Many people have concerns about the images children – especially girls – see, and the things they think about. Especially because a recent study showed that girls are hitting puberty at an incredibly early age, something which will have many far-reaching social consequences.

Thankfully, such children don’t have to go through life worrying. While it’s normal, and okay, to be concerned, we can be certain that if we cast our cares on Jesus, He will help us through.

This problem can seem especially daunting, of course. Children don’t develop extremely complex comprehension of things quickly. One could say that God, in His love and wisdom, allowed children to enjoy the fun of childhood longer, so their minds could develop before their bodies underwent a change. Even if the more extreme findings from the early 1800s aren’t typical, there has certainly been a decrease in the age of puberty over the last few decades.

Mankind consistently messes up the perfection of God’s system through sin, and this is no exception. Whether its chemicals, the many images Hollywood and Madison Avenue throw at our children, or a combination, mankind has warped things to the point that it’s hard enough for young adult women, let alone girls, to understand the simple truth.

What is that simple truth?

God knows you’re beautiful. He made you, and He loves you, just the way you are. You are a champion in His sight.

Different societies have different images of beauty. But, all focus on the outside. The Bible tells us that “Man looketh on the outward appearance, but God looketh on the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7) When children hit puberty, they begin to look more and more on the outward appearance of things. They won’t just think of a boy or girl as a nice playmate, or a good friend. They’ll start to think of how cute they are. Their hormones will take control. When they haven’t mastered the art of resisting those many impulses that cause them to act before thinking, problems surface.

They not only start to think about others in a different light, they begin to think of themselves that way. They may play grownup or teenager when little, but the ability to comprehend all that is involved in real life is limited. It’s like a three-year-old who pretends to cook dinner. They may throw something into a play oven, then get it out, without any comprehension of cooking time, recipes, or anything else that goes into making a meal. Let alone the mess that can result when they fix breakfast in bed for Mother’s Day, only to leave Mom with much more work when she comes downstairs.

We can see, then, that the problem of girls hitting puberty as younger ages is a big one – not only for the girls, as there will be those who reach it at the age they were meant to, but also for boys. And, this hasn’t even mentioend the parents!

So, what is the solution? The solution is the focus on the fabulous princess that God wants every girl to be – and the wonderful prince He wants every boy to be. Fabulous and wonderful not for what is on the outside, but for what is on the inside.

See, everyone has an internal monologue, which tells them things about themselves and the world. It can send positive or negative messages. The Psalmist may have hidden God’s Word in his heart, that he might not sin against God (Psalm 119:11), but God’s Word also has plenty of verses we can teach young people to hide in their hearts so they can learn to enjoy life and be free from the temptation to look like some Hollywood supermodel – someone who has likely been photo cropped, anyway, so doesn’t even look like that.

Consider verses such as Philippians 4:8 (things to think on that will help them: true, honest, just, lovely, etc.), Galatians 5:22-23 (Fruits of the Spirit are love, joy, peace, etc.), Romans 8:1 (“There is now therefore no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus” – which deals with sin being taken away, but which can help those who try to condemn themselves for not being good enough for something), all of Psalm 139 (such as being fearfully and wonderfuly made), and so on. So many thoughts can be part of girls’ and boys’ lives, thoughts which can build them up, as we are taught to edify one another.

How to Have that Perfect Relationship with God

That Holy Spirit guidance is there so that we may have life, and lfe more abundantly. (John 10:10) God wants us to have a good self image – but He wants us to have the right self image. An image based on the inside, which is the most important. It’s the part that is ultimately going to matter.

It’s true, of course, that we all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. He can’t have that perfect relationship with us because of that sin, so we can’t go to his perfect Heaven when w4e die, and we keep turning from Him here – as noted, messing up His perfect plan.

Thankfully, as quoted in Romans 8:1, there is a way for you to have no condemnation in you. You don’t have to be condemned for that sin, separated from God’s perfect love forever in a horrible place of suffering.

He reconciled Himself to each of us while we were yet sinners; He died for us before we could do anything for Him. (Romans 5:8) Then, the third day, He rose fromt he dead. (1 Corinthians 15:3-4, etc.) He defeated sin and death, because He – jesus Christ – is God in the flesh. He was able to take our sin away, and make a way for us to have that perfect relationship with God again.

We just have to receive that forgiveness. He sees each person – you – as a wonderful person, beloved of God. And, all you need to do is believe with your whole heart that He has saved you from your sin, and call on Him to forgive you. It is by grace you are saved through faith – and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

It’s as easy as AB: Admit you’re a sinner, Believe Jesus Christ – God in flesh – died for your sins, and rose fromt he dead, and Choose to repent – turn from those sins and invite Him into your heart to make you new on the inside.

Dealing With Problems Once You’re Saved

of course, teens, tweens, and everyone has temptations. Even Christians can fall for those negative thoughts if they’re not careful. That internal monologue needs to be closely guarded.

There are resources out there which can help. There’s a great book called “Before You meet Prince Charming” for girls, which can help them to see and learn to focus on that wonderful beauty they have – the ministry which promotes this, “Tomorrow’s Forefathers,” has a number of good resources. There are probably a number of local ministries, such as “Stealing Hollywood,” which help girls to understand these things.

The most important thing to remember, though, is that a positive self-image starts by realizing that you are someone special for your inward beauty. Kindness, gentleness, long suffering, and so on are fruits of the Spirit for a reason – they help to build in us the kind of people God wants us to be. People who care about the heart of others, and who want to make a difference in the world by putting God first in their lives.

Because when we start to see God as the ultimate goal, and Christ as the way, then we start to see how those things of the flesh really don’t matter in the long run. Oh, they’re wonderful tools to provide pleasure for a time, between a married couple.

But, that same married couple will grow old together, become wrinkled, feeble, and son on together, and lose the outward things of youth. However, if a person has placed his or her trust in Christ, their joy, kindness, peace, love, and so on will be forever. Because while those crushes of youth will fade, there is nothing which can separate us from the love – deep, unconditional love – of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39)

The recent announcement that Wal-Mart would tag clothing with the RFID chip, and the chip’s use for other purposes, has raised concerns among privacy advocates, as well as questions about whether the RFID chip might be the Mark of the Beast, as discussed in Revelation 13. Perhaps not as many have heard of RFID specifically – indeed, my fingers seem to want to type RDIF. (Relax, Dude, it’s Friday?) However, the notion of chip implants for numerous purposes is in the news a lot.

The fact that God’s Word told of microchip technology – as well as webcams and other things – over 1900 years ago isn’t the only thing that makes many wonder about chip implants. Privacy advocates also warn that they could lead to an Orwellian society in which everything is monitored.

A look at both sides reveals this to be a fascinating new technology. It’s not all horrible, as it has great uses. Still, in the wrong hands, it will, someday, led to great troubles. As we’ll see, the Mark of the Beast is clearly not the same as the RFID chip as used in 2010. However, because it could be used for evil rather easily, it is definitely something that – like the above webcams and satellites – could be used for evil purposes. However, there is a way to escape such a fate.

What Is the Mark of the Beast?

First, a look at Revelation 13 shows what the Mark of the Beast will be:

16 And he [note: the false prophet] causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast [the antichrist], or the number of his name.

This Mark is used for control and identification. The world ruler in this period will have great power. However, he won’t be just any ruler – he will eventually proclaim himself God (Dan. 9:27, 2 Thes. 2:4, Revelation 13, etc.) Indeed, that verse in Second Thessalonians says the ruler, known as the Antichrist, will exalt himself “above all that is called God, or that is worshipped.” He will force and demand worship. This is unlike God, as the Lord Jesus Christ lovingly lets us choose whether or not we wish to serve Him. He simply lets us know there can be severe consequences to our choices if they are poor ones.

In the beginning, though, this ruler will be just a great man – some will call him the greatest leader ever. He will unite many behind his global agenda. He will bring peace. In fact, he will likely be responsible – though maybe behind the scenes – for the rebuilding of a Jewish temple in Jerusalem. In the middle of a seven-year period, though, he will break a covenant with the Jewish people, and wage war against them. (Dan. 9:27)

His mark is one of control. Note that nobody may buy or sell without it. They will be forced to declare allegiance to the Antichrist and his government. Either he, or his realm, will suffer a deadly wound which will be healed.

Rev. 13:3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.
4 And they worshipped the dragon [the devil] which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?
…
14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.
15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.

You can read all of Revelation 13 on your own, but notice that the one who sets up this image will also be the one implementing the Mark of the Beast. Through holograms, computer animation, or some other means, the image will speak.

We see, then, that the Mark of the Beast will be much more than just an ID tag. Oh, it will most likely contain that. It’s quite possible that it will contain all vital information. At the rate things are going, it could contain an internet connection!

People have worried many things were the Mark in the past – Bar codes, credit cards (VI is 6 in Latin, and the number of the Beast is 666), tattoos, and so on. The reason people believed things like credit cards were the Mark is because they twisted Bible prophecy to their own era. That’s normal – the Thessalonians did the same thing. Believers were confused because they thought they were supposed to all disappear in the twinkling of an eye, instead of dying one by one. Paul had to comfort them that those who trusted Christ as Savior and then died were in Heaven; (1 Thess. 4:13-18)

This doesn’t mean the mark won’t be like any of those. Each of those places us closer to the Mark. The Mark isn’t RFID in the way it is being used now. However, the RFID chip, like a credit card, is an ID that means people are more accustomed to these things.

it is a sign of the times. In other words, we probably know now how many of those things in Revelation chapter 13 occur.

