Let Go and Let God

Yesterday was an adventure that takes away your sense of control.

Have you ever had travel delays and been frustrated?  Maybe it is a late plane flight or things just not going the way you had planned with little explanation.  While drive down I-40 on the way to Memphis and making good time, the Check Gauges light goes on and the voltage meter drops to zero.  I pull in to a rest stop and lift the hood.  Now I am not sure what good that does, but still did that.  I got back into the truck and when I started the vehicle, the gauge showed charge and the lights went off.  About twenty miles down the road, the light came on again.  So I pulled over and shut off the truck again.  Started it back up and the light went off.  A few more miles down the road, the light came back on. 

I called Lynnette and she found a parts store who could check out the electrical system to see if I just have a back light or not.  At first they could not find any problems because I had turned the truck off.  Then I sat there with it running and soon the problem came back.  A bad voltage regulator.  The issue is it is inside the alternator.

Since I had a very important meeting in Little Rock, I was not a happy camper.  "God, why am I having these problems?  Next the one store in this small Tennessee town did not have the right part.  But they called around and found the part I needed.  Next was to get someone to put it on.  Again the local people called someone who was able to install it quickly and I was back on the road.

As I waiting, I thought,  "Humm, God is in control and there is a reason why I am delayed.  I may have been in a wreck if I had ignored the warnings or could have caused someone else to wreck.  The Lord is in charge and I just need to let God be in control."

The result was that I had a great meeting two hours late and know that letting God be in control ALWAYS gets the best results.    This entire road trip is to let God be in Control and to use me so that we can get  orders as a result of the next meetings.  One person I am meeting today has experienced his wife's Cancer surgery on Friday and pray that the Lord can use me to reflect the Lord's love.

So will you let go and let God be in charge today.  I have found it is a lot easier to say than do.  Yet the results are always the best for our lives!

The Lord's Voice

In your private moments with the Lord, have you ever asked Him a question and then paused, waiting for the answer?  Maybe you have said something profound or a little embarrassing and expected the Lord’s voice to come booming down from heaven to give approval or express dismay.

I have often thought that when I get to heaven, I’ll have a laundry list of questions to ask Him.  It may be about pain, or suffering, or poverty, or war, or hate, or many things that come to mind right now.  But don’t you wish we didn’t have to wait.  That He would just answer them now? 

Matthew 3: 16-17 gives us a glimpse of the communication relationship that has been present since the beginning of time.  It’s the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

At this one location all three are revealed at the same time.  We see Jesus being faithful to his Father’s wishes, the Holy Spirit moving like a dove, and the Father speaking His words of approval. At the beginning of Jesus’ ministry what better way to show the people that God’s Messiah had really come.  He speaks His approval for all to hear.

So how can we hear the Lord’s voice speak to us?

Have you ever had an issue in your life and pleaded for the Lord to answer your earnest prayer?  Then within a short period of time, a friend or even a stranger approached or called you and gave you the answer to that prayer.

This happened recently to me.  I was calling a business associate about and issue and heard in his voice a broken heart and nearly in tears.  I stopped the business side of the conversation and began talking about his issues. We talked for only a few minutes he then opened up.  During the next hour we discussed issues that paralleled my life of years past.  I related how the Lord had pulled me through and gave me the hope and joy that I experience today.  As I closed the conversation, this person told me that they had prayed all morning to the Lord for an answer.

Soooo . . . today you should pray expecting an answer.  Most importantly is to stop, look, and listen for the Lord to speak to you.  Your answers may come from the most unexpected place, but you will know that the Lord has spoken to you.  In fact, you may find yourself being the answer to someone else’s prayer.

Listen for His voice!

Matthew 3:16-17   After his baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on him. And a voice from heaven said, "This is my beloved Son, and I am fully pleased with him."

Enjoy the Ride

Ecclesiastes 3: 1-2 “Everything that happens in this world happens at the time God chooses. He sets the time for birth and the time for death, the time for planting and the time for pulling up. . .”

It was November 6th 1965, and a new rock and roll song was released to fans in America. The song was sung by a new group “The Byrds” and this song was different from most others being played on the radio. The song, “Turn, Turn, Turn” actually quoted the Bible. In just four weeks the song went to the top of the “Billboard” charts and remained there for a month.

Church youth groups began adding that song to their youth meetings, and today it is still played on the radio. I recall church leaders saying the song was sacrilege because it tied “wild” music to God. They wanted the song banned from the radio. Hmmm . . . if those leaders could only see us now!

