Category: Encouraging

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

November 5, 2022
Vale Removed
We are a community of eternal beings, confined to an aging body and are called, “Mankind”. We are on a journey called life and we are taking this journey together.

This life can be difficult. Between the truly devastating events of our lives and the daily grind that wears us down little by little, we face an assault that can erode our faith, peace, love, kindness, understanding, patience and forgiveness.

There is a Bigger Picture

Everyone needs encouragement to remember there is a bigger picture. If we step back and look at that bigger picture it will help put the world around us into perspective and allow our feet to stand on the solid ground of hope.

I don’t have all of the answers for why each person struggles and suffers and I am not a psychologist or a counselor, but I do have words of encouragement that will help you remember you were made for something greater.

I love stories. The circumstances of our lives are the fuel for the stories of our lives. More simply, what happens to you and how you respond is what paints the story of your life. Many of those stories are of faith, healing, restoration, forgiveness and redemption and they are beautiful. God loves to see those stories unfold as the years of our lives take us on this journey. Those stories also help your fellow eternal beings understand they are not alone in their trials, tribulations and joys.

Little Nuances in Our Day

What really fascinates me are the micro stories. These are little nuances in our day that can be seen from time to time if we are paying attention. It takes practice to recognize them, then it takes believing to understand they are from God. They are small testimonies that Jesus Christ loves you and is actively involved in your life. Learning to understand what micro stories are and how to see them is one aspect of this blog.

I will share one of my own micro stories. It has to do with the name of my blog “Vale Removed”.

Vale Removed may seem like an obscure name at first. Why not use the word, Veil, as in a transparent covering used to put over one’s face? That’s a good question and the root of my story.

When I first began writing, my goal was to start a podcast. My son, Andy, who has a successful podcast, gave me a lot of pointers. He helped me understand things like conception, planning and execution. Among those tips I was to make a list of names that would reflect the content of my podcast. Andy wanted me to find a name that I could use for all of my platforms in social media as well as my website. Having one name would make it easier for people to find me on each platform. Over time I decided that a blog better suited my path so I altered my work.

I made a list of over 20 possible names. On 3-12-20, as I was about to start researching those names to see if they were available, I spoke with Andy and he encouraged me that if my name was taken, I could change the spelling of the name to fill my niche. I said OK and made a mental note, just in case.

The next day was Friday the 13^th. I was supposed to be working early that morning, but because a fellow employee needed help, I switched with him and worked the late shift, which gave me the whole morning to research names. My list of names was far too short I realized as I crossed each one off quickly. In no time I had exhausted my list and wondered, what next? I decided to go to my notes and look for inspiration there.

A Life-Changing Year

The previous year had been a significant and life-changing year for me. I made many entries into a journal of my thoughts and observations hoping I could understand where the Lord was directing my heart. I trusted that in time, my notes would allow me to look back and find a common theme that could point the way forward confidently.

I scrolled to the top of my entries and began reading through each one. Most entries were brief and I moved through them easily. I had hardly begun when I saw a line jump out at me. It began, “The veil is being removed.” I reflected on the passage and came up with Veil Removed. It fit perfectly. My hope for the blog was to encourage people to look past what they know about their daily lives and see something more. I checked the name and was discouraged to find it was not available either!

I got angry for a moment. Why was this so hard? How could so many of my names be taken? Then I remembered Andy’s advice to change the spelling. I decided to change the word Veil, to Vale, even if the word meant nothing. I checked the name and discovered it WAS available. I thought, of course the name was available, it meant nothing so who would use it? Then, I looked up the word, Vale, to see if it meant something just in case and was surprised to find that it did mean something. It means; a valley, the world, or mortal or earthly life.

I couldn’t believe it. I wanted to help people look past their earthly life and find an eternal perspective. Vale Removed summed that up perfectly. My path had led me to the right word.

