Corrie ten Boom said when the train goes through the tunnel and the worlds get dark, do you jump out? Of course not. You sit still and trust the engineer to get you through it. We must trust God our engineer of life in the same way to get us through life’s challenges. Don’t give up , don’t jump out. Be patient and know God is in control.
On July 22nd I was in route to Washington , DC for a business trip. It was all so very ordinary, until we landed in Denver for a plane change. As I collected my belongings from the overhead bin, an announcement was made for Mr. Lloyd Glenn to see the United Customer Service Representative immediately . I thought nothing of it until I reached the door to leave the plane and I heard a gentleman asking every male if he were Mr. Glenn. At this point I knew something was wrong and my heart sunk. When I got off the plane a solemn-faced young man came toward me and said, 'Mr.Glenn, there is an emergency at your home. I do not know what the emergency is, or who is involved, but I will take you to the phone so you can call the hospital.' My heart was now pounding, but the will to be calm took over. Woodenly, I followed this stranger to the distant telephone where I called the number he gave me for the Mission Hospital My call was put through to the trauma center where I learned that my three-year-old son had been trapped underneath the automatic garage door for several minutes, and that when my wife had found him he was dead. CPR had been performed by a neighbor, who is a doctor, and the paramedics had continued the treatment as Brian was transported to the hospital. By the time of my call, Brian was revived and they believed he would live, but they did not know how much damage had been done to his brain, nor to his heart. They explained that the door had completely closed on his little sternum right over his heart. He had been severely crushed. After speaking with the medical staff, my wife sounded worried but not hysterical, and I took comfort in her calmness. The return flight seemed to last forever, but finally I arrived at the hospital six hours after the garage door had come down When I walked into the intensive care unit, nothing could have prepared me to see my little son laying so still on a great big bed with tubes and monitors everywhere. He was on a respirator. I glanced at my wife who stood and tried to give me a reassuring smile. It all seemed like a terrible dream. I was filled-in with the details and given a guarded prognosis.. Brian was going to live, and the preliminary tests indicated that his heart was OK, two miracles in and of themselves. But only time would tell if his brain received any damage. Throughout the seemingly endless hours, my wife was calm. She felt that Brian would eventually be all right. I hung on to her words and faith like a lifeline. All that night and the next day Brian remained unconscious. It seemed like for ever since I had left for my business trip the day before.. Finally at two o'clock that afternoon, our son regained consciousness and sat up uttering the most beautiful words I have ever heard spoken. He said, 'Daddy hold me' and he reached for me with his little arms. By the next day he was pronounced as having no neurological or physical deficits, and the story of his miraculous survival spread throughout the hospital. You cannot imagine, we took Brian home, we felt a unique reverence for the life and love of our Heavenly Father that comes to those who brush death so closely. In the days that followed there was a special spirit about our home. Our two older children were much closer to their little brother. My wife and I were much closer to each other, and all of us were very close as a whole family Life took on a less stressful pace. Perspective seemed to be more focused, and balance much easier to gain and maintain. We felt deeply blessed. Our gratitude was truly profound. The story is not over (smile)! Almost a month later to the day of the accident, Brian awoke from his afternoon nap and said, 'Sit down Mommy.... I have something to tell you.' At this time in his life, Brian usually spoke in small phrases, so to say a large sentence surprised my wife. She sat down with him on his bed, and he began his sacred and remarkable story. 'Do you remember when I got stuck under the garage door? Well, it was so heavy and it hurt really bad. I called to you, but you couldn't hear me.. I started to cry, but then it hurt too bad. And then the 'birdies' came.' 'The birdies?' my wife asked puzzled. 'Yes,' he replied .. 'The birdies made a whooshing sound and flew into the garage. They took care of me.' 'They did?' 'Yes,' he said. 'One of the birdies came and got you. She came to tell you 'I got stuck under the door.' A sweet reverent feeling filled the room. The spirit was so strong and yet lighter than air. My wife realized that a three-year-old had no concept of death and spirits, so he was referring to the beings who came to him from beyond as 'birdies' because they were up in the air like birds that fly.. 'What did the birdies look like?' she asked. Brian answered, 'They were so beautiful. They were dressed in white, all white. Some of them had green and white. But some of them had on just white.' 'Did they say anything?' 'Yes,' he answered. 'They told me the baby would be all right.' 