Look Beyond the World You See

Category: Blog

Stories of our fellow eternal travelers.

  • There Will Be a Day

    There will be a day when the righteous shine forth, when all that we have learned will not be held back.

    There will be a day when we shine like the sun in the kingdom of our Father and never have to hide our faith again.

    There will be a day when we can rest from our labors, when the hidden treasure will be redeemed.

    There will be a day when the voice we have heard in the quiet place will speak with us face to face,

    But it is not today.

    Today we must remember the Word, book, chapter, and verse.

    Today we must remember the truths we have learned through sleepless nights and diligent seeking.

    Today we must remember our past and the mighty deeds of God which changed the course of our lives.

    Today we must remember the lost and understand their need.

    For it was not so long ago that we stood in their shoes.

    It was not so long ago that we clung to their beliefs.

    It was not so long ago that we could not fathom faith and the eyes of our heart were dim with blindness.

    It was not so long ago that we did not understand, that peace, love, and life were found in One place.

    There will be a day when the blinded heart will say, too late!

    There will be a day when regrets gnaw the heart and the pain can’t be soothed.

    There will be a day when darkness can never be lifted again.

    There will be a day when the lost cannot be found and will be gone forever.

    So, while it is still called today, be patient with others.

    While it is still called today, be understanding of others.

    While it is still called today, be forgiving of others.

    While it is still called today, love others, showing them what you have learned,

    Through a life set as example for all to see.

    Through a life that shines as a lamp upon a hill.

    Through a life dedicated to the One who saved us.

    Through a life forged in the Refiner’s fire.

    There will be a day when the righteous shine forth, when all that we have learned will not be held back.

    There will be a day when we shine like the sun in the kingdom of our Father and we never have to hide our faith again.

    There will be a day when we can rest from our labors, when the hidden treasure will be redeemed.

    There will be a day when the voice we have heard in the quiet place will speak with us face to face,

    But let’s not go alone.

  • A Home for Love

    Jessica’s Story

    Jessica’s parents never wanted kids, but when they discovered their relationship would be blessed with a child, these two parents diligently prepared for their baby’s arrival.  The room was ready and filled with toys and clothes.

    It was during prenatal visits to the doctor, the mother and father discovered their daughter had Down Syndrome. This young couple knew in their heart they were not prepared to care for a special-needs child, so they chose to surrender their daughter for adoption.

    A Child with Special Needs

    Suzie and Mike, parents of three children, had decided they wanted another child.  This time though, they decided to adopt a child.  Their third child was a daughter born with Down Syndrome so they decided to adopt another child with special needs.

    It took time, but Suzie and Mike completed the paperwork and home study to be able to adopt their next child.  When they were finally ready, Suzie began calling adoption agencies to introduce herself and find the child that God wanted for them.  She made call after call only to find out there were no children to adopt.

    For weeks, Suzie called different agencies but each time she was told the same thing.  There was not a child to adopt.  She even called adoption agencies in several different states but was unable to locate a child to welcome into their family.

    Suzie finally surrendered.  It was clear this path was getting her nowhere.  In prayer, Suzie shared her frustration with the Lord.  He encouraged her that there was a child for them.

    The months passed.  Suzie’s birthday arrived.  As a gift to their mom, Suzie was told to stay in her room while Mike and the kids cleaned the house.  They let her know that she could come out when they were done.

    Your Child Has Been Born

    Suzie complied and spent a comfortable morning in her room.  About 10:30am, Suzie heard the Lord speak to her.  “Your child has been born.”  Those words filled her with hope.

    Two weeks later, Suzie was contacted by an adoption agency.  On her paperwork, Suzie had said that she did not want to speak with the birth-mother.  The adoption agency said that they had a child that needed a home, but the birth-mother wanted to know about the adopting family.

    Suzie did not want to connect with the birth-mother but the adoption agency said that she was very specific.  The birth-mother wanted to know that her daughter would go to a home that had a special needs child already.  She wanted to make sure her daughter was going to a home that would love her and care for her, so Suzie relented and spoke with the birth-mother.

    The conversation went well.  Suzie felt this child would be right for their family.  As the call came to an end, Suzie asked the birth-mother one last question.  “What is your daughter’s birthday?”  The answer to this question would tell Suzie if the Lord was involved.

    The birth-mother said that November 12th, was her baby’s birthday.  That finalized it.  Suzie’s birthday, the day she spent in her room, the day the Lord spoke to her and said that her baby had been born, was November 12th.

    Go Where the Lord is

    When you pray, it is often very hard to know if the Lord is involved.  Our wants often deceive our hearts and convince us the Lord is in control when really, we are the ones controlling our lives.  The cure for that is to go where the Lord is.

    Do you feel the Lord is often absent from your life?  Let me comfort and assure you that Jesus Christ is always with you.  24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 366 days a year, Jesus watches over you, loves you and cares for you.  It is not that the Lord is absent from your life.  If your needs are met and you have comfort, He may not need to be that active in your life.

    If I may be so bold as to say that Jesus Christ is most active where there is the most need.  Jesus once shared a parable about 100 sheep.  In this parable, the shepherd was missing one of the sheep.  He left the 99 sheep to search for the one that was lost.  That meant the 99 sheep had everything they could need.  The shepherd didn’t abandon his sheep.  He knew the 99 would be safe until his return.  But he wasn’t active in their life because they didn’t need anything.  It was the one lost that needed his care.  It was the one lost where he was most active.

    “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.” Luke 15:4-7 NKJV

    God is Working Miracles Big and Small

    If you want to see the Lord active in your life, then you will need to go where He is most active.  God is working miracles big and small in the lives of those who have the most need.

    Is your life comfortable?  I spent decades building my comfortable life, but at the end all I felt was empty.  It was not until I learned that I was created for significance and needed to leave my comfort zone that God started really moving in my life.

    Significance requires sacrifice.  Getting out of your comfort zone and meeting the Lord is not easy but it is fulfilling.  And the closer you are to need, the more you will be filled with the strength and resources you need.  Give it a try.  There are opportunities everywhere.  All you need to do is find one and participate.

    Suzie prayed for a child who had great needs.  Do you know what she got?  A child with great needs.  The real blessing though is not meeting the needs of her daughter.  It is the love that her daughter gives that is the true blessing.  Now an adult, Jessica loves like a child.  It is possibly the purest form of God’s love here on earth.  And it found its way into the hearts and lives of Suzie, Mike and their family.

