His Silent Voice

So many have heard the voice of God, but it's not in the audible way that we speak to one another. God speaks to us in many different ways, most of the time it is through signs and wonders that happen in our lives.

It's to remind us that we've gone astray and to come back home. Sometimes it could be a song on the radio that plays several times around the same time each day, other times it could be someone telling us something that would make us feel guilty for our actions.

God reveals himself in many ways and it's not always the same for everyone. Most of my life I have seen his presence in things that have happened to me, every now and then do I hear him through another person.

We can choose not to listen to his voice and block it out. We all do that at times and until we take the time to listen and watch, we will miss the things he is trying to tell us.

Many times he speaks to me and shows me the ideas that I should write about, other times he warns me that I'm not paying attention to him through a song that plays often, especially one that I really love. I could choose to ignore it, but I look and accept what he's trying to tell me. I take advantage of his message and learn from it.

We must quit rushing through life, take time to listen to his still voice and understand what he's trying to tell all of us in our lives. It's not always about things we are doing wrong, sometimes he lets us know what's coming ahead or what we're doing wrong at a job. It helps us to correct it and move on learning from it.

You would be surprised what he has to offer, if you just take a moment to listen and see how he can work in your life.

Looking Down

A man in his late 40's is standing at the top of a high rise building. He is looking down at the cars below as they pass by. He sees the people below, they look like little ants to him. He has lost everything in his life. His wife and daughter were killed in a car accident just weeks ago, he feels like there is nothing to live for and all he wants to do is jump off and die.

The tears begin to fall as he moves closer to the edge with his hands at his sides. His tearful eyes look up at the cloudy sky above and he speaks with a sorrowful voice. "Why did you have to take them? Why couldn't you just leave things be? No, you had to take them, you had to do it."

The man cried out to the Lord and in his sorrow, the tears began to fall like a river flowing. "I would of gone instead, I would of died for them, but why?" He couldn't understand why the Lord would do something.

He thought that everything the Lord did was good, but what he couldn't understand is why he would take the two most beautiful angels in his life. As he started to get closer and closer towards that edge, he heard a sound coming from behind him. It was the sound of wings flapping in the air. As he turned around he saw before him an amazing site that almost made him faint.

Several angels about 15' hovered in the air before him and all around him was the presence of the Holy Spirit. He felt a calm come over his entire body and he heard them speak. With a crash of thunder and streaks of lightning they spoke, their voices were amazing and powerful at the same time.

They said, "STOP! Do not be the foolish one who jumps off and gives his life to the one who does evil. Do you not realize that you live in a sinful world? Do you not understand that this world is filled with evil. Do you understand that because of Adam, these things will happen."

The man looked at the angels and said "Why, but why? Why would you take them from me? Why did they have to die? I want them back, can't you bring them back? Please!?"

The Angels spoke once again and said "The Lord has a reason for everything, even we do not see the final plan, but whatever it is, everything will work together for good. It may not seem like it at this point, but if you believe you shall receive."

The man looked confused "How is that so? So by them dying it is going to make my life better? How can you say that? What Plan? Where? I don't see any plan, I see the pain and sorrow that it has brought me."

One of the angels put his hands on the mans shoulders and said "Trials are a part of life, in a sinful world we will go through things we don't expect or want, but it has to happen. It is part of the Lord's plan, if you will just believe you will see that better things are to come.

The man stepped down from the top of the building and started to sob asking the Lord to forgive him for his sins, he felt so bad and so lonely, but the arms that started to hold him were the arms of Jesus. The man looked into the eyes of Jesus who stood before him in suprize and said "Thank You Lord."

Years later after the terrible accident, the man started to share his faith with others and published several best sellers. He knew that no matter how sad the tragedy was, it was his suffering and trials that he went through which would end up touching other peoples lives.

Forget Turkeys, Forget Sales, Thank Jesus on Thanksgiving!!!

Today, we see so many people rushing about trying to get their turkey and stuffing. All they can think of is "I have to get ready for Thanksgiving" Where is the Lord in all of this? Where have we gone, that we have forgotten all about the true reason for Thanksgiving?

Isn't Thanksgiving a time to thank Jesus for all the things that he has done in our lives. Instead, when you think of Thanksgiving, what do you think about? I think about Turkeys or Black Friday sales, but what I should really be thinking about is everything that the Lord has done in my life. If I am to truly follow the Lord, I must not forget him, even in a time like this.

So tonight, when I was online the whole idea came to me like a ton of bricks. It was a shock, here I was living my life from day to day not even thinking what the true reason for Thanksgiving was. I had forgotten about the Lord and I had neglected the true meaning it should represent.

The Lord has been in our lives everyday, watching over us and giving us the strength to endure anything. So this Thanksgiving, let's not think about Turkeys, let's not think about Black Friday sales. Let us remember, that Jesus is the one to thank and to be thankful for what all he has done in our lives.

It is so easy to forget, but let's be strong and remember Jesus is the reason!!!

We are Hungry

We are hungry, we need the food to keep us from getting weak. Without it we can't live and we eventually die without it. It is the same way with Jesus. Without him we can do nothing apart from him. If we try to live our lives the way we think, we will also fall and die. We need the love of Jesus in our lives. We need his presence to make it through each and every day.

We need to be quenched of our thirts and with the Lord in our hearts everything is possible. Without him, we will become thirsty, dehydrated and die. It isn't good to be without the lord, life can be so much better. Trust in him now and let your sins be washed away by the water of life. Cleanse your spirits and believe in him.

We are dirty with sin, our minds are cluttered with dirty thoughts and we try to go it alone, but it can't be that way. We must look towards the Lord and ask him to wash us clean of our sins. He is our savior and our father, he has created us to worship him. Do not feel afraid to call out to him, do not think that he won't accept our sins. He will be there waiting and welcoming us all home.

He truly loves each and every one of us. Don't forget how much he loves you, he will never leave you. He wants to forgive you now, don't let the negativity or the lies of the devil confuse you. The Lord will not abandon you, even in your most troubled times he is there waiting for you to come home.

We need the food of life to lift us up. It will give us nourishment and fill our souls with good food. It will keep us from sin and it will make us stronger. The past is the past, you have been forgiven. So forget about what you've done. Jesus doesn't want you to think about the past, he wants you to think about the future.

Will you accept Jesus today?

Passed Out

A young boy was riding his bike, he was probably about 11 or 12. He was having so much fun riding his dirt bike in the fields behind his parents house. It was something that he enjoyed so much. He had so much fun going over the bumps in the dirt and going on the trails nearby.

One day he happened to see something that he was not expecting. He saw a man laying down on the ground, he must of been in his late 30's or 40's. He saw a six pack of beer sitting next to him and he could tell this man probably passed out. He was worried about this man.

The feelings down in his gut were to go and get help, to do it right right away. This boy has always been a caring person. He couldn't just pass on by and let the man lay there. He had to do something, he needed to show the Lord that he was a caring individual. He wanted this man to get help, so he rode his bike as quickly as he could.

He knew a neighbor down the street who was a policeman. He knew that this was the right thing to do. He walked upto to the door and knocked. The man came to the door and he told him right away. He said that there was a man laying down in the dirt, he probably passed out and that there was a six pack of beer there.

The man told him that he would get an ambulance there right away. He knew he had done the right thing, he then rode his bike down as he was so excited and started to tell some of the other neighbors that he knew.

Deep down inside his heart was the passion and the love for others. It was this caring individual who wanted others to be safe. He even felt sadness when he saw someone who was in pain, the elderly, the sick. Anyone who suffered.

He knew that he did the right thing and he will always wonder what ever happened to that man. Will this man ever know who saved his life and if his life wasn't saved, at least he tried.

Jesus loves us so very much that he wants us to know that he cares deeply about each and every one of us. Sometimes we will run into situations during our lives where our assistance will be required of us. Some choose to ignore that, but others jump at the chance. We all need to be like Jesus and help those who are in need.

Seeking Forgiveness

A speeding car came out of no where and dashed down the road, soon the young kids saw an elderly man walking along the road. They were all in a gang, they thought it would be funny and fun to do. They pulled out the 22 that he had in the glove compartment. They pointed it at the man and acted like they were going to shoot him, well something happened that they were not expecting.

The gun went off, the bullet flew through the air at amazing speeds and soon the man dropped to his knees and pressed his hands against his chest as he felt the overwhelming pain going through him. His vision started to go, he felt weak and soon everything was going away as he fell down and landed in a pool of blood.

The young boys who were just joking around were in terror, they didn't know what they had done. It wasn't supposed to go this way, they drove quickly and thought they were in the clear. What they didn't realize is that someone sitting outside the gas station nearby saw everything that happened and took down their license plate.

The boys arrived home and started to panic, before they could even get calmed down the police arrived and handcuffed all of them and took them back to the station. They were charged with murder, something that they would have never dreamed of.

Because of their foolish actions they did, they will now spend most of their life behind bars and they will experience more agony than they ever wanted. It's not going to be a fun time for them.

The family who lost their father recently came to see the boys and instead of being angry, instead of cussing at them and threating to beat them up, they did something else.