We must read the Bible literally. Sometimes it’s hard, like before satellites, webcams, and the like, Rev. 11:9-10 (all the nations of the world looking on two dead bodies) was hard to understand. Like the Mark of the Beast, though, it will happen. Something will be put into people, to cause them to be monitored, to swear allegiance to the Antichrist, and so prevent them from buying or selling anything without it.

Still, privacy experts are worried. So, what is RFID, and what isn’t it?

The RFID Chip and Other Implants

Despite the typo I mentioned, RFID is not a typo for Relax, Dude, it’s Friday. It stands for Radio Frequency Identification. An RFID tag is used to monitor an item, animal, or person by using radio waves. It can be used to track and identify merchandise. However, it can also be used to monitor animals – such as finding lost pets – or humans. The FDA has approved one – called Verichip – for use in humans; and it has raised even more alarms.

It can be read from farther away than traditional bar codes. (A funny sounding term when one considers those haven’t been around for that many decades.) This leads to numerous concerns, such as identity theft. It also could be monitored if a tracking device such as a GPS system were placed inside of one.

There are, of course, benefits to RFID chips as well. At times, mankind has invented things and even put them into mass production without considering all the possible drawbacks or increasing safety first – people died on rare occasion from shocks caused the earliest lights, for instance.

While there are safety concerns, proponents of the chips, if they were honest, would likely acknowledge the potential problems, and promise to solve those, as was done with electricity. After all, microchip technology does allow things to be identified faster than ever, monitored for problems easier than ever, and so on.

However, problems with insulating electrical wires enough are technical in nature. It’s easy to fix a light switch when you have the technology. It’s impossible for people to fix human nature totally – sure, they can make things better, but imperfect people can’t lift other imperfect people above the level of imperfection. They can’t make people perfect.

Since people can’t become perfect on their own, there will always be people out there who can use microchip technology for their own, evil ends. Some of these can easily become leaders of entire nations. In other words, the RFID Chip as it is being used now is not yet the Mark of the Beast.

However, it’s easy to see how it can be. It’s easy to see how something that is meant only for identification can rob a person of liberty, and be used to control everything he or she consumes. It’s quite possible that the information on a chip can be programmed, so that a person’s identify can be changed or wiped out.

And, given human nature, it’s only a matter of time before someone does just that.

What’s better, though, is knowing how to avoid the pain and suffering. God has clearly wanred us that this Mark will be used as a sign of worship to the Beast, the devil. And, He has provided a way to avoid it.

Rev. 14:9 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,
10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.

How to avoid that terrible fate?

q. Remember, this world is not our home. We will spend forever in one of two homes, Heaven or Hell. The verses above describe Hell. The Bible tells us many times what Heaven will be like. It is a place where nobody has seen, heard, or imagined the wonders. Just picture a world with no suffering, no pain, no death, where everyone is peaceful – including the animals!

Heaven will be filled with the most joyous things, and most amazing sights and sounds. It will be like a person, totally blind from birth, suddenly seeing perfectly. Our finite minds can’t grasp the wonders that await us.

The way to avoid the Mark now is to simply “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.” (Acts 16:31) We are in the Church Age, and have not yet seen the worst that mankind will do. That may be hard to believe, with the increase in violence, hatred, lawlessness, and so on. But, it will continue to get worse.

Right now, though, you can put your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ to forgive you for your sin. We don’t all commit every sin. There are some who have never stolen, for example, but who haave told lies. No sin can enter into the presence of God. So, God Himself, in the form of a man, Jesus Christ, came to this world to die on the cross, and to rise from the dead. He took your sins and mine on Himself (2 Peter 2:24), taking the punishment so we could go to Heaven.

And, the wonderful thing is, He will come live in you right now, and guide you through the many problems of life. He does that through the Holy Spirit, which is another way God manifests Himself.

All if takes to do ths is to receive Him by simple faith: believe that He died for you and rose from the dead, that He took the punishment for your sins, and repent of them. That means agreeing with God that you need Him to save you, and invite Him to do so; invite Him to come live in your heart to change you on the inside.

One day, He which letteth (the Holy Spirit) will be taken out of the way, and the “man of lawlessness” (the Antichrist) will be revealed. (2 Thess. 2:7-8) If that time has come by the time you read this, you may still receive Him by faith, like above, but things will be a lot tougher. You may well be one of those who is beheaded in the end for the cause of Christ. However, you will be sure of going to heaven, and in the meantime, you can trust in God to guide you through things. It’s just that His Holy Spirit will not be able to indwell believers in the end, since He will have left the earth. Instead, He will be on believers to guide them, just as He was in the Old Testament.

Thankfully, we know that at that time, if you endure to the end, you will be saved.

It’s official. LeBron James has announced on ESPN he will sign with the Miami Heat. A story with a lot of speculation has finally ended. Now, one of the best NBA players today has his next few years set.

This is important, because in all this talk about his loyalty, when “King James” might win an NBA title, or whether Chris Bosh might have refused to join him in Cleveland or not, there are other things to look at in this story: things such as talent, money, loyalty, and the manning of life.

Really. Because, no matter what happened with him, there is a faithful friend to save you from the evils of this world, help you build Heavenly treasures that last forever, and, help you make the right decisions, no matter what.

1. Obviously, it means he’s got a lot of basketball talent. Top actors get millions of dollars for acting talent. Top athletes get the same for athletic talent. Their jobs, as entertainers, aren’t as crucial as many others, but they share one thing: In this society, they can earn tons of money based on the fact they’ve used their God-given talent to the best of their ability.

We don’t often think about actors and actresses making millions per role, because we only see them in movies or on TV. They’ve gotten their millions long before the movie or show we see. If it bombs, they can hide behind the character, or the script gets blamed. Athletes, on the other hand, do what they do thousands of times a season – shoot a ball, throw, putt, what have you. Their misses pile up more than that performer’s one big miss on the big screen or TV, which is surrounded by so much else.

Both, however, use abilities that aren’t their own. Sure, hours of practice a day pays off, and some have to work harder. But, most people couldn’t shoot a basketball while being guarded like even the worst NBA player, even practicing 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Most people couldn’t memorize every line flawlessly, doing all the proper inflections and really bringing a character to life, for months at a time. Yes, there are club pros in golf and local radio station voice actors who pitch great local businesses. But, these are far cries from Tiger Woods or Tom Hanks – or even the Maytag Repairman.

Jesus tells us to consider the gifts God gave us, and thank Him for them. None of us can add an inch to our stature by mere thought.(Mat. 6:27) We can’t just think and suddenly become talented. God gives some people those talents, just as He gives some people other gifts, such as teaching, or the ability to learn manual skills like plumbing, or complex math.

Every one of us has different skills. You have a special skill, even if you don’t quite know what it is yet. If you put energy into it, you can accomplish great things with God’s help. However, remember that this skill is something you were born with, something given by God. We need to be thankful for our skills.

2. LeBron will also get a lot of money. No, some people don’t get as much money as others for their skills. And, some are certainly more important than acting or athletic ones. However, the important thing is, God sees and understands what you are given. And, He will reward you in the end, if you use it for Him and build treasure in Heaven.

The old maxim is true that money doesn’t buy happiness. It can buy things that make us happy for a time. Still, in the end, those things will grow old, wear out, lose value, or even, possibly, be taken from us. However, Heavenly treasure will be forever new, and can never be taken away. This means that LeBron will get a lot of something that will one day have no value. But, he can use it to build rewards in Heaven by helping others.

However, God doesn’t care about how much money we have here on earth. He cares about our heart. He knows our hearts, and just wants us to give what we have for Him. He doesn’t care that we don’t have a lot – Jeuss said that s widow who gave a few little coins as an offering had given more than a rich person who gave millions.

Even when we mess up and go after our own desires, though, God will lovingly call us back to Himself, so we can choose to do that which is right. Because, He is always loyal to us, alwys faithful even when we’re not.

3. Loyalty was discussed during the debate over where LeBron would go.

We need to keep focused on the one who is always loyal and faithful, though. It’s easy to put our trust in people. However, God has given us His Word, that He had something special for us. He has a plan for each person’s life that is better than we could ever plan for ourselves. He has a plan for LeBron’s life. Whether LeBron followed God’s plan, I’m not sure; nobody can know his heart for certain but God Himself.

We know one thing, though. Since different people wanted different things, God’s plan went against some peoples’ idea of what he should do. That’s normal, and it shows that our ways aren’t always best. If LeBron doesn’t know God personally, God can use this to lovingly draw LeBron to Him.

When we don’t like what goes on in our lives, all we have to do is trust in God. He will always do what’s best for us. Each of us is where we are in life today, because God has put us there, or God – in His love giving us free will to choose – allowed us to get there so God could help us to learn more about His great love for us. That is the loyalty God has for us, always working to make things better in our lives, though we sometimes flat refuse and turn away from Him.

