Pledge Story

THE BEST ADVICE I COULD GIVE

Take it all in. Let it all out.

Always remember. Never forget.

Grow older. Stay young at heart.

Remember me. Stay true to yourself.

Be an individual. Stick with your friends.

Have no regrets. Learn from your mistakes.

Laugh. Cry.

Strive for the best. Share the spotlight.

Be confident. Admit when you're wrong.

Give yourself more credit. Take the blame.

Think for yourself. Think twice.

Love more. Hate less.

Miss it lots. Move on.

Be prepared. Be spontaneous.

Improve yourself. Never change.

I'll always be here. Things won't always be the same.

Don't miss it by blinking. Close your eyes and breathe it in.

Be strong. Ask for help.

Reach the top. Don't fall.

Believe in miracles. Don't depend on them.

Live for today. Look toward tomorrow.

The Road Of Life

At first, I saw God as my observer, my judge, keeping track of the things I did wrong, so as to know whether I merited heaven or hell when I die. He was out there sort of like a president. I recognized His picture when I saw it, but I really didn't KNOW Him.

But later on when I met Christ, it seemed as though life were rather like a bike ride, but it was a tandem bike, and I noticed Christ was in the back helping me pedal.

I don't know just when it was that He suggested we change places, but life has not been the same since. When I had control, I knew the way. It was rather boring, but predictable. . . It was the shortest distance between two points.

But when He took the lead, He knew delightful long cuts, up mountains, and through rocky places at breakneck speeds, it was all I could do to hang on! Even though it looked like madness, He said, "Pedal!"

I worried and was anxious and asked, "Where are you taking me?" He laughed and didn't answer, and I started to learn trust.

I forgot my boring life and entered into the adventure. And when I'd say, "I'm scared," He'd lean back and touch my hand.

He took me to people with gifts that I needed, gifts of healing, acceptance and joy. They gave me gifts to take on my journey, my Lord's and mine.

And we were off again. He said, "Give the gifts away; they're extra baggage, too much weight." So I did, to the people we met, and I found that in giving I received, and still our burden was light.

I did not trust Him, at first, in control of my life. I thought He'd wreck it; but He knows bike secrets, knows how to make it bend to take sharp corners, knows how to jump to clear high rocks, knows how to fly to shorten scary passages.

And I am learning to shut up and pedal in the strangest places, and I'm beginning to enjoy the view and the cool breeze on my face with my delightful constant companion, Jesus Christ.

And when I'm sure I just can't do anymore, He just smiles and says. . . "Pedal."

Lying Is Like Drunk Driving

By Michael Josephson

Sometimes lying makes our lives easier. If you want the day off, just call in sick. If your boss asks if you’ve finished a report, say you left it at home. And if an irate customer calls, just make up a good cover story. Technically these are lies, but since no one’s hurt, what’s the big deal?

We tell ourselves they’re harmless, but are they really? Telling lies is like drunk driving. If we’re lucky, we won’t get caught and no one will get hurt. Still, drunk driving is wrong because it’s irresponsible to recklessly endanger human life. Most lies are wrong because they recklessly endanger human relationships. What’s more, lies are habit-forming. The more lies we tell, the easier it becomes, so we tell more lies.

Self-serving lies that help us get out of a jam or look better are like land mines. They may lie dormant, but sooner or later some will explode, damaging both our credibility and reputation. The ethical duty to be worthy of trust does not bend to our needs, convenience, or desire to avoid unpleasant consequences. Besides being dishonest, lying is disrespectful because it deprives the victim of true information needed to make sensible decisions.

Lies damage personal and business relationships because they generate suspicion and distrust. Once lied to, most people think, “What else will he lie to me about?” This is not a healthy basis for any relationship.

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.

When I Became a Man

The Packed Car

By Ramona Scarborough, Salem, Oregon

My family was driving across Canada to Montreal where my husband, Ray, and I were going to be helping out a new church there. Ray had gotten a head start with our daughter in a rental truck stuffed with our belongings. I took my two-year-old, John, in our family car, a hardtop convertible jam-packed from floor to ceiling with piles of books to use in our work. They hadn’t been able to fit in the truck.