The boys were shocked when the family members looked at them and said "Jesus love you my friend, he knows the pain which you suffer. He knows what you have gone through. He wants you to understand that the price that he paid for our sins can also free you from yours.

I know what you did and I am not happy, but I know how much pain you must be feeling right now. All I can say, is I forgave you."

It took a lot for the family to forgive these boys of such a thing, this was unexpected for them, something they were not looking forward to."

They learned a hard lesson in life, they were already sad enough and felt crushed from the things that they did, but to have someone forgive them for what they did truly made them feel better.

The devil wants us to hate each other, he wants nothing more for us to do than to rip each other apart. People are killing people everyday, the devil is having so much fun and so many of us are just giving into his ways of being angry at the other and wanting to lash out.

It's time to forgive all those who have wronged us, it may seem hard, but the more you forgive, the better you will feel and it will truly make Jesus smile!!!

Where Darkness Lurks

Somewhere between this time and another there existed a foul and very evil person, known only as the evil one, the serpent, the devil. He was looking down upon a boy who was suffering, he was waiting to exploit the weaknesses and take control of his pains. He wanted to magnify everything that this one young boy suffered. He tried to reach in and take control, but somehow the will of the Lord was with this boy.

Even as he tried again and again to grasp onto him and take him from the Lord for good, it wasn't possible. The boy kept turning back to the Lord and begging for the forgiveness that he so desired.

The evil one was angry and upset, he couldn't understand how such a little boy could be so unwilling and unable to succumb to the darkness that surrounded him. The boys faith was strong and his will was even stronger. It was obvious to the devil that he wasn't going to get this boy without a fight. He kept trying day after day and sent so many different sins into this boys life, but each time he fell he got back up on his feet and looked towards the sky with his arms reached out and asked the Lord for his forgiveness.

He cried out and with tears streaming down his cheeks he pleased with the Lord to please give him a second chance. The devil saw how powerful his faith was and he didn't understand why it was so hard for him to take one little boy.

Years and years passed and the boy endured more sins and more trials, but each time it made him stronger. Each time it made his faith so much stronger than before, he learned a valuable lesson from the Lord.

He continues to press on and knew that there was nothing that was going to get in his way now with the help of the Lord. The devil knew that there was no way he was going to get this boy. He even sent out so many dark angels, but none of them had any effect on him.

Soon, the devil started to back away and leave the boy alone. He waited patiently for the right moment where the boy would slip up and he would reach in and take control again. There were many times like these, but they became fewer and fewer as this boy began to grow into a man realizing how much he truly loved the lord.

His faith was stronger than most people could imagine, he talked with the lord and showed his appreciation for all the things in the world. The young man knew that his life was not going to be without trial, but with the Lord things would be brighter than it would be without him.

Jesus is waiting for you to accept him into your life. There are so many evil things waiting to come into your life and destroy you. You can only take so much sin, but with the help of the Lord you can be victorious against it. The devil is always going to be there tempting it, but if you try and fight against him, you will never win.

It is best to run from your sins and not look back. He is waiting for you to let your guard down, once that happens he will enter your life and destroy every part of you he can. He truly hates us all for having the chance to have eternal life, something he knows he will never have.

The Hourglass of Time

There is an hourglass in each one of our lives, it slowly runs out until there is no more. Some of us find ourselves in that situation where it runs faster than others. In that case, we are not prepared for what is coming. We find ourselves shocked and dismayed. What we don't realize is that there is a plan, a plan that God has for us and even though we don't see it right now, we soon shall.

There was a young boy, he faced the most trials in his life. He was in and out of hospitals for the last few years. The doctors didn't know what he had and tried everything. Every test that they did didn't seem to fix whatever was chipping away at his body.

He felt himself getting weaker and weaker by the day and he prayed so much to the Lord. He asked the Lord to come into his life and please take away the pain. It seemed to get worse and he didn't know what he was going to do. He wasn't ready to go, even at such an early age the disease that ravaged his body was getting stronger and taking more of him each day.

He looked up and saw a little sparrow sitting on the window sill, although this was not on the outside of the window. This was on the inside and the little sparrow started to sing. The music was beautiful, it was so refreshing and beautiful. He knew that the little sparrow was there to calm him and ease his pain. He thought to himself, was this the workings of the Lord. What was the meaning of this little Sparrow. He was truly a sight to see, the doctors and nurses that heard this little guy came in surprized

They asked the little boy, where did he come from and how did he get in here? The little boy shrugged his shoulders and looked up smiling with a wide grin in his face and saying Jesus sent him.

The little boy said to the doctor and the nurses that this little sparrow is going to bring me to the nest in the sky. The doctors and nurses laughed and before they could look back at the sparrow, it was gone. Not even a feather was left behind and the little bird left a beautiful reminder that God works in mysterious ways.

Later that evening, the little boy drifted off into a deep sleep. He saw all around him angels standing in the clouds in all directions and for miles upon miles. They're beautiful wings spread wide and flapping like a birds wing. In the middle was the Lord shining the light in all directions that eminated from him. It was truly a sight to see.

As the doctors came into the room to wake the little boy, they didn't get any response. It was too late, it was if the little boy had drifted off into a final sleep. He was no longer with them, he was in a better place. A place that has wiped away his terminal cancer. A place where his family will see him once more. He now is in a place that will bring him joy instead of pain. A place where he will never have to worry, where he can smile and be happy. It's not the end, it's the beginning of a whole new life for this little boy. He will be a place where Angels reside, where Jesus is and where things more amazing than we can truly imagine exist.

The little boy is now in a place of splendor. Sometimes it's hard for us to deal with the thought of dying, even when we find out that we have a few months left to live. It can be such a downer, but Jesus wants us to be happy and remember that none of his plans are to disappoint us. We will be lifted up and soon our friends will join us one day for a happy reunion.

This story is dedicated to a great friend of mine. A friend whom I have known for the last 2 1/2 years at Wal-Mart. He started in Produce while I was on leave for the birth of my first child. Richard is his name and it's a sad story, but I want Richard to know that he shouldn't be afraid of what's coming ahead of him. Not long ago he lost his mother. It was a sad time in his life and even though he lost her, she is now in a place where she is no longer suffering.

Richard came down with a certain type of Cancer, it spread from his esophagus to his stomach, it now spread into his liver. The doctors couldn't even do Chemo because it has gotten to the point of being too far advanced. Richard was a hard worker and I can't think enough how I miss him at work. I had so much fun talking to him and knowing how much of a great friend he is. I can't help it as I start to tear knowing how much he made my day just seeing him.

Richard, I hope that you will live longer than the doctors said. I say this, you will never be forgotton. You will live in my memory and I'll always remember the fun times we had joking around in Produce. All of us shall truly miss you, but you will live on in our hearts and know that one day we shall see you again in a place of splendor. That place which dreams come true.

Don't Wait!!!

There will be a time in the world when people will forget about Jesus. They will become so wrapped up in their own lives that they will not have time for him anymore. They will try to act like everything is ok, they will even try to be kind to one another.

What they will lack is the love that comes from Jesus Christ. Things in this world will get worse and famine and disease will become overwhelming. Times will get harder and people will start to loose hope as so much death and destruction begins to overtake the world. These are the times of the tribulation or just before. We must never forget about what is going to happen. We must live each day as a follower of Christ, we must watch and pray for all of those who will not be ready.

Today is the day to turn your eyes towards Jesus. Today is the day to confess your sins to him and accept him into your life. Today is the day that we must let go of all of our problems and let him take control of our lives.

Don't wait until tomorrow, don't wait until next week, and don't wait until next year. Tomorrow may not come, next week may not come and next year may not come. Today is the day to begin our new walk with the Lord. Disease and Earthquakes are on the rise, such disesases as Bird Flu, Mad Cow Disease, Swine Flu, Cancer, Aids and many others are starting to fill the headlines.

Earthquakes and talk of Wars are starting to appear in the world, what does this mean to all of us? This could be a sign of the sign of times to come. I feel that the Lord is trying to reach out to all of us and give us a warning sign. If you read in the Revelations, you will know that things such as Earthquakes, Pestilence, Diseases are just the birthing pains.

What is and will come is truly catestrophic compared to what we are witnessing. Those who are left behind will not have an easy time. So I say to you, TODAY is the day to begin following the lord.

Do not put it off, do not try and procrastinate. Grab your Bible and begin to read The Book of Job, read the Book of Revelations.

DON'T WAIT until it is too late, open your heart to Jesus!

Please Don't Wait! You're life will be so much better, he will take your fears, your stresses and all that burden you if you will put your trust in him.

Depression

It was early one morning and I awoke and my wife asked one simple thing of me, I knew that I wanted to sleep in. I wasn't too happy about it, like any normal person I didn't feel normal.

I started to get angry and started to feel as if she was nagging at me, I felt like she was trying to control my life. I knew that was not the case, but deeply inside my mind I was starting to get more and more angry. I started to yell at her and tell her to leave me alone. I just wanted to sleep, I felt tired and worn out.

I could tell through the sounds of her voice that she was starting to get stressed out and upset. I felt like I didn't care at all about her, I was starting to get in a rage and I felt like the whole world was against me.

