What You've Just Seen...

So, once again, my very good friend and Sister in the Lord, Rev. Gerri Janeway, sent me an email that I needed to share with you today. Now, I've seen this one before, this story has been around. Oh, but there's a good reason it has. It's a great story, and the rumor is, something like this actually happened... somewhere, sometime... Okay, I won't keep teasing you; here's the story:

What You've Just Seen...

His name is Bill. He has wild hair, wears a T-shirt with holes in it, jeans, and no shoes. This was literally his wardrobe for his entire four years of college. He is brilliant. Kind of profound and very, very bright. He became a Christian while attending college.

Across the street from the campus is a well-dressed, very conservative Church. They want to develop a ministry to the students but are not sure how to go about it.

One day Bill decides to go there. He walks in with no shoes, jeans, his T-shirt, and wild hair. The service has already started and so Bill starts down the aisle looking for a seat. The church is completely packed and he can't find a seat. People are really looking a bit uncomfortable, but no one says anything. Bill gets closer and closer and closer to the pulpit, and when he realizes there are no seats, he just squats down right on the carpet.

By now the people are really uptight, and the tension in the air is thick. About this time, the minister realizes that from way at the back of the church, a deacon is slowly making his way toward Bill.

Now the deacon is in his eighties, has silver-gray hair, and a three-piece suit. A godly man, very elegant, very dignified, very courtly. He walks with a cane and, as he starts walking toward this boy, everyone is saying to themselves that you can't blame him for what he's going to do.

How can you expect a man of his age and of his background to understand some college kid on the floor?

It takes a long time for the man to reach the boy. The church is utterly silent except for the clicking of the man's cane. All eyes are focused on him... You can't even hear anyone breathing. The minister can't even preach the sermon until the deacon does what he has to do.

And now they see this elderly man drop his cane on the floor. With great difficulty, he lowers himself and sits down next to Bill and worships with him so he won't be alone.

Everyone chokes up with emotion. When the minister gains control, he says, "What I'm about to preach, you will never remember. What you have just seen, you will never forget."

Be careful how you live. You may be the only Bible some people will ever read! I asked the Lord to bless you, as I prayed for you today. To guide you and protect you as you go along your way...

His love is always with you,
His promises are true,
And when we give Him all our cares,
You know He will see us through.

"Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His Holy Name!" ~ Psalms 103:1

This is just one of those remarkable stories that must stay "viral." It's a story that we must all stay aware of, and remember. God actually DOES use us all. We ARE part of His Creation, part of His Word. Our actions speak volumes.

2009: Make it the "Acts of Kindness YEAR"

By John Kubicek

It was on my way home from work and my stop at the store when I had the impulse to do something nice for somebody. Yes, I said it was an impulse. The grocery store that I frequent enrout to my domicile was unusually busy this morning, but there was only one cashier. It was, as usual in the early morning on my trek home, Paula (name not changed to protect the innocent, and it doesn't matter, because I do not even know her last name). She's a nice lady, about my age. She knows my first name, too, and it is wonderful to have that kind of relationship with people where you always shop.

I only stopped at the grocery store to pick up a couple things. Hearing that we may be getting more snow in the next day or two, I decided to stock up. I picked up extra cans of various veggies along with some other essentials. Getting it today would save me the trouble of battling the elements to do any shopping in the next few days while I enjoy my weekend.

Being that I had a cart loaded with all of this stuff when my shopping was done ... uh, actually just a bunch of items, I let somebody go ahead of me at the cashier line because he only had a couple of things. No problem. And then, just as I started loading all of those things on that conveyor belt, somebody came up behind me, also with a couple little things. Paula had already started ringing up my desired merchandise, so I couldn't really let that guy go ahead of me. So, I simply stated that he should put those couple of things in with my stuff, I'd pay for it, it was on me. That way, Paula could give him his stuff and he could be on his way!

Of course, the gentleman balked at first. You know, the thing where the person says, "You don't have to do that...", and of course, I persisted, and he relented. Paula looked at me across the counter as she was scanning my goods, with the wide eyes that asked with out saying a word, "What are you doing?"

I told her a lie. I said it was "National Acts of Kindness Day." And I quickly added further to the fib by amending that to "National Acts of Kindness Week." Like I said, it was just one of those things that came to me, pretty much on the spot.

There is an alterior motive for me to relate this story to you today. Obviously, being that this all happened spontaneously, what I did wasn't premeditated, but there was the great reason - right there - why you needed to hear about this today.

