31 Oct, 2011
Jesus Can Change ANYBODY!
How can I connect Today's Story, God's Story, and My Story with Others?
Have you ever looked at someone in your school or community and thought to yourself, "There's no way that guy (or girl) will ever say yes to following Jesus!"? If there is someone you've thought that about, make a commitment to pray for that person every day this week. Look for ways that you might even connect with them, in hopes of someday connecting them to God's Story.
28 Oct, 2011
Who Will Win It All?!
- When you hear others talking about last night's game today, consider starting a conversation about today's God's Story scripture. Talk with your friends about what they are pursuing in this life. Listen for opportunities to share more of God's Story with your friends.
- Get some friends together tonight to watch Game 7 of the World Series. Some great conversations about God's Story can occur when we are simplying spending time together.
27 Oct, 2011
From the Highest Heavens to You.
Virgin Galactic space tourism could begin in 2013
Sir Richard Branson's space tourism venture said it hopes to launch the service in two years time, but even that date is not fixed.
The firm's commercial director, Stephen Attenborough, told the BBC that its customers' safety is paramount.
Test flights are currently underway, with rocket-powered tests scheduled to start next year.
Almost 500 people have bought tickets.
Sir Richard had originally hoped the first commercial spacecraft, SpaceShip Two, would take off as early as 2007. However, Mr Attenborough stressed there never was an official date set for the inaugural launch.
(For more visit: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-15460935)
Deuteronomy 10:14-15
New International Version (NIV)
14 To the LORD your God belong the heavens, even the highest heavens, the earth and everything in it. 15 Yet the LORD set his affection on your ancestors and loved them, and he chose you, their descendants, above all the nations—as it is today.
What does God's Story scripture teach us about how important we are to God?
When these words were written they were specifically about the nation of Israel. These words, however, teach us an important lesson about God, they reveal something significant about His character.
We learn from these two short verses that God holds humanity as His most precious gem. Above all the rest of creation God's affection is focused on us.
These verses are an early foreshadowing of Jesus, the greatest demonstration of God's affection for us.
How can we connect today's God's Story scripture to our lives?
We all have moments when we feel unimportant and we have to decide how we will respond in those moments. Here are a couple of ideas.
- Write these verses on a note card. When you feel down, walk outside and look up at the night sky or pull up pictures from the "Huble Telescope." As you look, read these verses out loud and think about the creator that set His affection on you.
- If your really looking for a challenge, memorize Deuteronomy 10:14-15 and recite it each morning.
How can we connect today's story, God's Story scripture, and our story to others?
We live in a world with a lot of hurting people. My week has been filled, standing beside people that are hurting. Their lives have been turned upside down and they just needed to be reminded that they matter to someone.
- Tell someone that you love them.
- Give a hug to a friend that is having a rough day.
- Write a note of encouragement to a friend that you know is having a rough time.
26 Oct, 2011
Unfinished
Right now our house is in the middle of a bathroom remodel, which we started almost 6 months ago. A household of two bathrooms is now down to one. A different floor, and multiple people crammed in on mornings to get ready. We started out strong with dust flying everywhere, and now we are so close yet we remain unfinished. Months later we get questions, and confused looks when people find out that we still have not finished our project? Sometimes I am ashamed to say, "Yeah we are still working on it." The reality is life began to get busy and we chose to pause on the project, we chose to be more intentional in other important areas of our life, and though our bathroom is unfinished we still see the potential. The plan for the bathroom is still the same plan. It is the time of completion that is different. It’s the expectation from others of the timeline that is not correct. I know that my husband and I will stick to the plan and finish our bathroom it’s just a matter of time.
"Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus"
Philipians 1:6
What does today’s God's Story Scripture teach us about being Complete?
Wait so God has a plan he is not letting me in on??? I remember thinking this when I was in Junior High (shoot and really often still to this day), wrestling with the reality & trusting that He does have an crazy plan that I'm sure if I knew I would mess up. I remember reading Philippians 1 and hearing Paul talk & pray for his friends with passion and conviction that, "He began a good work...& will carry it out to COMPLETION". God does not start a remodel in our lives and not plan on finishing it. God is a skilled carpenter, who has lain out & "know(s) the plans I have for you" (Jeremiah 29:11). Scripture says He has Plans big ones for you; He just wants you to trust Him and be CONFIDENT that He will complete it.
How can I connect Today's God's Story to my Life?
