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Words to Encourage Stories, articles, facts, etc. --- a new item each week Nothing Will Grow There Brian Cavanaugh, T.O.R. tells about a magnificent harvest in his book "MORE SOWER'S SEEDS: Second Planting." One spring, he and two seminary friends sought permission to plant a garden. He says, "Our house of studies was located in the downtown area of a large metropolitan city. There wasn't much of a backyard. Actually, it was a stone covered dirt parking lot with no extra space. However, we carefully planned our garden, taking into account the area that received optimal sunshine. "The three of us approached the superior with our plan for a small area to plant some squash, tomatoes and cucumbers. The only real cost involved was to rent a rake, a pickax and a hoe. However, getting the superior's permission would still be difficult. None of us who were involved with this garden project will ever forget his response to our request. With a slightly bored, tilting of his head he glanced at us and abjectly replied, 'You're wasting your time. Nothing will ever grow there! But, go ahead if you still want to.' "We had received permission from on high! So what if it wasn't enthusiastic. We rented tools; raked four inches of stones into neat walls outlining the garden; hoisted the pickax and struck what must have been a former refuse area. A gardener's dream dark, composted, fertile soil just sitting there waiting to be discovered. We looked at each other with broad grins and repeated in unison, 'Ah, nothing will grow there.' As you might have surmised by now, things did grow there, in our garden. In fact, twice we re staked the tomatoes, topping them off, finally, when they were seven feet tall." Have you ever felt that way about your life "Nothing will grow there..."? Have you felt discouraged about your life's progress? Worried about crop failure? Disappointed that nothing good ever seems to come up? What do you want to grow? Understanding? Faith? Courage? Optimism? Joy? Love? Or are you nurturing a new project or small business? Don't believe that "nothing will grow there." I like the observation of writer George Eliot, "It's never too late to be who you might have been." You may not always see the potential for growth, but it is there. All the rich compost you need may be hidden just beneath the surface, but can only be discovered after you've begun digging. Ralph Waldo Emerson proclaimed, "Oh man! There is no planet sun or star could hold you, if you but knew what you are." You arecapable of doing and becoming more than you might imagine! With careful nurture, something WILL grow there. And it will be magnificent. Steve Goodier THE BIBLE–YET IT LIVES Generations follow generations–yet it lives. Nations rise and fall–yet it lives. Kings, dictators, presidents come and go–yet it lives. Torn, condemned, burned–yet it lives. Hated, despised, cursed–yet it lives. Doubted, suspected, criticized–yet it lives. Damned by Atheists–yet it lives. Scoffed at by scorners–yet it lives. Exaggerated by fanatics–yet it lives. Misconstrued and misstated–yet it lives. Ranted and raved about–yet it lives. Its inspiration denied–yet it lives. Yet it lives–as a lamp to our feet. Yet it lives–as a light to our paths. Yet it lives–as the gate to heaven. Yet it lives–as a standard for children. Yet it lives–as a guide for youth. Yet it lives–as an inspiration for the matured. Yet it lives–as a comfort for the aged. Yet it lives–as food for the hungry. Yet it lives–as water for the thirsty. Yet it lives–as rest for the weary. Yet it lives–as light for the heathen. Yet it lives–as salvation for the sinner. Yet it lives–as grace for the Christian. To know it is to love it. To love it is to accept it. To accept it means eternal life. —Willard L. Johnson Most Important Lesson During my second month of nursing school, our professor gave us a pop quiz. I was a conscientious student and had breezed through the questions, until I read the last one: "What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?" Surely this was some kind of joke. I had seen the cleaning woman several times. She was tall, dark haired and in her 50s, but how would I know her name? I handed in my paper, leaving the last question blank. Just before class ended, one student asked if the last question would count toward our quiz grade. "Absolutely," said the professor. "In your careers, you will meet many people. All are significant. They deserve your attention and care, even if all you do is smile and say 'hello'." "I've never forgotten that lesson. I also learned her name was Dorothy. --- Unknown RING THE BELLS! I receive letters from people around the world. A predominant theme I encounter daily, and especially now, is fear. As a nation, as a world, and as individuals, we are afraid. The root of the word "terror," from whence we get "terrorism," comes from the Indo European base "tre" (shake or tremble) and means to "shake with fear." We tremble in the wake of planes crashing and buildings burning. The earth trembles and our very security is shaken. I sense more fear now than before. "Afraid is a country with no exit visas," says Audre Lorde. If you have entered the country of "Afraid," or are concerned that you may, then listen to this. In 1799, when the armies of Napoleon were sweeping over Europe, Massena's army of 18,000 suddenly appeared on the heights above the town of Feldkirch. It was Easter Sunday and the rising sun glittered on the weapons of the French army as they overlooked the village below. A hasty town council meeting was called to decide what could be done. Resisting such an army was out of the question. Finally, the dean of the church arose and said, "It is Easter Day. Ring the bells and have services as usual, and leave the matter in God's hands." They agreed to do as he suggested and, from the towers of Feldkirch there rang out loud and joyous peals calling worshippers to gather. The French heard the sudden clanging of the bells with surprise and alarm. They concluded that the Austrian army had arrived to defend the town. Massena broke up his camp, gave the order to march and, before the bells had ceased tolling, not a soldier was to be seen. In the midst of fear, when there is nothing more to be done, it may be time to ring the bells. For courage is not the absence of danger, but deciding to go ahead anyway. So ring the bells! Let everyone know that you have chosen to LIVE. Let them know that your true security will NOT be shaken by fear. Ring the bells! In America and around the world. Ring the bells and live boldly. You were not given the spirit of fear, as the Bible teaches, but the spirit of power and love and a sound mind. Ring the bells! Ring them loudly. Let the mountainsides resound with their joyous pealing. And after the chimes have died away, your fear, too, will have disappeared. Ring the bells! Steve Goodier Stand Up! This story is of something that was alledged to have happened a few years ago at USC. There was a professor of philosophy who was a deeply committed atheist. His primary goal for one required class was to spend the entire semester attempting to prove that God couldn't exist. His students were always afraid to argue with him because of his impeccable logic. For twenty years he had taught this class, and no one ever had the courage to go against him. Sure, some had argued with him in class at times, but no one had ever tested him. On the last day of every semester, he would say to his class of 300 students, "If there is anyone here who still believes in Jesus, stand up!" In twenty years, no one had ever stood up. They knew what he was going to do next. He would say, "Anyone who believes in God is a fool. If God existed, he could stop this piece of chalk from hitting the ground and breaking. Such a simple task to prove that He is God, and yet He can't do it." And every year, he would drop the chalk onto the tile floor of the classroom and it would shatter into a hundred pieces. All of the students would do nothing but stop and stare. Most of the students thought that God couldn't exist. Certainly, a number of Christians had slipped through, but for 20 years, they had been too afraid to stand up. Well, a few years ago there was a freshman who happened to enroll. He was a Christian, and had heard the stories about his professor. He was required to take the class for his major, and he was afraid. For three months that semester, he prayed every morning that he would have the courage to stand up, no matter what the professor said or what the class thought. Nothing they said could ever shatter his faith....he hoped. Finally, the day came. The professor said, "If there is anyone here who still believes in God, stand up!" The professor and the class of 300 people looked at him, shocked, as he stood up at the back of the classroom. The professor shouted, "You FOOL!!! If God existed, he would keep this piece of chalk from breaking when it hit the ground." Then, as usual, he proceeded to drop the chalk, but as he did, it slipped out of his fingers, off his shirt cuff, onto the pleat of his pants, down his leg, and off his shoe. As it hit the ground, it simply rolled away.....unbroken. At that, the professor's jaw dropped as he stared at the chalk. He looked up at the young man, and then ran out of the lecture hall. The young man who had stood, proceeded to walk to the front of the classroom and shared his faith in Jesus for the next half hour. 300 students stayed and listened as he told of God's love for them and of His power through Jesus. Lunch With God A little boy wanted to meet God. He knew it was a long trip to where God lived, so he packed his backpack with