  • What a Mother Leaves Behind

    What a Mother Leaves Behind

    Donna’s Story

    She died, if only for a few moments.  When Donna woke up, the nurse was poking the bottom of her foot with a needle and anxiously saying, “Donna, come back to us!”

    Donna was in the hospital for a complicated surgery.  It was the umpteenth trip and infection was becoming a serious problem.

    Before coming back to the awareness of her body that day, Donna was physically unconscious due to the anesthesia but her subconscious mind was still experiencing and she found herself crouched in a long dark hallway.  Someone above called her name, but she was too tired to respond.  At the very end of the hall, was a light, but she had no strength to walk the distance to it.

    Moments later, the darkness melted away into golden daylight.  Vibrant colors filled her eyes and peace engulfed her.  She heard two women talking as they were walking by.  Donna looked at them and they in turn, stopped and looked at her.  Their brief glances exchanged, Donna returned to her physical body and consciousness.

    We Almost Lost Her that Day

    I was a teenager when my mother suffered complications due to her hysterectomy.  It was years later that I learned we almost lost her that day.

    As of this writing, I am blessed to say that my mother is still on this side of the veil.  She is 84 going on 85 and though the years have taken a toll on her body, her spirit is still strong and undiminished.  This is as good a time as any to reflect on what my mother has taught me.

    I won’t bore you with the details of learning to eat everything on my plate or washing the dishes after dinner, or doing my homework and mowing the lawn every Saturday.  Every soul has stories about the mechanics of growing up.  But it is the ability to look beyond my physical world that my mother has given me that I want to share.

    All my life, my mother, Donna, has taught me to see the evidences of the world we don’t see.  The unseen world is the realm that will be visible when this mortal life is over.  You see, we are all eternal beings on a journey.  We are connected to this world by our physical body but when that connection is done, then we will see the next life.  This is what happened to my mother in the hospital during her surgery.

    There are evidences of the next life that can be seen but it takes time to learn them because too often they are written off as a coincidence or just plain ignored because we don’t understand their meaning.

    I will share another of my mother’s examples.

    Donna Always Had Pen and Paper

    She was 15 and very sick.  The pneumonia wasn’t life-threatening but did keep her in bed while she recovered.

    Donna missed being at school. She wrote for the high school newspaper and enjoyed the time with her friends.  No matter how sick she felt though, Donna always had pen and paper by her bed.  Thoughts are perishable and she never missed an opportunity to save them.  Ask any writer and they will tell you that they don’t always know where the words come from, but when they do, if they are special, then a writer does not want to lose them.

    That pen and paper worked on this night.  It was the worst of her illness when she woke up in the middle of the night with words going through her head.  The words that came to Donna on this night were very special.  Even if she could not understand their meaning, Donna wasted no time in writing them down.

    Speak to Me

    This is what she wrote down.

    “Speak to me, not with conventional words, but with thine eyes convey the thought.  Suffer not thy lips to utter forgotten speech, thy heart and mind and soul are far easier to believe, for words are a gift too often carelessly used, so, sprinkle them wisely o’er Life’s traversed road ‘til through its many turns and heights, we find ourselves at the very end where there is nothing, save Time and Space – A great, black void where hangs the soul, where words shall fail and Peace shall prove its worth.”

    That was 1953.  As a teenager, Donna didn’t have the understanding it took to fathom their meaning.  Now, at the other end of life, she understands those words better but still ponders their depths.

    Clearly, the words she wrote down that night were not of this world.  They are from and pertain to the world we don’t see.  Maybe you haven’t considered that world.  You are not alone.  Most people are so focused on just getting through the day that they don’t consider what will happen when this life is over.

    There are more evidences of the world we don’t see.  The question is whether we will believe these testimonies when they happen.

    Alone in Darkness

    An experience in my own life is reflected in the words my mother wrote.  I work in retail and often have more than 2000 people a day come through our doors, so I have met a lot of people.

    One of my customers shared the story that he died and came back to life.  When he died, it was dark and there was nothingness.  I didn’t share my experiences and never asked to hear his story.  What he told me was not prompted by anything on my part.  My customer said that the hospital recorded the event.

    The disturbing part of his story though, was that for him, death was a dark place.  There was no light at the end of a tunnel, no green grass, blue sky, or colors of any kind.  There were also no people.  He was alone in darkness.

    In my conversation with this man, no word was shared about a faith in God or Jesus Christ.  That idea seemed to be the furthest thing from his mind.  That is his choice.  To each his own as they say.  I think though, that if there is life beyond this physical life, that we should consider it with all our heart.

    No One Like Her

    When I put together words written 70 years ago with a man’s testimony in the present time, then I must conclude there is deep truth in words given to a sick teenager.  I am grateful that my mother has taught me to see evidences of the unseen world.  It has made my own journey of faith in Jesus Christ a deeper one.

    Mothers are a special gift from God.  I have friends who have lost their mother and friends whose mothers are still here.  Either way, take a moment today to reflect on your mother and the good things she has taught you.  There is without a doubt, no one like her in your life.

  • The 12-Fold Wisdom of Jacob Marley

    The 12-Fold Wisdom of Jacob Marley

    “Business!  Mankind was my business.  The common welfare was my business; charity, mercy, forbearance, and benevolence, were all my business.  The dealings of my trade were but a drop of water in the comprehensive ocean of my business!”

    Jacob Marley “A Christmas Carol,” Charles Dickens

    If you’ve never read “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens, I highly suggest you move it to the top of your list for reading.  It is a quick read and you will be better for it.

    A Glimpse at His Own Failed Journey

    The story reveals the miserly, Ebenezer Scrooge; a man so caught up in his own life that he quit caring for other souls.  Scrooge, relentlessly rejects his fellow man and the needs of others.  It takes an intercession by three spirits to show Ebenezer the true importance of life.

    Ebenezer’s chance to escape a grim fate through the three spirits, is shared with him by his 7-year-deceased partner, Jacob Marley.  Jacob meets Ebenezer on Christmas Eve to tell him about the visits of the ghosts of Christmas Past, Christmas Present and Christmas Future.

    In their dialogue, Jacob Marley challenges Ebenezer to believe and gives him a glimpse at his own failed journey through life as well as the pain and regret he carries.  It is Jacob’s hope that Ebenezer can escape the path that he now suffers.

    Man of the Worldly Mind

    Jacob’s discourse has several points for each of us to consider.  When Charles Dickens, wrote “A Christmas Carol,” it was his desire that he could write a story to make people think but still be light-hearted in its effort.  After all, the discussion of death, dying and hell are heavy topics.  I will try to maintain Dickens light-hearted approach, but Marley’s message is valid and painful, so please forgive me beforehand if things get serious.

