In 1967, Ginny was a missionary, alone and in dire need of help. It was her first year of teaching in Kenya. She writes, “It had been raining heavily and I was driving my little VW beetle. Suddenly the thick mud caused the car to slither sideways until the back became firmly embedded in the ditch. I was so well stuck in the mud that only a forklift truck could have got me out. I tried to push it clear, but all in vain, so I got back into the car and locked myself in!
“I was in an area where bands of young thugs were terrorizing people, and in Africa there is always the danger of wild animals. For an hour, not a single vehicle passed, so I became increasingly cold and scared. From time to time I tried to get the car to move, to no avail, and all the time I was praying with my whole heart for the Lord to help me. “As darkness fell, I suddenly had a strong urge to start the engine again and, as I turned the key, I felt the car move effortlessly out of the solid mud of the ditch and back up on to the crest of the road! The car was not yet in gear, and I was absolutely dumbfounded! It felt just as if someone very strong had pushed me out, but I looked around and not a soul was in sight. I hadn’t the slightest doubt that God’s angels were there. Some answers to prayer just knock the breath out of you, and this was one of them.” -- (Excerpts from the book Angels —True Stories of How They Touch Our Lives by Hope Price.)
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Verse of the day:
Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? -- Rome 9:20-21 Think about it: The display cases at a pottery exhibition I visited recently were filled with items, large and small, some functional and some decorative, but all crafted with care. Practical coffee sets and elegant vases, ordinary fruit bowls and intricate ornaments, plaques and plates and figurines, mugs and jugs, jam jars and soup tureens, teapots, coffeepots, and sugar bowls—each item spoke of its creator’s passion and attention to detail. The art of fashioning clay into bricks, tiles, or porcelain objects is one of the oldest known to the human race. Each item started off as a lump of clay, more or less. What made the difference? A pair of skillful hands, to be sure, but more than that: a purpose and a design. Will this item be a slender vase to display bouquets of flowers, or a set of dishes? Will the craftsman fashion a tiny pitcher to pour cream for coffee, or a large jar for pickling vegetables? God is a potter. We are the clay vessels of His design. He fashioned each of us to be a unique vessel for a unique purpose. He knew exactly where to place each part, each handle, and each spout. He knew which areas needed to be solid and strong. No matter how inadequate I feel, and how many talents and qualities I lack, God knew what I would need for the purpose He created me to fulfill, my destiny. To grumble about or belittle what He has given me is as ridiculous as the fruit bowl lamenting, “I’m missing a spout,” or the vase complaining, “I’m too tall,” or the teapot moaning, “I’m just too fat.” And what about the plate? Would he gripe, “Why am I so flat and plain?” No, each of these items is designed to fulfill its function. I saw some beautiful examples of pottery at the exhibition, but when I got home, I didn’t regret not owning any of them. I was happy to pick up my old favorite coffee mug, which faithfully fulfills its purpose each day. I have a feeling that’s how God sees us. He made us and equipped us for what He wants us to be and do in this life, and nothing pleases Him more than seeing us live up to that potential. Even though this miracle happened a long time ago the principle of God’s help still applies. Hearing about what God has done for others in their time of need often helps us to have faith that He will take care of us as well.
