St. Joseph’s, where he thrived and soon he was managing the recovery of hundreds of other boys. “God kept me alive for a reason,” he told me in a fleeting moment of lucidity. “I will keep doing the work that I’m doing.”

There is a theory of massive disaster triage that advises that the first people who should receive treatment are doctors with non-life-threatening injuries. Though Bill is not a doctor, he has a demonstrated ability to improve the lives of hundreds and to resurrect his community and his country. Saving Bill means saving more lives.

The fall that Bill endured should have killed him, but he was in peak physical shape. His injuries are painful but survivable. While his condition continued to be assessed, we know he has suffered an abrasion on his liver, broken ribs, extensive muscle damage around his vertebral column, cuts and contusions all over his body. The Israeli trauma specialist who attended to Bill upon arrival in Ft. Lauderdale said that he had seen some lucky patients since he first practiced medicine as a war medic in 1965, but Bill was certainly up there. “We can debate the role of luck, I suppose,” muttered Miles, who is a devout Christian. Maybe Bill has good fortune on his side, maybe he has God. He certainly has friends.

By Benjamin Skinner

Meditation: And now may the Lord show kindness and truth to you. I also will repay you this kindness, because you have done this thing. – 2 Samuel 2:6

You will succeed because Jesus loves You!

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Things in Life that Bring Lasting Fulfillment

I met my alternate self three months shy of my 40th birthday as I struggled with clinically diagnosed depression. During this same period, I was challenged, immensely by the debilitating effects of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and being rendered permanently partially disabled as the result of being involved in two car accidents in six days (neither of which was I at fault).

I recall an incredible sense of emptiness and a daunting feeling of being completely overwhelmed; especially when trying to figure out which pills went with what “ills.” I was unable to return to the vocation I loved. That hurt more than my pain. Most of my time was spent in bed where I eventually became 48 pounds “over-fat.”

When dreams and reasons for living are wiped out by the greatest, of the least unexpected, most people priorities typically change. My priorities? Well, they just disappeared. I was defeated physically, emotionally, psychologically, spiritually and knocking on “Financially’s” door. Making the bed was not a priority; it simply went unmade. And when it came down to paying the bills, many went unpaid.

One day I was moved enough to actually cultivate the emotion of being “fed up!” During this awakening, I made the decision to reclaim complete responsibility for my life. And I did. 37 months post-accident, I went to work on my mind, body, and spirit. I studied and applied everything that would enhance these areas. It wasn’t long before I was 51 pounds lighter, and at least 52 times brighter.

Following my “awakening” I set goals to become an author, speaker, consultant, and educator. I quickly established myself in each discipline and began to promote and practice life-altering strategies. My approach was innovative, strategic, fun, proven and desired-results focused. Paramount to enhancing my personal energy level was to identify, outline and writing down my physical goals.

Returning to playing competitive softball, being the team’s starting shortstop and winning the league championship were my top three goals. I promised myself I would return to play softball at a competitive level if it killed me. It almost did! Playing softball on several teams simultaneously left me limping around with a blue, pain-alleviating ointment. I had soreness in muscles I never even knew existed! Nevertheless, by the season’s end, I had accomplished all of my goals. I figured, if I could overcome all of my physical, spiritual and psychological ailments, discovered how to run faster; jump higher; throw farther; look younger, stay up longer – manifest twice as much energy than I did when I was a “starting” NCAA athlete half my age – anyone else can do the “undoable,” too! Whatever the “undoable,” may be.

As I continued following a disciplined program to attain goals in every area of my life, something just short of magical happened. My personality sparked with a resurgence of charisma, confidence and boldness. My muscles grew stronger, my energy increased and the fat melted off my body. Taking part in an activity not only became easier, but quite enjoyable. Suddenly, I was living life as I had designed.

Great goals make you stretch. They absolutely can take you well beyond anything you could possibly imagine! The most important part of setting great goals is not the goals themselves, but the person you become in the stretch.

by Fran Briggs

Meditation: for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. – Philippians 2:13

You will succeed because Jesus loves You!