My daughter woke up and started to cry, I started to get even more upset. I started to take my frustrations out on her. I was now starting to loose it, I started to feel like all I wanted is to be alone.

I didn't even seem to think about whether I cared for my wife and child. It was just taking over me, I was starting to loose control of my actions. I ran down stairs and started to get really upset. I even got to the point that I started to throw things around, my anger has started to lead to violence. I know that I would never touch her or hurt my daughter. At least I was in control of that. So many others, do not have the control or do things that they will soon regret.

I soon found out that Depression was probably the cause of it. I felt terrible for my actions and the way I had been treating her. So many of you who feel the same way and are not alone. It's something that so many of us have, many of us keep our feelings bottled up inside and don't tell anyone.

Men are the worst ones who don't want to admit they have a problem. Soon afterwords I realized that Depression was a part of me as it was a part of my family history. I never really thought about that one, but now it was reality and I had to live with it.

Several weeks after I started on the medication I felt like a new person. There were changes in my life that I never dreamed were possible. I was no longer upset every moment of the day or feeling like suicide. It was if my burdens had been lifted.

I will admit, that medicine can not do it alone. You have to be willing to take control of your life and give it to Jesus. You can't win it alone, even if you try yourself. You will fail and all your problems will come creeping back in faster than you can imagine.

Jesus has always been a big part of my life, without him I would not be here today. He has given me the strength to be someone I never dreamed of. A person who wants to reach out and touch as many lives as I possibly can.

So if you feel that you are hurting, that you're sad or that you don't think your life matters, you're NOT alone! Things can be better for you, just ask the Lord to help you and he will help you seek help. It's never too late!

"If God Will Get You To It, He Will Get You Through It"

Rushing Through Life

A powerful executive was in a hurry to get home. He has had a very long day at work, he couldn't imagine a better place than to be in his mansion surrounded by all the luxiurious things he had.

He hurried up and ran to his brand new sports car and started to drive home not even paying attention to the speed limit or the traffic around him. He only cared about one thing, himself, himself and himself. He wasn't about to let anyone get in his way, all he wanted to do was get home and relax.

He reached a residential area, there were kids nearby and to him it didn't matter as he continued to cruise down the streets without a care in the world. Then suddently a huge rock came flying towards his front windshield. He panicked and stopped immediately as he saw cracks running in all directions across his brand new windshield.

He was angry, very upset and ready to get out and beat up whatever little punk that did this. He was furious, this has ruined his day for sure. He couldn't believe his sight as the cracks he saw were just sickening.

He flung open his car and looked around, he couldn't see anyone, but then he say a little boy standing on the curb looking at him with tears in his eyes. The man was angry and upset. He yelled at the boy saying "Did you do this? Are you going to pay for what you did?

The little boy cried out "Mister! Mister! Please help me, my brother who is in a wheelchair fell down and I'm not strong enough to get him up. Please help!"

The man turned and looked and saw the older brother who was laying on the ground, his mouth sunk down and he stared in shock. He couldn't believe what he has just done. He felt such a heartbreaking feeling deep down inside so strong that it wouldn't go away for a long time.

He quickly hurried over and helped the older brother up and sat him down in his wheelchair.

The young boy said "Thank You!, Thank You! I didn't mean to throw the rock, but everyone else passed us by and I didn't know what to do."

The man smiled and told the little boy that everything is going to be ok, he knew that someone was trying to tell him something through the actions he has just witnessed.

The man saw it as a sign to slow down, take a look around and don't rush through life so fast that we don't notice the little things. There are many who are around us that need our help, who need our love and who need forgiveness.

The man never fixed his windshield, from this day forward he would always look at it as a reminder of how foolish and stupid he truly was. He will share with others his experience as he has learned from it.

God's Plan

So often we think that God's plan will be what we are expecting. I recently thought that what was about to happen was part of his plan. Soon afterwords I realized that it wasn't his plan. I started to think and realized that he had a different plan for me.

I was a little bummed, but when I looked at the big picture I started to understand exactly where everything fit in. I sometimes can't comprehend everything and how everything else ties into the thing that I wanted to happen.

I have now realized that it is for the better that whatever I was wishing for will wait. I now know that once we get through our current situation things will work out for the better. We will be able to do what I was hoping for and then it will be even better than it is now.

God is always there for us, sometimes the things that we are wishing for are not granted. We shouldn't get discouraged or upset. We should still keep our trust in him and hold true to his word. Do not get angry and do not think that he isn't with you.

His plan is great and what he has plan will be better than the one we thought. It's hard for us to understand sometimes exactly how it is better, but in the end when we look back on it, we truly understand how much greater it is. We are thankful for what the Lord has done.

There are going to be many trials that we will go through in our lives, it is part of making us stronger. God tests us for a reason, do not loose hope if something that you were expecting doesn't come true. Hold true to the belief that God will make things better. After all, he makes all things new and he will for you. Do not forget that. Also, remember that if God gets you to it, he will get you through it! So if you're having a bad day, stop and pray and let God help you through your day.

You will look back when you are done with your day and realize what all he has done for you.

Never loose hope, keep believing and trusting in God and the rest will come easy!

We Are Like Fruit

Fruit spoils easily, if we don't eat it in time it will get bad. We are the same way, if we are without the Lord and we go about our daily lives, we will soon run into bad. It will consume us and bring us down, we will be tempted by everything and anything. If we give into those temptations, we will find our lives getting worse and worse.

We can do anything through Christ, but without him we are bad. We can't do things on our own, even if we tried we would fail in the most miserable way possible. The Lord is a very important part of our lives. We must continue to read the word and abide by his commandments.

We will not turn bad, like the fruit with Jesus we will be fresh and full of life. The Lord will show each and everyone of us what our true potential can be if we just walk with him everyday.

So many think it is just too hard to follow the Lord. They believe that they won't have the time or energy to do it. What they don't realize, is that they are giving into doubt, giving into every negative feeling that comes from the devil.

Sure we are going to have our good days and bad days, but with the Lord we will make it through it. Even my days aren't always as great, but I reach out to the Lord and ask him to help me through any struggles that might come my way.

Never give up on the lord and NEVER tell yourself you don't have time. You do! Make time and see the glory that the Lord can reveal in your life. What little time you put into being with the Lord, will reap a great reward!

The Two Angels

A young man and his wife were so excited about getting married, they had planned their honeymoon for Breckenridge, Colorado. They knew that everything was going to be fun, but was it really? Soon they arrived in Breckenridge. The hotel that they saw on the internet was a total dump. They realized then, that they will never trust any more pictures on the Internet.

The bed was as hard as a rock, there was very little room in the bathroom. The toilet was close enough to the wall where you would bump your head if you got up the wrong way. It was terrible, to say the least. How could it get any worse than this, he thought.

They had already been together for a long time. They spent nearly five years dating each other and getting to know one another. They knew each other inside that there was nothing to hide.

Their 85 Blue Ford Tempo was a nice car, but what he failed to mention is that the shifter was about to go out. He didn't think, even after driving all this way. He ignored the obvious and continued on without taking notice of the warning God was trying to tell him.

Soon they decided to check out Loveland Pass, after a long drive towards the top which was very steep. The roads winded in all directions and it was a pretty site. They walked towards the lookout point and took plenty of pictures.

As he walked back towards his car a couple decided to take their picture for them, he was very happy and accepted gladly. Upon entering the car and starting it up, something went wrong. It wouldn't shift, it was too late now. The shifter was broken and they were at least 10,000 feet above sea level.

He knew he was in trouble at this point in time, he started to get very upset. Both him and his wife were almost in tears because their car was broken down and their honeymoon that they both thought would be awesome, was turning out to be not so great.

They didn't know how they were going to get down, none of them had a cell phone on them on them. What were they going to do, his wife was already in tears and he felt so bad. This was not what he expected or wanted at all.

Two gals overheard them fighting and asked if they would like a ride down to Frisco, which was not far outside of Breckendridge. They agreed with a smile on their faces. These two young gals even decided to wait for them at the local repair shop to see if they could get it towed.

They were so nice and so patient, he thought to himself that God was truly with him. Through all the pain, there was still hope and he wanted to hold onto any bit of hope that was left.

Him and his wife had to spend a few extra days walking back and forth from a bus terminal to shop in Fresco and visit the local Wal-Mart. Not having a car really did have it's moments. Soon they found themselves switching to a nicer hotel in Frisco. Things were looking up and they enjoyed this hotel so much more.

After a few days, a part was brought in from Denver and soon they could be on their way. They're exact thoughts were to get out of this place! They were so happy to be able to have a car.

Through all the walking they realized how much they loved each other. He realized that it must of been a test from God to see how well they can endure together under stressful situations. When he looks back, he realizes that their honeymoon was not the best. It was the experience they shared with made them stronger in the end.

He will never forget the two women who offered them a ride down. All he can remember is that they were from Florida. He will always remember them in his heart.

The Future is Unknown

So many people do not believe that the future can be anything they want it to be. So many try to visualize it, but can't. There will be few that will not doubt that things could be great. They live to deny themselves greatness. If they shall only look and trust in the Lord, they will be surprized by the things that will come.