Think about it: The China Inland Mission was founded by Hudson Taylor with the understanding it would never solicit funds, but trust God alone for provision. It was a lesson borne of Taylor's own experiences. When he first sensed God's calling him to missions, Hudson left his family's beautiful home and moved to the ghetto of Drainside, so named for the stench of its sewers. His purpose was to "endure hardness" and to "help those in need:' Near midnight one Sunday, he was called to the bedside of a sick woman and her starving children, who desperately needed financial help. Hudson tried to pray, but words wouldn't come, for he knew he had a silver coin that would alleviate this suffering and hunger. It was his last cent. Finally he capitulated, dug it from his pocket and reluctantly gave it to them. Returning home, he found only one bowl of porridge. I reminded the Lord as I knelt at my bedside of His own Word, that he who giveth to the poor lendeth to the Lord: I asked Him not to let my loan be a long one, or I should have no dinner next day. Next morning for breakfast my plate of porridge remained, and before it was consumed the postman's knock was heard at the door. I was not in the habit of receiving letters on Monday. On opening the envelope, I found nothing written within; but a pair of kid gloves from which, as 1 opened them in astonishment, half a sovereign fell to the ground. "Praise the Lord!" I exclaimed. "400 percent for twelve hours' investment; that is good interest." I cannot tell you how often my mind has recurred to this incident, or all the help it has been to me in circumstances of difficulty. If we are faithful to God in little things, we shall gain experience and strength that will be helpful to us in the more serious trials of life. By Jerry Paladino
Next Sunday is Easter. Like the majority of people (I actually have no stats on this, just assuming), I like Christmas: the warmth, family, love, great food, the amazing story and images behind it all. I have much preferred it over the years to Easter. Not sure why. Maybe it’s because in spite of the danger and violence found in the Christmas story (Jesus/Joseph/Mary being hunted like terrorists, Herod killing all the children under two, etc.), Christmas is magical with all its imagery, the blending of facts with the mystical, etc. It’s just a great story, which has definitely been embellished over the centuries. I don’t necessarily mean in a bad way, but in the sense that the two years or so that the whole story took place have been reduced to one night, or maybe a weekend, with all the amazing effects—star, birth, shepherds, wise men, fleeing to Egypt—and what a night or weekend at that!! Of course, that miniaturization makes sense, like a whole adventure of someone’s life or even a portion of history being condensed into a 90- to 120-minute movie; we do that, highlighting the important points, bringing out essential lessons, and we’re OK with that. It’s how we learn, especially when we don’t want to study volumes on a given subject. I have come to realize that I haven’t really appreciated Easter and its significance nearly as much as I should have over the years, nor given it its proper place of importance in my thoughts and musings. I mean, the whole purpose behind the story of Christmas is that Jesus came down to earth (God born as man) in order to first of all live as we live, give His message and example to all humanity, announce His Father’s kingdom, and then die for us—and saddest of all, to die at the very hands of the beings God had created in His love. Not a pretty picture of humanity; we don’t look good in this scenario. There’s a twinge of that in the Christmas story, but the Easter story really exposes fallen humankind as the villains… Sure, evil was there in the devil as well, but by whose hand was this perfect man tortured and killed? By the very beings created in His own image. We don’t come out looking very good in this whole thing, and perhaps that’s why the Easter story is mostly celebrated by the Christian world, while the Christmas story is something the entire world for the most part enjoys—albeit in many cases with them removing the hero and main character of the story and replacing Him with the fictitious Santa Claus. May you have a wonderful Easter, taking time to reflect on it all, and appreciate what Jesus has done for us/you. And if you haven't already may you receive His free gift of forgiveness and salvation. Visiting Refugee Camps
Anna, Croatia We made another trip to Bihac refugee camps. There were eight of us, so we often split into various activities: painting murals, aid distribution, performing shows, etc. We also did a TV interview. The day after we came back home, the lockdown started, and we haven’t been able to go back there yet. But I keep in touch with weekly Talk Times with the refugees in the camps in Bosnia and in Greece. (This trip was outstanding also because Michael, my husband, joined us on this trip in spite of not feeling well. When we got back, he was diagnosed with brain cancer, and went to be with Jesus on July 4th.) Reaching More Children Alina, Romania We have our own NGO, and have been involved in helping underprivileged families and organizing activities for children from the rural areas. Our country entered into full lockdown in March 2020. In April I started a Facebook page called Zana Povestilor (The Fairy of Stories), where I’ve posted Bible and other stories in Romanian and English. I also started a Facebook group for parents where I