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26 Life Principles
The Little Man at Home Depot
Mentor, Teacher, Friend and A Jedi Warrior

That night, Sue quarrelled with her mother, then stormed out of the house. While en route, she remembered that she did not have any money in her pocket, she did not even have enough coins to make a phone call home.

At the same time, she walked into a noodle shop, picking up sweet fragrance, she suddenly felt very hungry. She wished for a bowl of noodles, but she had no money!

The seller saw her standing before the counter and asked:

– Hey, young lady, you want to eat a bowl of noodles?

– But … but I did not carry money … she shyly replied.

– Okay, I’ll treat you – the seller said – come in, I will cook you a bowl.

A few minutes later the owner brought her a steaming bowl of noodles. After she took some spoons, Sue began to cry.

– What is it? – He asked.

– Nothing. I am just touched by your kindness! – Sue said as she wiped her tears.

– Even a stranger on the street gives me a bowl of noodles, and my mother, after a quarrel, chased me out of the house. She is cruel!!

The seller sighed:

– Girl, why did you think so? Think again. I only gave you a bowl of noodles and you felt that way. Your mother had raised you since you were little, why were you not grateful and still disobeyed your mum?

Sue was really surprised at the seller’s question.

-Why did I not think of that? A bowl of noodles from a stranger made me feel indebted, and my mother has raised me since I was little and I have never felt so, even a little.

On the way home, Sue thought in her head what she would say to her mother when she arrives home: “Mom, I’m sorry. I know it is my fault, please forgive me … ”

Once up the steps, Sue saw her mother worried and tired of looking for her everywhere. Upon seeing Sue, her mother gently said: “Sue, come inside honey. You are probably very hungry. I cooked rice and prepared the meal already, come eat while it is still hot …”

Unable to control herself any longer, Sue cried in her mum’s arms.

In life, we sometimes easy to appreciate the small actions of some people around us, but for relatives, especially parents, we see their sacrifices as a natural thing.

Parental love and concern are the most precious gifts we have been given since birth.

Parents do not expect us to pay back for nurturing us …… but have we ever appreciated or treasure the unconditional sacrifice of our parents?

Meditation: But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. – Rom 5:8 (NIV)

You will succeed because Jesus loves You!

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Essence Of Family
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Uncommon Courtesy (Adapted)

During the evening of August 3, 2009, a legend in my world departed this earth and only left his soul behind. This man is my Papa Mark and he has exposed me to lessons that cannot be learned in school or by reading a book, but rather through experiencing and witnessing an individual who had an insatiable desire to serve.

My papa worked until the day that he died, as he was the number one salesman at Home Depot, (in the entire country for appliances), but this honor shies in comparison to the number of lives that he has impacted as a result of the Act of Contribution.

My grandfather defined the concept of giving for the sake of giving and this is a lesson that all of us need to adopt into our lives. The Act of Contribution is what kept him alive because it enabled him to serve his purpose on earth.

I am going to ask all of you to take a moment and answer this question honestly: When was the last time that you performed the Act of Contribution and gave for the sake of giving?

The reason that I pose this question is because I believe that we live in a country that is consistently dialed into the radio station WIFM or in other words, WHAT’S IN IT FOR ME! Many of us simply care about giving for the sake of receiving, or even worse, needing to receive first before we give. We look to see how other people can benefit us, prior to even considering how we can positively impact their lives.

I believe that we live in a sick country and the infection is greed and an unappeasable craving to benefit ourselves. There have been countless studies associated with the power of contribution and how it can eliminate depression, emptiness, and lack of self-worth. It is important to realize that money is not the only contribution, and in my opinion, it should be the last.

People yearn to experience what love is all about, and this is not necessarily intimacy, but rather knowing that someone will be in their life and guide them on their journey. We live in a world where children are growing up and never experiencing a hug, where teenagers lack mentors, and adults make poor choices for relationships. These people need our help, and what they need has nothing to do with money, and everything to do with an ear to listen and a shoulder to cry on.

