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  #21  
Old 06-07-2007, 02:54 PM
Theresa Theresa is offline
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Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 2,809
Quote:
Originally Posted by Digging4Truth View Post
Ramble on brother... ramble on. Sometimes we need to ramble.

You know... a weight lifter is at his weakest point when he has the big weights above his head.

Everyone else looks on in awe at the load he is carrying but he is at his weakest because is near his limit and has no more strength to give beyond what he is exerting right now.

Some are weak because they never struggle.

Some are weak because they are the apex of their struggle and it is taking their strength.

The latter is not truly weak. He is just spent.

It is good that you made this thread today for 2 reasons.

1. Your brethren can (hopefully) offer some words that will give you some hope & strength.

2. It will be able to serve as a mark to look back on when, in due time, the answer comes and you can look back at this thread and be reminded how thankful you are for Gods hand when it finally came through.

I would also leave you this one other thought.

I have found that when God comes through on the really tough trials. The ones that test your strength, your limits, your abilities.

I have found that they tend to end abruptly. The answer tends to be fast, complete and overwhelming.

I told you of the change that has happened for me recently. That isn't the first time I have been through a rough trial that tested me so completely.

One other time was similar to yours.

I had 3 vehicles and it took all I had to just keep one running well enough to get me to work and back.

For 8 months we fought this. To this day when we drive down the road there aren't may places we can point and say "We broke down there before". My kids laugh when I say that but it was serious.

My wife, baby daughter and I walking down the interstate.
Taking 2-1/2 hours each way to get to a job 35 miles away.
Not being able to pay my bills because it took every penny I made just to keep a car running and not lose my job.

It was long and I thought sometimes that it would never end.

I would hold on and have faith and then I would lose it.

I remember behind Church's chicken my car died and my battery was dead. I felt it was time to set God straight. I told him "You can make the lightning go from the east to the west and all I need is 12 tiny volts"

Shortly thereafter the answer came and I felt bad. If I had just held on.

The next time I did better but I still found my breaking point and set God straight again. Shortly thereafter another answer came and I felt bad again.

This continued for 8 months until one day the pastor said "Brother... I see a light at the end of the tunnel... and it isn't a train. The answer is going to come soon and from a source you never expected"

I had finally learned faith and obedience.

The next day on the way to work my transmission broke. I was under my car working on it in the driving rain with 1/2" of rain parting around me like a sand bar in a river. But I smiled. Because the man of God said the answer was on it's way and I had finally learned to believe and never give up.

Not long after that a man visited my house. He said... my preacher preached on Jesus turning the water into wine today. Do you know why Jesus turned the water into wine? No one was dying... no one was going to hell.

I didn't know. He said "Just to make people happy"

He reached in his pocket and took the keys to a car that he had bought and spent thousands of dollars making a faithful car out of it.

He threw them across my living room to me and said "Here... just to make you happy"

I am crying now as I remember when that load was lifted off of me.

It was sudden... it was complete... it was overwhelming.

Brother... there is a light at the end of the tunnel... and it is not a train.

Hold on for 2 things....

Hold on and keep your faith as best as you can.
Also...
Hold on for the sudden, complete & overwhelming answer that will come... in time.
I'd reply if I wasnt crying so hard I cant see...

powerful words sir, very timely.
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  #22  
Old 06-07-2007, 02:57 PM
SISTER Murphy
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Posts: n/a
Quote:
Originally Posted by Digging4Truth View Post
Ramble on brother... ramble on. Sometimes we need to ramble.

You know... a weight lifter is at his weakest point when he has the big weights above his head.

Everyone else looks on in awe at the load he is carrying but he is at his weakest because is near his limit and has no more strength to give beyond what he is exerting right now.

Some are weak because they never struggle.

Some are weak because they are the apex of their struggle and it is taking their strength.

The latter is not truly weak. He is just spent.

It is good that you made this thread today for 2 reasons.

1. Your brethren can (hopefully) offer some words that will give you some hope & strength.

2. It will be able to serve as a mark to look back on when, in due time, the answer comes and you can look back at this thread and be reminded how thankful you are for Gods hand when it finally came through.

I would also leave you this one other thought.

I have found that when God comes through on the really tough trials. The ones that test your strength, your limits, your abilities.

I have found that they tend to end abruptly. The answer tends to be fast, complete and overwhelming.

I told you of the change that has happened for me recently. That isn't the first time I have been through a rough trial that tested me so completely.

One other time was similar to yours.

I had 3 vehicles and it took all I had to just keep one running well enough to get me to work and back.