Nevertheless, this week I have once again turned to the third chapter of Ecclesiastes, and found renewed truths. Today is in reflection of  my time together with Lynnette, I realized that this chapter applies to our lives. God has been in control of our lives together and He has done a much better job than I personally could have ever dreamed.

It was just a matter of realizing that the scripture applies as much today as it did when it was written. I continue to thank the Lord for each day for the time He gives us together. Lynnette is just the right person in my life at the right time of my life.

When we look at this chapter, each of us should see that no matter what takes place in our lives, who enters or who leaves, God shows us the vanity of all “human-only” pursuits, particularly when those pursuits are our only focus.

Instead we need to look at the contrast of that philosophy with the real blessedness through true wisdom found in a relationship with the Lord. What a choice! Our way or God’s way!

Look around today and you will see how giving your life’s decisions to the Lord is the wise way. Pray for wisdom to get us out of the way and put Him first. Then each day we only need to let go and let the words of Solomon help us find what He requires for that day.

Everything is on His timetable. Enjoy the ride!

Listen To The Corn

Growing up on a farm there were a lot of things that we loved to do after the sun went down.  If we could find some naive city kids, we would take them “snipe” hunting.  We’d find an empty grain bag and a flashlight and then head off to the back woods.  There we would chose one of the city kids to hold the bag while we were to chase the birds called “snipes” toward them.  The bag holder would have to whistle and call, “snipe, snipe” to attract any birds in the area.  As the years passed we became more polished in our trickery.  Now, we would go quietly out into the fields and yell so the snipe would run away from us and go into the bag. Living in the Midwest afforded nice flat to rolling land, and since there were no such birds in our area, we would walk back to the house and periodically yell from there, leaving the “bag kid” all alone.

Thinking my Dad was following in the same type of  tradition, one night said, “Let’s go to the field and hear the corn grow”.  My comment was, “Right!  I wasn’t born yesterday.”  Still he insisted so; we walked to the new cornfield.  The corn was about three inches high, the soil was damp after a spring rain the night before, and the moon was full.  I thought to myself, “There must be stupid written all over my face!   Listen to corn grow!”

Nevertheless, we laid down in one of the rows of corn.  My Dad simply said, “Be still and listen for God.  He’s moving in the corn tonight.”  With that, a twelve-year-old becomes really quiet.  After hearing the crickets, owls, and or sounds of the farm for about a half hour, I began to hear a slow squeaking sound.  It sounded just like a mouse was next to my ear.

When I questioned my Dad, he told me that in the early spring corn can grow as much as two inches in one night.  This quick growth produces a sound from the leaves pushing upwards from the stalk. 

He said, “If you are not still, then you miss the majesty of God showing us his caring nature.” 

That night I not only heard God in the corn, but also found Him in the rest of the night sounds that were so familiar at other times, such as birds singing at night or the moon’s halo that was present when there is moisture in the air.  But on that night, God was speaking to me! It was not just biology, but in listening to the corn, it was my time to commune with God.

For some, we are so busy that we rarely listen to God.  He may speak in a still small voice, or through nature, or a friend.  But He still speaks!

When you pray to hear God speak to you, listen carefully in areas you may not think are common.  More importantly it is vital that you pray for Him to give you wisdom to understand when he is talking.  Amazingly, He will give you that insight.

What are you doing to facilitate your private time?  Is there a place you can get away to and listen for God?  God loves you and his strongest desire is to have a relationship with you.  How can you find hope for your troubles if you do not take to time to seek His purpose for your life?  Each day does not have to be a grand revelation.  For you never know when all he wants you to do is to “listen to the corn.”

What are you doing to introduce God into your childrens’ lives?  Listening to the corn is one  way, but once you are in tune to hearing the Master’s voice, then you can help your children in their relationship that will last a lifetime.

In the Outfield

Have you ever watched a child of about four or five years and wondered what was going through his or her mind? Imagine this scenario: “The coach told me to come out here in right field. I’m a ballplayer. Dad says that T-ball is fun. They tell me to yell ‘Hey, batter, batter’.

But wait! What is that flying so high? It’s such a big bird. Look at him move so slowly. I think someday I’m going to fly like that.”

“Hi Mom!”, as he waves to his mother sitting in the bleachers. “What was it that just hopped by me? It’s a grasshopper. I can hop like that. Let me pick him up. Hey, Mr. Grasshopper, stop.” He now has his back to the infield and is on his knees attempting to catch the elusive grasshopper. “Wait,” he thinks, “who is that yelling? Why are all these guys running towards me? Am I in trouble? Oh, it’s the baseball they’re after. It’s right in front of me.” So he throws the ball back to one of his fellow players, he looks around for approval, and then drifts back to where the grasshopper had been. The grasshopper is gone but he instantly spots a butterfly.