The awesome thing is, He can be loyal to all who have received Him at once, as He lovingly calls those who haven’t. Because, He has ways to work things for the best for each of us in the end. Romans 8:28 promises that “All things work together for good to them that love God, to them that are called according to his purpose.”

So, no matter what, God can work it for good, along with all the other things in life. Because, God is always trying to work things together for good, to those who love Him; even if our choices get in the way. The story of LeBron James is one of a person who has made a lot out of his God-given talent, using it to play a game. I don’t know if he’s doing anything for the Lord to earn eternal treasures in Heaven, or if so, what it is. Only God knows his heart, and whether His perfect will played any role in LeBraon’s decision.

Life, though, is all about putting others first, and using those talent to bring glory and honor to God by drawing others to His great love. Because, He is willing that none perish, but that all come to repentance. He will be loyal to all who come to Him by faith.

It won’t always be just what we want, but for those who receive Him, they will have a faithful Friend who will live in them and always work things together for good.

How do I have that in my life?

It’s as easy as ABC – Admit, Believe, Choose.

A. Admit you need Him in your heart and life to save you. See, all we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned each one to his own way. And, the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all. (Is. 53:6) This means all of us have turned away from Him. Oh, we might not have meant to, but we do, because we choose our own way.

LeBron is just like you and I and everyone else in one important way. All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. (Rom. 3:23) That means we’ve all fallen short of His mark, which is perfection. Whether he chose what God wanted, I don’t know, but each of us has sinned – that means we’ve fallen short of God’s standard of perfection.

We need saved from that sin, because only then can we have that relationship with God here, and be in His perfect Heaven someday; a place where there is no pain, no suffering, no tears. Nobody can do mean stuff there. No one can imagine the wonderful things that will be there. There won’t be any sin, though, so we must accept we need God to take the punishment for our sins, and change us on the inside. The wages – what we earn – of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal lie through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Rom. 6:23)

Next is:
B Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. (Acts 16:31) That means to believe that Jesus Christ is God in flesh (John 1:1, 14; 10:30; etc.), and that He took your punishment for your sin when he died on the cross for you and rose from the dead. He shed His blood for you; because that was the only price high enough to cleanse this whole world from sin. He died for you, but then, He rose from the dead, just as He will raise us one day, some to eternal life, some to everlasting destruction.

You must believe that He took the whole punishment for your sins when He did that. There is nothing you could do, because none of us can achieve perfection. And, He has to make it perfect, or it wouldn’t be Heaven. If He let even one drop of sin into Heaven, there would be suffering somewhere, or pain, or something else bad. Then, it wouldn’t be Heaven. So, He has to keep all sin out.

Finally,
C. Choose to repent and receive Him as your personal Savior. That means that you need to choose to let Him make you new on the inside. If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away, all things are become new. (2 Cor. 5:17)

Once you have done that, you can know for sure you in his family (1 John 5:13), if you have received Him by simple faith. (John 1:12)

That’s how Jesus makes you fit for Heaven. He first changes you when you trust Him to save you by simple faith. You receive Him into your heart by calling on Him to save you and repenting – turning from your sin. Once you invite Him into your heart, Jesus lives in you through God the Holy Spirit. Then, He will help you grow to be more like Him; more loving, compassionate, and so on.

You can receive that now – while the prayer itself doesn’t save you, you can pray something like this, in your own words, and receive Him into your heart and life: “Dear Lord Jesus, I know I’m a sinner. I know I haven’t always done what’s right. I’ve tried my way, Lord, and I realize I need to trust You completely instead. I believe You died on the cross for my sins, and rose from the dead; You took my punishment for my sins, because I couldn’t get to Your perfect heaven myself. Lord Jesus, I invite You into my heart to live in me and change me on the inside, so I can follow Your perfect ways, and have a Friend to help me if I mess up. Thank you Lord Jesus, for hearing my prayer, saving my soul, and coming to live in my heart, In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

It’s not the prayer that saves. But, it’s your faith, which you can remember putting in Jesus easier when you have a time you know you prayed to receive Him.

And when you receive Him, He will never leave you, nor forsake you. (Heb. 13:5) He will help you to make all the right decisions, if you just trust Him, because He will always give wisdom to those who ask. (James 1:5)

How I miss my Mom’s Bible Study.  We were a group of women who dedicated our time to studying God’s Word and dedicated our time to each other.  We trusted each other with our deepest, darkest feelings with no fear of judgment or persecution.  We knew we would only receive love and prayer.

I have followed my beloved husband to New York in hopes of a better life.  He was to maintain a better job.  The area would be a better place to raise our children.  We would sustain ourselves through use of our land.

Well, he does not have a job. Our neighbors and others surrounding us are evildoers.   I am having a tough time sustaining my land with crops as it is exhausting, time consuming, and frustrating.  There are a lot of nice people in my church but no one I really feel a connection with.  I have tried to start up a women’s group but these women do not seem to feel the need to give up their extra time for one another let alone the Lord.  We have a couple of registered child molesters living on our street. And I have no one to confide in.  Well, I can talk to my husband.   Although he believes in God, we are not at the same crossroads.   He listens but does not hear me.   His troubles are always so much more…

So what has all this taught me.  You know, God uses everything, people and situations for His purpose.  This has truly taught me that the only person, being, anyone can truly count on is their Heavenly Daddy.  He is the only thing I can trust.  He is my best friend.  He is the only one that knows my inmost being, every thought, feeling, whim, desire….This has taught me to totally rely on Him for everything and that is what He wants.

Thank you, Lord, for this tough road and this revelation.   I love you, Lord. Praise God!

The book is entitled simply, “How To Cast Out Demons.” Period. No apologies. No subtitles. It is written by a no-nonsense grandmother, Doris Wagner, the wife of C. Peter Wagner, whose ministry is doing just that – casting out demons and setting people free. And the book is fantastic, straight forward, and to the point.

Seeing that I am presently working on developing a deliverance team for my home church, I had committed myself to read through this book. And since I ride the train to and from work every day for 25 minutes or so each way, I can find no better method to knock off a book in a week or so than to turn my train time into study time. I have found that my book selections often generate curiosity, stares and conversation with various train riders, and I’ve grown accustomed to it to some degree. I will admit, though, that the “in-your-face” title of this particular book led me to feel a bit self-conscious about reading it during my train time, a fact that I’m not proud of. I am by no means shy about my faith, but I couldn’t help but wonder – what would people think when they saw the title?

I discovered just that on this morning as I was waiting for the train and beginning my morning reading. A fellow train rider sat next to me on the bench as I waited for the train, deeply engrossed in what Doris had to say this morning about occult practices and how this led to demonization. I didn’t really notice his stare until he spoke to me.

He said plainly, “You must be a minister.”

I looked up halfway and murmured, “yes,” in a way that indicated I was much more interested in reading than talking. (I know, I know – “be ready in season and out of season.”).

“Hmmm, I figured so,” he said, pulling his own well-worn Bible from a backpack. A believer, I thought. Now my curiosity was aroused.

“How did you know?” I asked.

He pointed to my book. “I figured only a minister would be reading something like that.”

The book. Suddenly I felt self-conscious again, wondering what would come next. I didn’t have to wait long.

“So tell me,” he asked, “What sort of people need deliverance? Drug addicts?”

Straightforward and to the point. Respectful and curious. He now had my full attention. The Teacher rose up in me. He desired information, and he had picked the right tree to get a barrel of apples this morning…

I closed my book and turned to him. “Drug addicts, divorce victims, rape victims, victims of abuse, witches, people with sexual addictions, smokers, violent people, adopted children, emotionally wounded people. the list goes on.”

“So, basically, just about anyone,” he said. “Tell me, can Christians be possessed?”

“Christians can be demonized,” I assured him.

“But how can a person with the spirit of God living inside of them have a demon?” He asked honestly. I saw the sincerity in his eyes, heard the hunger in his voice.

“Excellent question,” I affirmed. I was now in full teaching gear. “You and I are not simple beings; we are tri-fold beings, just like the nature of God. We are body, soul and spirit. Our spirit became born again once we accepted salvation, but the rest of our system, our soul and our body, experience salvation as a process, sanctification and then glorification. As a result, we cannot be possessed by a demonic spirit, but they can still afflict us in our bodies and in our minds, wills, and emotions. We experience demonic oppression as mental strongholds and spiritual bondages. Just like Joshua and the Israelites had to expel the enemy from the promised land that God had given them, we often have to expel demonic forces from our soul and body so that the Lord can have complete control over our systems.”

I was on a role now, talking fast and trying to make my explanations clear, for the train was now coming. A few other train riders were also listening, but trying hard not to look like they were doing so. I now had a class going, and I wanted to get to the end of the brief lesson.

My friend was a fast learner. “So let me get this right, “he said. “We believers can’t be possessed by the devil, but we can be influenced and afflicted in parts of our system.”

I applauded. I couldn’t have said it better myself. I threw in a few more scriptures of support, and then we stepped onto different train cars and parted ways. I wondered several things: Should I have gotten on the car with him and continued the dialogue? Was there more to be shared? Was I effective with what I had shared? Did he have more questions that I could have answered? Even more, did he have a particular need that I could have met?

