by Delia Messier

Tithing was a difficult concept to practice at first, especially as we were poor. “We can’t afford to tithe, to be in this church,” hearing a family say, as they walked away.

There were challenges, and at times we would ask ourselves, “How in the world can this work out?” There were times when our extended families would express concern about our tithing, shaking their heads, saying: “You’re giving all of your money away!”

But we held to God’s promise that He would take care of us, and we watched, at times in amazement, how things would turn around in our favor. It always worked out! God helped us in every way!

We learned to trust Him! We learned to be patient, to work hard, to do things ourselves, to improvise, to make do and appreciate. Our lives were full and exciting.

When our extended families visit today, they still shake their heads, as they look at our many blessings, as well as our beautiful big home and property–one that they would wish for themselves–and they cannot understand or figure it out, saying:  “How in the world could this have happened?”

Can I afford to tithe? I can’t afford not to, and I only wished that all of my family would understand this.

by John Amorelli

Last month, the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, took place and were broadcast globally. As I was watching some of the events, my mind was wandering back to the gala “Opening Ceremony,” which showed a multitude of athletes representing their nations and countries that really caught my attention. I started thinking about the coming of God’s Kingdom into this world as an “Olympic Event,” spiritually speaking. It will be an unparalleled and quintessential event!

I was also pondering on the years of training, endurance and persistence the athletes had to go through to achieve “Olympian” status. They were focused on “Going for the Gold.” They had experienced injuries and fell down hard in some events, but they got back on their feet and continued their endeavor to be back in the game to reach for the gold.

Just as the athletes in the physical Olympics, I have to remind myself that I am in a spiritual Olympic Game. When I get injured and fall down, spiritually, I need to get myself up and get back in the game—which is God’s Way of Life—and to “Go for the Gold,” which is God’s coming Kingdom!

Watching a spectacular event, such as the Olympics, reminds me of a future spiritual event which is worth all of the training, trials, tribulations and persecutions in this life. God desires for me to be in His Kingdom and He wants me to “Go for the Gold”!

The question I have for myself is: Am I in the Game?

by Christian Mrosek

When I visited my parents a couple of weeks ago, I had a very good talk with my father. My mother was still at work, and my brother was not at home either. So my father and I had a drink and a nice chat in the living room.

At the end of the conversation, my father gave me his analysis of my current situation. By that time we were standing outside in the courtyard. My father pointed at my chest and said: “It’s good to look around and search, but eventually you have to become clear with what you want. You just don’t know yet what you really want.”

I had to admit to him, and most importantly to myself, that he was right.

He then told me an analogy: “If I set myself a goal to become the best street cleaner, I will put on that orange jacket and do everything I can to accomplish my goal. When someone recognizes me, saying: ‘What’s wrong with you, what are you doing there?…’, it doesn’t bother me for I am not looking left or right but only forward to the goal that I want to accomplish. But when I say to myself: ‘Well, let’s put on that orange jacket and see what I can do…’, it won’t work, because then, when the people scoff at me, I will put off the jacket, saying: ‘Yes, you are right, what am I doing here? Let’s try something else…’”

I realized how important it is for me to set clear goals in my life. Without a motive, I cannot have motivation. How can I sow if I don’t know what I’m sowing for? There is much that I have to think and pray about. What will I do after finishing my studies at the university? What kind of job would I like to have? What do I have to accomplish this week; what do I have to do today, tomorrow, the day after… so that God may reward me in His due time?

I know that God wants me to live the best life I possibly can live. He knows what my talents are. He knows the goals He has set for me to accomplish – in this day and age and for all eternity. He is helping me to become clear with accomplishing my short-term and long-term goals, according to His Will. I know that God has called me out of this world to reveal to me His Will for my life, and to be trained today for the ultimate goal – to enter His Kingdom in glory and honor.

by Cali Harris

I recently watched the film version of Jane Austen’s novel Pride and Prejudice. The main character, Elizabeth Bennet, is shown walking along the countryside in several scenes. She enjoys walking. At one point, another character pays Elizabeth a backhanded compliment: “She has nothing, in short, to recommend her, but being an excellent walker.”

