From: "Dwayne Savaya" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Gods Work Ministry Inspirational and Encouragement E-Mail
Dear Friend, The Lord has created each of us with different dreams and desires that are meant to come to pass. God in His infinite wisdom has uniquely created mankind giving all different abilities and gifts that are meant to be used to fulfil God's plan for their life. We must remember this when looking at how others are living their life. We shouldn't be envious of what they've been given or look down upon them because we think they are insufficient. The Bible declares in Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end." We are to treat all people with love and respect and be encouraging letting them know that we love them and that God has great plans for their life. (Isaiah 43:19-20) (Psalm 40:1-5) (Luke 6:27-38) I hope this message ministers to your heart to never be judgmental towards others, but rather allow God's love to permeate from within your being where others will be positively influenced. THE GOOD LIFE It's All In How You Look At It. For years they exchanged common pleasantries as they passed each other by. The frazzled looking mother of eight sat on her front porch, keeping a watchful eye on the youngest of her growing brood. The career woman was usually pressed for time, rushing by on her way to catch a train that would take her to her 9 to 5 job in the business world. The two women barely shared more than a smile and a quick hello, but each had specific thoughts on each other's lifestyle. The childless career woman felt a little sorry for her neighbor. "What a handful, for a mother to have more children than there is time to take care of them," thought the world wise woman. "No time for anything but cooking, cleaning and raising a family - with nothing to show for it but paychecks that never stretch far enough, tuition bills that have no end in sight, and a distressed house decorated in greasy handprints smudged on walls. And, let's not forget the washers and dryers whose cycles run 24/7! Where is the joy in several hungry mouths to feed, while trying to keep up with several different personalities in need?" To Ms. Professional, this mom was a living example of the old woman who lived in a shoe; which made her all the more thankful she had her self-imposed life of luxury. With freedom to spend her time the way she wanted, with no dependents to tie her down, her neat and tidy home stayed just that--neat and tidy. Dinners in front of the TV or at her favorite restaurant were just what her pampered lifestyle offered. Her phone calls never had to be cut short because a hormonal teen-ager suddenly had to make a crisis call to her girlfriend who lived right across the street. She'd wave a quick hello to the ever expectant mother and knew he had chosen the perfect life. Now, Mrs. Mom had her own thoughts. She'd watch as Ms. 9 to 5 hurried on her way, and she, too, felt a pang of pity. "How lonely it must be, she thought, to have no ties to the heart strings of little ones. How deafening the silence must be without the noise of little voices to keep the music of life flowing along." "With no babies to snuggle close to your heart, with no children to cuddle and save from monsters under the bed, with no chocolate kisses from toddlers who squeeze your neck tight and proudly proclaim: 'I love you THIS much!!' while stretching out two stubby little hands filled with dandelions--with no teen-agers to bring you to the brink of insanity, only to renew your faith in family as you help them overcome an obstacle and they say: 'Thanks mom, I'm glad I listened.'" A mother looks back at all these treasured memories and wonders how life could ever be fulfilling without them. Mother Hen watches as the diva of downtown employment is out of sight. She hopes that one day the solitary lady will find more than business suits, a quiet house and a round trip train ticket to fill the void of an empty life. Years passed by, the mother's children grew up and the working woman retired. The two bumped into each other one day by chance. They began a conversation that would end up surprising both of them. The woman, who long ago chose a career over children, admitted to the now- gray-haired grandma that she always took pity on her, what with all those kids to care for, it sure had to be a chaotic life. The grandmother of 22 gave the woman a sly smile, and with a twinkle in her eye, replied, "Why, what a strange coincidence, for it was I who always felt sorry for you." The moral of this story? The path to greener pastures can often be found in your own backyard when you live your life on your own terms and treasure the benefits of your heart's desires. By Kathy Whirity Read and meditate on these scriptures: Psalm 1:1-3 "Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in His law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper." Joshua 1:9 "Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest." Romans 12:15-18 "Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men." 