As I rode on to work, I made myself a couple of promises – I would pay more attention to those who wanted to talk (I could always study later), and I would stay ready to answer. I will always remember the wisdom of 1 Peter 3:15 – “But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience.”

Lord, strengthen me to do just that, with gentleness and respect.

Memorial day is one of the most precious days of the year. It is the day to remember all the fallen soldiers that paid the ultimate price defending our country. They paid the price no matter how they felt about the war…whether it was a war worth fighting for…they just did anyway.
To you and your families I say “Thank you for your sacrifice!” I want also thank all the soldiers and their families who are serving now!

Check out these great videos that pay tribute to our fallen soldiers.  I love this “Memorial Day Video” by www.ShareFaith.com

Here is another beautiful video I have found…enjoy!
The Sacrifice Of One

Also, as we remember those who gave their lives for us, let us not forget the one who willingly gave his life as well so that we can live. His name was Jesus. He sacrificed himself while we were still sinners…while we did not even care about him. In a sense Jesus died not for his friends but for his enemies…he died for people who despised him. It took a little while for that to sink in with me. What an amazing sacrifice and what an amazing God. Thank you father for sending your son to die for me…so I can have relationship with you. Help me remember every day that Jesus died for me.

Finally, you’ll love some of the following sites like Mental Floss with a great article “10 Things to remember about Memorial Day“.  If you have a chance, check out one of many Memorial Day Concerts like the headlining Brad Paisley and Lionel Richie.  Lastly, check out and get involved with “Operation Write Home!”

May God Bless America this Memorial Day Weekend!!!  Don’t forget to pray for our country and for our leaders, including our president every day!

Who gets into Heaven?  How well do you know your Bible?  Get the answer here!

Do you really know what it means to be a Christian and what the bible takes to get into heaven?

Person A…
…has a heart for serving.  She even goes to India and all her life serves the poor.  She heard about Jesus and believes that he was a good man but does not believe that he is her savior.  Will person A get into heaven?

See the answer on the next page... 

 Person B…
…was raised in a Christian home, and was baptized as a baby.  He tries to live a good life to be worthy of getting into heaven.  Will person B get into heaven?

See the answer on the next page... 

Person C…
… believes that there are many ways to get into heaven.  Jesus, Buddha, Mohammed will all get him into heaven.  Will person C get into heaven?

See the answer on the next page... 

Person D…
…was a Nazi responsible for killing 500,000 people in one of the concentration camps.  At the end of his life he repents for his many sins and accepts Jesus as his personal savior.  Will person D get into heaven?

See the answer on the next page... 

Person E…
…is a dedicated Muslim.  He prays five times per day and follows all the laws and traditions of his faith.  Will person E get into heaven?

See the answer on the next page...

Person F…
…believes that Jesus died for all of mankind.  He goes to Church frequently and loves to sing worship songs.  He does not see the need to personally accept Jesus since he died for all of mankind.  Will person F get into heaven?

See the answer on the next page...

Person G…
…believes that all of us will go to heaven because God is a merciful God.  Will person G get into heaven?

See the answer on the next page...

Person H…
…followed all the 600+ laws and commandments of the Bible that are humanly possible. Will person H get into heaven?

See the answer on the next page...

Person I…
…said the sinners prayer and accepted Jesus Christ as his savior many years ago.  However, his life never Changed.  He does not read the Bible and has not been to church since the day he accepted Jesus.  Will person I get into heaven?

See the answer on the next page...

Person J…
…had classmates in grade school tell him about Jesus, but he thought those messengers were narrow minded and angry.  Later in his life others invited him to Jesus but he the other messengers were flawed too.  Will he be able to say he never heard the Gospel?  Will person J get into heaven?

See the answer on the next page...

Person K…
…accepted Jesus has his personal savior.  He still makes mistakes, however, one can see a real difference in his life.  He has a personal relationship with Jesus, reads the bible, is involved in Church.  He realizes that his good deeds will never get him into heaven, but Jesus’ did for him so that he can.  Will person K get into heaven?

See the answer on the next page...

Person L…
…he died many years ago but is trying to work it out in purgatory.  Will person L get into heaven?

See the answer on the next page...

Person M…
…made some mistakes in this life but hopes to get another chance and be better in the next life.  Will person M get into heaven?

See the answer on the next page...

Click Here For The Answers

Try Our New Quiz Format

Also, check out some of these resources I found…like Desiring God, that talk about how to teach our children.

“At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, ‘Ask for whatever you want Me to give you.’ Solomon answered, ‘Give Your servant a discerning heart to govern Your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of Yours.’ The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this.”- I Kings 3:5,9-10

You may recall in last Sunday’s message I shared about the keys to a SUCCESSFUL LIFE. One of the examples I drew from was the life of King Solomon (David’s son). In the above story God asked Solomon one question, a question that I think many of us would desire God to ask of us, “WHAT DO YOU WANT?” When Solomon answers the question, Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! (that was Solomon answering the question correctly J), God ensures Solomon even more than he requested and that he would be unequaled among men.

This story of Solomon’s encounter came alive to me one night last week as I was getting the boys ready for sleep. I was reading them the story of King Solomon. I paused for a moment and asked each of the boys what they would want if God asked them the one question He asked of Solomon. One of the boys immediately stated that he would ask for 10,500 of his favorite toys! I then turned to Ian and asked him what his request would be. He paused for a moment, then looked up to me, and with his larger-than-life heart said, “I would want all the people in the world to know God.” This is the type of thing that makes a father proud, a moment when I am sitting in the stands of life shouting out, “That’s my boy!”

But even greater than the joy I felt at that moment was the immeasurable pleasure that God must have felt as one of His kids was getting a Ding! Ding! Ding! from the throne-room of heaven. Ian’s answer was not shocking, as he has always demonstrated a sweet spirit and sensitivity to the Lord, but it was quite special, 100% right, and an important reminder to me that my answers to God (like Ian’s was) should focus on two things very near and dear to God (Matthew 22:37-38):

1)Seeking the Heart of God - Our aim should be that our words, thoughts, actions, and life are pleasing to the Lord. We are not to get so caught up in ourselves, that we fail to catch the bigger thing that our life is to be about and that God wants us to do (no matter how fun 10,500 of our favorite things would be).

2)Helping People – In the light of the recent earthquake in Haiti, a tragedy that has rocked a nation, leaving destruction and death in its wake, we are seeing scores of people being sent to serve and money/supplies being gathered to support the relief efforts. In the midst of disaster we are seeing the best come out of people as they are giving everything of themselves to those who need real help and a real touch. We must be reminded that every day right where we live there are people who need to be rescued from the rubble of life.

Ding! Ding! Ding!…what’s that sound you ask? Why, I believe it is God signaling His approval to us individually and as a church family as we take Ian’s cue and lead, by seeking to serve Him and seeing people come to know Him.

Looking back over the past year I consider it nothing but a miracle that I could handle one of the saddest times in my life so well.  My Dad had been the victim of Parkinson disease for more than 20 years.  It is so sad to see a loved one who is so intelligent be reduced to such a state of dementia and helplessness.  Finally Dad quit walking and had to be admitted to a nursing home.  I always prayed through the years for his healing.  Well, the Parkinson’s was pretty much under control for the 6 years he was a resident in the home.  Things seemed to settle to a “normal” routine until last March.  He started to lose a lot of weight and he developed a cough.  Tests unfortunately came back as terminal lung cancer. NOBODY in Dad’s family had ever had lung cancer or any kind of cancer.  Of course right away I started making my bargains with God if he would heal him.  Unfortunately this wasn’t to be.  But I started seeming an appreciation for a man I so dearly loved.  I spent all the time I could with him.  So many prayers went up on his behalf.

Looking back I truly believe I received a blessing called time to spend and talk with a loved one.  I would sit and talk with him and through his dementia we had memorable talks.  I would tell him I loved him.  See, my idea is so many people don’t have this extra time and it would be sorely regretted.  Well, Dad lost his fight in May.  I had been asked if I thought God had answered my prayers because he didn’t get better.  I seriously believe that when a healing is prayed for God will ask us if we want to be healed or do we want the promise of something much better in heaven.  I also believe my prayers were answered because he didn’t lay and suffer long.  I find comfort in the fact that I will see him again someday.

No, my prayers weren’t exactly answered the way I would have liked but I do know I was heard.

Do you feel worthless?  Do you feel like you’re a mistake?  Don’t Believe It!

You are special – You are uniquely and beautifully made!

I remember as a child, my mother told me in the heat of an argument that she was sorry I was born.  When I was in my twenties, she told me the story how she tried to abort me 3 times.  These statements surely had a negative affect on me well into my 30s.  Thank God, he has healed me from the stings of these words.  Today, I look at these happenings in a very different way….despite the fact that my mom tried to abort me several times…God willed me into existence.  What incredible plan God must have for my life.  It made me also realize that my words might have hurt people and that we need to be careful about what we say to one another.  The subconscious can’t take a joke.

Words are one thing.  I can only imagine the abuse some of you might have had to endure.  Some of you might had to endure not only verbal abuse but also physical and sexual abuse.  Watching the movie “Precious” gave a glimpse of what that would be like.