    • “Man of the worldly mind, do you believe in me or not?”

    Life is a matter of faith.  Faith is believing there is a world we cannot yet see and a God who came in the form of Jesus Christ to save us and give us a path to eternal life in heaven when this life is over.  If we pay attention, there are testimonies of the unseen world and the truth of a living God who loves us and wants us to spend eternity with Him.  How much do we have to see before we believe?

    Beyond This Mortal Life

    • “It is required of every man, that the spirit within him should walk abroad among his fellowmen, and travel far and wide; and if that spirit goes not forth in life, it is condemned to do so after death.  It is doomed to wander through the world and witness what it cannot share, but might have shared on earth, and turned to happiness!”

    While I have not yet walked the path beyond this mortal life, I don’t think we will walk on this earth forever after we are gone.  I do believe there is a heaven and hell as described in the Bible, but Jacob’s point here is to care for our fellow man while we still have a chance.  There is scripture to confirm this.

    Isaiah 58:6-11 says:

    “Is this not the fast that I have chosen:  to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke?  Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; when you see the naked, that you cover him, and not hide yourself from your own flesh?  Then your light shall break forth like the morning, your healing shall spring forth speedily, and your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.  Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’  “If you take away the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness, if you extend your soul to the hungry and satisfy the afflicted soul, then your light shall dawn in the darkness, and your darkness shall be as the noonday.  The Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your soul in drought, and strengthen your bones; you shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.”

    I Wear the Chain I Forged in Life

    • “I wear the chain I forged in life.  I made it link by link and yard by yard; I girded it on of my own free will, and of my own free will I wore it.”

    Free will is a tremendous gift from God but it comes with great responsibility.  Do we casually walk through this life and ignore the life to come?  Life exists beyond this mortal life.  Each of us must carefully consider the life to come.  When this life is over then our choices are confirmed and the benefits or consequences solidified.

    • “Or would you know the weight and length of the strong coil you bear yourself?”

    Do you know the weight of your own sin?  Sin is ultimately what separates us from God.  Jesus Christ came into the world to pay the price for our sin.  God made it so simple.  All we must do is believe that Jesus Christ is God and that He came into the world to save us and we will be saved.

    It’s Mortal Life too Short

    • “No rest, no peace.  Incessant torture of remorse.”

    I won’t hide the fact that Jacob Marley is a pretty dark character.  After all, he lives in hell.  How many preachers have used the threat of hell to coerce people to believe in heaven?  The idea of the next life may be so scary and its implications so profound that we neglect to consider Marley’s regrets.  Jacob is telling us that outside of heaven, there is no music, creating or creativity, no intimate relationships or any good thing.  Outside of heaven, there will be no rest and no peace.  Only the regret of wrong choices.

    • “Not to know that any Christian spirit working kindly in its little sphere, whatever it may be, will find its mortal life too short for its vast means of usefulness.”

    You are capable of doing so much good.  There are not enough years to accomplish the good things you can do.  God has prepared works beforehand for you to walk in.  He wants you to do good things and He wants your efforts to last forever.

    “I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain.” John 15:16

    Don’t Let Time Get Away From You

    • “Not to know that no space of regret can make amends for one life’s opportunity misused.”

    Each day that goes by is a day that can be used for good.  If we neglect today and the opportunities it offers to do good to another, what regrets may we carry from our choice?  Don’t let time get away from you.

    • “Mankind was my business.  The common welfare was my business; charity, mercy, forbearance, and benevolence were all my business.  The dealings of my trader were but a drop of water in the comprehensive ocean of my business!”

    Society needs this more than ever today.  We have forgotten that we are all on the same side, the same journey.  People are increasingly critical and hostile toward their fellow man.  We need to relearn patience, kindness, mercy and helping others.

    In Greater Need Than Ourselves

    • “At this time of the year, I suffer most.”

    Once again, we see Marley’s regrets.  He goes on to say, “Why did I walk through crowds of fellow-beings with my eyes turned down and never raise them to that blessed Star which led the Wise Men to a poor abode!  Were there no poor homes to which its light would have conducted me!”  I don’t know about you, but I am guilty of this behavior.  Let us remember there are others in greater need than ourselves.

    A Glimpse of the Suffering World

    • “How it is that I appear before you in a shape that you can see, I may not tell.  I have sat invisible beside you many and many a day.”

    How often has Jesus Christ or an angel been with us and we did not know it?

    • “I am here tonight to warn you, that you have a chance and hope of escaping my fate.”

    It is the same chance we all have; to make a choice for Jesus Christ.  As long as it is still called “today”.

    • Marley beckoned Scrooge to approach, which he did.  He became aware of confused noises in the air; incoherent sounds of lamentation…

    With Marley’s final gesture, Scrooge was allowed a glimpse of the suffering world.  Ebenezer was allowed to witness the fatal regrets of souls who had gone before him.

    May it not take so much for us to consider the heavenly world.

    Resources

    A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

  • The Great Final Secret of all Life

    The Great Final Secret of all Life

    His father went to debtor’s prison when he was only 12.  What an idea.  Put someone in prison until they repay their debt, but don’t give them an opportunity to work and earn money to repay that debt.  It must be why young Charles was so influenced by it.

    Play in an Old Castle

    Early life, before his father went to prison, was good.  Charles had the freedom to wander the countryside and even play in an old castle.  I imagine this is the point in his life where he saw the beauty of family, being the second oldest of 8 siblings.  He would go on to father 9 of his own children and it was said of him that family and domestic life were important to him.

    When his father went to prison, Charles stopped going to school to work in a boot-blacking factory.  Working long days, Charles earned 6 shillings a week which is roughly $1.50 a week in 1824.  Calculating currency from the 1800’s and converting it in today’s numbers that we can understand is imprecise, but either way, $1.50 a week was not much money for a family to pay off debt and live on, so I’m sure Charles learned first-hand what poverty truly was.

    When his father received an inheritance and was released from prison, Charles went back to school, but by age 15, he was forced to quit school once more to work and help the family.

    The World May Have Never Known

    It is quite astonishing that a young man with so little schooling would go on to become a journalist and world-renown writer.  The job that Charles took after leaving school the second time would be pivotal in guiding him to that career in writing.  It is possible that had he never been forced to quit school a second time, the world may have never known the name, Charles Dickens.