We crossed into Ontario, driving along a narrow two-lane road. A heavy rain fell. Suddenly a truck veered into our lane. I turned the wheel sharply. The brakes screamed. Our tires hit the gravel on the shoulder. We went spinning off the road. We’re going to die, I thought as the car flipped and rolled into a deep ditch.

Coming to my senses, I heard a man’s voice from somewhere outside my car. “There’s nobody alive in there.” Everything was hazy; fine pieces of glass covered me from head to toe. The metal frame of our vehicle pressed tight against my back. I could barely breathe. John! Panicked, I reached behind me.

“Are you all right, honey?”

“Yes, Mama.”

I craned my neck toward the window. “We’re alive,” I cried. “My little boy and I. Please help us!” A man reached through a shattered window and pulled John out. A few others pried the metal frame away enough for me to escape. Except for some minor scrapes, cuts and bruises, we were okay.

A kind policeman escorted us as we rode in an ambulance to the hospital. He offered to take us to the impound lot to retrieve our belongings when we were ready.

Four days later we went to the lot. The insurance agent who accompanied us gasped when he saw the wreck. So did I. The policeman looked baffled.

“These hardtop convertibles don’t have a window post to keep the roof up if they flip,” he said.

“Then why weren’t we…” My voice trailed off.

Our eyes turned toward the back seat. The roof had stayed up just enough so we weren’t crushed, supported by an amazing brace. Piled from the floor to the ceiling were the books that hadn’t fit in our rental truck.

Our Bibles.

Dick Bennett's Five Biblical Principles

1. HUMILITY

Know and be who you are, not what others think you are.
Know the shots you can make and shots you can take.
Know the ability you really have.
Don't let the pressures of the game take you out of your idenity.

2. PASSION

Don't be lukewarm.
Don't try to be cool.
Die Hard...Take losses hard.
It's about concentration.
Lack of passion will keep you from being great.

3. UNITY

Tough team. Team tough.
Unity is the only way you can touch greatness.
The way normal people become great is through unity.

4. SERVANT ATTITUDE

Serve one another.
It is the basis of everything we do.
Go out of your way - on and off the court - to make your teammates better.
Get every charge, every loose ball, every rebound, every save.
Help the helper on defense.
Help get each other open.
Hit the open man on offense.

5. THANKFULNESS

Acknowledge any help from a teammate.
If you can be thankful in all circumstances, it can bring great wisdom.
Take something positive from every situation.

~DEATH~ WHAT A WONDERFUL WAY TO EXPLAIN IT

A sick man turned to his doctor as he was
preparing to leave the examination room and said,
"Doctor, I am afraid to die.
Tell me what lies on the other side."
Very quietly, the doctor said, "I don't know."
"You don't know? You're, a Christian man, and don't know
what's on the other side?"
The doctor was holding the handle of the door; On the other
side came a sound of scratching and whining,
and as he opened the door, a dog sprang into the room and
leaped on him with an eager show of gladness.
Turning to the patient, the doctor said, "Did you notice my
dog? He's never been in this room before. He didn't know what
was inside. He knew nothing except that his master was here,
And when the door opened, he sprang in without fear.
I know little of what is on the other side of death,
but I do know one thing...
I know my Master is there and that is enough."

Winners Or Losers

I believe there's an inner power that makes winners or losers. And the winners are the ones who really listen to the truth of their hearts. - Sylvester Stallone

A Refiner of Silver

Malachi 3:3 says: 'He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver.'

This verse puzzled some women in a Bible study and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God. One of the women offered to find out the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible Study.

That week, the woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn't mention anything about the reason for her interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining Silver.

As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away all the impurities.

The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot. Then she thought again about the verse that says: 'He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver.' She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time.

The man answered yes. He not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed.

The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, 'How do you know when the silver is fully refined?'

He smiled at her and answered, 'Oh, that's easy -when I see my image in it.'

If today you are feeling the heat of the fire, remember that God has his eye on you and will keep watching you until He sees His image in you.

*******

This very moment, someone needs to know that God is watching over them, and, whatever they're going through, they'll be a better person in the end.

'Life is like a coin. You can spend it anyway you wish, but you can only spend it once.'

Thank you God, for teaching me to laugh again, but please Lord, don't ever let me forget that I cried.