LIFE Stories

"As a man thinks in his heart, so is he." – Proverbs 23:7. What the mind dwells on the body acts on. +++ Arnold Palmer, one of the greatest Golfer, has won hundreds of trophies, but he never flaunts them. In his office is only one trophy on display. It is a small cup he received at his first professional win at the Canadian Open in 1955. On his office wall is a lone framed plaque that reads: - If you think you are beaten, you are. - If you think you dare not, you don't. - If you'd like to win but think you can't, it's almost certain you won't. But sooner or later, the man who wins is the man who thinks he can. +++ Life's battles, challenges, successes and/or failures are all fought, won, or lost in the mind. King Saul thought Goliath was too big to fight but David thought Goliath was too big to miss. Sometimes God will put a Goliath in our lives to find David in us. There are 3 Lessons we can learn from David and Goliath: 1. A heart for God prepares us

"Your beauty should not come from outward adornment… Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight." – 1 Peter 3:3-4. Hide yourself in God, so when a man wants to find you, he will have to go there first. +++ A pastor told about a young female soldier who wrote home to her parents about a young man she was attracted to. "Of course," she said, "since we are not allowed to wear makeup, he has no idea how I really look." Oh? It's incredible, at least in the Western world, how much value we place on physical beauty. But as we all know, outward beauty has little to do with the character of the person or whether they are real or not. In the wonderful children's story, "The Velveteen Rabbit," by Margery Williams, the Rabbit asked the old Skin Horse the baffling question, "What is real?" To the stuffed rabbit, according to the boasting of the o

"Instead, we will lovingly follow the truth at all times – speaking truly, dealing truly, living truly – and so become more and more in every way like Christ who is the Head of his body, the church." – Ephesians 4:15-16. May God help us, no matter what situation, to always tell the truth so that we will never get tangled up in lies and thereby sacrifice our integrity. Because Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life. +++ A boy who was a witness to a crime was on the witness stand in court. He was approached by the defense attorney who asked, "Did anyone tell you what to say in the court?" "Yes, Sir," the boy answered. "I thought so," said the attorney. "Who was it?" "My father, Sir," said the boy. "And what did he tell you?" the attorney asked accusingly. "He said that the lawyers would try to get me all tangled up, but if I stuck to the truth, everything would be all right." +++ Need we say more except to

"Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." – Galatians 6:2. +++ Two members in the San Clemente Presbyterian church, Gus and Hal are widowers. They become friends since their wives passed. It's getting harder for both of them to come to church on Sundays, but to be sure when they are there, they are there together. Hal is blind and Gus is an amputee confined to a wheelchair. When they come to church, Hal pushes Gus and Gus directs Hal. They make their way through the parking lot and the patio to their place together in the pew. And together, and only together, they come to church. A blind man who can't see giving energy to a man who can't walk. A lame man who can't move giving direction to a man who lacks vision. But together, they worship, take part in community and offer their gifts which is a tremendous inspiration to a lot of us. +++ Isn't this what Christianity is all about—supporting one another, caring for one another, and w

"Have not I commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." – Joshua 1:9. +++ When Helen Keller was only nineteen months of age, she suffered an illness that left her blind and deaf. Soon she was unable to speak. By the age of seven she was extremely frustrated because of her inability to communicate. Fortunately, her parents were able to hire a twenty-year-old teacher to come and live with them. The teacher, Anne Sullivan, was a very capable and loving individual and was able to help Helen by teaching her to communicate with the use of her fingers. Helen was greatly encouraged, learned to read by Braille, and then read everything she could lay her hands on. She desperately wanted to earn a university degree and, passing the entrance exams to Radcliffe, pleaded with officials to allow her to attend and bring Anne Sullivan with her to translate the lectures into her manual code. The f

“…Love does not dishonour others…” – 1 Corinthians 13:5a. +++ In 1998, Disney introduced this generation to Hua Mulan, a legendary Chinese folk heroine who risks bringing dishonour upon her family by dressing up as a man and taking her ill and aging father's place in the army. During a time when young women brought honour to their families by marrying well, Mulan chose a path quite the opposite. Mulan's intentions were honourable – wanting to save her father by serving in his place, a place that could only be occupied by a male member of the family; Mulan risked her father's shame should she be discovered to be a woman. When Mulan is injured in battle, her secret is discovered, and dishonour does indeed threaten her family. However, Mulan's honour is restored when she saves the life of the Chinese Emperor, and she is rewarded with an offer to serve as an officer in the Imperial army. Mulan is able to return home to her family with their honour intact, but she had laid q