    Dickens was very much influenced by the world around him.  Upon a simple internet search, you will find a plethora of information on his life, writings and how his writings were influenced.  It is not my goal to add another essay about his general life.  Instead, I want to look at one genre of his writings.

    My Glimpse of the Spirit Life

    My first introduction to Charles Dickens, was reading “A Christmas Carol” when I was a boy.  At first, I didn’t want to read it because it wasn’t science fiction or fantasy, two of my favorite genres, but it didn’t take long to fall in love with this small book.  I was moved by my glimpse of the spirit life as shared in this Dickens classic.

    Dickens’ work in “A Christmas Carol” reflects the unseen world.  The unseen world is what we will see when this life is over.  It is a world that is living and vibrantly active.  We don’t see that world now, but there are evidences of it in the lives and world around us.  “A Christmas Carol” brings that unseen world to light in a beautiful way.

    More to Our Existence

    The idea that a hard-hearted and unrepentant man could be shown his faults in a loving but firm manner is an idea worth sharing.  If only we could all have the opportunity to see how we impact the world around us, we might be more concerned with how we present ourselves.

    But it is more than how we act toward our fellow traveler’s because there is so much more to our existence than just what meets the eye.

    What Point does a Coincidence Become a Miracle

    The unseen world exists, but so few are aware of it.  I understand that seeing is believing, but have you never seen a miracle?  Miracles themselves are proof of a world we do not see.  How can a miracle be special or supernatural unless it comes from a higher power?  And if there is a higher power, then it must be God.  And if it is God, then why don’t we believe His word in the bible?

    At the very least, have you ever had a coincidence so wild and crazy that it made you wonder if there was more to life than this?

    Some call miracles a coincidence.  If you are prone to call miracles a coincidence, then at what point does a coincidence become a miracle?

    And what about everyone who passes through the veil of this life before us?  Have you never been to a funeral and wondered if this is all there is?

    The Great Final Secret of all Life

    Charles Dickens wrote “A Christmas Carol” in 6 weeks and created a new literature genre in the process.  Christmas stories are now a vibrant part of our life and they had their origin in a 31-year-old-man’s process of understanding and communicating life.  After publishing “A Christmas Carol” in 1843, Dickens wrote a Christmas book every year (except 1847) until 1867.  There is a reference that when Charles Dickens died, it was asked, “Then will Father Christmas die too?”

    “The great final secret of all life” is a line from Dickens book “Little Dorrit,” which was written, reflecting on that time in his life when his father was imprisoned for debt.  What an astute way to refer to the grave and what lies beyond this physical life we all see.  Life after death is a great mystery and the last secret to be revealed, one which none of us will know until we take that final step through the curtain to the other side.

    There are evidences of the unseen world that can be found today.  If you want to know more, then a great place to start is by reading the bible.  If I may encourage you, start by reading the gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.  You will find the original Christmas story in there and a whole lot more.

    Resources

    https://www.biography.com/writer/charles-dickens
    https://www.britannica.com/biography/Charles-Dickens-British-novelist
    https://kids.britannica.com/students/article/Little-Dorrit/315262
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Dorrit

  • What Would the World Be Like Without You?

    What Would the World Be Like Without You?

    “Remember, no man is a failure who has friends.”

    Clarence the angel “It’s a Wonderful Life”, Frank Capra, based on the short story “The Greatest Gift”, Philip Van Doran Stern.

    One of my favorite Christmas stories is “It’s a Wonderful Life”, which features Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed plus an excellent cast.  It tells the story of a young man whose sacrifices epitomized his life.

    The story opens with George Bailey as a boy, playing with his brother and friends.  Winter weather turned an ordinary hill into a great place to sled and an opportunity for boys to expend their energy.

    When George’s younger brother, Harry, breaks through the ice on his sled run and falls into the freezing water, the boys make a chain to rescue him.  George fell in the water with his brother, but in the end, Harry was rescued and everyone was safe.  George lost his hearing in one ear from his effort, but that was a small consequence compared to saving Harry.

    Confronted Once Again

    Back at work as a soda jerk, George is confronted once again with a choice to step in and do what is right.  When his boss, Mr. Gower, the pharmacist, learns his son has been killed, he drinks heavily, numbing the pain, but continues filling prescriptions.

    In his distressed physical and emotional state, Mr. Gower, accidentally fills a prescription for a child with poison, instead of the medicine that was needed.  George catches the mistake but suffers the wrath of a drunken, Mr. Gower, until he is able to explain the problem.

    Life is What Happens While You Are Busy Making Plans

    You have heard that life is what happens while you are busy making plans?  I think George Bailey must have started that saying.  All through his life, George sacrifices his own plans to do what is right for others.

    George wanted to leave the little town he lived in, go to college and travel the world.  When his father, who owns and runs the Bailey Building and Loan, passes away unexpectedly, George postpones his dream of leaving.  Giving the money he had saved for college to his brother, Harry, George hopes to settle the business and leave when his brother graduates and comes home to take over.

    That plan too, is thwarted as Harry comes home with a new wife and amazing work opportunity from his father-in-law.

    Breaking Point

    The frustrated young man finally marries a childhood friend, but as they prepare to leave on their honeymoon, a financial collapse and run on the bank forces George to stay and take care of business which included using all of the money he had saved for his honeymoon.

    It isn’t until a substantial amount of the Building and Loan’s money is lost, that George hits his breaking point.  Certain that financial ruin, prison time and the ensuing scandal would ruin his family, George goes on a binge and begins to think that life is hopeless.

    Worth More Dead Than Alive

    Seeking out his nemesis, the miserly Mr. Potter, magnificently played by Lionel Barrymore, his plea for help is rejected, then observed that George is worth more dead than alive.  That thought drives troubled George Bailey, to the bridge overlooking the icy water below, pondering the thought of jumping to his death and throwing his life away.

    It is at this point that Clarence the angel, arrives to rescue George.  He jumps in the water before George can.  You see, Clarence knew that George cared too much for other people.  He had watched George’s life unfold and knew that if George saw a person in trouble, he would do everything in his power to help.  So, Clarence jumped in the water first, to give George a reason to live.

    Once both men were out of the water, it was clear that despair had a hold on George.  The kindly angel, Clarence, ponders what solution might benefit the troubled young man.

    Clarence’s Hope

    His solution?  Give George a chance to see what the world would be like as if he had never been born.  It was Clarence’s hope that George would begin to see how important he was to the people around him.

