God Is Good All the Time And All the Time God Is Good
Encourage One Another
"Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing."
1 Thessalonians 5:11
Testimony
JANICE K FEAGIN
Lessons Learned from Hispanic Mechanics
For far too many years, I was painfully shy and very insecure about myself, and it was difficult for me to interact with people.
In 1972 we lived in San Angelo, Texas for a year and I got my first full-time job working at Levi Strauss making blue jeans. I knew how to sew well, and I was quick with my hands, so after aptitude and skill testing, they hired me. I really enjoyed the work and since there were only two breaks and a short lunch hour, I didn’t have to mingle too often.
One thing that happened really changed my outlook. There were eight Hispanic men who were sewing machine mechanics in the factory and they roved around fixing whatever went wrong with our machines. Those guys constantly noticed new hairstyles or different clothes, etc. not in a flirty or an ungentlemanly way. I can’t tell what it meant to this shy gal when one of them would notice a new blouse and compliment me on it. Or if I did my hair differently. I had never been around men who noticed those kinds of things before.
We girls constantly flatter one another, notice every little detail and comment on them often. All the time!
The first time it happened I felt so blessed and I thought about it all day long. It truly made my day.
It got me to thinking. If one little truly insignificant comment would brighten my day, I wanted to do that for other people. So, little by little I got the courage to bless others by complimenting on anything that was positive. It helped me so much, because I knew it was blessing them. I got a little braver with people.
Then, I got to thinking...men hardly ever get compliments. So, I started doing the same with guys. I would comment on their shirt, their hair, their car or motorcycle (they really like that). I would say silly things like, “when you get tired of that shirt…want to pass it on to me?” :) They would chuckle and maybe look at me and wonder…
And I have been doing that ever since. It is so much fun looking for anything that I can give an honest compliment on and see their eyes light up and a smile appear on their face. It has truly become a joy in my life and still is.
I want to apply that to our marriages. As we age, it is really hard on the guys when they can’t work as hard as they once did or do all that they want to do. We used to cut wood and burn brush all day long and now 2 or 3 hours is about all we’ve got.
Men have this thing called an ego. Praise the Lord we women aren’t burdened with that thing.
A good example is when we used to ride motorcycles. I have laid a 350 Honda down twice. One was ridiculously silly because I was at a café by the BIG picture windows where everyone could see. I didn’t have an electric starter on it, so I had to kick start it. Problem is…I’m short and could only touch the ball of one foot on the ground at a time. That meant I had to leave it on the kickstand to start it. Done it many times.
Well…….I forgot to take it out of gear. As soon as I pushed that pedal down, the bike rolled forward and fell over.
Embarrassing? Yes, but I picked it up and went on my way.
Now guys who stand around and watch that kind of thing might say, “Oh, isn’t that cute, a girl riding a motorcycle.”
But…what happens if a man lays a motorcycle down in a similar scenario? THEY WILL NEVER LET HIM HEAR THE END OF IT!
My point is…our guys need us to encourage and help them feel like they still have some worth. Watch and see when they do something around the house that would be difficult for you to do. If they do anything praiseworthy, take notice and let them know how much you appreciate them. Notice and comment when they are dressed and ready for church on how nice they look. Might even use the word studly:)
Example: tonight, our glass sliding door came off the track and got stuck with a four-inch opening. The temperature was down in the 30’s. So, of course, I asked Dexter to come help. He easily put it back on track and closed it for the night. I immediately began to sing, “It’s so nice to have a man around the house.”
I challenge you ladies who really love your husbands to go out of your way and be watchful for those moments to lift up and encourage your man. It's been said, “Happy wife, happy life.” Well, it’s just as important, if not more so, to have a happy husband. You will be so blessed. And your man will have a healthier outlook on life and on aging. Care enough to show your love for him in this way.
“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.”1 Thessalonians 5:11
Janice K Feagin
Testimony
rory meeds
The Still Small Voice of God
When God speaks to us it would be nice to hear a booming voice from heaven saying, “this is God, I want you to do this or that.” Generally, that’s not what we hear.
Just as in 1 Kings 19:11-12, when Elijah was hearing from God: “And He said, go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake: And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.”
I don’t consider myself a song writer. To date I have written one song, and I have felt God directing me to write it. I first got the idea from a message long ago concerning the “Flood” and the rainbow God put in the sky after to show that he was not going to flood the Earth again. This teacher likened the “Flood” to a storm in our lives and the rainbow to a sign that the storm is over.