share activities that can be done on the same theme as the story of that week; and I share tips and inspirational articles about parenting. I created a YouTube channel with the same name. Summer Camps Jolanta (Faithy), Ukraine Summer brought a lot of sunny days, and we were happy for the opportunity to spend time with our children and students. After four months of lockdown, they were looking forward to our yearly summer camps at the Blue Lake. We were not able to have camps with a lot of participants, but we couldn’t disappoint the children. So, instead of the usual two big camps, we had four smaller camps. We had English lessons with Bible studies, swimming, sports, games, and stories by the campfire. It was beautiful to see our older students, who used to be the participants, working hard to organize the camps and lead different activities. Training Parents in Homeschooling Priscilla, Romania The pandemic has forced parents to tune into their kids more. Some are frustrated about it, while a lot of them are embarrassed to realize that they just don’t know how to do it. Many parents have called me saying: “You’ve been doing this for 20 years and you’ve managed to keep your sanity?! How do you do it?” I answered many calls, but eventually I decided to start teaching parents in groups. Some topics I’ve addressed online are teaching at home, healthy eating, indoor activities for the whole family, using the isolation to get close to your family, and how to connect with people when close interactions are discouraged Ministering to Homeschooling Parents Angela, Romania In the beginning of summer, I joined some homeschooling groups on Facebook. Some parents were desperately looking into alternatives of schooling for their children since the online school was not working for their kids. I offered to help counsel these families from my 20 years of experience in homeschooling. People from all over the country started writing in, and some days I had up to five counseling sessions. People asked for webinars. Now I have three webinars on different subjects and more in preparation. The people I have met online are thankful for my help and some are also buying the STEPS program and Start Early Poster Set. I’ve been in plenty of moving vehicles that came to a sudden halt, which took me by surprise. But none of these incidents could have prepared me for the sudden halt most of the world came to as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. As much as I’ve been taught about endtime events, I still wasn’t prepared for this widespread pandemic that would so suddenly throw much of the world into lockdown and many of its inhabitants into quarantine.
I would venture to say that we’ve been going through one of the biggest adjustment periods of our lives. It’s been challenging, both physically and emotionally. For me, the biggest adjustment was being unable to sing in nursing homes for an indefinite time. I say this with full awareness that lots of people have had their lives affected in far more difficult and tragic ways—and my heart goes out to them. I will also share some of the personal lessons I’ve been learning from this change which has me spending more time at home than I’m used to. Although thankfully, my inability to perform didn’t affect our income that much, it did initially feel a bit like a job loss, since singing in nursing homes has been the closest thing I’ve had to a regular job—and it was something I really enjoyed doing. But since I’ve had to forsake it for the time being, I feel I’m at least able to relate a little better to those who experience job loss than I previously was. I’m grateful for this, as it helps me share God’s love with others more effectively. I find myself learning the common lesson that when I’m too busy focusing on what I don’t have, I totally lose sight of what I do have, which is actually quite a bit when I think about it. As of now I am in good health, and I can say the same about my family and loved ones. Though we’ve been in quarantine for about a month now, my dad and I still have a great living situation where we’re at—with electricity, internet, and all the basic needs. Since I know how to use a computer and a smart phone, I have plenty to keep me busy. I can continue with the editing I’m involved in, write articles like this one, keep in touch with family and friends, keep my WhatsApp prayer group going strong, etc. I can also still sing and play music from home. It helps me realize that there are people in different parts of the world who don’t have it half as good as I’ve got it. Before the “stay at home” order was put in place, I really took for granted the opportunity to go outside for fresh air. I often got so engrossed in my daily work that I rarely took time to go out. Now, as per the current guidelines, exercise and fresh air are among the few essential reasons we can leave our houses, so I’m much more motivated to do it, as it keeps me from getting too restless. I have my share of concerns about my future, as well as that of the whole world. But dwelling on them and worrying about them does me no good whatsoever. It only serves to rob me of the Lord’s joy and peace. As the quote goes, “Worry doesn’t empty tomorrow of its troubles, but it does empty today of its strength.” All I can do is take things one day at a time, and follow the Lord’s leading step by step. In closing, I’d like to share the text of a Facebook post I wrote and posted shortly after going into quarantine. I pray you find it beneficial and encouraging.