We Are Eternal Beings

I decided to read the whole entry. At 2 paragraphs, it was one of the longest entries I had made. The first paragraph turned out to be what has been on my heart for the past year. There are 3 core points.
1. We are Eternal Beings made in the image of God.
2. The Lord’s Harvest and gathering His children is what matters.
3. You are God’s children.
The second paragraph reflected the deep conversation of my heart that had gripped me for over a year. It said, “We will live forever, but we will be held accountable for neglecting others because we are clinging to the comfort and security of our own lives.” This paragraph confirmed what God and my son had been encouraging me to do; get out of my comfort zone and get busy.

I had spent a lifetime building a career, taking care of my family and finding ways to make myself more comfortable. It is our nature to want comfort but I for one can take it too far. Those words along with Andy’s encouragement and God’s moving in my heart, were a dictate to me to start serving others. I just didn’t know how I could help anyone.

I work in retail, so my schedule changes every week and too often, leaves me scrounging for time. I was like a beggar, asking for moments here and there. It was God, working through Andy, who gave me the key to move forward.

Find That One Thing

Andy had been encouraging me to find that one thing in life that was important to me and to change my habits just a little so that in time, I would accomplish something instead of nothing. He said, even writing a few words a day would amount to a book over time. He taught me to create a morning routine and showed me how that routine would make me successful in my endeavor. He was right. I found what I was looking for.

Both paragraphs summed up the reason I was on this course in my life, but it was the date of the entry that really spoke to me. I wrote my original entry on 3-21-19. I realized, if you switched the 21, it becomes 12 and it was on 3-12-20 that my son had encouraged me to switch the spelling of a name if that name was taken. By taking my son’s advice on 3-12-20, switching the 12, I found what I was looking for on 3-21-19.

Some would call this a coincidence. Others refuse to believe it means anything. I believe it is God showing me that He cares about what I am doing. God doesn’t always speak to us audibly. But, like the beauty in the world around us, God has left testimonies, big and small, for us to see and remember that He has created everything and that He is with us every single day. We are never alone or separated from Him, even on the worst days of our lives.

Through others and the circumstances of my own life, God has brought me here to share my heart with you.

I will leave you with this week’s encouragement. Of all of the stars in the Universe that are beyond counting and all of the days of our existence to the beginning of time, there is no one like you. You are unique, you are special and you are loved deeply by the God who created you. It is not about what you do. It is about who you are. There is a reason you are called a human being.

Vale Removed is a blog that looks beyond this life to the next. Join me each week as we examine the world from an eternal perspective and find words of encouragement to remind us that we are meant for something more.

He will walk you home if you give Him the chance.
March 19, 2022
What He Deserves

Dave’s Story

“He deserves what he got!” is the common sentiment when people hear of his sin. It is true that his eyes were too greedy. In one day, he lost his job, his family and his freedom.

When I first heard that Dave had been arrested, I could barely wrap my head around it. I felt the man I know could not be the one who had been arrested. Life had separated us by distance and years and that made me wonder about the man behind the sin.

A Faithful Provider

In the 30 years I have known Dave, this is what I have learned about him.

Dave is a man full of love and kindness. His friendship has been dear. He is self-disciplined, hard-working and a valuable employee and co-worker. All who know Dave like and treasure him. He is a man of true worth.

Dave has been a faithful provider for his wife and two children. When his wife suffered a stroke and was unable to work any longer, Dave worked harder to take care of their family.

On the days we drove to work together, we shared our like-faith in Jesus Christ and often listened to worship music. I have known Dave to be a good man.

Caught in the Very Act

As we reconnected via letters during his time in prison, I discovered the same person I knew before. Only this time I found a man who had fallen on Christ and was broken. He was broken by the same thing that breaks any life. Sin.

I was reminded of the story of the harlot, who was caught in her own sin. Brought before Jesus, the rulers who condemned this woman waited to hear what Jesus would say should be done with her. It was clear in their minds that these circumstances called for her to be stoned to death.

Jesus stooped to the ground, drawing in the sand, waiting for this woman’s accusers to calm down. Finally standing up, Jesus said, “He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.”