I had written about it somewhere else this last weekend - oh, yeah, in the email I sent to Kevin Wall, filling in for the resting Glenn Beck - that we have to choose betwen "Individual efforts or dependence on the government.... " Kevin Wall talked about it, and Pat Boone wrote about it. It's a question of, "Would you rather?"

There will be many people that will face certain financial hardships in the coming year(s). I can tell you this from my usual right-wing slant: The government ain't going to be there to help every person through the financial storm. And, as drastic as things may be financially in 2009, I doubt that you and I will be able to bail out every individual facing financial devastation. But, guess what? We can help, just by doing nice things for people when it is possible. If anything, just to get their morale back up, to give people some hope.

By making 2009 the "Acts of Kindness YEAR," maybe we can make it contagious. Just doing some little things in quantity could make a difference in somebody's life. This is just an idea, based on what Jesus may have commanded us to do... Oh, yeah, he did! But, He didn't command us to pass on that awesome responsibility to some bureaucrats in high government positions.

No, He made it very clear that taking care of and loving people was our sole responsibility, to the best of our ability. And I don't know about you, but I'm not financially able to make a difference in that way most of the time, but it isn't that expensive to hold a door open for somebody or help a little old lady across a busy street, or allow somebody in heavy traffic to change lanes without us having a hissy-fit. Be kind. Being kind is an act of kindness. That is all it will take to make it contagious. I think you'll see.

And, I may as well say it, if you follow this plan, there's something in it for you. It is like crying with a great feeling in my heart all the way home from the grocery store today. The feeling that you get from it is better than the high the best drugs would ever give you.

Jesus didn't just suggest it, but he commanded: Love Thy Neighbor.

Walk On - By Rev. Gerri Janeway

~ GUEST AUTHOR ~


Walk On

By Rev. Gerri Janeway

Don't let anyone or anything stop you, slow you, or detour you.
Walk on.

Your steps are ordered by God.
You will never walk alone.
Walk on.

Jesus promised never to leave you or forsake you.
Walk on.

The Lord will walk with you;
but, he cannot walk for you.
Walk on.

The faith walk is a choice.
There will be times that you do not feel like walking.
Walk on.

Jesus did not feel like walking the Calvary Road.
Yet, He walked on.
Walk on in persistence.

When others whom you love turn back,
Walk on.

When those you trusted and walked with turn aside,
Walk on.

When friends leave you and forsake you,
Walk on.

Don't turn to the left or the right;
keep your heart focused on your walk... And,
Walk on.

Remember, your walk is chartered and planned by God.
Walk on.

Straight is the way and narrow the gate.
Keep your feet on the Highway of Holiness.
Walk in His footsteps.
Walk on.

Never forget, many are called but, few are chosen
To walk that path.
Walk on.

He will give you courage and strength for the journey.
His Grace is sufficient.
Walk on.

We are nearing the end of the journey.
We are almost Home.
Walk on, my child, walk on.


Published with permission. © 2008 ~ Rev. Gerri Janeway. You may republish this by including this statement.

Who are we? The answer could be overwhelming...

By John Kubicek

Very early this morning, on an extremely cold wintry day here in Iowa, I finished reading "The Christmas Sweater", the best-selling novel by Glenn Beck. I will never, ever forget the thoughts that ran through my mind as I finished the last several chapters. I was overwhelmed.

Overwhelming feelings can come in different ways. I remember, quite vividly, the way I was overwhelmed almost five years ago when my wife passed away. That was overwhelming grief. It was a storm in my life that I eventually got through, but it was difficult. It did take some time.

And then there are times when we can experience overwhelming joy. The birth of a child comes to my mind, right off the bat, especially when we are talking about the child born in a manger 2000 years ago, the great gift that God has given us.

Well, even the birth of our own children, and all that we see while our loved ones progress through life - even when they have to struggle through their own storms - can all lead to overwhelming joy!

However, each of us are going to have different reactions to the way we see the storms in our lives, just as we will take different roads to deal with the storms.

The way we deal with our storms defines who we are. For those of us who face our storms, and reach the other side of the storm as it eventually passes by, we are rewarded, in ways you may haven't thought of. You will find many people that have faced the storms in their lives and overcame them will go on to help many other people. Glenn Beck is a great example of that, as this gentleman attests to:

So, as you are struggling through your storms, the ones in your past, present, and future, you can feel additional inspiration and confidence by knowing that at some point you will be there to assist somebody else through their storm. And maybe that is why God puts those storms in front of us from time to time. That's an answer that is truly overwhelming!