'The baby?' my wife asked confused... Brian answered. 'The baby laying on the garage floor.' He went on, 'You came out and opened the garage door and ran to the baby. You told the baby to stay and not leave.' My wife nearly collapsed upon hearing this, for she had indeed gone and knelt beside Brian's body and seeing his crushed chest whispered, 'Don't leave us Brian, please stay if you can.' As she listened to Brian telling her the words she had spoken, she realized that the spirit had left His body and was looking down from above on this little lifeless form.. 'Then what happened?' she asked. 'We went on a trip,' he said, 'far, far away.' He grew agitated trying to say the things he didn't seem to have the words for My wife tried to calm and comfort him, and let him know it would be okay. He struggled with wanting to tell something that obviously was very important to him, but finding the words was difficult. 'We flew so fast up in the air. They're so pretty Mommy,' he added. And there are lots and lots of birdies.' My wife was stunned. Into her mind the sweet comforting spirit enveloped her more soundly, but with an urgency she had never before known. Brian went on to tell her that the 'birdies' had told him that he had to come back and tell everyone about the 'birdies.' He said they brought him back to the house and that a big fire truck, and an ambulance were there. A man was bringing the baby out on a white bed and he tried to tell the man that the baby would be okay. The story went on for an hour. He taught us that 'birdies' were always with us, but we don't see them because we look with our eyes and we don't hear them because we listen with our ears. But they are always there, you can only see them in here (he put his hand over his heart). They whisper the things to help us to do what is right because they love us so much.. Brian continued, stating, 'I have a plan, Mommy. You have a plan.. Daddy has a plan.. Everyone has a plan. We must all live our plan and keep our promises. The birdies help us to do that cause they love us so much.' In the weeks that followed, he often came to us and told all, or part of it, again and again. Always the story remained the same. The details were never changed or out of order A few times he added further bits of information and clarified the message he had already delivered. It never ceased to amaze us how he could tell such detail and speak beyond his ability when he talked about his birdies. Everywhere he went, he told strangers about the 'birdies.' Surprisingly, no one ever looked at him strangely when he did this Rather, they always got a softened look on their face and smiled. Needless to say, we have not been the same ever since that day, and I pray we never will be. You have just been sent an Angel to watch over you Some people come into our lives and quickly go...Some people become friends and stay a while...leaving beautiful footprints on our hearts ..... and we are never quite the same be cause we have made a good friend!! Yesterday is history. Tomorrow a mystery. Today is a gift. That's why it's called the present! Live and savor every moment...this is not a dress rehearsal! 1. Die beste manier om iemand “terug te kry” is om te vergewe
2. Voed jou geloof en jou twyfel sal sterf van die honger. 3. Tensy jy die hele skepping kan skep in 5 dae, is dit miskien nie so ‘n goeie idee om vir God voor te skryf nie. 4. Suksesvolle huwelike is nie om die regte persoon te vind nie maar om die regte persoon te wees. 5. As die Gras groener is aan die ander Kant van die draad, kan jy verseker wees die waterrekening is ook hoër. 6. Woede is ’n toestand waar die tong vinniger werk as die verstand. 7. Jy kan nie die verlede verander nie, maar jy kan die huidige ruïneer deur te bekommer oor die toekoms. 8. God gee altyd Sy beste aan hulle wat die keuse aan Hom oorlaat. 9. Alle mense glimlag in dieselfde taal. 10. ’n Drukkie is ’n groot geskenk! “One size fits all”! 11. Almal verdien om bemin te word.... Veral hulle wat dit nie verdien nie. 12. Die werklike maatstaf vir ’n man se rykdom is wat hy belê het in die lewe hierna. 13. Elke een het skoonheid maar nie almal sien dit nie. 14. Dank God vir wat jy het en VERTROU HOM vir wat jy benodig. 15. Indien jy jou hart vul met verwyte oor gister en bekommernisse van môre, het jy geen vandag om voor dankbaar te wees nie. 16. Indien iemand iets slegs van jou sê, leef so dat niemand dit glo nie. 17. Geduld is die vermoë om jou “engine te laat idle” terwyl jy voel jy wil jou” gears strip”. 18. Harde woorde breek nie bene nie maar wel harte. 19. Liefde word versterk deur saam deur konflik te werk. 20. Om uit die moeilikheid te kom, moet mens gewoonlik daardeur. 21. Ons neem as vanselfsprekend aan die dinge waarvoor ons moet dankie sê. 22. Liefde is die enigste ding wat verdeel kan word sonder dat dit minder word. 23. Neem tyd om te lag want dit is die musiek van die siel. 24. Karakter word getoets deur voorregte, hoe meer voorregte iemand geniet, hoe beter kan jy sien wié hy werklik aan die binnekant is. Mag God deur sy Heilige Gees in ons harte heers. A testimony is often a way of sharing what God has done in a person's life. However, in order to have a testimony there almost always was a test through which that person had to persevere.
