From: "Dwayne Savaya" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Gods Work Ministry Inspirational and Encouragement E-Mail
Dear Friend, It is important for us to stand firm in the difficult times of life and know that the storms will soon pass and calm will be restored. We must remember the goodness of God and see that He has not left our side, but will be there to strengthen us and place our feet on His solid ground. Trust the Lord in every area of your life and confess with your mouth that all will be well. Just as the Lord has delivered you in the past, He will do it again and show you His infinite strength. Be encouraged to praise God for the love that He offers which is immeasurable. (Ephesians 6:10-18) I hope today's message inspires your heart to see that the storms of life will soon pass away and will be restored with the peace of God which passes all understanding. LIFE IS A BAG OF FROZEN PEAS A few weeks after my first wife, Georgia, was called to heaven, I was cooking dinner for my son and myself. For a vegetable, I decided on frozen peas. As I was cutting open the bag, it slipped from my hands and crashed to the floor. The peas, like marbles, rolled everywhere. I tried to use a broom, but with each swipe the peas rolled across the kitchen, bounced off the wall on the other side and rolled in another direction. My mental state at the time was fragile. Losing a spouse is an unbearable pain. I got on my hands and knees and pulled them into a pile to dispose of. I was half laughing and half crying as I collected them. I could see the humor in what happened, but it doesn't take much for a person dealing with grief to break down. For the next week, every time I was in the kitchen, I would find a pea that had escaped my first cleanup. In a corner, behind a table leg, in the frays at the end of a mat, or hidden under a heater, they kept turning up. Eight months later I pulled out the refrigerator to clean, and found a dozen or so petrified peas hidden underneath. At the time I found those few remaining peas, I was in a new relationship with a wonderful woman I met in a widow/widower support group. After we married, I was reminded of those peas under the refrigerator. I realized my life had been like that bag of frozen peas. It had shattered. My wife was gone. I was in a new city with a busy job and a son having trouble adjusting to his new surroundings and the loss of his mother. I was a wreck. I was a bag of spilled, frozen peas. My life had come apart and scattered. When life gets you down; when everything you know comes apart; when you think you can never get through the tough times, remember, it is just a bag of scattered, frozen peas. The peas can be collected and life will move on. You will find all the peas. First the easy peas come together in a pile. You pick them up and start to move on. Later you will find the bigger and harder to find peas. When you pull all the peas together, life will be whole again. The life you know can be scattered at any time. You will move on, but how fast you collect your peas depends on you. Will you keep scattering them around with a broom, or will you pick them up one-by-one and put your life back together? How will you collect your peas? By Michael T. Smith Read and meditate on these scriptures: Philippians 4:6-7 "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." Colossians 3:15-16 "And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord." Psalm 56:9-11 "When I cry unto Thee, then shall mine enemies turn back: this I know; for God is for me. In God will I praise His word: in the LORD will I praise His word. In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me." Proverbs 6:20-23 "My son, keep thy father's commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother: Bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck. When thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee. For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life." All of these scriptures can be found in the King James Version Bible. Today's Selected Poem: MESSAGES TO REMEMBER Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/inpoem110.htm Today's Selected Testimony: GOD HAS A PLAN Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/testimony169.htm ============================================= From: "Dwayne Savaya" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Gods Work Ministry Inspirational and Encouragement E-Mail Dear Friend, With the short time that God has given us on the earth, we are to use our time wisely and do things with those whom we love that will be remembered for years to come. Doing simple things such as going for a picnic, reading stories to one another, exchanging handmade gifts, playing games together and simply showing our love can do so much to impart how we feel towards those closest to us. Be encouraged to seize every opportunity to create memories of love with your family and friends because we never know when this precious gift will be taken away. (John 13:34) (James 1:17-27) I hope today's message ministers to your heart to take the initiative today to create memories with those whom you love that can never be erased. NOTHING ALL THAT SPECIAL This past weekend two of our granddaughters, Hannah and Katie came for a visit. We had a great time together doing simple, everyday things that probably wouldn't be all that impressive to too many people. We ate our cereal on the back porch. We called our lunch a picnic when we took it outside. We sang nursery rhymes and children's songs. Two-year-old Katie chattered away. Five-year-old Hannah told us all about kindergarten and even read to us. (It's amazing how quickly children can learn.) When Pa went to take the garbage to the dumpster, Hannah went along. She had a blast! She giggled as she told me how badly it smelled. She explained to me how Pa tossed the bags and they landed right where he aimed. We played with the dogs and cats. We fed the goldfish in our pond. Hannah said the blessing before each meal. Together, we recited her bedtime prayers. I rocked Katie to sleep. We took the girls to the zoo. They shuddered when they spied the alligators and giggled when they saw the monkeys. We drew pictures and colored. We did nothing special. But we had a great time doing it! Sunday came much too quickly. After four nights with Nana and Pa, it was time for the girls to return home. I expected them to be thrilled to get back to their toy room, their outside toys, their pets, and their home. While they were happy to see Mommy and Daddy, they did not want to leave Nana and Pa. We buckled them securely in their car seats, gave them goodbye kisses, and returned home, already missing the girls. After they arrived home and realized that Nana and Pa weren't around anymore, they were definitely unhappy! Our telephone rang. "I want you, Nana," Katie whimpered. "I want Pa too." Hannah came to the telephone. "I miss you Nana," she cried. "I want you to come live with me." While I was not happy that the girls were sad, I was happy to know they had a good time doing nothing all that special with us. I was glad that they enjoyed their stay with us. I was delighted for the time we had to spend with them. For those few days, nothing interfered in my time with the girls. They were my top priority. On Monday morning, Katie awoke asking her Daddy, "Where is Nana and Pa?" Tuesday morning, my telephone rang. I picked it up. "I can't see you Nana," Katie announced. "I want you." There's no way Katie could have possibly understood just how badly I wanted her, as well. I wanted to hold her again, see that sweet little grin, give her a great big old bear hug, and sing her favorite nursery rhymes. While we enjoyed our time together, however, we all had to accept the fact that life goes on. I had to start a new week and go back to work. Hannah had to return to kindergarten and Katie had to go back to preschool. We had to file away those fun times into our memory banks and continue on with life. When was the last time you enjoyed "nothing all that special" with your kids or grandkids?" When was the last time you giggled over the simple things in life? If it's been too long, won't you be determined to see life once again through the eyes of a child? The Bible says, "Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." Are there some things a child could teach you today? Hannah and Katie taught me some great truths this past weekend. It is not always about what we do with the ones we love, but the attitude in which we do it. We can have fun rocking and singing. Breakfast is much more enjoyable on the back porch. And even taking the garbage to the dumpster is enjoyable when you do it with the people you love. By Nancy B. Gibbs http://www.nancybgibbs.com Read and meditate on these scriptures: Ephesians 4:29-32 "Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." Proverbs 16:18-20 "Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud. He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good: and whoso trusteth in the LORD, happy is he." Romans 12:9-10 "Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another." Philippians 4:8 "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." All of these scriptures can be found in the King James Version Bible. Today's Selected Poem: TEN RULES FOR A HAPPY DAY Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/inpoem133.htm Today's Selected Testimony: VICKIE'S WAY TO A NEW LIFE Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/testimony94.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. You are also welcome to post your prayer requests in our Prayer Forum. All this and more available at --- http://www.Godswork.org You can also send prayer requests to --- [EMAIL PROTECTED] Add your E-mail address if you'd like correspondence with the prayer partners.