Once again, he is in his own little world.

We have all watched “T” ball or little league players in the outfield going through the motions every week. Yet if we stop and watch these children in the outfield, we will see that there are so many life lessons we can learn.

Children worry about nothing and depend upon us to care for their safety, health, and guidance. As adults, we forget that Jesus taught us not to worry about such things, but to depend upon Him in the same way as our children depend on us.

Read Matthew 6:25-34, and as you strive for more faith in your life, remember that becoming like a little child is not being childish, but becoming as innocent as a little boy playing T-ball. Now I know why I love to watch children play ball. It makes me realize that life is too short to worry about stuff that I can not control.

Mentally, I need to make some time to be in the outfield as a child. 

 Matthew 6:25 – Do not worry about your life; what you will eat or what you will drink; or about your body and what you will put on. Isn’t life itself more important than just the pursuit of food and clothes?

Appearances Can be Deceiving

Have you ever had an instant urge to buy something because you were enticed by its appearance?  Or has something really looked good to you and the salesperson just told you how much you needed the item?  Maybe someone said how good you looked when you just came out of the hair salon.

Many people make their livelihood by getting you to buy something based on its appearance.  One area I was drawn into is that of the dreaded “timeshare”. Within 90 minutes the salesperson convinces you that you will impress others by being seen on the balcony of “YOUR” condo.  Then they add that this special deal is available only to you today.  So, do you crumble or do you stand your ground?  

Many of us allow “impulse” buying to take the upper hand in our lives.  The same is true about our decisions regarding people we know and those we see for the first time.

While directing a Christian Camp and Retreat Center, one of the leaders for a Senior High week planned this event.  It was Sunday night and the kids had gathered around in the chapel area for their icebreaker.  When the leader began his first thought, a young man walked in the back of the room.  It appeared that he had very little clothing to his name and was greasy and dirty from the lack of hygiene.  He walked halfway up to the center of the room and found an empty chair.  Immediately kids began moving away from him and gave him looks that could kill.  After about three minutes the leader stopped and quoted Paul in 2 Corinthians 10:7 - “The trouble with you is that you make your decisions on the basis of appearance.”  Then the leader introduced his friend, who was the freshmen student president of a large university.  The campers were silent as the leader explained how we should not make any judgment calls based on appearances.

We draw conclusions about people we know very little about.  We see an action in public and determine that it is their lifestyle.  Without knowing the real story and details, we make a judgment based upon appearance only.

 

When you meet someone for the first time, try not to make an impulse judgment based solely upon their appearance. Take the time to get to know them.  Find out their strengths and weaknesses. Love them where they are today.  In showing God’s love and grace to them, you will make a friend, learn a new truth about life and grow in wisdom.  Something that you might not have otherwise ever experienced because appearances can be deceiving.  

Why?

I know you are not suppose to ask “Why” questions as it is really a low level accusing question, but this is one I have never understood.

You sign up for a conference or convention, pay your fee, make travel plans, and anticipate how you will gain knowledge, peace, growth, and direction, whether  it is if for a business, ministry, or any other things that you want as part of your life.  

The leaders plan a full day, two, or even three day event that is designed to meet the needs of the attendees.  So my question is “Why do people not stay for the WHOLE conference?”  Any conference planners always save the very best for last.  Yet I was at a conference yesterday and was once again disappointed that in the last session, there were about 30% empty seats that weren’t there before the last session.

Not knowing the reason for their early departure, things run through my mind.  Did they have a plane to catch?  Did they set an appointment too close to the end of the conference?  Did they need to get a good spot at a restaurant?  Were they mad?  Were they bored?   So many scenarios run through my mind. 

I feel for the last speaker, as he walked out on the stage to see those empty seats.   But the best part was that his thoughts, message, and direction were dynamic for each person that did stay. 

So here I am this morning wondering “why”.  No answers, but feel like those who left missed the thoughts that tied the whole day together and gave great direction for the next steps were the really big losers.   Someday the WILL encounter what was presented and could help them in their journey.    Sad but they will not have answers,  just more questions, frustrations, and sadness.

If you go to a conference, plan on being there until the end.  Your biggest take away will be because you stayed.  Conferences are just planned that way.  For your growth!