“Stand therefore, and fasten the belt of truth around your waist, and put on the breastplate of righteousness.” Ephesians 6:14. Let us be aware of our human limitations while all the while appreciating God's unfathomable greatness, goodness, mercy and love and remember that honesty is the still and always the best policy. +++ A store Manager overheard a clerk saying to a customer, "No, ma'am, we haven't had any for some weeks now, and it doesn't look as if we'll be getting any soon." Alarmed by what was being said, the Manager rushed over to the customer who was walking out the door and said, "That isn't true, ma'am. Of course, we'll have some soon. In fact, we placed an order for it a couple of weeks ago." Then the Manager drew the clerk aside and growled, "Never, never, never, never say we don't have something. If we don't have it, say we ordered it and it's on its way. Anyway, now, what was it she wanted?" The

Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His Might. Do not allow yourself to question If you are able to overcome the obstacles that come before you, but rather be reassured and know that the qualities that God has placed within you are more than sufficient to overcome and be triumphant over every trial that comes your way. The Bible declares in Ephesians 1:3, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.”  Recognize your gifts and know that you are special and irreplaceable in God’s eyes. +++ There was a man who made a living selling balloons at a fair. He had all colors of balloons, including red, yellow, blue, and green. Whenever business was slow, he would release a helium-filled balloon into the air and when the children saw it go up, they all wanted to buy one. They would come up to him, buy a balloon, and his sales would go up again. He continued this process all day. One day, he felt someo

"Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones." – Proverbs 16:24. +++ One day a millionaire, whose pride it was never to offer a tip for any service or , faced an unforgettable tragedy. His chief accountant committed suicide. The books were found to be in perfect order; the affairs of the dead man, a modest bachelor, were prosperous and calm. The only letter left by the accountant was a brief note to his millionaire employer. It read: 'In 30 years I have never had one word of encouragement. I'm fed up.’ +++ It never ceases to amaze me that so many people don't bother to say ‘thank you’ to the many people who help them or do something for them. I often hold a door open for someone who is following me into a store, the Post Office, or the bank, some of whom walk through without saying a word. Whenever I see our mailman, I always thank him and let him know how much I appreciate his service. I do this to lots of people. And do we often sa

"Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." – John 15:13. +++ You may be familiar with the story of Father Maximilian Kolbe, a Catholic priest who was imprisoned in a Nazi concentration camp during World War II. Father Kolbe's love for the other prisoners earned him the nickname "Saint of Auschwitz." One day, a prisoner escaped from the camp. Each time anyone escaped, the guards executed ten men as a punishment. As the guards prepared for the execution, Father Kolbe came forward. He asked to take the place of another prisoner, a man named Gajowniczek, because he was a family man, with a wife and children. The guards agreed. Father Kolbe and the other nine men were placed in a cell and starved to death over the next few days. Father Kolbe died on August 14, 1941. Every year, Mr. Gajowniczek returns to Auschwitz to commemorate the death of Father Kolbe. It is his way to say thank you to the man who died in his place. +++ How tha

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.…” – 1 Corinthians 13:4. +++ Todd was a sadly quiet 11-year-old struggling to adjust to the death of his mother. His father left long ago and he was living with an aunt who treated him badly. On several occasions Sheryl, the boy's teacher, heard the aunt tell Todd, 'If it weren't for my generosity, you would be a homeless orphan.' "Sheryl took extra pains to make Todd feel valued and she encouraged his interest in making things. Just before the Christmas break, Todd shyly presented her with a small decorated box he had made. "'It's beautiful,' Sheryl gushed. "Todd replied, 'There's something very special inside that my mom gave to me before she died. She said it's the one thing I can give and still have plenty left. It helps you feel better when you're sad, and safe when you're scared.' "As Sheryl started to open the box, Todd

"Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, 'Lord, save me!'" – Matthew 14:30. +++ Long ago there was a TV Ad where a fellow is walking merrily along the sidewalk (footpath) minding his own business. As he looks up, he sees an attractive woman coming towards him. As he fixes his gaze on her and keeps walking, he is suddenly and rudely awakened as he walks directly into a lamppost. If this were true, one could just imagine the woman in question being highly amused. +++ I know we must have certainly walked into things when we were looking in the wrong direction……or even worse, when we were looking in the right direction but our mind was on something else. Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal. Even more important is to be constantly aware of the trouble we can get into if or when we take our eyes off the Lord and de

"Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account." – Hebrews 4:13. Most important of all is that we need to remind ourselves that we are not only responsible for ourselves and what we do, but we are also responsible before God and one day will be required to give an account of our life to Him. +++ You may have read about an experiment where "pigeons were put in cages with one green and one red button. In one cage, if the birds pecked the green button they got food every time. In the other, the green button yielded food erratically and the pigeons had to persist to get enough food. In both cases, pecking the red button did nothing. Both sets of birds thrived, learning what they had to do to survive and ignoring the red button that yielded no food. But when the birds that were used to getting a reward were put in the cage that fed them only occasionally, they failed to adapt;