Abuses like that can make you feel worthless and full of shame.  I understand that there are even symptoms of guilt with being sexually abused, making you feel like that somehow it’s your fault you have been abused.  Let me make it perfectly clear…these are all lies of the enemy, who wants nothing less than to kill and destroy you.  Don’t you believe it!

You are special!
There is only one like you and God has a plan for your life.  He willed you and me into existence.  Let’s take a look at what the Bible says about your and my existence.

For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb.  Psalms 139:13 (NKJV)

I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.  Psalms 139:14 (NKJV)

“Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. “But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.  “Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.  Matt 10:29-31 (NKJV)

Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them.  How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them!  Psalms 139:16-17 (NKJV)

God Loves You!
In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.  In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.  1 John 4:9-10 (NKJV)

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.  ”For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.  John 3:16-17 (NKJV)

God Can Help

The name of the LORD is a strong tower; The righteous run to it and are safe. Prov 18:10 (NKJV)

He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength.  Isaiah 40:29 (NKJV)

He heals the brokenhearted And binds up their wounds.  Psalms 147:3 (NKJV)

Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’  Isaiah 41:10 (NKJV)

Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted.  Matt 5:4 (NKJV)

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  ”Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  ”For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”  Matt 11:28-30 (NKJV)

New Beginnings
We can’t undo our past, at the same time however, we should not live with our false past identity.   I surely could have not done it myself.  God has not only healed me, but he has also given me a new identity…one that is based on my true identity that is in Christ.  As a Christian, we are no longer bound by our old identity…we’re a new creation.

Jesus is waiting.  Ask him to give you a new identity.  His word says…”Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it wll be opened to you.  “or everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.  Matt 7:7-8 (NKJV)

Don’t ever give up, because God has not given up on you!  You can choose to cling to your loss or hurt, or you can , with the help from God, learn to dance again.  LET GO AND LIVE!

Check out this beautiful video You are Special – by Max Lucado

Also, check out our articles on We’re Created Different, But We’re All Useful, What is Heaven? A world better than Avatar’s Pandora, Can Your God Do This?, In The Wilderness, It’s not fair! But, why isn’t life fair? And, can it be?, The Comforting Word of God, Salvation, Success and Failure Articles,

I also found other blogs that relate to this subject like this one that talks about that Americans are more pro-life now than ever before…praise God.  Or this site Jill Stanek…a true fighter for the cause…go Jill.  Stay up to date about he abortion issue on Pro-Life with Christ and check out this new movie that is hitting theaters this fall called “True2LifeTheMovie“.  Here is a great site called Stand for Life…I love the video on “How to defeat a pro-abortion argument“.

Somewhere around age 40 a strange shift happened.  When I was younger, I literally fed on being busy.  And I’m not talking about a healthy busy…you know, living with purpose – having a few places to go, some people to see, etc.  No, I’m talking about insane busy – life on overdrive 24/7.  And I loved it!  I loved having a every single moment so compressed that even Einstein would have said, “This woman is going to upset the time continuum if she adds even 15 more seconds of activity to her day!”

I remember one day in particular.  I was working for a Los Angeles radio station and I was a little late to an appointment (first time ever) so I was flying down the 5 Freeway (just a few miles over the speed limit).  Well, I wasn’t exactly behind schedule – let’s just say I didn’t have an extra 30 seconds to spare.  I was weaving around the “slow pokes” with amazing skill …when a thought flashed across my mind.  ”I am really an important person because I have an appointment!  And better yet, it’s not my only appointment, I have lots of appointments which is why I’m barely going to make it to this one on time.  I have really arrived – I’m busy so I’m important!”

Now of course it is fun to have purpose and commitments, etc, but I hope you can see that this attitude was a little off. And here’s the thing…I really believed it.

Well, again, somewhere around 40 this vague cloud of exhaustion started following me everywhere I went as I sped around on overdrive.  I still believed that being busy meant I had value, but the crazy pace was beginning to wear on me.  After a few years, I still kept up my workday pace, but I started to find myself withdrawing at nights and on weekends.  At first it was just one night a week, but it slowly grew to the point I almost resented having to make any social plans at all…didn’t want to be pinned in.  What if when that scheduled time came around I didn’t feel like it? Everyone wants something from me and I have nothing left to give!  “I gave at the office” took on a whole new meaning.

Again, as I noted this growing behavior, I grew to like it.  Ok, that’s just me – I’m maturing.  But then it seemed that I couldn’t get enough time alone and away from the crowd.  If I had too many social activities on a weekend I would find my anxiety rise exponentially – which also would guarantee a very short fuse the entire next week.  I became aware of how much time I needed to “recoup” from all the workday “performing” and all that I thought others demanded of me.

Well, I’m not a total recluse today, and don’t get me wrong – I know I need my friends probably more than they need me.  But I do still find myself needing to retreat and give myself plenty of unstructured “down time.”  When I don’t, all the activity becomes completely meaningless…even depressing.  I was enjoying some of this precious alone time rattling around in the garden a few Saturdays ago.  Then I remembered a social event I had committed to. Agh!  I watched myself instantly begin brainstorming ways to get out of it, and of course, the internal angst level started rising.

That’s when I thought of Him.  How did Jesus handle it?  How could He stand all those crowds, people pressing in on every side, following Him everywhere, trying to catch Him in His words – with not a second to Himself?  How did He do it!? 

Well, first of all, He snuck off regularly to be alone and talk with the Father. But often His compassion for the overwheming needs of the crowds caused Him to postpone His solitude and keep going.  But how did He do it? Sometimes I feel that I just can’t handle another detour, another glitch, another interruption! 

Why did He push Himself?  I mean, He already had the great networking thing of the 12 apostles going.  Couldn’t they just pass along His teachings?  Endless lines of people that wanted something from Him! Ugh!  How could He stand it?

But then it hit me – He pushed Himself, He kept moving to the next town, and the next town and ketp healing, kept teaching…  Why?  I think He pushed Himself because in each incident He had someone’s face on His mind – someone waiting in the next town who needed to hear about the love of the Father…and He had to get there. He had appointments!  Oh, they didn’t think they had appointments.  No, they didn’t know, but He did. I think Jesus had individuals’ faces on His mind and on His heart.  He knew their hurts and confusions, their hopes, their disillusionments. 

He not only knew the people who would be changed forever with a word, or even a glance, but He knew exactly where each would notice Him and what would catch their eye or ear.  Yes, these people were usually in crowds, but they were individuals to Him…individuals that He loved.

I wonder if He would have walked all night to meet with me?  Well, the Bible tells me that He did more than that – He died for me.  So how can we follow Jesus’ example and represent Him well in difficult situations?

Learning the discipline of setting time aside daily for uninterrupted communion with God Almighty was difficult for me. Like dieting or quitting cigarettes, I started and failed many many times.  But the pain and longing in my heart to not be a ”performance” saint only, but to develop a real relationship with God drove me to keep trying. 

Oh, I’m not perfect now, but the norm these days is regular communion with Him.  Yes, I still go through times when I just don’t think I can stand another moment with so-in-so at the job, or another holiday with certain members of my family, or… (you fill in the blank).  But He has taught me that I can trust Him to redeem my investment of time for Him.   And more than that – when I ask Him, He shows me what He sees in those difficult people, and what I still don’t “get” I just surrender to Him.  God help us all to walk in the Spirit and see the world and all his precious masterpieces (humans, that is) through His eyes.  But you can’t do it on the fly. Give Him time to speak to you daily.

Remember, resetting your schedule and priorities for God can seem difficult.  But difficult is not impossible…and in this case – so worth it! 

Also see Seeking God, Laziness, Success, Peace, Trusting God, Money, How to succeed in tough economic times

Baseball great Yogi Berra’s “déjà vu all over again” quote will likely appear often, as Brett Favre threw another interception at the end of a conference championship game, just like in January of 2008. Will he retire, or not? And, if he retires, will he stay retired? Between him and Conan O’Brien, who list the battle with Jay Leno over the 11:30 time slot, future employment will be in celebrity news for weeks or even months.

Interesting that, in each case, they likely want to do something. It’s doubtful O’Brien will give up comedy, though he could with his severance package. As for Favre, pro athletes are so used to competition and cheering, it would be hard to imagine him spending his whole life golfing and fishing, even if we think we would with his millions.

The reason it’s hard to imagine is, we are born with a desire to do something. Even the first man, Adam, didn’t just sit around doing nothing. His job was to till the garden in Eden, to dress it and keep it nice. This was a much easier job before the Fall, of course.

When Adam and Even sinned, things changed. To use our present examples, a Brett Favre can’t play quarterback without 300-pound guys clobbering him. The old adage is that football is not just a contact sport, it’s a collision sport. Because sin came into the world, these collisions cause Favre to get banged up, and to age to the point where someday, he’ll realize his body can’t take it. Similarly, Conan O’Brien is in a job where jokes fall flat sometimes. Sometimes, communication fails, and there can easily be someone better who can take that job.

These are the “thorns and thistles” of their jobs, the problems of working that have existed since sin entered the world. Tilling the garden would have been easy for Adam. But, because sin was brought into the world, with his job came problems. And, the ground would produce thorns and thistles. (Genesis 3:18)

Every difficulty we encounter, no matter what our work, can be traced back to these thorns and thistles. Every task that seems fruitless, every attempt to get something done that fails, comes because of this. Favre’s interceptions, his many bruises and aches, come because this world is not the perfect place it was created to be. Conan’s struggles with his employer, as well as times when any comedian is “just dying out there,” are the consequences of sin having been brought into the world back at the dawn of time.