Joyce, a trained nurse living in Devon, England, was worried about her husband who was seriously ill with heart and breathing problems. After a terrible night, the doctor came and warned Joyce that her husband was most unlikely to recover. Joyce, however, clung to a promise from the Lord back in February, when her husband had first become ill, that he would make a good recovery.
At bedtime, Joyce made her husband as comfortable as possible, although his gasping for breath meant he had to sleep sitting up. Joyce describes what happened next: “Just then angels started to surround our bungalow, shadowy figures, all facing inwards. There were so many I could not possibly count them. The chief one came and insisted I go to sleep; no harm would come while they were there. I slept amazingly well, waking only once to attend to my husband. At 8 o’clock the following morning, I was literally shaken from my sleep and, as I opened my eyes, the last few angels were departing. “The chief one was by me saying, ‘Hurry up, we have to go. All is well.’ And he was gone. I sat up and could hardly believe how peaceful my husband looked. He was pink and lying down, breathing easily, instead of blue and gasping. When the doctor saw him, he couldn’t speak for amazement.” Some time later the doctor said to Joyce, “Medically that was an impossibility. It was only your prayers and faith that saved him.” Joyce then told him about the angels. Her husband continued to make excellent progress. -- (Excerpts from the book Angels —True Stories of How They Touch Our Lives by Hope Price.) Verse of the day:
Think about it: What a difference an outside source of power can make! Before the invention of the threshing machine in the late 18th century, separating grain from the stalk and husk took considerable time and effort. Today, in most of the world, the combined tasks of reaping, binding, and threshing are usually done by a diesel- or gasoline-powered harvester, and one farmhand can harvest more in a day than a hundred farmhands could previously. You can apply the same principle to your own work, whatever it may be. You may think you are working efficiently and accomplishing a lot through your own efforts, like the hand-threshers of a bygone era no doubt did. But like them, the various challenges you face each day probably leave you feeling exhausted and drained. Why thresh out life’s problems “by hand” when there’s a great “machine” available, driven not by your own blood, sweat, and tears, but by God’s infinite power? The machine is activated by prayer. Here’s something you may want to try. List the main tasks ahead of you today, then ask God to help you with them. Before beginning each task, ask God to give you the guidance, strength, skill, patience, love, or whatever else you may need to do it right, and claim one of these promises of power. As the task progresses or new factors enter in, pray again accordingly. And if an unexpected challenge should present itself, rise up to meet it with God’s power—pray. Make an effort to do this over the next few days and see what a difference prayer makes.--Marge Banks Promises of power
God works in mysterious ways and often does the unexpected.
While we were at the Port Elizabeth fruit and vegetable market, we received a call from Beauty. She is a single mother, and two of her children are sponsored by our program. She said, “Our little dog Lucy was attacked by the neighbor’s dog, a pit bull, and she is dead. What should I do?” I was speechless. I thought about her children and how they must be traumatized and in need of comfort. I somehow tried to encourage Beauty, but she continued by telling me, “I phoned the municipality, but no one answered. I tried the municipal kennel, but no one has taken my call. I will go to the police and file a complaint against my neighbors.” I was baffled and did not know what to suggest, but before hanging up the phone I told her, “I’m sorry for what happened. I promise I will pray for you that the Lord gives you peace and serenity.” As soon as the phone call ended, my co-worker Michele and I prayed. I was busy for the next several hours, as I was doing the procurement of vegetables for the soup kitchen. A couple of hours later I called her and asked how the children were doing. “Well,” she replied, “when we left to go to the police station, our dog was dead, but now she is alive!” She went on to tell me that as soon as they returned home, they found Lucy at the front door alive. Beauty excitedly told me on the phone, “God answered your prayers, Lucy is alive!” |
AuthorThe goal of the blog is to provide interesting, motivational, soul feeding material. All to help remind us that God loves us all and wants a personal relationship with each of us and will take care of us in times of trouble. I aspire to be a force for good by providing you with positive input. I encourage you to share the blog with others. Archives
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