It is, therefore, understandable that we are told to rejoice during trials -- not because of the trials themselves, but because of the end result of the trials. In James 1:2-4, we are told, Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. In other words, we can have joy during trials, because we know that they help make us mature and complete -- they refine us into the person God wants us to be. A few verses later (in James 1:12), we are told the reward of enduring difficult times: Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. The challenging events that we go through are what refine us and make us more like Christ. Indeed, 1 Peter 1:6-7 says that one of the purposes of going through grief and trials is so that our faith can grow and be proven genuine. Therefore, a real testimony of growing in faith and becoming like Christ requires going through a test. So, instead of despising your tests and trials, look forward to your testimony; after all, you can't have a testimony without a test. olywe word gepars vir die beste olyf olie. Druiwe word flenters getrap vir die beste wyn. Blomme word gepars vir die beste parfuum. As die lewe jou druk, flenters trap of seermaak, onthou dit is God se manier om die beste uit jou uit te haal.Neem kennis jy is uitsoek gehalte. Pas jouself goed op.
"You're not responsible for what happened to you in the past, but you
ARE responsible for what you do with your life now. Do you have the courage to be who you were meant to be?" -Cathryn L Taylor When we marry we bring all of the experiences of our past with us -- both positive and negative. These experiences have shaped so much how we view things and how we conduct ourselves in situations. While we can't change the past, we do have the power to change the present and future. That's what we learn from Dr. Gary and Barbara Rosberg's book, "Healing the Hurt in Your Marriage" (Tyndale House Publishers). On this particular issue they wrote: "For years now Barb and I (Gary) have heard a litany of complaints from husbands and wives who came into their marriages negatively influenced by our culture and their families of origin. "Speaking of their marriages and hurts, they say things like: 'I just don't know how to do this right'; 'I grew up in a dysfunctional home, so I don't know what normal is'; 'No one ever taught me how to deal with conflicts'; My parents' example is so ingrained in me, I'll never be able to change.' "You may feel the same hopelessness, the same inability to change. You may feel destined to live out the same ineffective patterns in your own marriage. But that's like giving up on a garden because the soil is too hard or too rocky or infested with weeds. Have you ever heard of a pick, shovel, hoe, soil amendments, and a little hard work? "In the same way you can change the condition of soil you can unlearn bad patterns of dealing with conflict and learn new ones. It's never too late to learn and implement the biblical principles for forgiving love. "It is our God-given responsibility to cultivate good soil in our marriage relationships so that our children and grandchildren will have a biblical pattern to follow in their marriages. "The psalmist wrote: "For [God] issued his decree to Jacob; He gave his law to Israel. He commanded our ancestors to teach them to their children, so the next generation might know them--even the children not yet born --that in turn might teach their children. So each generation can set its hope anew on God, remembering his glorious miracles and obeying his commands." (Psalm 78:5-7) "As you divorce-proof your marriage through forgiving love, you will help your children to divorce-proof their marriages. "So what are you doing to alter patterns you learned? How are you making your marriage different from that of your parents? How can you bequeath to your children a family legacy that is more biblical and positive than that of your family of origin? "You can look at this responsibility two ways. You can think of it as a tremendous burden and a lot of hard work. Or you can welcome it as an opportunity to pass on to your children something that was not passed on to you. Even if you didn't grow up in a healthy home, you can commit yourself to developing healthy patterns for resolving conflict. "The family you came from is important, but it's not as important as the family you'll leave behind. Identify from your family of origin the barriers to communication and healthy conflict resolution. Gain the insights you can from the past, deal with the emotional pain of it, and then move on to developing new patterns that include confession and forgiveness of offenses and healing of hurts. "As you leave behind the past to create a more positive present, you'll bless the next generation. One way or another, you will leave your handprints all over the personalities and hearts of your children. Will you leave behind a generation that will reach the world for