Of course, work has success, too. God promises that success will come in that verse, when He tells Adam he shall eat the herb of the field. What he is saying, though, is that that herb is going to be hard to come by, much harder than if sin were not present. And, in the same way, Favre and O’Brien have each tasted great success in their jobs. Favre is a surefire Hall of Famer who increased his prestige with an incredible season. Conan O’Brien is seen by many as a great comedian, even with his problems.

Some jobs bring more difficulties than others, of course. In some, it’s the location – a house in a poor market might not sell for months, even with the best seller. Ratings are dependent on the competition and “lead in” viewers. A quarterback can struggle mightily with no supporting cast. At times, it’s the nature of the job. Favre’s successor, Aaron Rodgers, saw an incredible playoff game go to waste because of defensive struggles. And, the best doctor can’t save every patient. Even in a field where that doctor would rarely ever see something bad, there will always be that one case that turns out to be an untreatable cancer. Thorns and thistles come up in every field.

And yet, when all is said and done, that agent can find someone to buy, if the price is low enough. The surgeon in the busiest emergency room, with the worst accidents, will be able to save some. A truly great quarterback can still get noticed by the Hall of Fame eventually, and a great comedian can get laughs from someone. The herb of the field will come. It will just be with a lot of effort, a lot of toil, and a lot of sweat.

That toil and sweat of the brow comes at us just as it came at Adam, and just as it comes for Favre and O’Brien – whatever they choose to do. However, the next verse, Genesis 3:19, points to what Favre and O’Brien must both consider. Eternal rewards are the only ones that will last, and they must start to earn these, instead of only Earthly ones. To get those, we must receive Christ’s forgiveness.

Consider Adam’s situation. He learns that he will have to work much harder to get any yield from the land. He will do this in sorrow his whole life, realizing what once was. Yes, he would be able to get the herb of the field eventually. But, even when he did, it would seem so fruitless at times. The toil and sweat of his brow would make labor so tiring. And, after all that labor, what would he get? A physical body that would grow old, decay, and die. Just as Brett Favre and Conan O’Brien – and all of us – have.

God knew this. He didn’t want any of us to be surprised. The fact that Adam would have to toil and sweat was an implied part of that warning back in Gen. 2:17 that he would surely die. This phrase, literally translated, says, “dying, you will die.” In other words, the process of death would begin right away, and would continue until, at long last, Adam returned to dust. Gen. 3:19, then, is telling Adam just how that would happen. Just as we will turn to dust someday and so will celebrities like Favre and O’Brien.

Of course, some work is more joyful than others. When Paul Harvey, the great radio commentator, passed away, there was a clip of him stating something to the effect that he’d never “worked” a day in his life. It was always so much fun. Just as Favre, when he looks at it, keeps coming back to the thrill of the game. (And, thus, keeps coming out of retirement.) And, just as O’Brien keeps looking at the thrill of doing stand-up comedy. Sure, it takes a lot of toil and sweat, as it did for Mr. Harvey. But, if you ask them, they’d probably echo his sentiments.

This is an element of God’s grace. It shows that God, in His perfect love, has created each of us with interests that, if we hone them, will grow into lifelong work that we’ll love. We’ll love it because God has matched us to that work. Paul Harvey still worked, of course. But, he had found that one specific thing which he could do that brought him pleasure. Just as Favre and O’Brien no doubt have.

This is not a sign of salvation per se; plenty of saved people toil in unhappy situations, and plenty of unsaved love their jobs. What it means is that God loves us, and it’s one of the ways He shows that love to us. There is always that reminder – through how we age – that our bodies are but dust. However, he provides us with grace, so we can have life, and have it more abundantly. (John 10:10)

However, Adam was still mortal, as we all are. He would return to the ground. Even if someone is the greatest ever at what they do, all the things they do in this life build treasures on earth. Ones that moth and rust can corrupt, and thieves can break forth and steal. (Matt. 6:19) That frail, physical body simply returns to the dust.

Yet, Adam could receive God’s forgiveness for his sin – that means forgiveness for falling short of God’s perfect glory. And, so can anyone. We must each accept that we’re sinners, in need of a Savior. Simply receive, by simple faith, God’s forgiveness, through what Jesus Christ, God in flesh, did on the cross. He was sinless, yet He became sin for us. He was the substitute, he took the punishment for our sins, when He died on the cross, and then he rose from the dead, just as we who receive Him will be raised someday. To as many as received Him, gave He the power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name. (John 1:12) This means trusting Him by simple faith to forgive us for our sins.

Once a person trusts in Jesus Christ as their Savior, they are assured of a home in God’s perfect Heaven, where there is no pain, no suffering, no heartache. One can only get to heaven by receiving that forgiveness, because when we do, God makes us a new creature on the inside; He comes to live in us and guide us to becoming more like Him.

When a person has received Christ as their Savior, they can earn rewards in Heaven, by serving the Lord. A person can serve the Lord in a secular job, of course – you don’t have to be a missionary to serve Him. But, to build treasure in Heaven, a Christian must live with an eye toward doing things that glorify and honor Him and draw others to Him.

It is vital that we lay up treasures in Heaven, where they can’t decay, grow old, or be stolen. (Matt. 6:20) This applies just as much to us as it did to Adam. We, too, have physical bodies that will return to the ground. However, we also have that promised Redeemer, Jesus Christ. He longs for us to turn to Him. He longs for us to be born again, through what He did for us on the cross, dying and rising from the dead. And, then, He longs for us to build those treasures in heaven, so we don’t have to be empty-handed when we approach the throne of God. We can have crowns to lay at His feet. We can have wonderful, eternal blessings that go beyond this world, into eternal rewards.

These rewards are what Favre and O’Brien should seek. Favre can’t play quarterback as long as O’Brien can do comedy. Both must realize that – while God has been gracious in giving each something that fills them with joy, no matter what they do, if they seek only Earthly gain, it will all be wasted. They can’t last forever. But, if they receive Christ, they can live forever, and they can serve the Lord in whatever He provides for them, that will glorify and honor Him.

When I moved into my home five years ago, a dear friend helped me. She did this because she had superior skills in organization, detail, interior decorating, landscaping…and more. She also did this because I was not physically able to do a lot of things due to an undiagnosed physical challenge. She had a habit of modeling the love of God to people by being there to help when help was needed. Although, I was not one to ask for help or readily receive it until this infamous first year in my home.

I eventually underwent surgery to repair a hip degeneration. Due to the delay in making the diagnosis, I experienced some muscle atrophy (shrinking) and remained out of work for over eight months while trying to recuperate from a total hip replacement. I had never in my life experienced anything like this. I relied on many friends during this period of healing. It taught me many things…to be discussed another day.

During this time, this dear friend planted many things in my yard that I had never seen before. I trusted her and her skills for long-range planning. All I saw was dirt but she had a vision and I trusted her.

Because we live in an area of the country that suffers from lack of water, she chose some trees that she knew would do well in my dry, hard soil and recurring winds. All I knew was that these saplings were not very big and needed to be protected and sustained with secure poles. She told me these were Melaleuca trees (also called tea trees). I had no idea what the years of growth would bring. What a surprise was ahead!

As the years passed, I was aware of their increasing size due to change in height on the poles that they were securely attached to. They were getting taller and stronger and began to be sturdy enough to sustain themselves against the gusting winds. Then one day they began to produce a flower that the bees flocked to for nourishment. Amazing…my little saplings had grown into beautiful, strong, life-sustaining reminders of a very cleaver and creative Power!

As the seasons passed, I enjoyed my tree with its peeling bark. I was fascinated by the beauty of the bark that hung in layers on the trunks.  Each piece of bark had its own unique connection point and shape. At times, the pieces seemed to dangle, sustained by tiny and sometimes invisible-to-the-eye connection points. I watched and waited to see when and if the bark would fall. The colors in this maturation process were spectacular.

Then, this last June, I was out front watering and started to notice how smooth the trunk of the tree had become wherever the bark had fallen off. It was large and was now immovable by anything. Then I heard the Lord say, “Your life is like this tree. Layers upon layers have gently fallen off as you have grown in me and allowed me to stretch you to new heights. The beauty and strength that was hidden under the exterior covering has become more exquisite and the foundation has become stronger as you have allowed the layers to fall off in my time. This can’t happen unless you allow the old to be removed to make room for the new.”

What was so amazing was that I never even really noticed how majestic the trees had become. I saw them every day and just took them for granted. I enjoyed them so very much but hadn’t taken time to really study them. Imagine my amazement as He paralleled what had happened in my own life during many years walking with Him. I was so preoccupied with the present that I could not see how far He had taken me and how I had changed.

I was given a promise in a dream fifteen years earlier that I continually hold in my heart. Isaiah 40:28-31…”He created all the world. Don’t you know? Haven’t you heard? The LORD is the everlasting God; He never grows tired or weary. No one understands his thoughts. He strengthens those who are weak and tired. Even those who are young grow weak; young people can fall exhausted. But those who trust in the LORD for help will find their strength renewed. They will rise on wings like eagles; they will run and not get weary; they will walk and not grow weak”.