A young man and his wife were trying so hard to have a baby. What he was trying to do was visualize the future and all he could see was nothing. He didn't believe that anything could happen, he could only think about failure. What he was giving into was the negative feelings and thoughts that overwhelmed his mind.

He in a sense was setting himself up for rejection. He was giving into his fears and worries that he believed so hard that it wouldn't work. What he should of been doing was believing that it would happen. He should of been putting his entire trust in the Lord and not holding back.

It was too hard for him to do that. He found out countless times in anything he was striving for only ended up in failure or dissappointment. As he started to listen to radio shows relating to the Bible he started to understand something very intersting.

He was aware that if we don't trust in God and give ourselves to the Lord fully that we will continue to see failure in our lives.

It is by Christ that we can do all things, he knew that his life had to change and it had to be his way of thinking as well. He had to start looking at the future as being full of new and exciting things to come.

The Lord revealed to him many new things that would change his life, he wouldn't understand it all at once. When he looked back he saw exactly what God's plan had been. He saw that God had showed him that he had Diabetees, he also realized that through the new medicine he was taking would change his body.

An idea of having Watermelon for lunch to help loose weight was doing something for his body that he didn't realize until he saw an e-mail about fruits.

That too tied into God's plan, he soon found out that the Watermelon had a very important vitamin that improved fertility.

As he looked back, he saw all of the great things that God was doing in his life. It all made sense to him. God was doing great things, but it would take a while and all the steps that it took he soon noticed.

Soon he found out that they were expecting, this time there was no need for any fertility treatments. It was on their own, God had done something awesome in his life. Through the medicine to the fruit to the improvement of his fertility made it possible for a new life to emerge. A new Joy that would soon remind all of those who were lost that Jesus can do great things.

Soon that little angel that arrived 9 months later would never be forgotten and many would call him the miracle child.

The man soon realized that God was working in his life, but also for him to share with others how great God can truly be. We just need to focus our attention on him and let the rest fall into place.

We Are

We are born into this world, but are we sinless, are we free of that sin at the very moment we are born? I read something very interesting that made sense to me. When we are born, we are born in to a sinful world. We at that very moment are neither good or evil. We just are too little to comprehend everything. The things around us are new and exciting.

It is the temptations that surround us and compel us to do wrong. So are we really bad in the eyes of Jesus? No, we do the actions that the devil wants us to do, we are the weak and the fallen. It is not us that are bad, it is the things that we do which ultimately determine our fate.

A adulter, a rapist, a murder are all bad, but it isn't the person that makes them bad, it is the actions. If anyone of them were to find Jesus today in their lives and repent, they would be cleansed of their sins.

Jesus doesn't hold any sin against us, if we come to him and repent he will wipe away everything that we are holding onto. Those that think they have done too much wrong and that they won't be forgiven are mistaken.

Jesus forgives every sin and no sin is too big for him not to forgive. So don't hold back, if you feel that you can't go on. Stop and kneel before him and pray, call out to him and ask him to come into your life. Ask him to take away all your pain and soon you will feel the burdens that you carry lifted onto his shoulders.

The Fisherman

Jacob and his son decided it would be a great weekend to go out on the seas and try and catch some fish. The weather was awesome, there was not a cloud in the sky. Things were looking up and they hoped to catch lots of fish. His son Matt decided it would be a great idea to bring along one of his friends. He invited his great friend Joe.

The boat was ready to sail, the nets were all ready and they had plenty of room for a big load. As they departed into the quiet waters, things started to get interesting. What they thought was a cloudless day started to change, clouds began to appear out of no where and soon increased in size.

The waters were still calm, but it wouldn't before long and things would get really dangerous if they stayed out. Matt's friend thought that maybe the storm would bring in lots of fish, but was his friend really right?

The waves started to splash against the sides of the boat, the clouds all around were turning very dark. The three of them started to hold on as the boat started to rock from side to side. The waters were getting very fierce as things got intersting.

They tried to hold on for their lives as the waves splashed over the boat, filling it up quickly. Jacob and his son were started to worry and they didn't know what to do. As the winds started to increase and as the boat was whipped around, Jacob called out to the Lord. He said "Where are you Lord?, Don't let me die at a time like this, will you send your angels to protect us. Hear us oh Lord, do not forget us!"

The waters started to calm down, the heavy rains stopped and something awesome just started to happen. The clouds started to seperate and in the middle of the sky appeared several rays of sunshine as they peaked through the clouds.

They witnessed something miraculous before their very eyes. They stood there motionless as they all looked up. A great lightning bolt struck down on all sides of the boat, but it wasn't hurting them. Thousands upon thousands of fish started to flop up and down in the waters. The three men grabbed the nets quickly and tried to catch as many as they could. They were overwhelmed, their boat was filled to the max.

There was no way they could take anymore fish. They were happy and filled with excitement. Nothing like this had ever happened before.

Jacob turned and looked up at the sky, he said "Oh Lord, Thank You. You are an awesome God! You didn't have to do this for us, but you protected us and made sure that we made it through. Even though we are just three out of millions, you still cared for us."

Jacob had a great feeling. He thought that even though God was great and powerful that he will never forget any one of us. Jacob knew that God could hear each and everyone of our thoughts and be with us all at the same time, to him that was amazing enough just to think about it.

He told his son on the way back, "God was with us today, we may be small, but he loves all of his children and will do anything to save us."

They all learned a valuable lesson from this, they will remember it for the rest of their lives and share it with many others as a testimony to their faith.

God was always there

Throughout my life I have endured many different kinds of trials and temptations. Some of them have been harder to deal with. One such event happened years and years ago. I was living at home and I came home one day from picking my girlfiend up at the time, who now is my wife of 10 years.

I saw my mom's brother talking on the phone, my dad was not where to be found and I knew right away what had happened. I thought as my heart sunk to the ground, "Oh No!" I started to feel the sadness creeping up inside me, stronger than ever before. I knew something terrible had happened and this was not the thing that I had envisioned.

My mom's brother told me that she was at the hospital with my dad. He said, "You're mom has had a heart attack, and your dad is with her." Tears started to flow down my face, I was terrified almost more than it would be if I saw a spider. I was so upset, I just wanted her to be ok. I don't know how many times I prayed to the Lord that night, but it must of been a thousand. My girlfriend at the time tried to comfort me and tell me that everything was going to be ok. I started to doubt God and I thought the worse, that she's going to die and that I'll never get to see her again.

I wanted to see her so bad, we drove right away and headed towards the hospital. We hurried in quickly and went towards the waiting room. I saw my family there, I could tell that they were worried as the looks on their faces did not look good. That didn't make things easier for me, it made it worse.

I don't know what kind of heart attack she had, but I remember it wasn't a good one. She had to have a bypass surgery and I remember walking into the emergency room before as they were monitoring her. I could see the tears in her eyes, I knew the pain was deep inside me and I could tell my father was not doing so well.

I continued to pray and pray. I'm sure that the prayer hotline in Heaven was going bezerk from all the prayers that I was sending. I talked to my mom and told her that everything is going to be ok. I couldn't stay long because they had to run some more tests and I hoped that this was not the last time that I would see her.

As soon as she was scheduled for surgery, me and my family waited out in the waiting room. Time seemed to tick slower than ever, was it doing this for a reason just to try and annoy me. I wanted everything to be ok and I wanted my mom to come out alright.

I remember going into the room shortly before she was to have surgery. The sight that I saw I will never forget. She was hooked up to all kinds of machines and tubes. I know it was for the best, but it scared me. However, I knew that everything was going to be alright. I had to keep hoping and praying, because there was no way that I was going to let my mom down.

Things went great, she came out of the surgery and was able to go home in a few days. I remember her coming home in a wheelchair with an oxygen tube. She would have to use that until she was able to breathe on her own again. It wasn't long and she was doing great.

She made it through one of the hardest times in my life. God was there and he was with me. I don't know how I survived it, because I am a very sensative person and everytime I went home, I cried so much as I listened to inspirational music to cheer me up.

I knew that God was there and he was working in her life and mine. It may not have seemed like that at the time, but he was. So many people are not fortunate to have the same scenario happen to them. To those of you, I say this. God still has not forgotton you. Do not put blame God for what has happened, when we live in a sinful world the devil is out to get each and every one of us. Bad things happen, we will never understand them until the end of time.

Just like the saying says, "If God will get you to it, he will get you through it" So never forget him, especially in the time that you are suffering the most. Reach out to the Lord and ask him to be with you when you are down and sad. He will bring you through it, but never give up on him. Never!!!

The Battle

What we see and what we don't see are two different things. In another place, outside of time there is a war that has been going on since the beginning of time. All around us there are angels, both good and bad battling it out for your survival. Everytime you sin, the presence of the dark angels are all around you. The good angels fight the good fight to wipe out those bad angels.

One such battle goes on right now in a man's living room. He is sitting in front of the television deciding what to watch. He can't make up his mind between turning the channel to a inspirational show, or to watch something that he knows he shouldn't watch.