Christ, or will you give up at the daunting task and let them go their own way? "What are you doing to give your children the spiritual training and skills they will need for their lives and marriages? What kind of godly heritage are you leaving them? The key is found in establishing a home that honors God, a home where each individual is encouraged to develop a relationship with Jesus, a home where people make mistakes and fail each other but recognize they have the power, through God, to be transformed. "Conflict in marriage is inevitable, but you don't have to remain trapped in the dysfunctional patterns of resolving conflict you learned from your parents or the world around you." .................................. Cindy and I believe that each of us, as couples, have the respon- sibility to break free from whatever negative patterns we brought into our marriage. Even if we've been married 39+ years it's not too late to change. After all isn't that what Jesus specializes in --making us into new creations? Yes, but we must cooperate with the process because He won't force it on us --we're given a free will. If we pro-actively seek and participate, the positive changes are nothing less than amazing! If your marriage is going in an unhealthy direction right now, that's what we encourage you to do --work with God in doing whatever you can to re-direct it in a good direction. Your children deserve to have a healthy, God-honoring marriage modeled for them. Please don't buy into the lie that you'll "never be able to change" or that once things are bad, they can't get better. That's just not true. Even if you never had a good marriage modeled for you, that doesn't mean that you can't do what it takes, in working with God, to eventually live within and model a good marriage for your children and those God brings your way. Go with God, knowing that He is "...able to do immeasurably more than we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us." (Ephesians 3:20) My Holy Spirit Is Your Anointing
Child of Mine, I have anointed you for My plans and for My purposes. I will never send you out without giving you all that you need to accomplish whatever I ask you to do. And when I send you out, you do not go alone; for My Spirit lives within you, and He goes with you where ever I send you. Little one, stop assuming that you need "this gift" or "that anointing" before I will allow you to participate with Me in doing My kingdom business. It is true that My Spirit does impart good gifts into My own, including things like prophesy, healing, teaching, and many others. He gives those to various ones in order to strengthen My body and to accomplish My purposes in this earth. You should never despise His good gifts, but use them gratefully to accomplish My purposes. But you should not elevate those gifts to become "higher" than the One who gives them to you. Dear one, you do not need a specific gift to move with Me in doing what I am doing. My Spirit is within you, and He will work with you and through you; He will empower you to do with Me what I am doing at the moment. That means that when I bring you to someone who is sick, you don't need the 'gift of healing' to pray for that one, for I have anointed you with My Spirit Who is able to heal any sickness or disease. He is the One Who empowered My Son to heal the sick when He walked on this earth, and now He empowers you to do the same. It also means that when I bring to you someone who is lost, you do not need the gift of evangelism to share the Good News of what My Son has done for them. No! I have already put My Spirit in you, and He will give you the right words to say at the appointed time. Child of Mine, stop disqualifying yourself from moving with Me because you do not have "this gift" or "that anointing." I have already anointed you for My plans and for My purposes, through My indwelling Holy Spirit, Who lives within you. There is nothing that I will ask you to do that He will not empower you to do. And that is why you are able to say, "I can do all things through Christ Jesus Who strengthens Me." (Phil 4:13) Who can I turn to and where can I go, When my burdens get too heavy and my tears start to flow? It is Jesus I run to for He's always near; He removes all my worries my doubts and my fears. He is my physician, my redeemer, and friend; On Him, I know I can always depend! His mercy and grace are sufficient enough, He gives me His strength when the going gets tough! His love is everlasting and in Him I can trust; The truths of His Word are forever righteous and just! He rescues me daily from the evil one's darts; When He appears Satan has to quickly depart! For He is my keeper, my strength for each day; He guides me tenderly in His pathway! Though my flesh may be weak, in Him I am strong; For He is my Savior and to Him I now belong! God Loves You! And so do I...."One of God's Kids" |
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