I love to hear His promise in Jeremiah 29:11-13…“I alone know the plans. I have for you, plans to bring you prosperity and not disaster, plans to bring about the future you hope for. Then you will call to me. You will come and pray to me, and I will answer you. You will seek me, and you will find me because you will seek me with all your heart.“

During my years of trials, tribulations, tears and triumphs I had sought Him with all my heart. I had no choice. There were no other answers…no other way. I knew that.

Like my melaleuca trees, I have become stronger, steadier, able to withstand the winds of time that rage against me. I continue to seek Him with all my heart. I see the Glory of His love and the power that His Son gave to me when He gave up His own life. This wisdom, love and power that He promised in His comforter, the Holy Spirit, changes my life as He fulfills the dreams in my heart.

Do you feel like a little sapling hanging on with all your might? Does it feel like you’ll never get strong enough to withstand what is hurled against you? Are you having trouble seeing any change in your life or in who you are? Don’t give up! He is standing right next to you, attached to you, sustaining you during your growth. I promise you He will never leave you or abandon you. He loves you too much. He knows the beauty that is hidden and He plans on showing you off to the world! He plans on using all your talents and gifts, in His time and when He knows you’re ready. In the meantime, stand back…take a look…see how far you have come! You might be surprised…just like I was.

This story was written for my friend, Sandra Stiles, a public middle school teacher who lost her older sister and best friend, Gloria, a year and a half ago to pulmonary problems. It was her wish to spend time with her sister again.

It had been one of “those” days. Sandra’s students had been exceptionally rude, uncooperative and snotty all week and she was done. It had taken every ounce of strength she possessed to keep her cool and deal with them according to the current parameters. How she longed for the days when principals and teachers could paddle their young charges into better behavior but now the inmates were running the asylums!

It was Friday afternoon and she had a short weekend in which she must cram grading of papers, reading challenges, dealing with family, cleaning house, etc., before it all started over again. Something had to give. She felt like a rat on a treadmill!  She was burned out and needed some kind of retreat.  She lugged her papers, books and laptop to the car and drove home, going over in her head all the things she needed to take care of before she could go to bed. She was exhausted just thinking about it.

When she got home, she checked the mail and found nothing but a brightly colored envelope in her mailbox. No junk mail, no circulars, nothing else. She looked at it closely.  Her heart practically stopped when she recognized the handwriting of her sister, Gloria, on the envelope:

“Special surprise inside for my little sister, Sandra”

All the other items in her arms slid out and fell unnoticed onto the pavement as she began to shake. If this was Brad’s idea of a joke, it wasn’t funny! She began to fume. She ripped open the envelope and suddenly the world around her began to spin faster and faster. It felt like she was caught in a tornado but instead of dust, rooted up bushes, and farm animals swirling around her, the wind was glittering like fairy dust.  When the whirlwind finally stopped she struggled to catch her breath. Her heart was pounding and she felt dizzy. She looked around and sucked in her breath.

“Toto, I don’t think we’re in Florida anymore …” she murmured to herself. She didn’t know where she was! She looked around and saw beautiful, undulating meadows as far as the eye could see, weeping willows scattered here and there and in the midst of it all, a lone white clapboard cottage with a wrap-around porch, a white picket fence, geraniums growing in the black window boxes and lacy white curtains blowing in and out of the windows with each sigh of the wind. Under the eaves an orange canary was trilling a beautiful tune in its cage. With a surge of nervous anticipation, Sandra walked up to the front door and raised her hand to knock.  Before her fist could meet the door it flew open and she found herself enveloped in a giant bear hug, her vision obscured by a cloud of curly, golden brown hair.

“Sandra! Sandra! Sandra!” cooed the familiar and beloved voice rocking her in strong arms. Tears burst out of Sandra’s eyes and she pushed herself back enough to take in the view. Standing there, alive, healthy and beaming was her dearly departing sister Gloria! “Welcome!” Gloria bellowed, her grin spreading from ear to ear.

“What, who, when, how-“ screamed Sandra looking her up and down over and over again, sounding like a journalist pursuing a story.

“God decided you deserved a weekend retreat quilting, crafting, talking and eating!” Gloria announced, her face beaming. “I have all the supplies we need, all our favorite foods but no television, no phones, and no surly students.  Just the two of us! Two peas in a pod!”

“How is this possible?” Sandra demanded, allowing Gloria to pull her into the house by the hand.

“With God all things are possible!” Gloria responded with a mysterious wink, making it quite clear Sandra was going to get no further explanation.  She entered the cottage and sucked in her breath at its’ cozy charm. White painted floorboards, white wainscoting, cheerful yellow walls with red accessories here and there, a large quilter’s table with two chairs with a quilt already started stretched across it. There was a smaller crafter’s table with supplies spread all over it, a cheery fire in the fireplace, and a sideboard loaded with all the comfort food one could want and in the background soothing Christian worship music was playing.

“The Master thought of everything!” beamed Gloria, rubbing her hands with glee. “I’ve have been longing for this day for over a year!”

At these words, sobs bubbled up outside of Sandra and she covered her face with her hands, remembering the sorrow and grief at losing her sister and best friend in the whole world and the day of the funeral when she had had to say “goodbye”.

“Gloria-“she choked, unable to express what she was feeling. Gloria’s smile didn’t fade but her eyes became tender and understanding.

“I know it hurt to lose me, Sandra…” she said, enfolding her sister in her arms again to comfort her. “But I really am in a better place.  Heaven is more lovely than I could ever express and doesn’t it make it seem that much more real to you now that you know someone you love is there waiting for you?”

Sandra nodded feebly, unable to speak.

“We won’t be parted much longer,” Gloria said, rubbing her back tenderly, “and you will always have this time together again to look back on and find joy and hope when you need it.  Now, dry your tears, sit down and let’s start! What do you want to do first?!”

With that the sister’s sat down and spent what seemed like an entire week talking, laughing, quilting, eating and just enjoying one another’s company.  Sandra never saw her sister cook anything but every day and at every mealtime there was new and wonderful food all prepared, piping hot and then mysteriously cleaned up so that they could spend their time just having fun.

It all came to end too soon for Sandra and the day arrived when there was no more food prepared and all the craft projects had been completed, much to the sister’s satisfaction. It was the best time Sandra could ever remember having, completely free of responsibility, deadlines and interruptions. Just “Sandra and Gloria” time. She was sad to have it end.

“There is one more thing…well, several more things, surprises really, we have for you before you return.” Gloria said, sitting her down in a large, overstuffed cotton chintz floral chair.

“What?” asked Sandra, wondering what on earth could possibly be better than the week she had just spent with her sister? Her soul felt thoroughly refreshed but she was still apprehensive at having to leave and face the real world again. The pressure, the deadlines and the students who acted as if they were serving a prison sentence instead of being given the privilege of getting an education that would help prepare them for life…

“Just wait and see!” Gloria grinned, sitting down in a chair next to her, clutching Sandra’s hand to her heart with excitement. At that moment the doorbell rang, practically making Sandra jump out of her chair in fright. For an entire week there had been no noise but the sound of their chatter, laughter, music and eating. It was so abrupt it really startled her. With a grin and a wink, Gloria went to the door, and flung it open to reveal a tall, distinguished looking executive.

He was dressed in a gorgeous pin-striped business suit, was clean-shaven and had a suitcase in his hand. He walked right up to Sandra’s chair, got down on one knee, took her hand in his and in a wavering voice said just two words: “Thank you!”

Sandra was speechless and didn’t know how to respond. After him came another man, this time it was a professor of literature, then a woman in a nurse’s uniform; on and on it went until the room was filled with professionals from all walks of life of varying ages, all standing there and looking down at her with eyes brimming with tears and smiles of gratitude.

“Gloria…” Sandra said, rising to her feet, her voice shaking. “Who are all these people?”

“We have all been students of yours at one time or another or are yet to be,” explained the nurse, gesturing to all those around her.

“I don’t understand…” Sandra said, although she was beginning to get an inkling of what was happening.

“At one time, during the course of our lives as your students, (both past and yet future) you gave each one of us either an encouraging word, a helping hand, or maybe just an understanding smile that made all the difference in the course of our lives,” said the first man. “We were on a road that was leading us nowhere but the fact that you gave of yourself to us as a teacher and mentor changed everything.  We have all asked for special permission to come here and tell you thank you so that you will know that your labor has not been and is not in vain.”

“Thank you Ms. Stiles!” they all chorused, gathering around her.

Sandra turned and looked at Gloria who was crying and laughing at the same time, beaming at her little sister. “Never forget, little sister, just how very proud I am of you!” Gloria said and held her close for one last long embrace.

In that moment, Sandra knew that everything was going to be better no matter what the circumstances of life might bring.  She closed her eyes…ready to finally part if only for a little while.

Gloria wasn’t really gone, she was just on the other side of the veil, waiting on the day when Sandra too would join her and their reunion would be permanent. For now, it was sufficient to realize that all she did day in and day out at school, in her church and at home had a meaning and purpose much greater than she would ever be able to know this side of eternity and for now…that was enough.

