by Shana Rank

Not too many years back — before marriage, before university, and before kids — I found myself in an adventure of a lifetime. Newly baptized and my backpack full, I left my home in Colorado to live on an Island far out at sea. Kauai is the “Garden Island” of the Hawaiian Islands, and this was my new home.

I temporarily lived in a hostel, helping out throughout the week for free room and board, though I had my sights on a more permanent residence on the North Shore. After I got a job at a coffee shop in Hanalei, I began asking around and checking the local advertisement boards for a place to live. A friend shared a listing with me and off I went to check it out.

I remember walking into the “space” and laughing in disbelief to myself. What my eyes saw was a shack—literally boards nailed together around a tree, kind of like a kids’ playhouse. There was an outhouse and an outside shower. The footprint of the house was approximately 8 x 12 feet, with a loft to sleep in. The front door was a screen-door with a simple latch hook. I left that shack shaking my head and wondering who on earth could live in a place like that!

I could, and I did end up living in that shack. At first, I could not see the silver lining to my situation. I began to understand that my happiness and well-being did not hinge on square footage and air-conditioning. I also learned to find great contentment in only what I needed and nothing more. As a newly begotten member of God’s Family, I was taken care of; I had running water, and shelter and a place to grow. My lesson continues to be this: never doubt God’s Hand in my life—even when my eyes may deceive me!

by Phyllis Bourque

Lifetime achievement awards are given by various organizations to honor excellence in a given field of endeavor. One such recent honoree in the recording industry was to be Patti Page, who was regarded as a living legend, selling more than 100 million records throughout a career that spanned 7 decades, making her one of the biggest selling female recording artists in history. She touched the hearts of many generations with her smooth tranquil style of singing.

In considering my lifetime thus far, I can list many achievements, none of which, however, have gained any notoriety beyond my little corner of the world, and certainly would not garner any such award. My accomplishments are of importance primarily to myself, and perhaps a few select friends and/or family members.  Even at that, their significance was only for the moment; i.e., a token medal for solo flute competition in high school and participation in band. (Who is impressed with that but me?)

The only thing I can think of that could be regarded as a worthy lifetime achievement is my personal conversion—a righteous response to my calling—taking on God’s character. But even then, I cannot credit myself with any degree of success in this regard, because it is God who called me in the first place, and it is He who is working in me, even giving me the desire and the ability to do what He has called me to do. Therefore, the accomplishment is His.

Patti Page knew of the upcoming awards presentation, but she died before the actual event was held. She will, of course, be honored posthumously. However, the spiritual correlate for me is to be diligent in my daily response to God so that I do not die spiritually before He gives me His gift of eternal life and my appropriate award.

Yes, I think that with God’s continual help, my conversion will surely be my lifetime achievement. I wonder if God considers His marvelous work of changing His human creation to His spirit-born offspring as being His eternal lifetime achievement…just wondering…

by Cali Harris

Shortly after the Feast of Tabernacles this year, I was laid off. The search for a new job has turned out to be a joyful process because I’ve connected with so many interesting people and companies.

I went through an intense interview process with one particular company, and they offered me a job. The same day, I had the opportunity come up for another job – a dream job for a dream company. I realized I’d have to decline the job offer sitting in my lap if I wanted to pursue a chance at the “dream job.” It was scary to walk out on that limb of faith.

Declining the job offer would be a difficult conversation to have, and I was very anxious. The company had dedicated a lot of time and energy to me throughout the interview process – and I felt terrible about disappointing them.

When I called the hiring manager, I was straightforward and let her know that while I enjoyed her team and was grateful for the offer, I had another chance at a dream job. What happened next was nothing I could have envisioned.

The manager expressed her disappointment that I wouldn’t be joining their team. She then asked where the “dream job” was. I told her the name of the company, and she offered to call someone she knew there and put in a good word for me. Then, she said that if it didn’t work out at the other company, she’d still love to have me join their team.

“Wow!” is an understatement – I couldn’t believe how generous and unusually accommodating she was. When I hung up the phone, I marveled at the unexpected ways God can turn a tough situation into one filled with possibility.