It's Time to Catch On

During my junior high and high school years, I would go down in the basement and see our first television sitting in the corner. It doesn’t take much to remember when we first received this black and white wonder. The picture was fuzzy but it was our first real electronic marvel. At certain times of the evening, someone would have to stand near the antenna. We learned quickly that the body is a great signal booster for the television, so I watched a lot of the programs from a close angle as one hand held the end of the antenna to get the best signal. I recall Dad having something to say if I moved too much and made the picture go fuzzy.

Soon Dad discovered that a copper wire that was twisted to the top of the rabbit ear antenna and strung to the outside gave the best reception. Some of you may remember late in the evening when the stations would sign off. They would always play the “Star Spangled Banner” with an American flag waving in the breeze and then place a symbol on the screen with a continual hum. Our first color television did not have tint but rather a red, green, and yellow knob called “Technicolor”. Each program required you to turn the knobs in order to get what was called color television. If the signal was not strong the picture would move from black and white to color to a fuzzy mixture of color mixed with black and white. Nevertheless we thought it was great. Fast forward 50 years and we were looking at purchasing the next generation of television. There are so many questions as to what is best: Plasma, HD, 3D, LCD, 16 x 9, 4 x 3, digital vs. analog. Mercy, I am confused.

Even after getting on the Internet and searching for what is the best picture for the best value, I just stand in front of the screens in the store with my mouth open. The high definition screens allow these old eyes to watch a baseball game like I was there in the stands. Add surround sound and I am awestruck. Even though it was comfortable in past years to just have color television I have realized that maybe it’s time to catch on to the next level.

Living in the mountains of Tennessee, I love the slow life that the area affords. Many places and events remind me of the days gone by when life was simple. For the longest time I have looked forward to retiring and just “kicking back” to doing nothing.  Shame that is not me and so I keep going hard each day.

Last year, we went to a local high school football game. There over 1000 young people mingled among themselves, like they were lost. They were there just to have something to do. 

We are seeing so many churches that are just like the age of television. Some enjoy the black and white era of only anthems and dirges, while others have gone to simple hymns and gospel melodies. Still others try to mix the old and the new together. The problem is that they just don’t reach today’s and tomorrow’s generation.

Have you ever had the Lord show or tell you something and you respond, “Lord you really don’t want me to get involved, I just don’t fit in?” The Lord’s response is always, “Trust me. Catch up and hang on”.

Lynnette and I are looking forward now, even in our future years of being high definition people who strives for an impact to changing lives, even in a little mountain community, particularly to a generation that has nothing to do.

Maybe it’s time we all catch up to what the Lord is asking us to do. Don’t think about retirement, but run this race of life hard. Give your life away to others and the Lord’s work every day.   Why?  "For the sake of the call" (song by Steven Curtis Chapman).

No matter what your age, catch up to being a high definition person to others. 

Luke 12:19-21 I'll say to myself, Self, you've done well! You've got it made and can now retire. Take it easy and have the time of your life! Just then God showed up and said, 'Fool! Tonight you die. And your barn full of goods - who gets it?' That's what happens when you fill your barn with Self and not with God. 

So What's the Excitment?

The other night I had a conversation with a close friend in Florida and we began talking about church.  For the next few minutes, I went on about life change that I witnessed each week, the excitement of their vision with the statement that "we're going to make it hard to go to hell in East Tennessee".

Growing up in an extremely conservative church, meant you had to follow the rules that were given by Alexander Campbell, Barton Stone, Elias Smith, Thomas Campbell, and Walter Scott.  Yes I was taught from their teachings.  During that time there was very little discussed about "Grace".  It was following their church guidelines in doing the "work" of the Church.  It was not until 13 years ago that I examined a contemporary church that spoke on the grace of the Lord and not the works in the church.

Then when we moved to Tennessee, we searched for a church that met that criteria and vision for reaching the lost.  After some search, Lynnette said, "Guess we are just going to have to start a church here."  Note - BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU SAY WHEN TALKING ABOUT THE LORD'S CHURCH.

So our goal for these years here in Tennessee has been to partner with a church who carries the vision for expanding the kingdom and help the lost find eternal life in heaven. 

Having degrees so there can have great discussions on one sentence in the Bible does not help a person far from a relationship with the Lord to make a decision.  It has to come from your excitement in seeing the Lord work in a mighty way.    That is found in faith for the Lord to work in you for making the first step of seeing someone come to the Lord and witness life change.

