Since God has so generously let us in on what he is doing, we're not about to throw up our hands and walk off the job just because we run into occasional hard times. – 2 Corinthians 4:1 (The Message)
What has God let you in on? Have you started the work that Christians are called to do? What hard times have come your way? Did you want to give up? Have you given up? Has God given up?
The following is from a biography on Edward Bennett Williams by Evan Thomas:
In 1986, Mother Teresa came to [Bennett’s] office in the Hill Building to ask for a contribution from the Knights of Malta to a hospice for AIDS patients. “AIDS is not my favorite disease,” Williams told Paul Dietrich, a fellow member of the order who helped him raise funds. Williams and Dietrich rehearsed a polite refusal to Mother Teresa. Her head peeking over Williams’s enormous desk, the diminutive nun made per pitch, and Williams apologetically, but firmly, declined. “Let us pray,” said Mother Teresa and bowed her head. Williams looked over at Dietrich, and the two men bowed with her. When she was done, Mother Teresa gave exactly the same appeal. Again Williams politely demurred. Once more Mother Teresa said, “Let us pray.” Williams looked up at the ceiling. “All right, all right,” he said, and pulled out his checkbook.
When the things we do are what God wants done we can never give up! Sometimes it seems like all options are exhausted, but prayer is never finished. Prayer is as much action as it is conversation with God. So pray on when the work seems too hard. Pray on when the way seems narrow and path is dangerous. Pray on and know that as long you have breath in your lungs there is something you can do to help change the world for glory of God!
With hope and joy,
Garrett
Showing posts with label work. Show all posts
Showing posts with label work. Show all posts
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Keep Doing Good
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. – Galatians 6:9 (NIV)
When have you grown weary? Did you keep on going? What about those times you have given up? Do you regret having given up? What type of harvest have you reaped by doing good? Who have you seen do good in the face of adversity? Did he/she reap a harvest?
Kenny Walker became deaf at the age of two after a bout of meningitis. As he got older he grew both in size and strength, and never let his deafness keep him from his love of football. Walker was an excellent high school player that caught the attention of several colleges. When asked where he wanted to go he signed “N” for Nebraska, and that is where he went.
Walker was a great player while at Nebraska being named an All-American and the Big Eight Conference “Defensive Player of the Year.” But perhaps the most amazing moment of his college football career came during his final home game. Traditionally, senior players were introduced alphabetically and ran onto the field, welcomed by a cheering crowd. Because Walker is deaf the university wanted to find a special way to honor him. The fans were all taught before the game how to sign the word, “Applause,” and were told to sign their ovation in silence while standing and waving their hands from side to side.
Standing in the stadium tunnel, Walker could feel the vibration of the cheering crowd as each senior ran on the field. When he ran out suddenly the vibrations stopped. Confused, he looked around the stadium to see over seventy-five thousand fans standing for him, waving their hands in a way only a deaf person would recognize as applause.
In that moment Kenny Walker reaped the harvest of continuing to fight on where others would quit. If we do not give up there is a harvest for each of us to reap one day! All harvests may look different, but that will make them no less incredible. Today and forever more let Christ guide our steps to the places where we can do good. Our example may even inspire others to do good, and perhaps that will be our harvest, others doing good by doing the work of God they first saw in us.
With hope and joy,
Garrett
When have you grown weary? Did you keep on going? What about those times you have given up? Do you regret having given up? What type of harvest have you reaped by doing good? Who have you seen do good in the face of adversity? Did he/she reap a harvest?
Kenny Walker became deaf at the age of two after a bout of meningitis. As he got older he grew both in size and strength, and never let his deafness keep him from his love of football. Walker was an excellent high school player that caught the attention of several colleges. When asked where he wanted to go he signed “N” for Nebraska, and that is where he went.
Walker was a great player while at Nebraska being named an All-American and the Big Eight Conference “Defensive Player of the Year.” But perhaps the most amazing moment of his college football career came during his final home game. Traditionally, senior players were introduced alphabetically and ran onto the field, welcomed by a cheering crowd. Because Walker is deaf the university wanted to find a special way to honor him. The fans were all taught before the game how to sign the word, “Applause,” and were told to sign their ovation in silence while standing and waving their hands from side to side.