For 8 months we fought this. To this day when we drive down the road there aren't may places we can point and say "We broke down there before". My kids laugh when I say that but it was serious.

My wife, baby daughter and I walking down the interstate.
Taking 2-1/2 hours each way to get to a job 35 miles away.
Not being able to pay my bills because it took every penny I made just to keep a car running and not lose my job.

It was long and I thought sometimes that it would never end.

I would hold on and have faith and then I would lose it.

I remember behind Church's chicken my car died and my battery was dead. I felt it was time to set God straight. I told him "You can make the lightning go from the east to the west and all I need is 12 tiny volts"

Shortly thereafter the answer came and I felt bad. If I had just held on.

The next time I did better but I still found my breaking point and set God straight again. Shortly thereafter another answer came and I felt bad again.

This continued for 8 months until one day the pastor said "Brother... I see a light at the end of the tunnel... and it isn't a train. The answer is going to come soon and from a source you never expected"

I had finally learned faith and obedience.

The next day on the way to work my transmission broke. I was under my car working on it in the driving rain with 1/2" of rain parting around me like a sand bar in a river. But I smiled. Because the man of God said the answer was on it's way and I had finally learned to believe and never give up.

Not long after that a man visited my house. He said... my preacher preached on Jesus turning the water into wine today. Do you know why Jesus turned the water into wine? No one was dying... no one was going to hell.

I didn't know. He said "Just to make people happy"

He reached in his pocket and took the keys to a car that he had bought and spent thousands of dollars making a faithful car out of it.

He threw them across my living room to me and said "Here... just to make you happy"

I am crying now as I remember when that load was lifted off of me.

It was sudden... it was complete... it was overwhelming.

Brother... there is a light at the end of the tunnel... and it is not a train.

Hold on for 2 things....

Hold on and keep your faith as best as you can.
Also...
Hold on for the sudden, complete & overwhelming answer that will come... in time.
Awesome testimony, brother.
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  #23  
Old 06-07-2007, 02:58 PM
Digging4Truth's Avatar
Digging4Truth Digging4Truth is offline
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Join Date: Feb 2007
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SISTER Murphy View Post
Awesome testimony, brother.
He is, indeed, an awesome God.
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  #24  
Old 06-07-2007, 02:59 PM
SISTER Murphy
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Posts: n/a
Quote:
Originally Posted by Digging4Truth View Post
He is, indeed, an awesome God.
And, He is still good, and He still gives good gifts to His children, and He still causes all things to work together for good to them that love Him and are the called according to His purpose.
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  #25  
Old 06-07-2007, 03:02 PM
Digging4Truth's Avatar
Digging4Truth Digging4Truth is offline
Still Figuring It Out.


 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 10,858
Quote:
Originally Posted by SISTER Murphy View Post
And, He is still good, and He still gives good gifts to His children, and He still causes all things to work together for good to them that love Him and are the called according to His purpose.
The post on making it serve you is actually a thought that has been working through my head for a sermon using that very verse.

ALL things work together for good BECAUSE you love God and are called according to His purpose.

If I can just continue to hold on... it will serve me. I just have to keep loving Him and the universal law set in place by that verse demands that it one day break and serve me.

Hallelujah to His name.
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  #26  
Old 06-07-2007, 03:02 PM
Steve Epley's Avatar
Steve Epley Steve Epley is offline
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Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 11,903
Rico I will pray for you.
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  #27  
Old 06-07-2007, 03:05 PM
Rico Rico is offline
Shaking the dust off my shoes.


 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Nunya bidness
Posts: 9,004
Quote:
Originally Posted by Digging4Truth View Post
Ramble on brother... ramble on. Sometimes we need to ramble.

You know... a weight lifter is at his weakest point when he has the big weights above his head.

Everyone else looks on in awe at the load he is carrying but he is at his weakest because is near his limit and has no more strength to give beyond what he is exerting right now.

Some are weak because they never struggle.

Some are weak because they are the apex of their struggle and it is taking their strength.

The latter is not truly weak. He is just spent.

It is good that you made this thread today for 2 reasons.

1. Your brethren can (hopefully) offer some words that will give you some hope & strength.

2. It will be able to serve as a mark to look back on when, in due time, the answer comes and you can look back at this thread and be reminded how thankful you are for Gods hand when it finally came through.

I would also leave you this one other thought.

I have found that when God comes through on the really tough trials. The ones that test your strength, your limits, your abilities.

I have found that they tend to end abruptly. The answer tends to be fast, complete and overwhelming.

I told you of the change that has happened for me recently. That isn't the first time I have been through a rough trial that tested me so completely.

One other time was similar to yours.