I relate to Elizabeth’s character because I love walking. I walk a lot. I walk in the foothills that are outside my front door, and along a creek during my lunch break, and sometimes to and from work. Compared to driving, cycling, or even running, walking is protracted and slow. When I walk, I notice more than I would if I were driving. I notice small—and large—aspects of God’s creation.

Most importantly, though, whenever I walk I can’t help but think of the biblical analogy of “walking with God.” This concept requires that I move forward in a very conscientious and sometimes slow and deliberate way, noticing the small—and large—aspects of my spiritual growth. I hope that like Elizabeth Bennet, one day I will also be considered an excellent walker—only in my case, with God.

by Delia Messier

It was an exciting time in my twenties when God called me into His Way of Life, opened my eyes, and made me part of His Church–the spiritual Body of Christ—when I learned the truth and received those answers that I always wanted to know.

My life was all about learning and re-learning the right way! My first 20 years were full of rich, bountiful spiritual food, given to me by God’s servants  in and out of season! But then, things began to change, when doctrinal heresy crept into the Church organization that I was attending. Slowly our spiritual food became more milk, less meat, while adding a little poison —  “new truths” —  a better understanding —  the need for “more loving,” so we were told.

Trusting my teachers, thinking that they were telling me the truth, but having difficulty understanding and accepting these “new truths,” I concluded that not believing them was a problem on my part. I just was not getting it!   Things didn’t seem to add up! So weakened by several years of bad spiritual diet with watered-down poisonous food, my prayers and personal Bible studies became strenuous and very  frustrating.

So many left the truth those days, washing their hands of everything, and even I was tempted to go with the flow. But still, in the end, deciding that I needed to do God’s Will and not my own, being so confused, I would pray that He would help me to know and understand. After some time, I decided to re-read an article in our Church newspaper. The first paragraph in the Editorial was the sentence: “The 10 commandments have been done away with.”   What?   How come, I didn’t see that article before?  But I had read it—I just had not grasped what it was telling me.

I was so spiritually sick that my eyes had not seen it. They had been shut, when I had read it. There it was in black and white–bold as could be!  And even though I had not realized what I had seen the first time, I had begun to swallow it.

God had to re-open my eyes! I saw clearly now that the article was teaching a lie!  I had been fed lies — evil  seeds planted and growing.  Soon I could have been dead oblivious to the most outrages lies! I realized that God had saved me from the grips of death by re-opening my eyes again to the truth.

Today I know that  I have to be very careful to whom I am listening and where I attend services. Satan will try to plant seeds, if I listen to the wrong source, and they will affect me,  even if I think I am strong and can’t possibly be fooled.

I learned that I have to be where the true spiritual food is rich and bountiful, and I have to make sure that I prove all things, having confidence in God’s servants that have proven to be His true servants and who remain faithful, and doing what I need to do, always confirming all things in the Bible, trusting God and following His servants as they follow Christ.

by Louise Amorelli
 
Throughout my lifetime, I have often pondered on the definition of success, asking myself: What makes a person successful?  What is the real meaning of success and how do I get there?  Is it merely being part of the wealthy elite or being educated with worldly scholarly knowledge with a broad and diverse vocabulary? Are this world’s standards of success the same as mine or God’s?

As a child and even in college, certain subjects did not come easy for me and I became frustrated. I always wanted to succeed and be in the top of my class. Although I endured, I sometimes just passed the class. As time went by, and I became a parent, I certainly wanted to succeed at parenthood!  But even then I wondered if I was doing and had done a good job. I was and still am a person who has a “type A” personality who desires to do it all, want it all and be all, to the fullest!

Being called into God’s Truth, I began to appreciate success in a different light. Although still a struggle, I try not to set my standards of success as the world views it. I understand that God defines success as growing in the fruit of His Spirit and having His Godly character. I am learning  to focus on, not only doing my best with the gifts God has bestowed upon me, but also  being patient, gentle with longsuffering, having self-control and a loving heart in each situation, along with fervently praying for His help and strength to grow in grace with Godly knowledge, wisdom and discernment.