Standing in the stadium tunnel, Walker could feel the vibration of the cheering crowd as each senior ran on the field. When he ran out suddenly the vibrations stopped. Confused, he looked around the stadium to see over seventy-five thousand fans standing for him, waving their hands in a way only a deaf person would recognize as applause.
In that moment Kenny Walker reaped the harvest of continuing to fight on where others would quit. If we do not give up there is a harvest for each of us to reap one day! All harvests may look different, but that will make them no less incredible. Today and forever more let Christ guide our steps to the places where we can do good. Our example may even inspire others to do good, and perhaps that will be our harvest, others doing good by doing the work of God they first saw in us.
With hope and joy,
Garrett
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Enjoy Life!
So I decided it was more important to enjoy life. The best that people can do here on earth is to eat, drink, and enjoy life, because these joys will help them do the hard work God gives them here on earth. – Ecclesiastes 8:15 (NCV)
What kind of hard work has God given you? Have you decided it is more important to enjoy life? What about this last week was a joy to you? How is the best way to enjoy life? Are you doing it? Can you do the hard work without the joys?
The following story found at: http://www.rogerknapp.com/inspire/marbles.htm
The older I get, the more I enjoy Saturday mornings. Perhaps it's the quiet solitude that comes with being the first to rise, of maybe it's the unbounded joy of not having to be at work. Either way, the first few hours of a Saturday morning are most enjoyable.
A few weeks ago, I was shuffling toward the kitchen, with a steaming cup of coffee in one hand and the morning paper in the other. What began as a typical Saturday morning turned into one of those lessons that life seems to hand you from time to time.
Let me tell you about it. I turned the volume up on my radio in order to listen to a Saturday morning talk show. I heard an older sounding chap with a golden voice. You know the kind, he sounded like he should be in the broadcasting business himself. He was talking about "a thousand marbles" to someone named "Tom". I was intrigued and sat down to listen to what he had to say. "Well, Tom, it sure sounds like you're busy with your job. I'm sure they pay you well but it's a shame you have to be away from home and your family so much. Hard to believe a young fellow should have to work sixty or seventy hours a week to make ends meet. Too bad you missed your daughter's dance recital." He continued, "Let me tell you something Tom, something that has helped me keep a good perspective on my own priorities." And that's when he began to explain his theory of a "thousand marbles."
"You see, I sat down one day and did a little arithmetic. The average person lives about seventy-five years. I know, some live more and some live less, but on average, folks live about seventy-five years."
"Now then, I multiplied 75 times 52 and I came up with 3900 which is the number of Saturdays that the average person has in their entire lifetime. Now stick with me Tom, I'm getting to the important part. It took me until I was fifty-five years old to think about all this in any detail", he went on, "and by that time I had lived through over twenty-eight hundred Saturdays. I got to thinking that if I lived to be seventy-five, I only had about a thousand of them left to enjoy.
"So I went to a toy store and bought every single marble they had. I ended up having to visit three toy stores to round-up 1000 marbles. I took them home and put them inside of a large, clear plastic container right here in my workshop next to the radio. Every Saturday since then, I have taken one marble out and thrown it away.
"I found that by watching the marbles diminish, I focused more on the really important things in life. There is nothing like watching your time here on this earth run out to help get your priorities straight. Now let me tell you one last thing before I sign-off with you and take my lovely wife out for breakfast. This morning, I took the very last marble out of the container. I figure if I make it until next Saturday then God has blessed me with a little extra time to be with my loved ones......
"It was nice to talk to you Tom, I hope you spend more time with your loved ones, and I hope to meet you again someday. Have a good morning!"
You could have heard a pin drop when he finished. Even the show's moderator didn't have anything to say for a few moments. I guess he gave us all a lot to think about. I had planned to do some work that morning, then go to the gym. Instead, I went upstairs and woke my wife up with a kiss. "C'mon honey, I'm taking you and the kids to breakfast." "What brought this on?" she asked with a smile. "Oh, nothing special," I said. " It has just been a long time since we spent a Saturday together with the kids. Hey, can we stop at a toy store while we're out? I need to buy some marbles."
There is so much to enjoy about life! The moments that we do not take to enjoy will disappear soon enough. We have the choice as to whether or not we will take time for the joys to help us do the hard work God gives us. Of course God gives us the joys too! Today make the choice to enjoy life!
With hope and joy,
Garrett
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)