    At first, George was slow to believe that what was happening to him was real, but one by one, the changes could not be denied.  When all of his family and friends deny knowing him, it is too much for George.  He is ready to go back to his life no matter the consequences.

    Fortunately for George, everything works out.  He returns to his family and faces the crisis, but the community and his friends come to aid George in his trial and raise enough money to save him from being arrested.

    A Question That Each of Us can Ponder

    “It’s a Wonderful Life” is just a story, but it is a good story.  And it poses a question that each of us can ponder.  What would the world be like without you?

    The voice of the world and the enemy of all mankind might tell you that you are worth more dead than alive.  It might also tell you that the world would be better off without you.  You might hear that you aren’t valuable.  But that just wouldn’t be true.

    Each person inherently has the ability to make a difference.  Think about it.  Have you ever made someone smile or laugh or just feel good?  Have you ever helped someone in a tight spot?  How about simply taking the time to listen to another?

    A Deep Need to Connect With Other Human Beings

    Years ago, I worked as a volunteer in children’s ministry and I learned that kids spell the world, love, T-I-M-E.  Even as adults, we still value the time people spend with us.  It is the sacrifice of time we make that fills the need for relational connection.  Each of us has been created with a deep need to connect with other human beings.

    Of course, we will never know the real impact we have had on the world around us.  But, if I use the story of George Bailey as a guide, then I begin to understand that the impact each person makes is greater than we could ever realize.

    To bring my point home, it’s not about making a tally of all of your accomplishments with your fellow human beings, but it is a reminder that you are unique and irreplaceable.  There is no one like you and your fellow eternal travelers would be worse off without you.

  • One Nice Thing

    One Nice Thing

    “I have always thought of Christmas Time, as a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time; the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of people as if they really were fellow-passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys.”

    Fred Holywell “A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens

    It has been said that the older we get, the faster life moves.  For my part, I have found that to be true.  In fact, life is so busy, I am very often forced to focus on what is before me.  It is the only way I am able to get everything taken care of.

    The problem with our fast-paced lives is that we forget the lives around us.  Others become a pool of faces we either recognize or not, but take for granted that they are important and valuable people.  Let me be blunt.  In the search to care for ourselves, it is too easy to quit caring about others.

    The holidays are a great time to stop and remember how special the people in your life are to you.  The following activity is a great way to connect with family and friends and let them know they mean something to you.

    Your goal is for everyone in your group to write one nice thing about each of the others in your group.  The comments are anonymous and can be presented in any form that suits your event.

    For my family’s event, I started over a month before Christmas.  I gave each person a list of names and asked them to write one nice thing about everyone listed, except themselves of course.  Then I took all of the lists and grouped the comments by name.  For each person, I found a beautiful font and printed their name at the top of the paper.  Below their name I put the meaning of their name and the comments were listed below.

    When the sheets were passed out on Christmas Day, it was a simple but beautiful gift.

    Below are some samples of what you can do.

    Judy

    A Hebrew name meaning Woman Worthy of Praise and is short for Judith.

    Judy is very sensitive and loving. She is also very crafty and talented. She is always true to her feelings, no matter what they are.

    Grammy lets me help her bake cookies, muffins, and cupcakes. Grammy lets me have some stuff from Great Grandma.

    She is bold and beautiful. She can speak her mind. Her confidence is strength. She is someone you can trust.

    Grammy always makes macaroni and cheese and lets me play on the computer. She makes funny faces.

    She makes me laugh with her adult humor and is very loving and sensitive.

    She is very organized.

    Judy is a very caring person. She is always putting others first. She’s a giver!

    Judy is the perfect home maker, she keeps an immaculate home and she’s also a very creative and artistic person, but most important, she took such great care of our mom after Dad was gone, and for that I will always be grateful.

    Kelly

    An Irish name meaning Warrior Defender.

    Kelly is a very dedicated and wonderful mother to her children.  She not only takes very good care of their physical needs, but shows them unconditional love and tries her best to be a Godly example to them.

    My Mom comforts me when I don’t feel good.  My Mom makes me feel safe when I am scared.  She likes to color with me.

    She pays attention to detail and follows through with her obligations and the activities she undertakes.  She has a big heart and is generous to a fault.  She is a dedicated wife and mother.

    My Mom is cuddly and she likes to play board games.  My Mom keeps us healthy.  My Mom makes me feel safe.

    She is fun, sensitive, sweet and goes the distance for the family.  She is very passionate about things.

    She is a good homemaker and very organized.  She loves her home.

    Kelly always says kind things.  She is an amazing mother but most of all she is like the sister I always wanted.  She is always easy to get along with.  She keeps me laughing.

    She is a nice person and always loads of fun to be around!  An amazing mother!

    Kelly always seems very happy and friendly, has a great attitude and is also very sincere.  She’s raising two of the best-behaved children I’ve ever seen and makes it look so easy.  She’s a great mother and wife, and she’s always comfortable to be around.

    Jonathan

    A Hebrew name meaning Gracious.

    Jonathan is a very responsible, dedicated and loving father, husband and provider for his family.  He has always taken these roles with utmost dedication.

    He has a great sense of humor.  He also has a tremendous amount of love for his family.  He is a hard worker and a committed husband.

    My Dad plays with me and flies me in the air on his feet.  My Dad is the goofiest person I know.  I like my dad’s mustache.

    Jonathan is a man who is sure of himself and can lead his family confidently and securely.  He makes decisions wisely and has a clear sense of the “right” path.

    My dad and I have a lot of hobbies together.  I like to spend time outside with my dad.  I also think my dad is funny.

    Nice mustache.

    He makes good decisions and choices and sticks with them.  He takes good care of his property.

    Jonathan is such a goofball, never a dull moment with him.  He makes me feel a part of the family!

    Jonathan is always full of laughter.  He keeps me on my toes.  I’m glad he married into the family so I wasn’t alone with all these girls!!  Lol

    Jonathan is very ambitious in his career.  He always seems to be taking a test or class to keep moving up the ladder and I’m very impressed with what he’s accomplished and continues to achieve.  He’s also a great husband and father.

    Caleb

    A Hebrew name meaning Faithful and Brave.

    Caleb is an extremely intelligent, caring, talented and honest young man.  He is also a very loving brother to his little sister.

    He has a kind heart, and truly cares about other people’s feelings.  He is sensitive, creative, and intelligent.  He has a desire to know Christ on a personal level.

    He lets me watch movies in his room.  He makes me laugh.  He is a good drummer.