Whatever my hand finds to do, I try to remember to do all things mightily and pleasing to God, with the underlying theme not to impress or please men or myself.  That’s when I become a true success, which produces Godly peace and joy!

by Dawn Thompson

I thought that throughout my life I had a practicing understanding of “the golden rule” until the other day. A friend made a comment to me that I allowed to hurt my feelings, even though it was not the intent. I wondered why that comment at that time had such a devastating effect on me. After pondering about it for quite a while, I realized the reason was because I had made that same comment to someone else, on several occasions.

In August of 2012, during a time of growth and change in my life, I had similar sensations of hurt feelings, but for some reason that particular instance caught my attention fully and brought to remembrance the times I had not been so kind with my words and attitude. It reminded me that I need to be continually aware of the words that I speak and the attitude with which I speak them. I know that I need to pray continually and build Godly love and character toward everyone, regardless of my history with that person, so to live more fully the golden rule.

by Shelly Bruno

As the Church announced the US Feast site this year, I got excited thinking about celebrating the Holy Days. It’s a time of year that is wonderful and joyous but also safe. I consider it my personal safe zone. It is like that secure place from childhood games—the spot I couldn’t be caught or tagged—but could safely watch everyone else playing.

Today I’m not seeking “safety” in playing a game, but from the season of holidays that has just passed. When Halloween arrives every year with Christmas fast on its heels, I get that queasy feeling of having to work extra hard to avoid the insidiousness of what society celebrates. It’s the time of year when those cultural holidays seep into conversation with others, affront me when I leave my house, or influence every station that delivers music or news.

Thankfully God’s fall festival comes at a perfect time, giving me the extra strength to overcome that influence. And now, with some of the cultural holidays behind me, I look forward to the Spring Holy Days. God’s perfect timing gives me the strength just when I need it. There is more for me to overcome, but that next safe zone is again within sight.

Kalon Mitchell

As I start my new job, I am keenly aware of every action and thing that I say or do.

I am so focused on learning how things operate at this new place. I am also feeling kind of lost with everything that I need to learn and do. Sometimes I tend to doubt myself and my abilities to do the job for which I was hired. I wonder if I will be able to accomplish what I have set out to do. It’s easy to get into this mindset and get stressed or worried. 

But then I remember that God is the One who opens doors. He has opened the door for me, and now it is my job to walk through that door. There is nothing I can’t do with God leading and directing my life. It is my job to remember this fact, set my belief in it and let my faith grow, just as I will grow in my new job and do the best I can.

So as I am starting in this job, I just keep reminding myself that God places people where He wants them. He brings about situations in my life. I am left knowing that I must set the right example and bring glory to God.

by Delia Messier (Canada)

Many of my spring, summer and fall daylight hours are spent working outside in the vegetable and berry gardens and flower beds, as well as tending to the fruit trees—and watering is one of my daily chores.

One early summer day, several years ago, I was having a hard time getting it done as my health was bad, and handling the hose was difficult. Like the canary that had been accidentally sucked into the vacuum cleaner hose and spit back out again—that was me—only a few feathers left with a broken chicken heart! 

A serious time in my life! 

As I was snailing along on the job,  I noticed a beautiful all-powder blue bird, then another and another. They were happily flying around in and out of the cat tail pond, singing to each other, fearless of me being so close. They stayed and played and bathed for several long minutes—what a treat to watch. I decided to count them. There were nine of them. Finding this an odd number, I counted them again a few times.

These little birds lifted my spirit and brought me joy. It was like getting a hug! It wasn’t till much time and some years had passed that I realized what a blessing it was to have seen those blue birds at that crucial time for me.

Now, when I might begin to get discouraged, I think of my nine powder blue birds—and remember that My Father knows what I need and comforts me and doesn’t let me have more than I can handle; and that He is giving me the nine character traits of the fruit of His Holy Spirit. Nothing in this world can compare with this, no matter the losses or the hardships.

We have lived here for over 18 years, and I have never seen these little powder blue birds before or since that day.