"No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it." – Hebrews 12:11. Hardship is not our choice; but if we face it bravely, it can toughen the fiber of our souls. +++ When a ship's carpenter needed timber to make a mast for a sailing vessel, he did not cut it from the valley, but up on the mountainside where the trees have been buffeted by the winds. He knew which of these trees were the strongest of all. +++  And that's exactly why God disciplines us and allows us to go through trials. These trials are designed to strengthen us and help us to grow healthy and strong. And while "No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful," what we always need to remember is that "the Lord disciplines those he loves." God loves us too much to leave us as we are. He allows trials to come into our life to help us grow, mature and become strong. We

“If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.” – Psalm 139:8-10. We need to remember that God is omniscient and omnipresent.  He knows everything that we go through and watches us in the secret parts of our life when no one else is watching. +++ A father told the story of his son's first serious conflict at school. His boy was being picked on by three bullies. They would punch him, push his bike over, and generally made his life miserable. They told him that they'd meet him the next morning before school and beat him up. That evening the dad really worked hard to show his son some moves on how to defend himself, passed on a few helpful techniques, and even gave him some tips on how he might win them over as friends. The next morning, the boy choked back the tears knowing that the inevitable

  "Taste and see that the LORD [God] is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him."   – Psalm 34:8. +++ In my younger days, I walked more than a hundred miles to see Niagara Falls. When I was about seven miles from the Falls, I heard what I thought might be the thunder of the crashing waters. When I asked a man working on his house if these were the falls that I could hear, the man replied, "It could be, but I don't know because I've never been there!" Amazing! So near yet so far! Again a man grew up in Queensland, Australia, the state where the Great Barrier Reef is. It is one of the wonders of the world and he had never seen it until a few years ago! When he lived there, he took it for granted and never bothered to see it for himself. Now he lives in Southern California and is amazed at how many locals have never visited Yosemite or the Grand Canyon. Jokingly he tells them that they have "sinned"—by not seeing and experiencing these breath

"Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people." – Proverbs 14:34. +++ Long ago, the Statue of Liberty was remodeled, it was discovered that the entire inside support system had to be replaced. The outside copper skin of the statue was okay; it only had to be cleaned. Rust and corrosion had ruined the inner iron supports. If repairs had not been made, the statue in 20 years would have fallen over. The iron supports were replaced with stainless steel. Now it can withstand 125 mph (200k) winds." +++ No matter how it appears on the outside, when a nation discards its inner supports of character and moral integrity, sooner or later it will lose its liberty and be bound by and in bondage to its own fallen sinful nature. The same is true in the life of an individual. At the rate of the moral decline in the world, we sadly grieve about what kind of legacy we are leaving for our children and our children's children. Will someone erect a Statue of Bondage

“No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it." – Hebrews 12:11. +++ An American traveling in Syria became acquainted with a shepherd. Each morning he noticed the shepherd taking food to a sheep that had a broken leg. As he looked at the animal, he asked the shepherd, "How did the sheep break its leg? Did it meet with an accident, fall into a hole, or did some animal break its leg?" "No," said the shepherd, "I broke this sheep's leg myself." "You broke it yourself?" queried the surprised traveler. "Yes, you see, this is a wayward sheep; it would not stay with the flock, but would lead the sheep astray. Then it would not let me near it so I had to break the sheep's leg so that it would allow me, day by day to feed it. In doing this it will get to know me as its shepherd, trust me as its guide, and keep with the floc

“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” – John 14:6. +++ The first mate on a ship decided to celebrate an occasion with a "little" stowed away rum. Unfortunately, he got drunk and was still drunk the next morning. The captain saw him drunk and when the first mate was sober, showed him the following entry in the ship's log: "The first mate was drunk today." "Captain, please don't let that stay in the log," the mate said. "This could add months or years to my becoming a captain myself." "Is what I wrote true?" asked the captain, already knowing the answer. "Yes, it’s true." the mate said. "Then if it is true it has to go in the log. That's the rule, end of discussion," said the captain sternly. Weeks later, it was the first mate's turn to make the log entries. So, the first mate wrote: "The ship seems in good shape. The Captain was s

"Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing." – 1 Thessalonians 5:11. +++ The word encourage (en=in+courage) simply means to put courage into another – something we all need to do and receive regularly. Many years ago – when I was a young – one of the men in our church gave me a light manly punch on my arm and gave me a compliment about my football game as I passed by him. I've never forgotten that compliment which to me was a big encouragement when I needed it and made me excel. Some years later I recall how in my beginning days of ministry, after speaking to a few youngsters, one of the members in attendance said to me, "Thank you for being God's messenger to me today."  I've never forgotten those words and those of many others along the way either. (Sadly, a cutting word can have the opposite long-term effect.) +++ ENCOURAGEMENT - So easy to give, costs nothing, and is worth its weight in gold. There are sco