A Wonderful Friend

"For you O Lord have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, and my feet from stumbling that I may walk before the Lord in the land of the living." Psalm 116:8-9

These verses have been some of my favorites for a long time. They bring me a special comfort today as we say goodbye to a friend who is dearly loved. The knowledge that today his sweet spirit is at peace walking with the Lord is amazing. One of the things I will miss most about him is the joyful way he always sang about heaven. He will be greatly missed, but we will see him again in our "home in Glory land that outshines the sun." I love you so much Tom! I look forward to gathering with you at the river.

Keeping the Faith

I recently attended two functions that were a great help to me. One was a family camp at which my dad spoke about Seasoned With Salt Christianity and the other was a day-long ladies retreat where we talked about living life in fear or in faith. I have shared with you the fact that I have been without a job for a year. This is not for lack of trying. Therefore, I have often found myself battling the fear of failure and the fear of rejection. I have sometimes prayed for a job not really expecting anything to come of it. This is the reason I found my dad's sermon on seasoned with salt prayer so helpful. I was challenged to pray expecting things to happen. I think sometimes we forget just how powerful God is, and we should never do that! If we let Him, God will take care of the problems that seem to overtake us at times. I believe He is showing me the path I am supposed to take. I am in the process of applying for a Masters of Rehabilitation Counseling. This will enable me to help other people with disabilities to enter the workforce. It seems like a perfect career choice for me. If you are discouraged, keep the faith and pray expecting things to happen!

A Greater Plan

Have you ever wished that the things in your life would have worked out just as you planned, or that when they didn't you would know exactly what to do instead? This is the place I find myself in today. I planned to use the bachelor's degree I earned in social work to help people with disabilities. Since I completed my degree over a year ago, I have been unsuccessful in finding such a position or any other position in the social work field. I have tried not to let this discourage me. I remind myself daily that God is in control, and He sees the bigger picture. This does not mean that I am always successful in not getting discouraged, or that I do not wish I knew what to do. I am encouraged, however, that when I read the Bible I find that those God used in the mightiest ways were often seen as incapable in their own eyes or the eyes of others. We can find this truth in the stories of Moses, David, Esther, Mary, and so many more. Therefore, if your life is not turning out the way you planned do not lose hope. Remember, you are not alone. God may have a greater purpose for you than you could have ever imagined for yourself!

Dreams Bring Freedom

In my previous post I challenged you not to let any difficult circumstances you may know keep you from looking to the future with hope. I asked you to have the courage to dream in whatever place you find yourself. I was not asking you to disregard the circumstances you know.Rather, I find that, if we let them, the circumstances we know can influence our hopes and dreams for the better. It is not our circumstances that make us who we are, but how we choose to deal with them. I promised to tell you some of my hopes and dreams. In considering them I saw that they coincide with the circumstances I know. First, I dream of helping people with disabilities to accomplish their goals and see for themselves that they contribute a great deal to the world. My desire to do this comes, at least partially ,from the fact that I have Cerebral Palsy. I feel well equipped to help others facing similar situations. Second, I dream of writing books.I have always had a love for the written word, because it allows one to express thoughts and feelings more freely than if they were spoken. I do not know whether I would rather write a novel or a self-help book- perhaps both would be fun. Either way, that would happen in the very distant future. I will not discount this dream, however, for I believe that one should hold on to a dream for as long as it remains. Never give up or let yourself think you will not accomplish your dreams. Circumstances can change, as can dreams,but one thing will remain true- Dreams bring freedom of heart and mind.

Dare to Dream Hold to Hope

They say that one should write what she knows, and I think this is good advice. I find, however, that too often we find ourselves focusing so much on the circumstances we know that we forget to cling to our hopes and dreams for the future. These are the things that motivate us to strive for excellence in life, in love, and in work. No matter how difficult our circumstances may seem, we can always look to the future with hope remembering what the Lord told us in Jeremiah 29:11, " I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you; plans to give you hope and a future." I will share some my own hopes and dreams with you later. I might even share some of what I know. For now though, I leave you to contemplate your own hopes and dreams. Remember, hope springs eternal!

Austin