I’ve yet to find out if the dream job will work out, but I’m praying that God’s Will be done – and I’m excited for what comes next.

by Louise Amorelli

Lately, with all the unrelenting challenges and trials in both my and my husband’s lives, I became much more aware of my response to them and to others. Since these daily and long-term challenges have been front and center and without little down time, I started to more closely analyze how I handle these tests and how I re-act to them.  After all, I know that God knows all and has His direct Hand  in our lives. With this in mind, I know it is all for our edification and for building Godly character. So… do I act purposefully or re-act purposely?

By definition, if I do something on purpose, I re-act purposely. Usually for me, it’s without really thinking  my actions through and I re-act based on my emotions and my human nature. But if I act purposefully (basing my actions on Godly thinking), I then act (not re-act!) with a specific purpose in mind. It goes against my human nature to want to analyze each situation, meditate, pray and sometimes fast to act purposefully and with Godly intent, instead of re-acting too quickly and without much thought. I must remember that each of my actions draw a reaction from others and along with that, consequences. Ultimately, I know that I will have to stand before God and give account for wrong conduct that I was unwilling to change.

No matter how hard the challenge, I am convinced that I can overcome it with Godly wisdom and character, through submission and through His Spirit. I am learning to not let the trial overtake me, but letting God’s purpose shine its light, to be able to control and accept the challenge, instead of the trial controlling me. I am working on accepting each situation as an opportunity for seeing God’s purpose, and I am concentrating on acting purposefully to achieve the desired result for myself and others!

Shelly Bruno

My family moved across town a few months ago. The decision to move was based on a number of reasons, but primarily the fact that our boys are growing and we wanted a bigger backyard. My oldest was also starting at a new school, and we felt it would be beneficial to live closer to both school and work.

We moved 7 miles, but that small distance has actually created a world of change for us. Everything is different: time not spent in a car, time now spent on bikes, where I store our belongings, the places I run my errands, how long it takes to drive to a friend’s house, and especially the view I see when I look out of our windows. My perspective has been transformed.

The time and energy spent moving across town has consumed far more effort than I would have guessed. Challenges seemed to spring up out of nowhere and the best laid plans weren’t always easy to follow. Despite some of the negative aspects, the outcome has been very positive in ways I also would not have guessed.

This experience makes me think of the changes of address coming in the future. This much anticipated spiritual move will provide benefits that are difficult to imagine. I look forward to what God is preparing for me in His house, and how my perspective will forever and completely be changed.

by Michael Link

Prayers have been intensified recently in my life, and they seem to be getting longer and longer.  There is so much to pray about. Aside from the many sicknesses and trials others in the church are going through, I spent a good amount of time thinking about the things going on in my family’s life and mine… But lately every morning, I have also emphasized my prayers on simply getting through the day, and that God will give me strength, patience, and wisdom, because there are many opportunities for Satan to strike.  It’s the simple things I often times neglect that can lead to more harm, if not controlled.

Getting frustrated at inanimate objects is easy to do, since they can’t respond, and it’s an immediate short-term relief to let it all out.  For example: yelling at a computer or the television because something isn’t working to my expectation, or lashing out at an appliance that has been in the same place for years, but still manages to stub my toe.  And many times when I am working, a package takes the heat when I’m unable to find it initially, as I was ready to deliver it 30 seconds ago.  I find myself yelling at traffic lights that turn red right when I’m about to cross the intersection, because I’m in a hurry and one minute at a stoplight seems like an eternity, and an utter waste of time.

This fast-paced lifestyle with more things to do than the day allows is quite normal.  I realize that my patience is tested, and I know that I am going through these tests to see how I would react. What may be insignificant like yelling at a box is very significant to Satan, because it can lead to more, if I allow him to. Fortunately, I recognize this, which is why I ask for God’s help, and I am thankful that God is there to help me.  Self-control is challenging at times, and over the years it has improved, but I know I can do better.  If I want to be blessed as God promises, I have to do my part as well, by conquering the simple things.

by Laura Harris

In December, my family moved in with my dad. It was supposed to be a temporary stay as we got our house ready to sell. A few days prior to our move-in date, my dad had a sudden decline in his health. We were able to get him stabilized, but he has slowly gotten worse. It became evident this summer that he can no longer live alone. Robb & I decided to permanently reside with my dad so he could continue to live as independently as possible.

Our current living arrangements have caused frustration for me and my dad as we decipher new boundaries and expectations. Oftentimes, I am abrupt with my dad as I feel inconvenienced by his constant need for assistance. Those who know me well know that patience is not my strongest attribute. My new role as caregiver requires more patience than I have. I’ve had to rely on God for help, asking for a gentler and more loving attitude when interacting with my dad.