He turns the television to the naughty channel and gives into his temptation. Before him and all around him in this time outside of time stands four to five great big dark angels, nearly 7-10 feet each. They are egging him on, they are saying all sorts of things such as "Go for it", "Do it" , "It's ok to watch it" , "no one will know", and everything else you could possibly think of.

The man starts to watch as the dark angels look on. Suddenly about ten great angels rush in from all directions and swing their swords in every direction. Metal clashes against metal, several of the bad angels fall. The man feels like he shouldbn't be doing this. It is the destruction of the bad angels that leads him to feel guilty as he then turns the channel and starts to watch something better as he repents for his sins.

This story is not true, but everyday there really are both good and bad angels all around us. It's just that we can't see them or hear them, but there is a battle going on. It probably has been going on since the beginning of time or since Lucifer (Satan) was cast out of Heaven by the ArcAngel Michael. The leader of the Seraphim, the highest order of Angels that there are.

So when you feel tempted, speak out loud and call out for Jesus to send his angels to destroy those bad influences in your life. Ask him to come into your life and show you the things that you are missing. Do not be afraid to talk to the Lord. For he is great and his ways are righteous.

The Little Angels

I was sitting on my deck watching out over the fields and taking notice to all the creatures that moved about in the early morning. What I saw right in front of me was a small robin that landed on the deck. He sat there and looked at me, he tilted his head and started to sing.

Soon after he started to sing, another one appeared and started to look at me curiously and he too started to sing beautiful music. Another one now showed up and began to sing. I couldn't believe my eyes, this has never happened to me in my entire life. Yes I loved birds, but I never dreamed of such a thing happening to me.

I sat back and listening to their tune, it was so amazing how it sounded. These little precious creatures were like little angels. They had wings, their music was awe inspiring and they were a great companion that morning.

They started to speak in their own tongue, I couldn't understand them, but I knew they were trying to communicate with me. I didn't know what to say, I shrugged my shoulders looking back at them. Again they spoke, they tried to so hard as I heard them speaking several times as they talked back and forth to each other.

Just then, one flew my way and it about freaked me out as it landed right on the table just inches away. It looked at me again and then walked right onto my arm. Now I was shocked, it was so cool. How is this possible I thought, no birds would ever dare to come this close to a human.

Then something very strange started to happen, they started to disappear one after another. Those three little birds were gone and I couldn't understand why. I started to think really hard and then remembered that these little birds must of been the three little baby birds that never made it in the Robins nest.

What I wondered is what are they trying to say? I told my wife about it later that night, and she started to confess something awesome to me. She said that she was late by at least 5 weeks. Soon we realized that she was pregnant again, but this time it wasn't an In Vitro. It was on our own.

I turned and looked towards the deck as my mouth dropped and my eyes started to tear. I saw the sign that God was showing me. He was telling me that soon you will have a beautiful new baby on the way. I never thought this was possible, even for me.

I started to cry tears full of joy and I was so happy that I couldn't stop crying. I smiled widely and from that moment on I will never think of birds the same way when I see them. They are truly God's Little Angels.

I wish we were having a 2nd, but only time will tell. :)

Angels Are Among Us

The Word Angel refers to the heavenly being that exists in Heaven. They are not Human and can't live a human life. However, some people say they have seen Angels, some have seen the great ArcAngels as described in the Bible. Not all Angels that people have seen appear with wings, some appear as normal people.

However, the Angels I am talking about are the ones like you and me who can reach out and touch another. We may not have wings, we may not have the knowledge that the real angels have. What we do have is the conviction to reach out and touch another.

We can be like Christ if we truly want to be, but so many fail only because they are afraid to be something they don't think they can be. It is true that so many are afraid of what the other might say, but trust me. The minute you reach out and say Hello or God Bless You, you will feel an awesome feeling rushing throughout you. Maybe not all of you, but some will.

You will feel good in the actions you do, the words you say and the person you say it to will probably feel better. Even if they are having a bad day it probably will cheer them up and they'll remember you. Even if you are not sure how to say it, just talk to the Lord and ask him for his advice.

You will be surprized what he will do in your lives. It may not happen right away, but he will show himself to you in a certain way. You will know what he is talking about, just listen closely and you will hear his voice. It may be through the words that someone speaks, it could be through the radio. He will send his signs to you, just be sure not to overlook them and you will be astonished at what he has to show you.

The Lord will continue to show you in your life what all you are capable of, don't ever think you can't do it. You can do anything through Christ. You just have to believe and listen closely to what he has to say.

In all honesty I thought the same thing a few weeks ago before I started this whole blogging thing. I was trying to write in Microsoft Word and everything I started to write, I immediately erased. I was starting to get frustrated. I couldn't believe that I was running into a writers block.

I told the Lord that I needed his help, I wanted to write a book and I couldn't do it without him. So one day I was telling one of my relatives how much I enjoyed writing and that I wanted to write. She suggested that I start a blog. Well in so many ways I feel that God was speaking through her.

What he wanted was for me to start blogging and sharing some of my writings. So here I am writing these inspirational stories that I hope will touch your heart in a great way. I feel that the Lord is leading me in a great direction that will grow over time.

Who knows, I could probably have a ton of followers in no time which is great. All I say is don't give up on the Lord. Ask and you shall receive! Give yourself to the Lord and let him work miracles in your life.

God's Creations

It seems that everyday we rush through our lives not noticing what God has provided for us, only to ignore them and take them for granted. We see the birds, we see the trees and we see all of his creations, but do we even stop and think what all went into them. Do we stop and cherish them and thank him for them.

One day I was driving along as most people do, I wasn't paying attention to anything. I didn't really see the trees as being a beautiful creation, I just saw them as trees. It was the same when I saw a bird or anything else, what I was missing was the fact that the Lord had created these things for us, to enjoy and to keep us company.

I started to notice something as the Lord showed it to me. He was trying to say to me, look! Do you see the things that it took to create that tree, do you not see the little birds that fly and sing joy. How can you miss these things, are you blind and deaf?

I realized that what God was trying to convey to me is that I should take notice and appreciate all that he has done for me. I was starting to forget how truly awesome his works were. I started to look at things now with a better appreciation for everything.

For God had given us the ideas, the knowledge and the ability to create these things. We did not get these things on our own, we borrowed the ideas from God. So when you hear someone say "Look what I did", remind them that it wasn't them, but it was God's idea.

So many of us forget, it's time to wake up and see what God has given to us and to thank him in return. I no longer go through life just looking at anything, to me I have a new outlook on everything. When I see the clouds, the land, the birds I know that God had his works in these and I appreciate all that he has done.

The Robin's Nest

It was a few years ago, shortly after my wife had become pregnant that we noticed two robins that built a nest right underneath our deck. My wife demanded that I take down the nest, because she didn't want to see them anymore.

I didn't want to do that, I love birds and I wanted them to stay there. I didn't want to disturb them. Day after day came as I watched the male robin going out to get food while the female waiting inside the nest. It was interesting to hear his call, the voice that uttered from that little beak of his. It was so much fun to watch them everyday and it brought great joy to my heart to know we had visitors.

My wife asked me again several times, but each time I said no. I can't take them away, I heard babies and I knew now was not the time to take them away. Throughout the summer I watched them on and off thanking the Lord for bringing us such nice visitors. Their company was welcomed greatly.

The summer ended and soon they were gone, I didn't see them anymore. I was sad, I enjoyed listening to their sweet music and hearing them talk to each other. It was if a part of me had been taken with them, but I knew a greater joy was on the way.

A joy that I will never forget, the birth of our first child. Shortly afterwords I noticed that we had in our possesion two small ceramic robins that were painted so well. These used to be my grandma Betty's and we acquired them.

I thought to myself, was this a sign from God? How cool was that to have two Robins like the two that visited us. Although, that was not the best to come. What I noticed while looking through the deck to see what was in the nest nearly shocked me.

I remember during the In Vitro that only four embryos were put in. Three of them didn't make it and we were happy with just the one that made it. When I looked through the deck I saw three little baby birds that were no longer alive. They must not of made it through the summer, either the parents couldn't find enough food or something beyond my understanding happened.

I immediately thought of the three embryos that didn't make it, I saw this as a sign from God that he was with us. Looking back now, I realize that it all fit together.

God was with us when we did the Invitro, I trusted in him and he brought us a miracle. His love was with us in the Hospital when we went through some of the hardest times in our life. It all made sense now, God has always been with me. He was showing these things because he wanted me to know that every step of the way he was there.

I will always wonder if those three Embryos are in Heaven, maybe I will see them as our children or maybe not.

The J Word Part II

It was time for me to go home and take out the dog, since mommy wasn't going to be able to leave for a week, I had to do some of the runnings. As I was driving home with the radio going, I couldn't help start to cry. I started to talk to the Lord and ask him why it was that our poor daughter had to go through this.

I wondered why we had to deal with this, when we had enough troubles trying to bring a beautiful joy into our lives. I couldn't stop the tears, no matter how hard I tried. They flowed like a river and I was feeling so down. I wanted her to be ok, I wanted her to not feel anymore pain and be the little girl we wanted her to be.