I had 3 vehicles and it took all I had to just keep one running well enough to get me to work and back.

For 8 months we fought this. To this day when we drive down the road there aren't may places we can point and say "We broke down there before". My kids laugh when I say that but it was serious.

My wife, baby daughter and I walking down the interstate.
Taking 2-1/2 hours each way to get to a job 35 miles away.
Not being able to pay my bills because it took every penny I made just to keep a car running and not lose my job.

It was long and I thought sometimes that it would never end.

I would hold on and have faith and then I would lose it.

I remember behind Church's chicken my car died and my battery was dead. I felt it was time to set God straight. I told him "You can make the lightning go from the east to the west and all I need is 12 tiny volts"

Shortly thereafter the answer came and I felt bad. If I had just held on.

The next time I did better but I still found my breaking point and set God straight again. Shortly thereafter another answer came and I felt bad again.

This continued for 8 months until one day the pastor said "Brother... I see a light at the end of the tunnel... and it isn't a train. The answer is going to come soon and from a source you never expected"

I had finally learned faith and obedience.

The next day on the way to work my transmission broke. I was under my car working on it in the driving rain with 1/2" of rain parting around me like a sand bar in a river. But I smiled. Because the man of God said the answer was on it's way and I had finally learned to believe and never give up.

Not long after that a man visited my house. He said... my preacher preached on Jesus turning the water into wine today. Do you know why Jesus turned the water into wine? No one was dying... no one was going to hell.

I didn't know. He said "Just to make people happy"

He reached in his pocket and took the keys to a car that he had bought and spent thousands of dollars making a faithful car out of it.

He threw them across my living room to me and said "Here... just to make you happy"

I am crying now as I remember when that load was lifted off of me.

It was sudden... it was complete... it was overwhelming.

Brother... there is a light at the end of the tunnel... and it is not a train.

Hold on for 2 things....

Hold on and keep your faith as best as you can.
Also...
Hold on for the sudden, complete & overwhelming answer that will come... in time.

Brother, does this mean I am going to hit the lottery? Has the Lord let you in on something of that nature?




















I'm sorry, I couldn't resist. I know that, this too, will pass. It just seems like it's dragging on and on. I just don't understand what's so hard about, "Lord, I need $500 a week to live on and I'd really love to be happy while I am making it." I know I am complaining. I know people in China, Sudan, and who knows where else are lucky to get a handful of rice to eat every day and here I am eating so much I am over 300lbs. I know that at least I have a roof over my head and a car to drive. I am not saying I am ungrateful for what I have because I am. I am just tired of feeling the way I do. In my 20s it was fun to figure ways of getting around not having the money to live right. In my early 30s it was still kind of a cool thing cause the issues were bigger and harder to overcome. Now, as I am turning 40 this month, I am just tired of the struggle. It isn't fun any more and it isn't cool either. I am drained and tired of living on the edge, one or two checks away from being out on the street. Hopefully, when I do get to the place that I can see that light at the end of the tunnel it won't be a train. Thanks for helping me out. I appreciate it.
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  #28  
Old 06-07-2007, 03:09 PM
Digging4Truth's Avatar
Digging4Truth Digging4Truth is offline
Still Figuring It Out.


 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 10,858
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rico View Post
Brother, does this mean I am going to hit the lottery? Has the Lord let you in on something of that nature?


No sir...

I am not privy to any information like that.

But I do know this... if a windfall like that came your way I would... literally... dance around my house in thanks for hearing it had happened.
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  #29  
Old 06-07-2007, 03:10 PM
Rico Rico is offline
Shaking the dust off my shoes.


 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Nunya bidness
Posts: 9,004
Quote:
Originally Posted by SISTER Murphy View Post
Have you looked into online courses? They are more and more prevalent, and better suited to people already busy in the real world with real lives. Or, there is the University of Phoenix style (my husband does this as he works full time during the day), where you go one evening a week for four hours, have homework at home (online reading and some course work), and a study group to meet with once a week. He has done it for almost two years now, and is now well on his way to a double Bachelor's degree.
Sister M., to be honest with you I never thought of looking into getting a degree online. I will have to check into it. Is there financial aid available for getting an education that way? Well, one evening a week for four hours probly isn't all that expensive. Hmmmmmmm. I am going to check this out. Thanks.
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  #30  
Old 06-07-2007, 03:13 PM
Rico Rico is offline
Shaking the dust off my shoes.


 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Nunya bidness
Posts: 9,004
Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve Epley View Post
Rico I will pray for you.
Thank you Bro Epley. I know I get mad at some of the things you say, but I can tell that you really do have the heart of a pastor.
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