by Inspiration | Dec 25, 2023 | Archives, Christmas, Featured
Each December I vowed to make Christmas a calm and peaceful experience. I had cut back on nonessential obligations: extensive card writing, endless baking, decorating, and even overspending. Yet I… Each December I vowed to make Christmas a calm and peaceful experience. I had cut back on nonessential obligations: extensive card writing, endless baking, decorating, and even overspending. Yet I still found myself exhausted, unable to fully appreciate the precious family moments, and, of course, the true meaning of Christmas. My son, Nicholas, was in kindergarten that year. It was an exciting season for a six-year-old. For weeks, he’d been memorizing songs for his school’s Winter Pageant. I didn’t have the heart to tell him I’d be working the night of the production. Unwilling to miss his shining moment, I spoke with his teacher who assured me there would be a dress rehearsal the morning of the presentation. All parents unable to attend that evening were welcome to come then. Fortunately, Nicholas seemed happy with the compromise. So, the morning of the dress rehearsal, I filed in ten minutes early and found a seat in the cafeteria. Around the room, I saw several other parents quietly scampering to their seats. As I waited, the students were led into the room. Each class, accompanied by their teacher, sat cross-legged on the
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by Inspiration | Dec 24, 2023 | Archives, Christmas, Featured
In September 1960, I woke up one morning with six hungry babies and just 75 cents in my pocket. Their father was gone. The boys ranged from three months to… In September 1960, I woke up one morning with six hungry babies and just 75 cents in my pocket. Their father was gone. The boys ranged from three months to seven years; their sister was two. Their Dad had never been much more than a presence they feared. Whenever they heard his tires crunch on the gravel driveway they would scramble to hide under their beds. He did manage to leave $15 a week to buy groceries. Now that he had decided to leave, there would be no more beatings, but no food either. If there was a welfare system in effect in southern Indiana, at that time, I certainly knew nothing about it. I scrubbed the kids until they looked brand new and then put on my best homemade dress. I loaded them into the rusty old 51 Chevy and drove off to find a job. The seven of us went to every factory, store and restaurant in our small town. No luck. The kids stayed, crammed into the car and tried to be quiet while I tried to convince whoever would listen that I was willing to learn
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by Inspiration | Dec 23, 2023 | Archives, Featured, Leadership
Job Vacancy JOB DESCRIPTION: Tell the living and the dying world about Jesus Christ AVAILABLE POSITIONS: Preachers, teachers, singers, musicians, missionaries, custodians, food servers, and YOU PRINCIPAL (BOSS): The Holy… Job Vacancy JOB DESCRIPTION: Tell the living and the dying world about Jesus Christ AVAILABLE POSITIONS: Preachers, teachers, singers, musicians, missionaries, custodians, food servers, and YOU PRINCIPAL (BOSS): The Holy Spirit QUALIFICATIONS: Must have previously sinned and recognized this; Must be willing to press toward the mark of the high calling in Christ Jesus EDUCATION: The Holy Spirit will teach you all things EXPERIENCE NEEDED: None necessary; experience will be earned on-the-job BENEFIT PACKAGE/SALARY: God (the employer) shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus INSURANCE: Access to the Divine Master Physician PACKAGE ALSO INCLUDES: Love, joy, peace, patience, long suffering; Lawyer, Comforter, and a Wonderful Counsellor RECOMPENSE FOR COMPLETING THE JOB ASSIGNMENT: The most important benefit, ETERNAL LIFE with the employer. DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS: Before the return of Jesus Christ; date/hour not known; wise to apply TODAY, RIGHT NOW All are welcome to Gods’ Kingdom JOY TO THE WISE. Meditation: Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. – Matthew 9:37 You will succeed in Jesus Name! Also read: Why You Are Qualified for Divine
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by Inspiration | Dec 22, 2023 | Archives, Attitude, Featured
One day Satan went to visit Jesus in the Garden of Eden, and Satan came all happy and boasting. “Yes, Lord, now I have everybody captive, well nearly everybody down… One day Satan went to visit Jesus in the Garden of Eden, and Satan came all happy and boasting. “Yes, Lord, now I have everybody captive, well nearly everybody down there. I set traps, I used the baits of temptation; I know well what each one of them can’t resist. I nearly caught them all!” “What are you going to do with them?” Jesus asked. He was praying to God the Father. Satan answered “Oh, I am going to have some fun with them! I’ll make them divorce after they have married so the foundation of humanity [the family] will never be established. I will make them hate each other and abuse each other, make them fall into alcohol and drugs without control. I will teach them to make weapons and bombs, so they kill each other. I am really going to have fun! “And when you are tired of playing with them, what will you do?” Jesus asked. And continued praying. “Oh, I will kill them all and their souls will be mine forever. Lord, by all respect, it will be their decision.” “How much do you want for
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by Inspiration | Dec 18, 2023 | Archives, Attitude, Featured
This morning a man came into the office where I work to transact some business with us. He was a slight fellow and had a little trouble pushing in our… This morning a man came into the office where I work to transact some business with us. He was a slight fellow and had a little trouble pushing in our heavy front door; but other than that, he seemed pretty chipper. Mr Smith (his actual name) was cheerful and businesslike and extremely likeable. We chatted for a few minutes and he mentioned that people had been telling him to retire for a long time, but he thought the Lord would tell him when it was time. I learned that he is already retired from a factory position but buys and renovates little houses. The fact that he had already retired from a factory was not surprising because he looked to be around seventy years old—but when I asked his age, he told me he was 89. This old gentleman mentioned to me that he had suffered from a heart attack followed by surgery and then by a stroke only last year—and on the day his heart became more painful than he could endure, he drove himself to the hospital. Apparently, at the hospital, he mentioned that he had his car
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by Inspiration | Dec 16, 2023 | Archives, Featured, Relationship
My friend Kenny and his family had just returned from Disney World. “I saw a sight I’ll never forget,” he said. “I want you to know about it.” He and… My friend Kenny and his family had just returned from Disney World. “I saw a sight I’ll never forget,” he said. “I want you to know about it.” He and his family were inside Cinderella’s castle. It was packed with kids and parents. Suddenly all the children rushed to one side. Had it been a boat, the castle would have tipped over. Cinderella had entered. Cinderella. The pristine princess. Kenny said she was perfectly typecast. A gorgeous young girl with each hair in place, flawless skin, and a beaming smile. She stood waist-deep in a garden of kids, each wanting to touch and be touched. For some reason, Kenny turned and looked toward the other side of the castle. It was now vacant except for a boy maybe seven or eight years old. His age was hard to determine because of the disfigurement of his body. Dwarfed in height, face deformed, he stood watching quietly and wistfully, holding the hand of an older brother. Don’t you know what he wanted? He wanted to be with the children. He longed to be in the middle of the kids reaching for Cinderella,
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