They were stunned into silence. It was the older ones who began to leave first. Maybe it was because those of us who are older, have had more time to dwell on our own, past mistakes. No one knows the pain of regret we carry more than our own heart.

Before long, all of the accusers were gone. Jesus looked at the woman and said, “Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?”

Her reply? “No one, Lord.”

And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go your way. From now on sin no more.” Story from John 8:3-11 NASB

Both the harlot and Dave were caught in the very act of sin. If God did not condemn the harlot, then neither does he condemn Dave.

The Bible is filled with stories of God’s forgiveness, healing and restoration. What makes us so quick to condemn? When people look at our faults or sins, they usually miss the beauty of the life behind the mistakes. But not God.

An Unexpected Chapter

When Dave got out of prison, he found an unexpected chapter of his life being written.

With his prison record, it was impossible for Dave to find work. Without work he could not provide for even his most basic needs. He had been provided a place to stay briefly after leaving prison. From there he began staying in motels which were very costly for someone without an income.

Dave stayed in motels for about 2 months when his money ran out. He was already prepared in his heart to live on the streets when a friend was moved to give Dave some money. That gift of money gave Dave two more nights at the motel. The next day, Dave’s Parole Officer called and told him that he had to leave the county immediately. He could not stay in the same county that his crime had been committed.

Dave’s Parole Officer rushed the paperwork that allowed him to move to another county. Because of this change, Dave was able to move in with his mother and avoided living on the streets. The process took two days. It was the exact time he had left at the motel before his money ran out.

In all of his recent circumstances, Dave has been forced to cling to Jesus Christ. It is a place he has found the most comfort, love and acceptance. And God has not disappointed him. Each week God has provided food and a place to stay.

It was the news that he had cancer that brought the greatest surprise.

Undiagnosed rectal and colon cancer which the doctors said he has probably had for years, spread throughout his body. Now his condition is terminal.

Some may feel this is a judgment against him for his sins and that he is getting what he deserves. If that is the case, then we all deserve this merciless cancer.

God’s word says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23 NASB. It is clear none of us is as good as God.

But let us rejoice in the knowledge that God is love. His Word says it and that should give us comfort.

The Bible says, “The Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Thy faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-23. NASB

What Jesus Christ thinks about forgiveness is clear in His dialogue with Peter. Peter asked Jesus, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus responded by saying, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.”

What is the lesson of Dave’s story? Everyone makes mistakes and poor choices but God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and trespasses.

What He Deserves

Dave’s body is dying, but his relationship with Jesus Christ is not. He has put complete trust in Jesus Christ. Knowing that death is imminent has a way of burning away the chaff of this mortal life. Dave is now so close to Jesus Christ, it humbles him to tears when he approaches Him in prayer. When God releases Dave from his physical body, then he will get what he deserves. Eternity in heaven with Jesus Christ.

Dave’s journey is a story that will inspire others that they too can have a second chance. Not only can they have a second chance at life, but more importantly, a second chance with God and a place in Heaven with Him. You see, in the end, all of this fuss that we call life, is simply about finding Jesus Christ and securing our place with Him in Heaven where we will finally be able to live without the influence of sin, pain, struggle and tears.

God wants you to know that you will not be judged by what overcomes you. He simply wants you to believe in His son Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ came to earth 2000 years ago to speak to His creation and to offer up a perfect life to pay the price for sin that kept His creation separated from Him. It is a price that none of us could pay.

Dave’s story does not end here. As an eternal being, Dave will live far beyond what this mortal life has to offer.

Are you so burdened with sin that you feel God can never forgive you? Forget what lies behind. Reach toward what lies ahead.

Jesus Christ can help if you ask Him.

March 12, 2022
You Are Beautiful

How often do you think about you and your life? Dale Carnegie in his book “How to Win Friends and Influence People” says we spend about 95 percent of our time thinking about ourselves. In all of that spent mental energy, you have probably considered your failures more than a few times. If you are like me, you want life to be perfect and you hate the blemishes that you see. This may leave you wondering about life and where you are going.