    Caleb is quick to laugh and always ready with a joke.  He is sensitive (his heart is touched easily), sincere (he honestly cares about others), and passionate (he always “gets in to” the things he really likes.

    He likes to have fun outside with me and is very good-hearted.  He is a smart kid and good at everything he tries.

    He is a good imitator in playing characters, versatile and likes to play.  He is fun to be around.

    Caleb is such a smart and handsome young man.  He is very caring and thoughtful.  He is very patient with his little sister!

    Caleb is a well-behaved kid.  He has an awesome heart and will grow up to make his parents proud!

    Caleb is such a good boy it makes me want to corrupt him a little with a fart machine.  I’ve never seen Caleb do anything wrong, so I’m going to give him some ideas.  Seriously, Caleb is incredibly smart, he’s such a great kid, and his parents must be so proud.

    Kylee

    An Australian and Irish name meaning Pretty.

    Kylee is a gentle and loving young lady.  She is smart, brave, has good manners, and is nice to everyone.

    She is very strong-willed and knows just what she wants.  She has a very sweet and cuddly side to her that is irresistible.

    Kylee is gentle and sweet and full of the light of love.

    She has a funny laugh and says funny things.  She is really good at coloring.

    She is super silly, hot tempered and very cute.

    She likes to play dolls and play house.  She likes to be held.  She likes to dance.

    Kylee is an angel!  She is always full of love just like her mother!  She is an amazing young lady who will grow into an even more amazing woman!

    Kylee is a cute little munchkin!  I couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful, thoughtful and delightful niece.

    Kylee is such a sweet girl; she’ll be your best friend in ten minutes.  She’s very smart, like her brother and she’s fun to talk to.  I always look forward to seeing her.

    Andy

    A Greek name meaning Masculine and is short for Andrew meaning Manly and Brave.

    Andy is a hard-working, caring, and honest young man with a good sense of responsibility.  He is well-liked by many people.

    He is funny and carefree at times, yet other times very serious and heartfelt.  Everywhere he goes, he makes people laugh.

    My Uncle Andy is funny.  He is really tall and handsome.

    He is sincere and thoughtful and has a heart so big he has yet to understand its depths.  He thinks of others and is a man who has taken responsibility for himself.

    Uncle Andy does crazy dances and says weird things that make me laugh so hard I can’t breathe.

    He is a funny character.

    He speaks his mind; he is outspoken in a good way.

    Besides the fact that I’m utterly in love with him, there isn’t a mean thing to say about him.  He treats me like a queen and more!  I couldn’t ask to be in love with someone that is more amazing than my Andrew!

    I’ve always liked Andy, but there was a time long ago when I wasn’t so sure how he’d do in the real world.  I have to say I’m very impressed with how Andy’s turned out.  He’s hard working, responsible and I’m very proud of him.  He’ll have to get back to the river with us.

    Caryn

    A Danish form of the name Karen meaning Loving.

    Caryn is a warm, likeable, beautiful and bright young lady who is extremely easy and fun to be around.

    Besides being mature and intelligent, Caryn is a dedicated and supportive person.  She is a young woman of real worth.

    She is very sweet and sensitive, yet strong and can hold her own.  She is also very pretty.  She can be funny as well.

    She is pretty and fun.  She tells me sweet things.  I think she should marry my Uncle Andy.

    She is nice and always gives me encouragement.  She is fun to play Wii with.  I like her dark hair.

    She is nice, easy going and likes to give Andy a hard time.

    Caryn is ambitious.  She is a very loving and all-around fun girl.

    I don’t know Caryn that well, but she seems ambitious with her hair styling business.  She always seems happy, friendly and she’s good to Andy.  We had a great time with her at the river, so we’re also looking forward for her to come back.

    Dave

    A Hebrew name meaning Loved is short for David meaning Beloved.

    Dave is a hard-working, sensitive, loving and generous man who deserves more time to enjoy life.  He has always had a great sense of humor, and although when we were kids it was a bit annoying, as we grew up, he was fun to be around.  He’s accomplished a lot in his life, but more than that he has a sincere heart.  I wouldn’t want anyone else for my brother.  I love him dearly.

    He is a hard worker with an easy going, sincere personality.  He is enjoyable company.  He’s always been more than generous with my family and we appreciate him probably more than he knows.

    He is really tall and drives cool cars.  He always says nice things to me.

    He makes peace easily.  He is kind and generous.  A real family man and a good business man like his father (He was proud of you and would be proud of you now.).

    Uncle Dave is cool and easy-going.  He is easy to talk to.  He is fun too!

    He is a cool guy that is easy to talk to and is hard-working.  He is good to my family.  I’ve always liked Dave.

    He always made me feel comfortable.  He is very ambitious in all that he does and I admire him!

    Dave does a lot of cool stuff.  He always makes sure people have a good time.  He is a good uncle and has done a lot of really nice things for me.  I always have a great time when I’m with him.

    Richard

    An English name meaning Wealthy Leader.

    Richard is a caring, sincere Christian man who has been a source of spiritual guidance and support to others.  He also has the gift of empathy.

    He always sees the good in everyone before anything else.  He shows much compassion and always gives grace to others.

    He taught me how to play baseball.  He does puzzles with me.  He is funny.

    He loves our Lord Jesus and is not afraid to let others know it.  He is easy to talk with and always a “warm” person.  I have never seen him upset or take offense at a wrong done to him.  He is a true witness of Christ.

    Grandpa Richard has a lot of fun stuff for me to play with at his house.  He likes to tell funny stories.  He is goofy.

    He looks for the best in everyone and everything.  He is fun and outgoing and goes all-out.  He loves to talk about Jesus.

    Richard is such an amazing person.  He always has a wonderful story to tell me and I always look forward to them!  I love that he always has something new and exciting to tell me.

    He always has something nice to say!  He is full of amazing stories!

    Richard has always been friendly to me and he frequently visited my mom which I thought was very nice.  I don’t know Richard that well, but just knowing that about him makes me think he’s a great guy with a big heart.

    I may not know you, but I do know that you are unique and special because God created you.

    Have a beautiful and amazing holiday season!  May the Lord bless you and fill you with good things. 

  • You Were Saved for a Purpose

    You Were Saved for a Purpose

    Anna’s Story

    If ever there were daily habits, Anna’s days must have been filled with them.  Being the mother of five children and wife of a successful lawyer and businessman, Anna’s days were filled with the tasks of life.  Undoubtedly, she focused on her rituals to get her family through the day.  But even the strictest routines could not prevent the death of her youngest and only son.