I got home and let out the dog. I turned on the radio and started to let our dog run around for a while so that he wouldn't feel like he had to be couped up all day long. I dropped to my knees, so sad and so crushed that I started balling. I know that most men don't cry, but I couldn't help it. I was so sad, I was also so worried that our daughter would not make it.

I asked the Lord and pleaded with him that he please give us a chance. All I wanted was her to be ok, as any father would. I returned to the hospital after putting our dog into his cage. He started to bark as he didn't want me to leave, but I couldn't stay away for long because mommy needed my support.

Things started to get better, the numbers started to drop, we were very happy. It was a great feeling to know that the lights were working, we wanted her to stay under the lights if it is helping. The doctor on call came in and told us that in a few days we probably would be able to leave.

We were so happy, we couldn't wait. Another day went by and our hopes were crushed as one of the nurses told us that the numbers have started to rise again. They were not sure what was going on, but it worried us so much. We held each other close and I felt the worse feeling deep down inside. I didn't want her to die, I need her more than anything. If I lost her, I don't know what I would do.

It was hard, but several days passed and things started to get better. I could feel that the Lord was with us. Our daughter was starting to loose the jaundice, we were so thankful. I thanked the Lord with all of my heart.

Our main doctor whom we see quite often for colds came in, he told us that things were looking great. He said it should be another day and then we would be able to go home. He gave us a few papers and told us were are going to have to pick up a bili blanket. He told us that it plugs into the wall and we'll have to wrap her in the lights to keep the jaundice down. We had to do that for the next two weeks and most of the time she was in her swing rocking while we had her near the window, the fresh sunlight also helped greatly.

Soon, she was starting to wake up. She was starting to act like a baby should be. We were so glad to be home, it was the best feeling in the world. I knew it was hard, but in the end God got us through it once again. I did trust in God the entire time, sometimes I may have been worried, but who wouldn't be. It's human nature, but as long as I held onto the belief that she was going to be ok, the rest would work out in the end.

The J Word Part I

Our daughter was finally here, we were so excited and we couldn't wait to hold her. I was holding her in my arms for the first time and it was a blessing. She was wrapped up in a small blanket, they had just cleaned her off and mommy wasn't able to hold her. She was very disappointed, but they had to sew her back up after having to cut in order to fit the baby out.

I was worried and I rocked this beautiful bundle of joy as I watched on, the nurses moving around and trying to stop the bleeding. They packed her with all kinds of stuff to stop the bleeding. Our daughter was a tough one to come out, but in the end it was well worth it.

Because of the way she was situated her head was a little red, she had to wear a small hat. She was also Jaundice and that's the biggest worry that we had. We knew right then that we wouldn't be able to leave the hospital as we had planned. Mommy was really excited to leave the next day, but her hopes were crashed as we realized our daughter had Jaundice pretty bad.

They took her away from us and told us that she needed to be under the lights in the nursery. Even when we did have her, all she wanted to do was sleep. It was heartbreaking for us. We both wanted to hold her and cherish her, the only times that they would bring her in was for feedings. That alone was hard enough because she wasn't always awake. Whenever she did try, she would fall asleep right away again.

Yes, it was frustrating and we wanted her to stay awake. We tried, but nothing seemed to work. The Jaundice was causing most of this, it was sad enough and for us this was a very hard time.

The days passed, we were unable to see her as she had to be under these lights. We remember going into the nursery and looking at our miracle from God laying there with a patch over her eyes. We couldn't help almost crying as we wanted to hold her so bad. I could tell that mommy was missing her so much.

We went back to the room and mommy started to cry, she wanted to hold her so bad. This wasn't fair and I could feel the pain deep down inside. I held the tears in to support her and be there for her. However, it wouldn't be long before I could no longer hold back the tears. I too wanted to hold my daughter, I was anxious and desperate to touch her, the few times I could I tried to cherish every moment.

Send Me A Sign

The year was 1989 and I was almost done with my 8th grade. Most of my friends I would never see again because I was going to start going to a public school. We were ready to go on a field trip to a church camp. It was going to be lots of fun I thought to myself. I was ready to check it out, I loved anything and everything that had to do with the outdoors.

We all loaded our stuff on the bus and started to drive towards the church camp. I remember arriving and thinking, this place looks like a bunch of fun. There was volleyball, hiking trails, and so much more. I knew that this weekend was going to be a blast. I just couldn't wait to get out of the bus.

A few of the teachers introduced us to the people and they seemed very cool. I found myself talking about the Lord with them and they told me so much that I had not even known about. They told me all the different kind of activites that we would be doing. We would be going on a nature hike, we would be looking at the stars at night, and so much more.

After we all got settled into the several cabins they had, we were welcomed to all come to their main cabin to have a discussion about the Lord. We all sat around as one of the guys told us some very interesting things. I learned about The Book of Job (Jobe) for the first time in my life. It was very interesting how Job's family was all destroyed.

I remember hearing that the Devil made a pact with God that if he should loose all of his family he will curse God. Job continued to be obedient to the Lord, but not for long. Job finally lost it and started to curse God. I remember reading all the different things that he asked God. What was so awesome is what God said back to Job in return.

After we had a long discussion we were to go on a walk, we didn't bring any flashlights. What was neat is that they told us our eyes would adjust to the darkness. As we walked, it was easier to see where we were going. I thought to myself that everyday we walk in darkness, if we do not have the Lord we will miss our step and fall.

I thought, we are to reach out to the Lord, ask him to be with us and protect us from all harm. He will shine his light upon us and we will see clearly through the darkness.

We had a great time and soon we were walking back to the camp. The next day we were go to on a nature hike. This time we would each go our seperate ways. We would then come back to the camp after we have spent some time alone with the Lord.

Well, knowing how much I love to hike I started to go a little further than I should. To me it all started to look the same. The trees and the pinecones laying all over the ground were everywhere. I really enjoyed seeing all the different rocks that were sticking out of the ground. Anything to do with archeology interested me.

I was having so much fun, everything that I started to see was great. It was interesting to be alone and to talk with the Lord. However, I started to realize that I was probably going to get lost. Wait, I thought. I am lost. I looked around and nothing looked familiar.

I continued to walk thinking that I would find a way back to the church camp or at least the trail that led off into the wilderness. I tried to look for any kind of structure or house that might be near, but nothing. All I could see were trees in all directions.

At this point I started to worry, I didn't want to get lost and not have a way back. I don't know the first thing about surviving out in the wild. I knew that I would not even be able to make a fire. I wasn't what you would consider a good boy scout.

So I stopped and looked up and prayed with my arms stretched out. I said, Lord will you please help me. I don't know where I am. I need you to be with me. Please Oh Lord, will you show me the way back. I don't want to ask you for a sign, but I don't know what else to do.

I need you now Lord, please help me back. I don't want to get lost, especially when the temps at night are in the 30's. So I waited and started to walk hoping that I would find my way back.

I started to see an opening and I could see for miles and miles. All I could see were trees, and more trees. I was starting to get discouraged because it all looked the same. It was starting to upset me that I had to walk off and get myself lost. Of all the people, it had to be me. So then as I continued to look I saw something I was not expecting. It did get my attention really quick.

I saw a great big white cross sticking out of the trees. Of course I thought, I remember when we drove into the camp there was a great big white cross. I didn't even consider it coincidence. I knew that this was a sign from God. I said out loud Thank You Lord, Thank You so much! I was so happy, so amazed by what the Lord had done for me. I knew that I was safe, all I had to do was walk towards the cross and I would find myself walking back to the camp.

I walked and walked and then I started to recognize areas that I had been before, it was cool. I then noticed a bridge that I walked by and shortly after I started to walk back to the camp. The cool thing is that no one at the camp knew anything about what had happened that day. It was between me and God.

Faith

What is Faith? Is it the feeling deep down inside us that makes everything feel great.

Maybe it's the way we look at others, how we care about them and wish the best for them.

Faith to me is something more than just the feeling. It is so much more, it is a lifestyle for me. Everything that I am doing, everything that I am saying and every way I am living is based on Faith.

Faith surrounds us all, it's for us to take notice and grab ahold of it's awesome power. Do you know that so many millions of people do not have faith. Do you know that they go through their entire day, their entire lives without knowing Faith?

Do you know that so many of them say the Lords name in vain as if it was another part of their vocabulary. I say to you, what is wrong with these people who do such things? Do they not have a conscience, do they not realize what is going to happen to them if the Lord should appear tonight, tomorrow or the next day?

Like part of the saying goes, watch and pray because the time and the hour of the Lord is not known. Did you know that it isn't even known to the Lord. It is only God who knows the exact return of Jesus Christ.

So the next time that you catch yourself blaspheming his name, be careful. In the Bible it says that God will forgive you for every sin, but Blasphemy he will not forgive.

So remember, have Faith and live your day the way Jesus would.

A Dreary Day

It was a rainy afternoon, the clouds were covering any bit of sunshine that tried to break through. The television was blaring in the background, the mans dog sat up on the couch resting its head on the cushion. He looked out the window watching it rain as he didn't feel so great.