I believe you are never too old to dream BIG.  If the Lord is calling you to more ministry or a new area of ministry, quit rationalizing your response and go for it.  You will be amazed the peace, joy, excitement, fulfillment, and many other adjectives that comes from faithful service in seeing that the lost in your area do not go to hell.

Read, listen, and  building a daily relationship with the Lord will give you  understanding for His place in your life.

Reading the Instructions!

Anyone who knows me realizes that I am a man that doesn’t generally read instruction manuals.

When my son was eight, I recall getting him a ten-speed bicycle for Christmas. The box had a number of parts located within two big plastic bags. After the children had gone to sleep it was time to assemble the bicycle.

Did I look over the instruction sheets? No way. It’s not natural for an “ADHD” personality, like me, to read the instructions until I encounter a problem. Within thirty minutes the bicycle was assembled.

Proudly, I turned the pedal only to have the chain fall off. I looked around on the garage floor and found about ten extra parts. Then I glanced at the instruction booklet and saw where a few of the extra parts were supposed to go. I had to disassemble it and begin again. Once again I finished the bicycle and was ready to test it. There were still a few extra parts, but I just imagined that the manufacturer was just being considerate of the “dumb” consumer by adding parts.

Wrong! The bicycle did not work properly, again. Finally, I sat down on the garage floor at 1:00 in the morning and read the instruction booklet from cover to cover. Amazingly, it went together exactly like it was designed. As you can tell, I’ve learned the hard way to read the instructions.

My wife, Lynnette, is exceptional at this task. I appreciate the fact that she reads every label and instruction booklet before beginning a project. And because she does, her efforts are successful. It drives my personality crazy, but I appreciate that she does it every time.

In Proverbs King Solomon encourages us to seek wisdom, and throughout the Scriptures, the Lord has given us instructions on how to live successful lives. Yet, too often we do not read the Bible or heed His advice until we have made terrible mistakes.

It’s only then that we remember His instruction book.

Don’t you think it is time for us to pull out the instruction manual and see what He has to say about living successful lives?   Maybe not wealthy lives, but successful lives!

Proverbs 8:33-34 Listen to my instruction and be wise; do not ignore it. Blessed is the man who listens to me.

Shortcut to a Relationship

Everywhere you look, there are shortcuts.  I use several one click shortcuts from my desktop screen in order to save time, when in reality I am only two clicks away in the first place.  Then there are "APS" or Applications for the phone and other devices.  You see that are shortcuts for most everything we do.

Last summer I went out and bought a push plow.  As a boy I was trained to walk behind and use this garden device that has a big front wheel, steer it with your upper body, and plow tongs in the lower back.  My Dad explained it as a shortcut for hoeing the ground around plants.  He taught me that if you lean the handles over while pushing  you can throw fresh dirt around the plant stems, kill weeds, and give them new soil nutrients.  I hated doing this but I was reminded that this helped the crops and gave me muscles.  At 150 lbs. I could use the muscles so I learned to love and hate this device.

Even when we broke down and bought a rototiller, I would have to go back down the rows and throw the fresh soil against the plants.  So much for shortcuts.

On-line dating or Cyber Dating is big today with one commercial noting that one in five relationships come from on line dating.  Yet you can put anything down on a profile and can get that date even though you do not reveal your true self.   I know of people who have invested several dates and a lot of time into an on-line relationship only to discover that it is not the real person they seeked.

Now I read on the Internet that churches are offering shortcuts for every aspect of religion.  Drive-in churches have been around for many years where you sit in your car with your coffee, pj's or whatever and get the service on your car radio.  Then they have men and women who go car to car to give out bulletins, take up offering, and hand out communion.  One church in Nashville took over a bank building and open it on Saturday and Sunday to offer drive up prayers.   Another church has drive up confessionals, while another has drive up communion.  So what is missing?  You get every aspect of Religion but void of anything else.

With all these shortcuts, people are missing out on the most important part of community.  Relationships!    If you just "GO" to church for one hour each week are you developing a friendship that is there for you when you have a problem or tragedy?   

As I have said before, the Creator of the Universe is passionately in love with YOU and all He wants is a relationship with you.  The Old Testament is about the Religion and rules to have a relationship with God.  But Jesus came to give you that personal relationship - One on One.  It is in this personal relationship with no shortcuts that gives your life direction, success, and fulfillment.

You can try any shortcut to a relationship with God, but all shortcuts are missing the most important need in our lives. If you are feeling alone you should take the time to build a personal one on one time with this Creator and look for others who walk beside you each day.   You'll see that personal relationships are so much better than any shortcut.