    Grief Never Takes a Holiday

    He was four when Scarlett Fever took his life.  If you have suffered the loss of a child then you can understand the grief this mother suffered.  Yes, she also had four daughters but that is no consolation.  One child cannot replace the loss of another.

    Was Anna able to get back into her routines?  She must have, even if it was only by the necessity of continuing to care for her daughters and husband.  Since grief never takes a holiday, Anna certainly carried it with her as she labored to care for her family.

    It was a year later when fire broke out in the city.  It would be called “The Great Chicago Fire” and it devastated the city.  Her friends, Dwight and Emma, lost their home in the fire so Anna gladly took in their children to give her friends time to find a new place to live.  Now Anna had six children to care for in addition to coping with the substantial loss of the property she and her husband owned.

    Two years passed.  Life was settling down.  It had been three years since the death of her son and two years since the fire.  Dwight and Emma’s kids had gone back with their parents.  Now it was time for a holiday.

    12 Minutes

    Anna’s husband arranged a trip to England for the family.  A vacation would do them all good.  Their friends, Dwight and Emma, would be there and that just added to the anticipation of getting away.

    The trip was set.  They would travel by ship and be gone for almost a month.  As their departure date approached, everything seemed to be coming together, but at the last minute, problems arose with her husband’s business which forced him to stay behind.

    Anna boarded the ship with their four daughters and the promise that her husband would follow as soon as he was able.  The daily routines for Anna and her daughters continued although altered by the life of the ship.

    On November 22, 1873, all routines were irrevocably altered when the vessel Anna and her daughters occupied was broadsided by another ship.  12 minutes is not much time to get to safety but that was all the time Anna had to save her children.  Sadly, it was not enough.  When rescue came, Anna was found unconscious on a plank of wood, without her daughters.

    Saved for a Purpose

    Anna’s message to her husband said, “All is lost.  I alone am saved.”  Devastated at the loss of her children, Anna could not deny that in her grief she heard the quiet voice of the Lord say, “You were saved for a purpose.”

    Dropping everything, Anna’s husband rushed to be with her.  There were no airplanes and the journey by ship took days.  As the ship passed the spot where his daughters died, he was moved to put the thoughts of his heart on paper.

    Once Anna was reunited with her husband, the two grieved the loss of their children.  One can only imagine the depth of their pain and the words they shared behind closed doors.

    In time, Anna and her husband had three more children.  Would you think that tragedy would be behind them?  Surely, they had suffered enough.  But once again, their only son died at the age of four, like his brother.

    In August, 1881, Anna and her husband, moved to Jerusalem where they helped homeless children and all who were in need.

    In October, 1888, Anna’s husband died from Malaria.  Anna stayed in Jerusalem continuing the work she and her husband started until her own death in 1923.

    Journey Through this Life

    History doesn’t record much about Anna Spafford.  Her husband, Horatio, wrote the beloved hymn “It Is well with my soul” after passing the location of the loss of his daughters.  History does record that during the loss of her children in the sinking of the ship, Anna once said, “God gave me four daughters.  Now they have been taken from me.  Someday I will understand why.”

    Anna knew that sometimes life cannot be understood in the moment and often it is not until we look back over our life that we begin to understand the events of our life.  Indeed, some of the darkest valleys we may not understand until we reach the green, Son-lit fields of Heaven.

    As for the purpose Anna was saved for, who can tell?  We know that she served people in all their deep need, even as she carried the weight of her own substantial loss.  Perhaps Anna’s purpose was not in great events like writing a beloved hymn, as her husband wrote, or preaching to great audiences like her friend D.L. Moody.  Maybe Anna’s purpose was in the quiet and selfless love she expressed daily in a life of service to Jesus Christ as she ministered to her fellow travelers on their journey through this life.

    Story from bethelripon.com

    1. Horatio Gates Spafford – The story behind the hymn “It is well with my soul” — Bethel (bethelripon.com)

  • The Sign of the Cross

    The Sign of the Cross

    It said, Ride On, Rest in Peace.  A simple wooden cross, stuck in the dirt on the side of the road marked the passing of a life from this world to the next.  What a modest way to say this person has taken the next step in their journey through eternity.  It is a journey so many have taken but so few are willing to consider.

    The Passing of Life is Holy Ground

    We look at a cross and see it as a symbol of death. The cemetery is a grim reminder of our view of the cross.  It is a sign that someone’s life is over.  Our immediate thought is about how they died and the family and friends they left behind.  It doesn’t take long to start thinking about our own mortality and what we would leave behind.  If you are like me, you may even wonder about the life to death process.

    Almost 150,000 people die per day worldwide.  The impact of a loss reflects the depth of our relationship.  You may read the obituaries and not be moved at all by a person’s passing.  You didn’t know them, so why should you be touched?  But what if you see the obituary of a friend on the paper before you?  How would that make you feel?  It is generally accepted that our parents will die before us, so composing their obituary may be very moving.  And God forbid, what if your child passes before you?  Then you would know the depth of pain that is shared by those who live outside the normal order of things.  The pain of death connects those who have shared it.

    When death touches us, we are reminded that the passing of a loved one is a special event.  Relationships captured in photos, videos and untold memories of days gone by flood our minds and fill our hearts.  It is a time to reflect on the best of our relationship and sometimes the worst of the one we lost.  It is a time to consider whether the worst was really that bad.

    Death is one of the few times we are closest to seeing past the veil of this life.  The closer you get to death, the more you realize what is important.

    Just as the well of love that God has given us has no earthly bottom, so too can our grief be.  A child mourns the passing of a parent for years.  A man marks the death of a best friend on each anniversary of his death and on his birthday.  A parent suffers the pain of losing a child and carries that wound like they are holding their baby child.  The passing of life is holy ground.

    Symbol of Life

    While we see a cross as a symbol of death, God sees it as a symbol of life.  We cling to life as if there is no tomorrow, but God has made a way for us to live forever with Him.  God has a way of turning our perspective of death around and forcing us to see it from a different angle.  He took our symbol of death and made it a symbol of life.

    You know Jesus Christ and His story.  It is the story that rises above the rest.  It is the story of His birth, life, death and resurrection.  Every December 25th, you celebrate His birth and every Easter you celebrate His resurrection.  His is the story of true life.  It is a reminder of the love that God has for you and the life He has waiting for you by simply believing in Him.