2 Timothy 2:22-24 "Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes. And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient." All of these scriptures can be found in the King James Version Bible. Today's Selected Poem: JUDGE GENTLY Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/inpoem180.htm Today's Selected Testimony: GOD WILL NEVER LEAVE OUR SIDE Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/testimony52.htm =================================================== From: "Dwayne Savaya" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Gods Work Ministry Inspirational and Encouragement E-Mail Dear Friend, We should never underestimate the depth and width of God's love and mercy. He is able to love the unlovable, forgive the unforgivable and is able to make clean even the most crimson of sinner. We can never understand such great love, yet thankfully it exists without motive or ill intention. Be encouraged to call upon the Lord and share with Him all that is on your heart. He is able to take your heaviest burden and replace it with His light yoke. God loves you and wishes to be at the center of your life. Allow Him to be your Lord and Savior and you will see great changes take place in your life. (Isaiah 1:18-20) (Psalm 103:10-18) (Matthew 11:28-30) I hope you are encouraged and inspired by today's message to make Jesus the Lord of your life if you have never done so before. IF YOU ARE REAL The small church was crowded. All around me people worshiped a God that I didn't believe existed. Why was I there? My neighbor asked me to come. To be honest, I thought they would leave me alone if I did. I wasn't sure what to expect. I had attended services with my family a few times, but it was more of a ritual or a way to celebrate holidays. What I hadn't anticipated was the wetness pressed against my eyelids as I clenched them shut. My motto? Never let them see you cry. I wasn't about to break down in front of people I didn't know. I wasn't crying because I felt the presence of God or that I sensed his love for me. I fought tears because I was mad, so angry that I shook inside. How dare the preacher stand there and talk about the love of God. It was easy for him and people like him to spout off about a God who existed, who had a purpose for every person. Well, maybe their God had taken a personal interest in them but he didn't live at my house. The mother I am about to share with you is not the mom I have now. You see, she had an encounter with God, and He brought her out of the darkness of emotional pain and healed her. In order to share my story, I have to share a little bit of hers as well. My mom left home at 16 years old, pregnant and newly married to a boy who thought he was a man. She lost her first baby to cystic fibrosis when the toddler was less than two years old. She had her second child at 18 and left her husband at the age of 21. He came to visit her one night and forced her to have sex. She discovered two weeks later she was pregnant. I was that baby. Mom married a good man who loved her and the two little kids that came as a package deal. But in spite of this turn of events, my mom was fragile. Like stained glass, she was pretty on the outside, but the broken pieces of her life created the portrait. Growing up, I never knew what to expect. Would it be the mom who brought home suckers to surprise us, or the woman who spouted horrific things as she ran out the door and threatened to kill herself? There was physical abuse and apologies. There were humiliating punishments, harsh words, and tearful requests for forgiveness. Please don't get me wrong. It wasn't always bad in my home, but when it was it was loud and chaotic and frightening. I feared one day that my mom would pull the trigger or hurt herself. I hated the words that came out of her mouth when she was angry. One day my mom chased me through the house, brandishing an umbrella as she screamed at me. I ran out the door and into the rain. I was wearing a T-shirt and jeans and no shoes. The cold rain pelted me as I ran down Latimer Street. I pushed through the wetness, pumping my arms as I ran as fast as I could. Finally I stopped, bending down to catch my breath as my tears meshed with the raindrops. I slowly turned around and walked home, sat on the curb, and wept until my throat closed. I was stuck. I couldn't run away. I had no money, no place to go. I was 13 years old. Where could I go? I started smoking at the bus stop, pushing boundaries with my teachers, and drinking with my best friend. My attempts to be tough must have appeared hilarious to others. I was skinny to a fault and looked younger than my age. Being tough didn't come natural. My heart was gentle and I hated conflict and fighting, yet every single time I let my guard down someone hurt me. Angry words all sharp and pointy, a knife in my soul. That's when the hardness crept in. Never let them see you cry. Never give them a chance to know you care. One day it all came to a head. My mom pulled us around her in her