He was sad, his love for almost everything was no more. He started to wonder if anyone really cared about him anymore. He tried to tell himself many times that it was just all in his head. He even thought that maybe he could just shake off his problems.

It wasn't that simple as he walked towards the fridge, he grabbed anything and everything and started to eat. He could only satisfy his cravings, but even after that it didn't seem to help. He thought to himself, what is wrong with me? He knew that this was not normal for him.

He was angry at the world for rejecting him, for making fun of him. The truth was, the world had not rejected him, the world didn't hate him. It was all in his head and it would be a matter of time before he would come to his senses.

He walked towards the bathroom and opened the cupboard. He looked in and saw several different bottles, for the first time in his life he started to contemplate suicide. He knew that he couldn't take a knife and stab himself, he was not strong enough.

His alternative he thought was to take as many pills as he could and that would just take away the pain. He thought that he would no longer have to deal with the troubles that each day had to offer. He would no longer have to worry about those who would tease him and make fun of him. He would be free from it all, he knew that this was the only thing to do. Or was it he thought?

He stood there for a few minutes looking at that bottle, looking at the lable and trying to gain up enough courage to do something that he would soon regret. He started to take one pill, then two and then three. Eventually he started to take more, but he was starting to sob as he didn't know what he was doing.

He spit them out and fell to his knees. He was not strong enough to do such a thing, he knew how much he was in pain, but there was no reason to end it all. He would never see his family again, never see anyone that he loved again.

He knew he was having a bad day, he knew his troubles were great. He also knew that whatever was bothering him will soon come to pass. He grabbed that bottle, put the cap back on and put it back in the cupboard.

At this point he felt so bad for being so stupid. He sat down on the floor against the wall, his legs stretched out and his hands reaching up as high as they would go. He looked up towards the ceiling and started to speak.

"Why? , Why oh Lord do I suffer? Why does the world hate me and why do I feel this way? I don't know what to do, I truly don't. I can't seem to get this pain to go away no matter how much I try. I just want to be free of it all, I thought if I end it all that would be the best solution."

"I'm never happy anymore, I don't even like the things that I used to, what is wrong with me? Do you even exist? Are you there?"

He started to believe that there was no God because his problems had not been answered, he felt as if the Lord had abandoned him. He was in so much pain and couldn't stop crying. He reached for a kleenex and started to dab his eyes as he wiped away the tears.

"If you really do exist, why won't you show yourself?" Just then he heard a rumble of thunder that rocked the house. He stood up quickly and walked towards the living room. He looked out the window and there was no clouds. What the? he thought. He looked around to see some thunder clouds and there was none.

This truly freaked him out as he turned to go and look out the sliding glass door on the other side of the living room. He walked halfway towards the door and something even stranger happened. The television in the livingroom just turned on, he didn't remember touching the remote.

The last station he was on, was the cable music channel. The song that was starting to play really started to lift his spirits. He walked back to the living room and wrote down the artist and song. He loved the song so much, so he recorded it immediately and listened to it over and over. He wrote down Twila Paris "Days of Elijah."

He started to sing the lyrics which made him feel so good inside. He sang

Behold He Comes, Riding On The Clouds
Shining Like The Sun, At The Trumpet Call
So Lift Your Voice, It's The Year Of Jubilee
And Out Of Zions Hill, Salvation Comes

It was such an uplifting song that it made him feel great inside. He knew that something was definately wrong with him. It wasn't normal to be feeling so down all of the time. The inspirational music that he always listened to shouldn't be what cheers him up everytime, yes it's great to listen to, but he shouldn't have to rely on the music to bring him into a good mood. He thought that he should be happy all of the time.

He tried to figure it out, as he sat down grabbing the laptop he went to a website called WebMD. He looked at the website and before his very eyes was something he was not expecting. The website had a big advertizement about Depression. He started to read it and soon he found that most of the symptoms were ones that he has.

It was very strange, how thunder, then a song and now a website could reveal to him his problem. He first tried to dismiss it as a freak thundercloud that he couldn't see.

He thought that maybe one of the cats bumped the remote, that the music just happened to be one that he liked and it came on at the right time. The webpage was just an advertizement and that he was just making more out of nothing.

He knew that wasn't true, he knew exactly what someone was trying to do. He could feel the temptation of the devil trying to tell him that it was all in his head. You don't have a problem now do you? He could feel his presence trying to steer him away from God even further.

There was no way that he was going to let any temptations come in his way, he wasn't going to be a fool and he knew that these things that happened were a sign from God. He believed in them and he listened to what God had to say.

God was trying to get his attention through the thunder, the music was to bring his spirits back up and the website was to tell him that he did have a problem. He could feel God telling him that you are not alone, millions suffer from Depression and it's not something to be ashamed of.

He reached for the phone and called his doctor, he didn't want to put it off anymore or forget about it. This was something he didn't want to deal with anymore. He wanted help, he wanted to be happy and if it means getting something for his problems he was not afraid to do it.

Several months had passed, he was starting to feel great. He could feel the happiness returning in his life and he couldn't believe that he never thought of this sooner. Never again did the thought of suicide return and he looked back at the problems he had and learned from them. Each day was not going to be a cakewalk. He knew that there are going to be good days and bad days. He knew that in his bad days he would reach out to the Lord and the Lord would get him through it.

The next day he went to work and was talking with a coworker. He started to tell him about his experience, it was strange and at the same time it was very cool. He started to realize something.

He said, that everywhere around us are signs from Heaven. He told his friend that if you just take a little bit of your time to listen and pay attention to the little things you will see God working in your life. So many go through their lives not even taking notice to what God is doing.

He said, for example I was driving here and 3 out of the last four days a song started playing on the radio just as I pulled into the parking lot. It was that song God Will Take Care of You by Plumb. He heard it the first few days, but after he heard it again he knew that God was trying to reach out to him.

He thought that when we do bad or when we are not paying attention to God, he sends us signs trying to get our attention and bring us back to him. He also remembers working and when he would drop a fruit or vegetable by accident he would realize that it was bad. It's just that he didn't see it, it was also God's way of saying don't put it there, it's bad!

He knew of countless others that have happened to him, but he couldn't think of them all. He knew then that God was working 24 hrs a day, 7 days a week and was with us always. It is for us to acknowledge him and show him our devotion, then he will show us things we never dreamed of.

The Rushing Winds

A young boy was spending some time up in the hills one day, he and his family decided it would be a great idea to visit their cabin in the hills. He has always loved the outdoors and wanted to be with nature that day. He started to hike up the hill that headed towards an old mine shaft. As he started to walk he heard what he thought sounded like running water.

He saw his father near the old mine shaft that he used to climb down into. It was always so much fun going in and checking out that old mining car that hasn't been seen for over a century. His father told him that he thought there was a stream nearby.

He was very curious to find out, but what was to come was something else he would soon find out about. So he started to walk up the hill now leading off of the trail that ended. He looked around and around and didn't see any water, no stream, nothing at all. He looked towards the top of the hill thinking, maybe it's up there. He kept pressing on, the hill was beginning to get very steep.

He grabbed onto the trees and pulled himself up, thinking what am I doing as he thought once again climbing higher and higher up this steep hill. It did get very steep, if he didn't hold onto the trees he probably would loose his step and fall down. It was starting to get harder to climb with each step, but he wanted to keep going. He had to see what was at the top, he wanted to see this stream that was flowing up above.

He knew that it would be well worth it to see it, what he didn't realize was that he was higher than he ever has been before. If he would just turn around and look back he could see the hills for miles and miles. The closer he reached towards the top the less he thought there might actually be a stream.

Now he knew what that sound was, it was the sound of the rushing winds flowing through the trees.

He was finally at the top, he turned around and was amazed at the scenery around him. To his amazement he could see for miles. He could see every mountain around him and it was an awesome sight.

He noticed that there were many big holes in the ground, many of the trees were chopped down and this probably was some sort of logging operation at one point. He noticed tracks on the ground that once were fresh, but now they were covered with tall weeds that came almost upto his knees.

He sat down on a stump as he felt the wind rushed by him. It felt so good, he couldn't help smiling. He started to talk with the Lord and told him how beautiful the land truly was. He was so happy that he had made it up ok without getting hurt. The wind was a cool wind and it felt refreshing. It seemed to calm him and make him feel at ease with everything.

He wondered if this is what they call the rushing winds. He felt everything that had bothered him being wiped away as if none of it ever existed. He continued to sit there and talk with the Lord. He was having a great time telling the Lord all of his problems and all the things that he enjoyed. For him, it was a great enjoyment to be alone and talk with the Lord.

So what turned out to be the sounds of water flowing was actually the sound of the rushing winds. As he looked around at all the trees, the birds and everything that God had created, he thanked the Lord for all that he saw.

He turned and looked at a tree nearby and was amazed to think of all the little details that went into creating this awesome sight. The more that he looked at this tree and pondered what it was made of, the more excited he became. He was starting to look at things in a different perspective. He saw things differently now and everything that he looked at was a beautiful creation from God.

He knew that even the works of man had to come from somewhere. It was evident that we knew very little that went into these creations. Everything that we created was borrowed from God. The ideas, the design and everything having to do with that one thing were inspired by him.

