[Faith-talk] inspiring story

[Debbie]

This is Debbie, and I can't think of a better way to start the day than to 
read posts like the one from Nikki; please keep sharing those!

I was reading through the Psalms, and the following verse seemed so fitting; 
it's Psalms 51, verse 15.

O Lord, open thou my lips;

and my mouth shall show forth thy praise.

I hope you find the following poem uplifting and enlightening; the author is 
Roy Lessin, and if you want to be inspired, read other things from him.

Our Times Are In His Hands

Anyone who is familiar with the story of Alice In Wonderland will probably 
remember this quote, "I'm late, I'm late for a very important date." All of 
us
are impacted by time, appointments, schedules, days, and dates. Calendars 
have been a great tool to help us remember what day it is, what's coming up 
in
our schedules, and what important matters will need our attention. At the 
end of each year, a calendar is like an album containing little snapshots of
what we've done and where we've been.

At home, our family has one simple rule, "Write everything down in pencil." 
One important lesson a calendar teaches us is that plans can change. Doctor's
appointments get canceled, dinner dates get rescheduled, and anticipated 
events don't work out. Thankfully, that doesn't mean that our lives are out 
of
control, that nothing is certain, and that there's nothing we can trust in.

The Bible tells us that our times are in God's hands. That means that God is 
bigger than time, dates, and appointments. God's plans for your life do not
hinge on someone else's schedule. God's plans for your life cannot be 
frustrated by what others do or don't do. God knows where you've been, He 
knows where
you are, and He knows where He is leading you. His plans for you are made 
according to His wisdom, His love, and His power to perform them.

God wants you to move through this day with a quiet heart, an inward 
assurance that He is in control, a peaceful certainty that your life is in 
His hands,
a deep trust in His plan and purposes, and a thankful disposition toward all 
that He allows. He wants you to put your faith in Him, not in a timetable.
He wants you to wait on Him and wait for Him. In His perfect way He will put 
everything together...see to every detail...arrange every circumstance...and
order every step to bring to pass what He has for you.

Blessings, Roy Lessin
Co-Founder DaySpring Cards


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Nikki" <daizies304 at comcast.net>
To: <faith-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, May 23, 2011 12:29 AM
Subject: [Faith-talk] inspiring story


>I once read that a coincidence is just when
>> God chooses to remain anonymous.......
> It was chilly in Manhattan but warm inside the
>> Starbucks shop on 51st Street and Broadway, just a skip up from Times 
>> Square
>> . Early November weather in New York City holds only the slightest hint 
>> of
>> the bitter chill of late December and January, but it's enough to send 
>> the
>> masses crowding indoors to vie for available space and warmth.
>
>> For a musician, it's the most lucrative
>> Starbucks location in the world, I'm told, and consequently, the tips can 
>> be
>> substantial if you play your tunes right. Apparently, we were striking 
>> all
>> the right chords that night, because our basket was almost overflowing.
>>
>> It was a fun, low-pressure gig - I was playing
>> keyboard and singing backup for my friend who also added rhythm with an
>> arsenal of percussion instruments. We mostly did pop songs from the '40s 
>> to
>> the '90s with a few original tunes thrown in. During our emotional 
>> rendition
>> of the classic, "If You Don't Know Me by Now," I noticed a lady sitting 
>> in
>> one of the lounge chairs across from me. She was swaying to the beat and
>> singing along.
>
>> After the tune was over, she approached me. "I
>> apologize for singing along on that song. Did it bother you?" she asked.
>
>> "No," I replied. "We love it when the audience
>> joins in. Would you like to sing up front on the next selection?"
>
>> To my delight, she accepted my invitation.
>> "You choose," I said. "What are you in the mood to sing?"
>
>> "Well. ... do you know any hymns?"
>
>> Hymns? This woman didn't know who she was
>> dealing with. I cut my teeth on hymns. Before I was even born, I was 
>> going
>> to church. I gave our guest singer a knowing look. "Name one."
>
>> "Oh, I don't know. There are so many good
>> ones. You pick one."
>
>> "Okay," I replied. "How about 'His Eye is on
>> the Sparrow'?"
>
>> My new friend was silent, her eyes averted.
>> Then she fixed her eyes on mine again and said, "Yeah. Let's do that 
>> one."
>
>> She slowly nodded her head, put down her
>> purse, straightened her jacket and faced the center of the shop. With my
>> two-bar setup, she began to sing.
>> Why should I be discouraged?
>
>> Why should the shadows come?
>
>
>> The audience of coffee drinkers was
>> transfixed. Even the gurgling noises of the cappuccino machine ceased as 
>> the
>> employees stopped what they were doing to listen. The song rose to its
>> conclusion.
>> I sing because I'm happy;
>
>> I sing because I'm free.
>
>> For His eye is on the sparrow
>
>> And I know He watches me.
>
>
>> When the last note was sung, the applause
>> crescendoed to a deafening roar that would have rivaled a sold-out crowd 
>> at
>> Carnegie Hall. Embarrassed, the woman tried to shout over the din, "Oh,
>> y'all go back to your coffee! I didn't come in here to do a concert! I 
>> just
>> came in here to get somethin' to drink, just like you!" But the ovation
>> continued.. I embraced my new friend. "You, my dear, have made my whole
>> year! That was beautiful!"
>
>> "Well, it's funny that you picked that
>> particular hymn," she said.
>
>> "Why is that?"
>
>> "Well . .." she hesitated again, "that was my
>> daughter's favorite song."
>
>> "Really!" I exclaimed.
>
>> "Yes," she said, and then grabbed my hands. By
>> this time, the applause had subsided and it was business as usual.. "She 
>> was
>> 16. She died of a brain tumor last week."
>
>> I said the first thing that found its way
>> through my stunned silence. "Are you going to be okay?"
>
>> She smiled through tear-filled eyes and
>> squeezed my hands. "I'm gonna be okay. I've just got to keep trusting the
>> Lord and singing his songs, and everything's gonna be just fine." She 
>> picked
>> up her bag, gave me her card, and then she was gone.
>
>> Was it just a coincidence that we happened to
>> be singing in that particular coffee shop on that particular November 
>> night?
>> Coincidence that this wonderful lady just happened to walk into that
>> particular shop? Coincidence that of all the hymns to choose from, I just
>> happened to pick the very hymn that was the favorite of her daughter, who
>> had died just the week before? I refuse to believe it.
>
>> God has been arranging encounters in human
>> history since the beginning of time, and it's no stretch for me to 
>> imagine
>> that he could reach into a coffee shop in midtown Manhattan and turn an
>> ordinary gig into a revival. It was a great reminder that if we keep
>> trusting him and singing his songs, everything's gonna be okay.
>
>> The next time you feel like GOD can't use YOU,
>> just remember...
>
>> Noah was a drunk
>> Abraham was too old
>> Isaac was a daydreamer
>> Jacob was a liar
>> Leah was ugly
>> Joseph was abused
>> Gideon was afraid
>> Sampson had long hair and was a womanizer
>> Rahab was a prostitute
>> Jeremiah and Timothy were too young
>> David had an affair and was a murderer
>> Elijah was suicidal
>> Isaiah preached naked
>> Jonah ran from God
>> Naomi was a widow
>> Job went bankrupt
>> John the Baptist ate bugs
>> Peter denied Christ
>> The Disciples fell asleep while praying
>> Martha worried about everything
>> The Samaritan woman was divorced, more than
>> once
>> Zaccheus was too small
>> Paul was too religious
>> Timothy had an ulcer...AND
>> Lazarus was dead!
>
>> God can use you to your full potential.
>> Besides you aren't the message, you are just the messenger.
>
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