Perfection

A person’s goal is usually to seek perfection about themselves. There isn’t a soul alive that likes failure. This goes back to Adam and Eve. When confronted by God about their choices, Adam blamed his wife, Eve, and Eve blamed the serpent. No one wants to be told they are at fault. Often, if you call out a person’s failure, that person will flat out lie to protect themself.

Our failures can weigh us down in the secret person of our heart. You try to hide them because you have been told those failures are ugly. If you hear your faults enough, they can make you feel ugly on the inside. You dwell on what you think is ugly and begin to believe it. The weight of blame can be crippling. Dwelling too long on your mistakes will eventually rob you of your peace and can attack your mental health.

Let’s say for a moment that you are perfect. You bridle your tongue always saying the right thing. After borrowing something from a friend, you always return it. At work, all you do is perfect and never needs improving. In fact, you never make a mistake. I think we can all say this is not realistic, but if it could be true, how boring! Sure, it would be nice for all of us to live together in peace and harmony. As a society, we need peace and harmony. As an individual on a daily basis though, perfection is rather anticlimactic. Let me show you why.

Imperfection

There will always be failures, mistakes, accidents and general wrong choices in your life, but the beauty of those circumstances is that they are what tell your story. If you are perfect, what is there left to say about you? Can you imagine the conversation?

“Did you hear about the guy who is perfect?”

“No, tell me about him.”

“I just did.”

Really, what else is there to say?

I remodeled a 100-year-old house. In all of my work on the home, the problems of the modifications are what I share most with others. I rarely talk about the finished home. If you walked through my home after it was done, I would tell you about the blocking in the eaves that wasn’t nailed and how a bird was nesting on the insulation above the kitchen addition. I would tell you that the original home wasn’t insulated. Then we could discuss the wiring and how the old wire was spliced into the new wire improperly.

You can be happy in a perfect home but what is its story? Don’t you talk more about the failures and how you overcame those failures to get your home to where it is now? It is like that with you. The mistakes you make are what paint the story of your life, not because they take you down, but by how you overcome them. These are the shades of grey, blue, red, green, yellow and black that paint the picture of your journey.

Your Story

What good story doesn’t have adversity? Aren’t we moved when adversity is overcome? So too is God moved as you overcome adversity. For proof, just look at the people in the Bible. A few examples are Joseph, who was made a slave, Moses murdered a man, Elijah was afraid, and Peter denied the living God. Your failures and how you overcome them are the story that God sees. That is what He talks about. Have you never rooted for the underdog? How many stories are there of someone coming from behind to finish well?

Did you know that God is a Master Craftsman? You are the work of His hands. Your life is a tapestry that hangs in the greatest hall in the universe. It is the Great Hall of Heaven. Are you aware of the stains in your own tapestry? He makes those imperfections part of the tapestry. You may not see the beauty because you are looking at the back side of that tapestry. God sees the beauty because He is looking at the finished work on the front of the tapestry as He works on it and you. Your tapestry is eternal proof that you have overcome and that you are an overcomer.

You don’t have to be perfect. You may make poor choices in this life. We all do. But it’s not about the poor choices you make. It is about overcoming those choices and learning to make better choices. It is about reaching the finish line. Maybe you have a poor running form and won’t come in first. In the race to eternity, it doesn’t matter who’s first. It matters that you make it. Jesus Christ is waiting at the finish line. He wants to tell you personally, “Well done!”.

Imagine Jesus speaking with you. He would say: It doesn’t matter how dirty you’ve been, where you have wandered or how bad your language is. I don’t care that you have turned from Me your whole life. Have you met the thief on the cross? Can you tell which one believed in Me? I do care, that no matter what, you will spend the rest of Eternity with Me. I created Eternity for you. I made a year for every moment you have suffered, a year for every abuse, a year for every tear you have cried. Until you have forgotten the reason for your tears and the painful years you have endured. Forget what is behind you. Look at Me. I see the child you were created you to be.

March 5, 2022