Papa Mark was the person that I described in the last sentence because people felt connected to him on a number of different levels because their world changed when he entered their lives. There is a quote that I read a number of years ago that epitomizes my Papa Mark: People enter your life for a reason, a season, or a lifetime.

My Papa Mark was the later for every single person who was fortunate enough to spend a moment with him. Although his life came to an end only a couple of days ago, his presence will never be lost and his insatiable desire to serve will go on forever.

One of my goals with this message is to acknowledge my Papa for everything that he stood for in my world and his authenticity in others as well. My other motive was to open all of your eyes and encourage you to realize that the Act of Contribution is an essential component to living a life worth living.

So keep your money in your pocket, reveal your heart to the world, and take time today, and every day going forward, to give for the sake of giving and become a Papa Mark in someone else’s world.

PS: RIP Papa. I love you with everything that I have inside. You are part of my drive!

by Jared Yellin

Meditation: Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another. – Romans 14:19

You will succeed because Jesus loves You!

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A man had one very beautiful daughter. When the daughter was ready for marriage, the father sent news around town that all the eligible young men should come to compete in a test that would determine who was fit to marry his daughter.

On that day, all was set, all the able-bodied young men came out. Some came with pen and paper, others with cutlasses and swords.

The rich man took them to his swimming pool and addressed the men: “Any of you who can swim from one end of this swimming pool to the other would marry my daughter. In addition, I‘ll give him $15 million, a car and a house so they can start life well. I shall be waiting to meet my son-in-law at the other end. Good luck!”

As the young men, all very excited at the prospect of winning, started taking off their shirts, a helicopter came over the pool and dropped alligators and crocodiles into the pool. Immediately, all the men turned back and started wearing their shirts back. Disappointed, some of them said, ”That’s crazy, let’s see who would marry that girl, no one will.”

All of a sudden, they heard a splash in the pool. Everybody watched in amazement as a young man waddled animatedly across the pool, avoiding the alligators and crocodiles.

Finally, he made it to the other side. The rich man could not believe it. He walked toward the young man smiling, but the man was still panting uncontrollably. When he pulled himself up, he demanded angrily, ”SHOW ME THE PERSON THAT PUSHED ME INSIDE THIS POOL!”

You don’t know what you are capable of doing until you are pushed. Those seeking to push you into the jaws of alligators and crocodiles might be helping you to reach your promised land. Sometimes it takes going through the worst moments to bring out the best in us. Trials are raw materials for triumphant testimonies.

Author Unknown

Meditation: “… Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” – Esther 4:14

You will succeed because Jesus loves You!

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Are You Pushing to Get to Destination?

Once an unhappy young man came to an old master and told him how he had a very sad life and asked for a solution.

The old master instructed the unhappy young man to put a handful of salt in a glass of water and then to drink it.

“How does it taste?” – the Master asked.

“Terrible.” – spat the apprentice.

The master chuckled and then asked the young man to take another handful of salt and put it in the lake. The two walked in silence to the nearby lake and when the apprentice swirled his handful of salt into the lake.

The old man said, “Now drink from the lake.”

As the water dripped down the young man’s chin, the master asked, “How does it taste?”

“Good!” – remarked the apprentice.

“Do you taste the salt?” – asked the Master.

“No.” – said the young man.

The master sat beside this troubled young man, took his hands, and said, “The pain of life is pure salt; no more, no less. The amount of pain in life remains the same, exactly the same. But the amount we taste of the ‘pain’ depends on the container we put it into. So when you are in pain, the only thing you can do is to enlarge your sense of things. Stop being a glass. Become a lake.”

Meditation: From the end of the earth I call to You when my heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. Ps 61:2 (KJV)

You will succeed because Jesus loves You!!!

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The Pains of Intimacy
Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow
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