bedroom. She put a gun to her head and threatened to shoot herself. I was scared, but not because I thought she would die, but because under my breath I whispered, "just do it". Who was this person I was becoming? Two years later I stood in the little church. The pastor sang, strumming on the guitar as people knelt at the altar. "He loves you," he said. "He has a plan for your life." Yeah, right. I pointed my chin at the sky, my eyes closed, and I challenged this God of which he spoke. "If you are real," I whispered, "and I don't believe you are, but if you exist and you know me and you love me like he says, I need to know." I expected nothing, yet I received everything as a tender touch reached past my hardened heart. I've had trouble explaining this moment to people over the years. "Did you see God?" No. "Did you feel God's presence?" Yes, but so subtle and deep inside of me, touching areas that I had closed long ago to anybody, that I knew it was God. Tears broke and streamed down my cheeks and for the first time in a long time I wept. I felt as if He had wrapped me in a warm blanket, enclosing me in His love. I stumbled from the church. I ran home and told my mom that I had just got "saved", though I really didn't understand what had occurred. Did everything magically change? No. My circumstances were still the same, but everything was different on the inside of me I made mistakes, huge blunders as I tried to learn what it meant to follow Jesus as my Savior. I wasn't perfect, but I understood His love. I knew I wanted to know more. The people of that little church ministered to me in ways they will never understand. There were times I wept at the altar and then went home to chaos. There were times I fell in my walk with Christ and their gentle encouragement helped me to keep going. It is amazing what can happen when God restores a broken life. It can be beautiful like the portrait that my mom is now, the shattered pieces of her life assembled together in a beautiful picture of God's mercy. Today I am a mom, an author, a speaker, and a wife. I have the opportunity to minister to teens and women across the nation, sharing the story of my life and the beauty of purpose and the fact that God loved us from the beginning. My mother and father were saved when I was in my junior year of high school. I found a note from my dad under my pillow one day. I still carry it with me, the tattered pieces a reminder of what God has done. My quiet father, who very rarely shared the depth of his emotions, said in that letter, "I have watched you and I see that you have something that is of great worth, a treasure. I know that it is real and I admire you for your faith and your love for God." We have never spoken of that letter, but it came at a time when I prayed for a sign. "God, show me that you hear my prayers. Heal my family. Let me know that you are listening." The folded piece of paper under my pillow was heaven sent and priceless. For years my mom and I have been best of friends. She is compassionate, loving, and whole, and the memories of our past are forgiven and forgotten. Today I am still running after the same God that touched my life when I was 15. I always tell my teen audiences that one day I'll be an old woman running after God with my walker. You see, he's done a million things for me. He's been with me through difficult times, but my love for Him will always be wrapped around that first moment when He reached down to an angry, hurting, skinny 15-year old teenager and silently whispered that He loved me. I still can't help but whisper back, "I love you too". By T. Suzanne Eller [EMAIL PROTECTED] Read and meditate on these scriptures: Matthew 11:28-30 Jesus declares "Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light." Isaiah 1:18-20 "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it." Psalm 103:10-13 "He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward them that fear Him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath He removed our transgressions from us. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear Him." All of these scriptures can be found in the King James Version Bible. Today's Selected Poem: FOOT PRINTS Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/enpoem138.htm Today's Selected Testimony: MY SALVATION STORY Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/testimony120.htm In Christ's Service, Dwayne Savaya Gods Work Ministry Please feel free to visit the Website to read more Encouraging and Inspirational stories, poems and testimonies. Our E-mail Archives are available as well to read the messages that have been sent in the past. You can now hear our stories and poems by ordering Voice Messages. Each volume contains 15 messages that can be heard and enjoyed anywhere a CD player is available. To order your copy, please click on this link: http://www.Godswork.org/voicemessages.htm You can also send Free E-cards to friends and loved ones with the many choices available. 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