The more he thought about this, the more and more he smiled and the feeling deep down in his heart was so great that it felt almost like he was getting a new toy but ten times better.

After what seemed like an hour of sitting down and talking with the Lord, he knew that he had to get back to the cabin so that his parents don't worry about him. He knew that it would be impossible to go down the way he came up, so he had to look for a safer way to go down.

He started to walk through the trees looking for a place to start to climb down, it all looked very steep. He was starting to get worried, fear and worry started to flow throughout him. What was he going to do? How will he get down he thought over and over. He started to panic, giving into his fears it only made things worse.

He eventually noticed a place that he could climb down. The only problem is that it didn't look like the best place to go down, but he didn't have much of a choice. It was a jagged cliff of rocks, If he was to look up from below he would never attempt to climb down it, but something inside him told him to go ahead.

He started to climb down moving from one side to the other. He grabbed onto the rock and began to go down very slowly because one wrong step and he would have a long fall. He moved from one rock to the other moving down several feet at a time.

As he was going down he envisioned Angels were surrounding him and preventing him from falling. It helped to sooth him and help him relax as he continued to try and find a way down through the rocks. Eventually he was almost there to the ground, he couldn't believe that he was almost down. However, there was only about a four foot drop to the ground and he thought it wouldn't be a problem. He can just jump down and he'll just land on his rear. It will hurt, but he'll be ok.

Well, after he jumped he sure did hurt, but more than he ever could imagine. What happened is a twig sticking out punctured the testicle. It felt like a 1000 footballs hitting him. It was so excruciating and so painful that he couldn't even hear himself think for a few moments as he bent over trying to ignore the pain and discomfort.

He was not thinking right and started to get mad, he found himself starting to curse God and quickly realized wait a moment. He shouldn't curse the Lord, for it was Sthe devil who wanted him to get hurt. He immediately started to thank the Lord for his life, for helping him get down and for everything. He was not about to give into his temptation to blame the Lord for what happened. Yes, he was in pain but there was no way he was going to turn on the Lord now or ever.

He looked at the area and there was no blood coming out, but he knew he had to get to the cabin immediately and get to the hospital. He walked towards the road as he looked back and was very shocked at what he saw, he noticed before him a huge ledge of rocks. It seemed to go up at least 30-40 feet, he thought to himself how could he possibly have made it down that? He knew there was something or someone that was helping him.

He didn't feel the presence, but he knew that God was with him. He finally made it back to the cabin and his parents took him into town to goto the hospital.

He met with one of the doctors in the emergency room and as the doctor was sewing up his wound he said to the young boy. You must have friends on high? The boy said what do you mean? He said well, if that twig had been 2 centimeters to the right you would have lost one of your testicles. You were lucky, it was just the skin that was punctured.

At that very moment the boy smiled and felt a great feeling rushing through his entire body, almost like the rushing winds. He knew that God was with him that day and he will never forget what God had done for him that day. He thought to himself all that God had showed him was great, he let me have an insight into the things that he created. He also helped me up and down the hill and even though I got hurt he was there to make sure I was ok.

The young boy thought to himself, what was God trying to communicate to me? Was it that no matter how much we get hurt that we shouldn't curse his name. We should thank him for all that he has done in our lives. We should never forget what he has created for us and to apprecaite it even if it's a little snow bird that flies about.

He knew that God was watching over him when he was climbing down, he could even picture the angels hovering next to him as he thought about earlier guiding him towards the right rocks to grab ahold of.

He eventually recovered only to have a scar to remember what had happened to him. What he remembers the most is that he was tempted to curse God, but he wouldn't let the devil get the best of him. He immediately praised God and thanked him which made the Devil very mad. It made him feel great because he didn't do what the devil wanted of him.

Fully Trust in God

There was a time when a young man was going through troubles. He and his wife were trying so hard to have a baby. They have tried several different inseminations at the local Obgyn clinic and none of them seemed to work. Each time he and his wife thought that they were expecting, it turned out to be another no.

He was starting to get upset and beginning to loose hope. what can we do to make this work he thought? He started to believe in his mind that nothing will ever work for him. He couldn't even imagine having a child at this point. He even looked at his life being childless. He wanted a baby so bad, just as his wife did too. He knew that maybe someday he would. He tried to hope and he has heard many times the saying "Trust in the Lord God and everything will come to you". Well it didn't seem to work for him, he started to trust in the Lord. Each time more failure and disappointment.

So him and his wife talked to the doctor. They suggested a doctor in Sioux Falls, SD who could do InVitro Fertilization. They were very excited, he knew now that this was going to be possible. He couldn't wait, his excitement was going into overtime and he wanted to hold that little bundle of joy in his arms right now, not having to wait.

So they made several trips which each time was a blast. They even got do shopping and visit the Mall of America a few times while staying in Sioux Falls. What seemed like a long time after the several visits and months of medicated shots the embryos were almost ready.

This was about to be the best time in their lives. He remembers driving their to Sioux Falls and thinking in his mind as he talked to the Lord. He told the Lord that he will trust in him, he will give himself totally to the Lord. He will not hesitate at all and will not have any doubts. Well, to be honest the man still did have doubts. He still couldn't envision having a baby even though he was so excited. It's like part of him didn't believe it.

He wasn't fully trusting in the Lord. He was holding back, after a few days of waiting in Sioux Falls the day came. They were anxious to do the proceedure. The Doctor came out and told him that they have retrieved 8 embryos. So they decided to put in two. Now it was the waiting game. Several weeks had passed and then his wife went in for a blood test at the clinic.

A few days later they got a call, the nurse got their hopes up after saying "Congratulations" only to call back and realise that it was a mistake. None of the embryos took. It was a very sad day for both of them, he remembers trying to comfort her as she sobbed over and over.

He was angry thinking again about what he had asked the Lord. He couldn't keep it together and started to loose his cool. After a few days he started to realize that maybe it wasn't the Lord's fault, maybe this was a message from the Lord God about trusting in him.

Was this a learning experience for him, was this a trial that God was doing to test me and to improve me? I had a new understanding of what it means to trust in the Lord. You must trust in him with your entire Heart, your entire Soul and your Mind. Do not lean on your own understanding. Put your entire self onto the Lord and do not let the Devil confuse you or mislead you.

Sometimes things do not work out the way you want them, but you must not give up. God has a plan for you and it will happen. Keep believing and it will come. Like Jesus said "Ask and it will be given to you"

So the man now knew that he was to trust in the Lord and to trust fully in him. The doctor in Sioux Falls suggested they try again in a few months. They decided to do that.

This time 8 embryos were recovered. 3 of them were awesome quality. The others were ok. Now came a big question for them both as they were ready to have the proceedure done again. The doctor asked the man and his wife if they were willing to implant 4 embryos. The biggest chance is that they could have 4 that take and have quads.

He knew the dangers of that and they both agreed to do it. It could be very stressful for the mother, but he knew that God was speaking through him. He had to trust in God this time. He just had to, so he and his wife said yes. They were prepared for anything and if it means having a baby they will do it.

So they waited and waited, once again it was the longest time in their lives waiting. Each day the man prayed and hoped that it would work. Sometimes he started to worry, but he told God that he will not worry. He will trust in him, he will trust him with his whole mind, his whole heart and his whole soul.

The two weeks finally passed and they tried a pregnancy test at home shortly before having a blood test. It was a shock for them, she was pregnant. He was so thankful, he cried and thanked God for what was about to come his way. He was finally going to have a child. He never in his life dreamed it would be possible.

After months and months of his wife being pregnant, the most beautiful girl came into his life. They will always refer to her as the Miracle Child and that's why. From this moment on he will never ever forget how much it means to trust in God.

He learned a great experience and by enduring the pain, he can now share it with others. The most important thing the man conveyed to a friend is to never give up, there may be trials, but there will be days of Joy.

That little baby turned out to be a very smart beautiful young girl full of life and energy. He will continue to Thank God everyday for her and hopefully more will come because now he will believe.

Writing 4 Heaven

Welcome my dear friends. For so many years I have had a passion to write, to write something inspirational and to reach out to many who are in need. I have tried so many times to write only to fail at what I was doing.

Things in my life have not been the best, but what I want to accomplish is to write a great novel that will touch others and bring many to Christ. Everyday I feel the passion inside me just wanting to come out, those unused words dying to be put into use.

So whatever I begin to write I will publish it here. Keep in mind that none of it has been proofread and if the punctuation is bad, don't worry about that. Tammy told me herself that if I write she will take care of the rest. :)

There are so many people out there who don't have Jesus in their lives, they need to know how much he loves us all. If I can touch just one person I am doing good, but I want more. I want to reach out to as many people as I can.

I too have endured so many sins, sins that you would probably consider me worthless. However, in the eyes of Jesus I am forgiven.

Come back often to see what I have written, what I need to do is just stick with it and not let the inner voice tell me I can't do it or it sounds stupid. What matters is that people who are suffering and see this will come to Jesus. I once was a sinner, but now I am saved. Let all who have sinned, come to Jesus no matter how deadly your sin is. He will wash away your tears and open his arms and welcome you in.

Mike