    The apostle, Paul, was a sinner and violent aggressor, yet the Lord used him to demonstrate His perfect patience towards sinners so that they might be saved.  Taken from 1 Timothy 13-16.   In the same way, the Lord uses each one of us to demonstrate His patience towards sinners, because He desires ALL Men to be Saved and come to the knowledge of the Truth.  He wants to save everyone from eternal destruction and separation from Him.  In Heaven, He will wipe away every tear.  There will be no more sorrow and no more pain because the former things will have passed away.  We will live forever in joy, peace and inexpressible happiness on the day our veil is removed, if we have made a choice to believe that Jesus Christ is who He says He is.  He is, the Great Redeemer, Wonderful Counselor and Prince of Peace.  Don’t let disbelief cloud your choice.

    We are the Family of Man

    This life connects us and weaves our stories together.  Death finalizes our story and passes it on to the next generation, but death does not need to end that connection.  God made us Eternal Beings and meant for us to keep our relationships forever.  And we can, in Heaven.  We will know each other forever, but in that place those relationships will be drenched in peace and harmony.  It will be the best of times.

    Are there people that have made a difference in your life?  Perhaps someone in your childhood who shared a special bond with you?  If their journey took them from this world before you, then know that they aren’t gone forever.  They are simply waiting on the other side for you.

    There is an hour for each of us to die.  Do not be afraid of that hour, because it is what you have been created for.  Not to dwell here on this world forever, but to learn, to grow, to build family, friendships and earthly connections that will continue into eternity.  You were born to be eternal.  You were made an eternal being.  You are eternal.  The sign of the Cross says it is so.

  • Greater Love Has No One Than This

    Greater Love Has No One Than This

    He was born in the summer of 1838.  The timber of the simple log cabin his parents called home helped welcome Philip into this world.

    At 10 years old, he heard the piano for the first time.  Philip was so captivated by the sound of it that he walked right into a stranger’s home to hear more.  Sitting down, Philip listened while the woman played.  When she stopped he cried for more, only to be shown the door out!  No matter what else happened that day, his love of music was kindled.

    In the Lumber Camps

    At the tender age of 11, Philip left home to work in the lumber camps.  The days were hard, but the evenings afforded him the opportunity to attend a “singing school” led by hymn writer, William Bradbury.

    In 1850, Philip Bliss made his first public confession of faith in Jesus Christ.  He was 12.

    In 1858, while boarding with the family of O. F. Young, he met and fell in love with their daughter, Lucy.  Philip and Lucy married the following year.

    During the winter of 1859, Philip worked as a traveling music teacher.  A folding organ accompanied him in his travels.

    Gospel Singer & Composer

    In the summer of 1860, he became a student at the Normal Academy of Music in Geneseo, New York.  Philip worked hard and eventually became a gospel singer and composer.

    By 1869, Philip had met Dwight Lyman Moody, who history would record as a famed evangelist.  The two worked together, off and on, for the next 8 years.

    In September, 1876, Philip and Lucy helped D.L. Moody with 11 meetings in one week.  As the end of the year approached, Philip and Moody received requests to go to Europe.  They planned a meeting in Chicago then intended to go to Europe.

    With Christmas approaching, Philip went home to spend the holidays with his family.  On December 29, 1876, Philip and his wife Lucy, traveled to rejoin Moody.  Nearing Ashtabula, Ohio, no one realized until too late that the bridge ahead was collapsed.  The train Philip and his wife were traveling on plunged to the icy riverbed below.

    Greater Love Has No One Than This

    The train was a mangled mess of wood and metal.  Broken stoves ignited a fire that would sweep through and consume the train.  Philip escaped by crawling out an open window.  Who knows how long it took, searching the survivors, to discover his wife was still in the wreckage?

    The Bible says, “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” John 15:13. Did Philip consider this scripture when he crawled back into the burning wreckage to look for Lucy?  During those minutes of great stress, it is unlikely that he thought of anything other than finding his wife.  In a search that must have been filled with apprehension, desperation and fear, history cannot tell us if Philip found his beloved wife since none of their remains were found.  Although history does not record the intimacy of their final moments, we can hope they shared them together.

    A monument was erected for Philip and Lucy in Rome, Pennsylvania.  Their memorial reads, “Lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not divided.” 2 Samuel 1:23

    By the time he died at age, 38, Philip Bliss wrote more than one hundred hymns.  His trunk, salvaged from the wreckage, held several of his compositions.  In his life, he earned more than $30,000 in royalties alone.  That would be a small fortune today.  Keeping only enough for a modest living, Philip, remembering the poverty of his childhood, donated the rest to worthy causes.

    Inspired by Jesus Christ

    Philip willingly gave up his life to find and try to save the life of his wife.  His effort was not in vain even though they both died in the flames of this life.  Philip and Lucy believed in the life and resurrecting power of Jesus Christ and as a result, they now live in the wholeness, vigor and peace of the next life.  I am sure that, whether they found each other in the wreckage or not, they did find each other at the gates of Heaven.

    Philip’s sacrifice was an act inspired by Jesus Christ Himself.  Jesus chose to give up His life willingly so that you and I could have eternal life with Him.  Imagine, the God who created the Heavens and the Earth, leaving Heaven and all it contains, to dwell with a people who are often stubborn and angry.  Why would He do such a thing?  Why would God come to earth knowing He would be rejected and suffer a barbaric death?  When He hung on the cross, why did He say, “It is finished!”?  Did Jesus Christ come to earth to simply feel what it was like to die physically?  Or, did He come to taste death for all human life, which are His creation?

    A Roman Jailer

    God believed we were worth saving.  He made us with the ability to love, cherish, protect, encourage, sympathize, heal and so much more.  In His wisdom, He knew that mankind would make foolish choices resulting in their separation from His plan for them to live in Heaven forever.  He knew that you and I would need saving and so He sent His son to save us.

    You may wonder how you can have eternal life?  You may be asking the same question a Roman jailer asked the apostle Paul and his friend, Silas, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”  Acts 16:30. Their response?  “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you shall be saved, you and your household.”  Acts 16:31. Story from Acts 16:16-34.

    Where is your journey taking you?  Can you see beyond this life?  The act of salvation in Jesus Christ is so simple, but its implications are so profound.  It is salvation and eternal life in Jesus Christ that can and will give you eyes to perceive what lies beyond the world we see.

    Eventually, history will record your journey here on earth as death finalizes your story and passes it on to the next generation.  What will that story say to the ones that follow?

    Reference

    “How Sweet the Sound” George Beverly Shea, pages 228-231