Twinkies and a six pack of root beer, and started on his journey. When he had gone about three blocks, he met an old woman. She was sitting in the park just staring at some pigeons. The boy sat down next to her and opened his backpack. He was about to take a drink from his root beer when he noticed that the old lady looked hungry, so he offered her a Twinkie. She gratefully accepted it and smiled at him. Her smile was so pretty that the boy wanted to see it again, so he offered her a root beer. Again, she smiled at him. The boy was delighted! They sat there all afternoon eating and smiling, and they never said a word. As it grew dark, the boy realized how tired he was and he got up to leave, but before he had gone more than a few steps, he turned around, ran back to the old woman and gave her a hug. She gave him her biggest smile ever. When the boy opened the door to his own house a short time later, his mother was surprised by the look of joy on his face. She asked him, "What did you do today that made you so happy?" He replied, "I had lunch with God." But before his mother could respond, he added, "You know what? She has the most beautiful smile I've ever seen!" Meanwhile, the old woman,, also radiant with joy, returned to her home. Her son was stunned by the look of peace on her face and asked, "Mother, what did you do today that made you so happy?" She replied, "I ate Twinkies in the park with God." Before her son responded, she added, "You know, he's much younger than I expected." Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around. Remember, we don't know what God will look like. People come into our lives for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. HOW TO BE HAPPY FOR A LIFETIME Someone said this about happiness: To be happy for an hour take a nap. To be happy for a day go shopping. To be happy for a week take a vacation. To be happy for a month get married. To be happy for a year inherit a fortune. To be happy for a lifetime help others. You and I may argue with a couple of points on that list, but the author is exactly right about how to be happy for the rest of your life. Lasting contentment can always be found in helping others. It is truly a secret that many people have never discovered! Marion Preminger stumbled upon it and wrote about where lasting happiness is to be found in her autobiography ALL I WANT IS EVERYTHING. Born in Hungary in 1913, Marion was raised in a castle, surrounded by wealth, servants and the notoriety of an aristocratic upbringing. At a Viennese ball, she met a handsome young man, the son of an Italian doctor. They rushed into a marriage that lasted only a year. She returned to Vienna to embark on a career of acting. There she fell in love with the German director Otto Preminger. They married and she followed him to America where he began a promising career as a Hollywood movie director. But her new Hollywood lifestyle could not sustain her marriage and Preminger eventually divorced her. Marion returned to Europe to live the life of a Parisian socialite until 1948. Then everything changed when she read that Dr. Albert Schweitzer was visiting Europe from his home in Africa. She determined to meet with the notable missionary doctor. She first encountered Schweitzer doing one of the things he loved to do best while visiting Europe playing a church organ for his own enjoyment. He invited her to dine with him. After the meal, Marion knew she had finally found what she'd been looking or. She accompanied Schweitzer every day during the remainder of his European visit. He invited to come back to Africa with him and work as an untrained staff member in the Lamberene hospital. She left her life of status and ease and moved to Africa. There...the girl who was raised like a princess became a servant. She changed bandages, bathed bodies and fed lepers. She gave her life away to the poor, and because of it, found the happiness she'd craved for so long. It was Albert Schweitzer who asserted, "One thing I know: the only ones among you who will be really happy are those who will have sought and found how to serve." However, wherever and whomever you choose to help is unimportant. There are those in need everywhere. But when you figure out how to help other people, you'll have also learned how to be happy for a lifetime. 2002 Steve Goodier "...Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." (Matt. 25:40) FORGET THE DUCK! Richard Hoefler, in his book WILL DAYLIGHT COME?, tells about two young children visiting their grandparents for the summer. Johnny was given his first slingshot. He practiced shooting in the woods, but missed everything he aimed at. As he returned to Grandma's back yard, however, he spied her pet duck. It wasn't the only duck she kept, but it was her favorite. On an impulse he took aim and let it fly. This time he didn't miss. His stone struck and killed the duck. The boy panicked. He didn't mean to hurt the bird -- he was even sure he'd miss! But he had killed it. His panic grew to desperation and he hid the duck in the woodpile, only to look up and see his sister. Sally had seen it all, but she said nothing to her grandparents. After lunch that day Grandma said, "Sally, let's wash the dishes." Sally said, "Johnny told me he wanted to help in the kitchen today. Didn't you Johnny?" She whispered to him, "Remember the duck." So Johnny did the dishes. Later Grandpa asked if the children wanted to go fishing. Grandma said, "I'm sorry, but I need Sally to help make supper." Sally smiled and said, "That's all taken care of, Johnny wants to do it." Again she whispered, "Remember the duck." Johnny stayed while Sally went fishing. Johnny did both his chores and Sally's for several days, and could stand it no longer. He confessed to Grandma that he'd killed the duck. She said, "I know Johnny." She gave him a big hug and added, "I was standing at the window and saw the whole thing. But because I love you, I forgave you. I just wondered how long you would let Sally make a slave of you." His grandmother was more ready to forgive then he was even to ask for forgiveness. The arms of many people, and I believe God, are open wide, waiting for us to experience a warm embrace of acceptance. But a disturbing inner voice often whispers, "Remember the duck. Remember the duck." Some people live their whole lives enslaved by that voice that says, "Remember the duck." They never let themselves be forgiven! They don't know the meaning of deep peace. They are seldom free of guilt and feel as if happiness only comes to others more deserving. What does it matter if the whole world were to love us, and accept us in spite of our failings, if we persist in feeling badly? Are you sick of feeling sick about the mistakes of your past? Maybe it's time to forget the duck! After you've done all you can to rectify the past, then it's time to put it down. Forget the duck! After all...you, too, deserve to be happy. ---By Steve Goodier © 2003 John Wayne Most of you know John Wayne as an actor. You may not know what happened to him before he died. This is that story! Robert Schuller's teenage daughter, Cindy, was in a motorcycle accident and had to have her leg amputated. John Wayne is a big fan of Robert Schuller. He heard Dr. Schuller say on one of his programs that his daughter had been in an accident and had to have her leg amputated. John Wayne wrote a note to her saying: Dear Cindy, Sorry to hear about your accident. Hope you will be all right. Signed, John Wayne The note was delivered to her and she decided she wanted to write John Wayne a note in reply. She wrote: Dear Mr. Wayne, I got your note. Thanks for writing to me. I like you very much. I am going to be all right because Jesus is going to help me. Mr. Wayne, do you know Jesus? I sure hope you know Jesus, Mr. Wayne, because I cannot imagine Heaven being complete without John Wayne being there. I hope, if you don't know Jesus, that you will give your heart to Jesus right now. See you in Heaven. And she signed her name. She had just put that letter in an envelope, sealed it, and written across the front of it "John Wayne" when a visitor came into her room to see her. He said to her: What are you doing? She said: I just wrote a letter to John Wayne, but I don't know how to get it to him. He said: That's funny, I am going to have dinner with John Wayne tonight at the Newport Club down at Newport Beach. Give it to me and I will give it to him. She gave him the letter and he put it in his coat pocket. There were twelve of them that night sitting around the table for dinner. They were laughing and cutting up and the guy happened to reach in his pocket and felt that letter and remembered. John Wayne was seated at the end of the table and the guy took the letter out and said: Hey, Duke, I was in Schuller's daughter's room today and she wrote you a letter and wanted me to give it to you. Here it is. They passed it down to John Wayne and he opened it. They kept on laughing and cutting up and someone happened to look down at John Wayne. He was crying. One of them said: Hey, Duke, what is the matter? He said (and can't you hear him saying it), " I want to read you this letter." He read the letter. Then he began to weep. He folded it, put it in his pocket, and he pointed to the man who delivered it to him and said: "You go tell that little girl that right now, in this restaurant, right here, John Wayne gives his heart to Jesus Christ and I will see her in heaven." Three weeks later John Wayne died. You never know how your witness to another will effect their eternity! To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under the heaven. Ecclesiastes 3:1 ---Source Unknown

Page Updated Sat Mar 6, 2010 2:01pm EST