I didn’t do anything about it at that time and promptly forgot about it. Several years later I was restless and trying to get to sleep, the memory popped into my mind from “somewhere” and I started to run lines in my head. I was going to start writing it down in the morning. The next morning, I had forgotten about it.
Several years passed before I thought about it, and again the memory just popped into my mind. I did a little more on the words and the next morning I promptly forgot about writing it down again. This happened several times, each time several years had passed, but the words stayed with me and that “still small voice kept reminding me.”
The last time was during August while we were taking our break from 55-Live. I was trying to sleep, and the memory popped into my mind again. This time the words were all there and I thought that it was finally finished. This time though I wasn’t able to forget. The moment that I got up that “still small voice” which had gotten a lot louder said, “write it down”.
I put in on paper finally and then worked out a tune for it. When I thought that it sounded okay, I had Sheryl listen as I played it. She liked it and said that I should sing it for 55-Live. I replied that I didn’t know when I would be asked to sing another special, but that I would when I could. Now came the “Big” voice of God. That afternoon I was checking my E-Mail and there was one from Janice asking if I wanted to sing a special on the 3rd, the first day back.
My question was answered. I hope that everyone enjoyed the song. It would never have been written without the help and the “still small voice” from God.
Rainbows In Our Lives
In this life we have storms to darken our days
And Satan assails us in so many ways
But Jesus is with us, He’ll lead us through
He’s always beside us whatever we do.
After the storm there’s a bow in the sky
With the rainbow God shows us, the storm has passed by
The tempest is over, He’s carried us through
The rainbow’s a blessing for me and for you.
There’ve been storms in my life, many and cold
God’s taken me through them and now I’ve grown old
As I face the last storm clouds, ahead I can see
Jesus, my Rainbow, waiting for me.
After the storm there’s a bow in the sky
With the Rainbow God shows us, the storm has passed by
The tempest is over, He’s carried us through
The rainbow’s a blessing for me and for you.
The rainbow, God’s blessing for me and for you.
Rory Meeds
To heavy to bear
A Glass of Water
During one lecture, a professor suddenly picked up a glass of water and held it up. He stood there quietly, just holding it, as the students began to glance at each other, waiting for an explanation. Ten minutes passed, and he still didn’t lower his arm.
Finally, he asked: “Tell me, how much do you think this glass weighs?”
The students started guessing: “Maybe a couple of ounces!”
“Four ounces!”
“Five!”
The professor smiled. “Honestly, I don’t know either. To find out, we’d have to weigh it. But that’s not the real question. What happens if I hold this glass for a few minutes?”
“Nothing,” the students replied.
“Right. Now, what if I hold it for an hour?”
“Your arm will start to hurt,” one answered.
“Correct. And what if I try to hold it all day?”
“Your arm would go numb, you’d be in serious pain, maybe even need medical help,” another said as the class laughed.
The professor nodded calmly. “Exactly. But tell me—did the weight of the glass ever change?”
“No,” came the reply.
“So why the pain in the arm? Why the tension in the muscles?”
The room fell silent.
Then he asked: “What should I do to get rid of the pain?”
“Put the glass down,” someone said.
“Exactly!” the professor exclaimed. “Life’s problems work the same way. If you carry them in your head for a few minutes, it’s no big deal. Think about them for too long, and they start to hurt. Dwell on them all day, and they paralyze you—you won’t be able to do anything else.”
He paused, then finished with this: “That’s why it’s so important to put your problems down at the end of each day. Don’t go to bed carrying the weight of them. Rest, recharge, and you’ll wake up ready to face tomorrow with strength and clarity.”
Precious truth
jeremiah 1:5
"Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations."
pain
jesus knows your hurt - Song by Dallas Holm
The pain some people bear
No one would believe
The hurt that's sometimes there
Makes it hard to see
That in the darkest hour
There is still a way
Listen to these simple words I say
Jesus knows your hurt
Jesus feels your pain
Jesus knows just how you feel
’Cause He's felt just the same
Jesus knows your need
Better than you do
Just hold on to Jesus
He's holding on to you
Sometimes you feel alone
Does He really care?
Has He left you on your own?
And does He hear your prayer?
Well, He has never left you
Or forsaken you one day
Listen to these simple words I say
Jesus knows your hurt
Jesus feels your pain
Jesus knows just how you feel
’Cause He's felt just the same
Jesus knows your need
Better than you do
Just hold on to Jesus
He's holding on to you
Just hold on to Jesus
He's holding on to you