A "Blast" from the Past to Give Hope to the Future

It is strange how we tend to forget events from our childhood years until something triggers those memories. Even though some of them were tied to unpleasant tasks, or events within our families, or things such as planting crops by moonlight, we still had a life lesson to learn.

My Dad worked a full time job in the city during the day so when he got home at night he had to tend to the farm. But he always used some country psychology that worked quite well to get us to help him. Each spring my sister and I had to help plant crops. My sister would always find a way to step her foot in the water bucket and get sent to the house.  But that's for another day.

One evening we would plow the fields. The next night would include the final preparation of fertilizing and tilling the soil.   Then I had the mental preparation for being in the fields until 3:00 a.m. the following morning. You have no idea how many times I would go to bed praying for rain the next day for planting time.

Soon, I realized that those prayers would only put off the agony. I recall my father giving me the rationale for planting at night. “It is cooler at night so the plants get a better start before the heat of the sun wilts them”, he would say. Pop also said "Another reason for planting at night was that the moonlight made the plants grow taller." Dumb response that a child would believe?   It wasn’t until recently that I recalled the entire ordeal of spring planting time.

It was dusk on the mountain and as I walked outside the house I heard a sound that flooded me with those memories. The green water frogs were out in full chorus. I paused and listened and then recalled him say, “It’s not time to plant the first crops of spring until the water frogs are quieted three times”.  I remembered in my excitement to get plants into the ground one year I did not pay attention to his words of experience and numerous plants froze. 

God gives us signs each day that HE repeats day in and day out.  Year in and year out.  We are so busy with our technology that we forget what the Father is saying.   We just have to stop and look for them.

The Bible is filled with similar life experiences. But so often we wait until we fail before we fall back on the Scriptures for guidance. Jesus used these life lessons quite well to teach spiritual truths through common events. In Matthew 13, Jesus took an event found in everyday life and applied it to the kingdom of God. Likewise we need to open our eyes to the life events around us.

There is a message that the Lord has revealed to every one of us that should be passed on to our children and others. Those events can change lives and give us hope in a world that is becoming so twisted by people seeking their own agenda rather than God’s.

Isn’t there something you need to tell your friends, like a story from the past that will give hope and direction for their relationship with the Lord?

“A blast from the past to give a hope in the future”? (60’s term)

I Know How You Feel

As a young man, I recall going with my pastor to make calls on the sick. One such call will always remain in my memory. The lady we were visiting was about 40 and had a very aggressive and painful cancer.

As we entered her house, it was all I could do to not stare. She had been so full of life and active within the church yet now her body was now failing her. As the lady explained how she was handling the treatment for her cancer, the pastor sat down and within a very short time I heard him say, "I know just how you feel." When we left, I asked him if he had experienced that type of cancer. He said that he had not experienced any cancer. So I asked, "Then what gives you the right to tell her that you knew how she felt?"

He tried to explain that it was just a "saying" and a way to show compassion to the sick. It was then that I became determined to develop true compassion for the sick without saying things I didn't mean or couldn't know.

Several years ago, I faced the experience of a total thryoidectomy. The surgeons are required by law to tell you everything that could happen during and after surgery including the "C" word.   Their frank discussion resulted in one good thing to ten bad things that could happen.

Shortly after that meeting in the surgeon's office, a lady in our small group told me she knew what to expect. Jane had experienced the same surgery just months before, and as I witnessed her frustrations and progress, it gave me encouragement because I was now comfortable and now knew what to expect.  Her e-mail notes, cards, and hugs at church meant so much because, based on her own experience, I trusted what she had to say.

Jesus came to the earth for the purpose of building a relationship with each of us. His earthly struggles, from Bethlehem to Golgotha, gave him first hand experience that is of benefit to us. As a result, we can all trust that the Lord knows how we feel. No matter what is taking place in our lives, he can relate. And help.

Sometimes his help comes in a supernatural way. Sometimes he uses a friend who has already walked the journey we are about to embark. Either way, His help reflects the love God has for each of us.

Know that the Lord uses our trials, happiness and experiences so that we may lift someone we pass by to build on their relationship with the Lord.  The Lord WILL bring you along side of someone needing your experience just like Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch. (Acts 8:26-40).  The question is, “will you walk by or stop and be that friend who can lead someone to a relationship with the Savior of the Universe”?

You have been given a unique opportunity to help someone.  Are you looking down at your feet or looking around to be that friend to someone in real need?