English poet and playwright, Joseph Addison, is quoted as saying, “Our real blessings often appear to us in the shape of pains, losses and disappointments; but let us have patience and we soon shall see them in their proper figures.” I know that caring for my dad is a way of honoring him as a parent, as God commands us to do. This unforeseen situation has provided me the opportunity to spend meaningful time with my dad, which we haven’t done in decades. What seems like a trial now will be looked back upon as a blessing in the future.

by Manuela Mitchell

September 4, 2012 will have marked the 6 year memorial of a wildlife warrior legend. Steve Irwin, also known as the Crocodile Hunter, lived his life by teaching and sharing his love for animals and the environment. Beginning as a young boy, he studied the way of the wild, every day improving his abilities and knowledge to one day, creating animal acts and shows, that no man has ever had the ability to do. Some may have thought him to be crazy, putting himself, staff and even family at risk through his many films in the outback. Others supported his dreams, skills and family values. He only did what he believed was important to him, and perhaps the rest of the world. He had an uplifting personality, a passion for not only what he did, but for what he believed. He was very strong and had endurance and was not afraid of working hard or getting hurt. On one of Steve’s documentary films, his life unexpectantly ended when he was barbed in the chest by a sting ray. He lived his dream till the end and never gave up his zeal for life, the life that he believed was good and right.

As an animal lover, I too can relate to his passion; as I also try to pass it on to my son. While my goals are not quite the same as Steve’s, I would love my desire in what I believe, to be the same. I imagine, if I had his personality, his humility to learning new things, his caring attributes and his passion, I would be a completely different person. If I could express my passion towards God, the way that Steve expressed towards animals, would I get the same reaction? I find it hard to express my feelings at times and therefore appear that I’m not passionate. However, I know that if I could learn to express my love for God and His ways, then I might find myself in a more positive atmosphere. It is easy for me to sometimes feel depressed, but it takes God to truly feel passionate about anything. I feel blessed to know that I can ask God for anything, including being passionate for His Word, and maybe then, other things will fall into place.

by John Amorelli

My wife and I had experienced very destructive storms recently that caused loss of power for several days! We did not have a generator as a backup power source. This prompted me to purchase a generator to prepare us for the next power outage. When I took it out of the box, I proceeded to carefully inspect it. I read the manual along with a card that was enclosed, called the “Quick Guide” instructions. I read the card carefully, step by step. To understand how to use it correctly and completely, I read the steps over and over again. Once I had this processed, I was ready to apply the instructions that I had read over and over again unto the generator.

I reflected on this and had realized that I need to apply this in my spiritual life! What I learned is that I need Scripture repeated to me over and over again! I also learned that I need to read and re-read Scripture. When I hear sermonettes and sermons, I do not mind at all if messages are repeated. (As a matter of fact, I look forward to Scriptures being repeated). It reminds me how much I still need to learn. When I read and study a certain Scripture, I need to repeat the repetition and repeat it again! The Word of God is the perfect instruction manual that needs to be re-read by me.

So, whenever a situation occurs when a generator needs to be utilized, I will refer to the generator’s instruction manual again, and then operate the generator. Whenever a situation arises in my spiritual life, I need to remember to pray to the Eternal, and then go to His “Instruction Manual” again and again.

by Gilbert DeVaux

I was thinking about trust, and that I have put my trust in the Eternal. He provides all my needs. He hears and answers my prayers. He cares for me. He has revealed His grand plan for mankind to me. I am grateful for my calling, as the Eternal God has also put His trust in me.

This is His undeserved kindness toward me, when I look at this and compare myself to the world. I am very grateful, for mankind has no real hope. There is no one to put their trust in; their governments are failing them; they are lost; they are in fear; they are losing their jobs; they have no one to turn to for help.

I do not have their fears; my trust is in  the right place, because He has given me real and lasting hope. He has given me the truth of His Word and His Holy Spirit. I know that the return of Christ is soon. I am sorry for mankind, but I know that Christ will set up His Kingdom, and that mankind will then put their hope and trust in the right place, and I will be there to help. I have much to look forward to.

May I always keep my trust in the Eternal God and never take Him for granted.