My personal “storm” occurred about 25 years ago and started out rather innocuously. I remember the day well, it was the day after I had gone to Knotts Berry Farm with my boyfriend (now husband) Michael. I got what I thought was an ordinary case of diarrhea and took the typical over the counter remedies but nothing seemed to work. This ailment continued for the next two weeks and when I began noticing blood, I decided it was time to see a doctor. I went and saw a regular MD who had me undergo a lower GI barium x-ray which showed nothing. For a few days after that I had relief then it started up again with a vengeance; making me feel weak and exhausted. I then sought the services of an internist who performed no tests but put me on a more restricted diet and took my money for a year, only to have my symptoms become worse. I began to feel punished anytime I ate and started dropping weight. Finally my mother who had been worried sick about me, insisted I see a specialist. By this time I was so miserable, I agreed. His name was Dr. Jerome Cohen. He took my history, did a sigmoidoscopy on me and then informed me he was not going to mess around with my health like the other doctors. He was going to have to do a colonoscopy to find out exactly what was wrong.

After the procedure I was informed I officially had a “disease”. It was ulcerative colitis and while there was no medicinal cure, there were things that could help. I was only 24 and was depressed to learn I actually had a disease. He started me on prednisone which many doctors call a miracle drug because it temporarily will remove many symptoms of an immune system gone haywire. What they don’t tell you is how bad this drug is for you physically in the long run and how awful it makes you behave in the short term. It’s like having perpetual “road rage” and raging PMS at the same time but it did stop my symptoms immediately. After almost 2 years of almost nonstop diarrhea, bleeding and abdominal pain, I had almost instant relief. During this time, I had gotten engaged and was planning to marry. The only thing I could say that I liked about the disease was losing the weight but it was a heck of a way to do it. To save money, I moved back home to Torrance and commuted to Orange County every day. I wouldn’t eat or drink a thing until after I had gotten to work so as to avoid “waking my bowels” up. To say that I knew where every public bathroom was on my 60 mile commute was an understatement. Sometimes I barely made it to a bathroom in time despite not eating.

As the days and weeks progressed after our wedding, it took higher and higher doses of Prednisone to keep the ulcerative colitis in check. The increase in dosage also increased my heart rate, my rage and impatience and started bloating my face and body up to the point where I looked like an organ transplant patient who was fighting rejection of the new organ. My new marriage was taking an awful beating. I was practically chained to the bathroom, could hardly eat and was making life hell for my poor new husband who began secretly considering divorce before we had kids as I was no longer the person he had married.

By now I was up to 45 grams of Prednisone a day, I was having bathroom accidents frequently (which were totally humiliating) and if I continued putting up with ulcerative colitis for several more years, it would lead to colon cancer. My life had become so miserable that I really had no options left but to schedule surgery. At this time a Christian friend at work invited me to come to her church to hear a man preach who had a miraculous healing ministry. By this time I had scheduled the surgery to remove my colon and I was frightened of the subsequent pain and changes to my body. Even though by this time I had become quite jaded towards ministers claiming to have special healing ministries, I was desperate enough to try and attend; pleading with the Lord to heal me miraculously rather than through the expensive, painful surgery I was facing. I made myself a promise that I would not tell the preacher what was wrong; that if he was the real deal; God would have to give him a specific “word of knowledge” about my condition and approach me for healing, not the other way around. My husband was incredulous but agreed to go with me. I stood and wept silently throughout the entire service with tears streaming down my face, pleading with God to heal me so I wouldn’t have to face surgery. The preacher either didn’t notice me or was afraid to approach me. Whatever the reason, he made no reference to me and I left without having a miracle but still trusting the Lord.

I entered the hospital on October 8th, about a week before my 28th birthday. Next to me sat a young girl in the hospital admissions office that was facing open heart surgery. I decided I was glad that I was not having what she was but I was still apprehensive. My husband signed me in and they began prepping me for surgery the next day. The night before I had taken a colon cleanser (which resulted in another accident early the next morning before going to the hospital). That night there was no food, just a lot of antibiotic pills. So much so in fact that I ended up throwing them all up. Early the next morning I was wheeled down to surgery with my poor husband at my bedside. They had given me a shot of Demurral to calm my nerves and I was cracking jokes to the nurses. They wheeled me in, transferred me to the operating table and swabbed my entire abdomen with orange antiseptic. I remember counting backwards and only getting to 90. When I awoke from the anesthesia it was with a shock of pain. I couldn’t talk and could hardly take a breath, nor could I ask the nurses for more Morphine for the horrific pain while they discussed the latest videos they had rented.

They wheeled me up to my post-surgical room. My nurse was Stella and I’ll never forget how she hovered over me like a mother bird, putting pillows all around me, feeding me ice-chips and hooking up hoses and tubes to every opening in my body. Although I was weak I was very conscious of her exceptional care and was able to thank her months later face to face and tell her how much it had meant to me. I had a long vertical scar stretching from the bottom of my chest all the way down to almost my pubic area like a big zipper. I had a NG tube snaked down through my nose/throat into my stomach. I had a suction hose attached to where my rectum used to be and a large IV that was in my neck to feed me and hydrate me. And last but not least, I had an illesotomy bag and was catheterized to save me numerous trips to pass water in the bathroom.

I was only supposed to be in the hospital for 10 days maximum. I couldn’t eat anything at all for a few days then only clear liquids to start. Food and restaurant commercials on the TV were absolute torture. Slowly they began introducing bland food into my diet and on my birthday my surgeon had sent a birthday cake to me in my room but for some reason it tasted like dirt. I was warned that I would have a lot of gas so when I started experiencing a lot of pain and belching, I attributed it to gas. The night before I was supposed to be released, I was watching the world series with my husband in my hospital room. My husband was eating fast food as was his custom. The commute from his work and our home to the hospital every night was a good 30 miles each way. Suddenly I snatched away the empty Carls Jr. bag and threw up into it. That night my nurse spent the evening walking me around the corridor as I belched and belched, getting Demurral shots for the pain every 2 hours. The next day I was supposed to be released but instead of going home, I was given an emergency upper G.I. It’s bad enough when the stuff was cold but even more disgusting when the Barium is room temperature! I was writhing in agony at this point and not knowing what was going on. Hours later, the assistant surgeon told me what it was. Since my entire large intestine had been removed, during healing the small intestine had twisted itself into knots (referred to as a blockage) and could burst unless a second surgery was performed.

“Fine!” I said. “Do whatever you have to do; just fix it!” I remember just before being put under for the second time telling the Lord that I was committing my soul into His care should I not come out alive. I had the second surgery but this time instead of staples, they had to sew me shut the old fashioned way. Inhaling was even worse this time when I awoke. I felt like I had been hit by a Mack truck. Everything that could have gone wrong with me, went wrong. My NG tube fell out while I was getting my hair washed and it had to be put back in while I was awake (horrible procedure)! This time however, while I healed my bowels stayed in place.

My poor mother and father were at my hospital bed every single day (a long commute from Torrance) for what ended up totaling 30 days. They are not believers and couldn’t wrap their heads around the notion that we hadn’t paid the people who had come from our church to pray for the entire first 7-hour surgery and the second 5-hour surgery.

Through it all, though I was in a lot of pain, I entrusted myself and my soul to the care of my creator just like a little child; knowing that whatever did or did not happen, that I was in the center of His will. It has been over 20 years since I had that surgery and I have never regretted it. As a result, I have been able to alleviate the fears of one of my mother’s friends who was facing the same surgery and was scared to death. I changed my medical dressing right in front on him; showing him that it was really no big deal. Here I was a 30ish female, exposing my stomach with my cuffed small intestine sticking out through my skin and not acting like it was a big deal. It gave him a much needed lift and encouragement and he had the surgery. He never forgot this act of kindness and has since referred to me as his “angel”. I always told him to thank God, not me, because I did it for the Lord. Recently he was able to pay the same kindness forward as he did the same thing for a woman friend of his who also had to have the same surgery and he was so glad that he finally got his chance to do someone else the same favor.

Now I lead a very normal life; I eat whatever I want, going to the bathroom takes only minutes, not hours, I can’t have any more colonoscopies because I no longer have one and I’m off those horrible drugs which caused my older sister to have hip, shoulder and cataract surgery even though she had taken a lot less than me and for a shorter period of time. God brought me through the storm instead of flying me over it and while I would never want to have to repeat it, I don’t regret any of it.

NOTE: As providence would have it, a week ago I had the absolute thrill of running into one of my two favorite nurses at an event totally unrelated to my old disease or surgery. She was talking to someone else and mentioned that her name was Taffy and that her sister’s name was Candy. At this I knew instantly who she was. She was the nurse who had walked me around the dim corridors of Hoag Hospital at night, giving me Demoral shots every two hours because of my obstruction. I stood up and asked her if she had been a nurse at Hoag Hospital more than 20 years ago and she said yes. She recognized me and we hugged and I got to tell her how very grateful I was for all the tender care and concern they gave me and that I never forgot it. She told me something I had not known at the time; that they were all deeply concerned about me and my condition and were worried that it was either an infection or an obstruction – either of which could have been very serious trouble. Fortunately God worked it all out and I’ve been fine ever since.