In the midst of a struggle remind yourself that God has a plan and has already started something amazing in your life. To the people in your life that question where you are and why, say, "yes my life is in construction, and I am confident that as I trust in God, He will complete good and amazing things in my life." Because he will! Its the days where we loose sight & confidence that God has committed to walk with us in life, to teach, to whisper, to listen, and to complete us.
- Ask God to give you Confidence in his mighty plan this week
- Praise God for his patience on working to complete your life.
How can I connect Today's Story, God's Story, & My Story to others?
We so badly want the people in our lives to come to understand the amazing goodness of God. Yet, as we talked about today, God is still working on us, it is in his time that he will complete amazing things in our lives and others.
Try this week not to be impatient with friends who God is not finished with yet. For that matter, be patient with your friends that God has only begun to unfold His story in their lives. Be real about how God is still molding you.
24 Oct, 2011
Discover Your Gifts!
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Talk with the leaders of your church about ways you might discover and use the gifts God has given you?
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Talk with God today about the gifts and talents He has given you. Make a list of them and pray about how you might use them to build up the Body of Christ. Discover the best position for you on the team!
21 Oct, 2011
Still Waiting
- Find a place where you can be alone with God this weekend and simply wait on Him. Wait for Him to suprise you.
- Ask God to forgive you for any times that you have been impatient with Him.
- When you are hanging out with your friends this weekend, use the times when you find yourself waiting to deepen your friendship. Whether it's waiting in line for a new release movie or waiting for a table at some restaurant, strike up some conversations that could be directed toward God's Amazing Story.
- Talk with your friends this weekend about how they feel when they have to wait for something.
- Take a bold step and ask them what they think it looks like to "wait for the Lord."
17 Oct, 2011
A House Divided
Sunday was one of those days that we somehow both look forward to and dread all at the same time in our household. It was the day during each NFL Season that we become a house divided against itself. It's the day that the Indianapolis Colts play the Cincinnati Bengals.
I have been a Colts fan for as long as I can remember, but my wife is from Cincinnati. Our oldest son was also born while we lived in Cincinnati and we still have family there. He is an avid Begals fan. Last year we were blessed with the oppotunity to attend the game. This year we caught in on tv. We survived this year, even though his Bengals got the best of my Colts. Now it will most likely be another year before we are again a 'house divided.'
Matthew 12:24-26 (ESV)
24But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, "It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this man casts out demons." 25 Knowing their thoughts, he said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand. 26And if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand?
What does today's God's Story scripture teach us about a House Divided?
Our Colts-Bengals household rivalry is pretty trivial compared to what Jesus was talking about when he spoke of a house divided against itself. Check out what the Life Application Study Bible has to say about today's passage ...
In the Incarnation, Jesus gave up the complete and unlimited use of his supernatural abilities. But he still had profound insight into human nature. His discernment stopped the religious leaders' attempts to trick him. The resurrected Christ knows all our thoughts. This can be comforting because he knows what we really mean when we speak to him. It can be threathening because we cannot hide from him, and he knows our selfish motives.
How can I connect today's God's Story to My Life?
How about you? Does your life represent a "house divided"? Is your new life in Christ still at war with your human nature? Ask God to continue to take control of your life by putting your human, sinful nature to death and to ask Him to give you new life through His Holy Spirit.
How can I connect Today's Story, God's Story, and My Story with Others?
- Do you have a friend who struggles with a "house divided"? Get together with them today and ask them how you can help them on their journey of following Jesus.
- Offer to hold them accountable in areas of their life where they are weak.
- Ask your friend if you can spend some time reading God's Story together to help them grow in their relationship with Jesus.
14 Oct, 2011
No Shortcuts!
Marathon man undone by bus trip
(Reuters) - A marathon runner was stripped of his third place medal after catching a bus to complete the last six miles of the race held in northern England last Sunday.
Organizers of the event said Rob Sloan, 31, withdrew 20 miles into the race, caught a spectator bus, then completed the final section of the course and crossed the finish line in third place with a personal-best time.c
"He's the only runner in the whole of the race who ran the second half of the race quicker than the first half," Kielder Marathon event director Steve Cram, an Olympic medal-winning former runner, told BBC television Wednesday.
"He either turned into an Olympic athlete over the last eight miles ... or he used some other method to get to the finish line," Cram said.
Sloan had originally dismissed as "laughable" the allegation that he had cheated, but later admitted to skipping part of the circuit in Northumberland when Organizers began an investigation into claims he hitched a ride.
"This was rightly questioned by several witnesses including the third place finisher who has been awarded his prize," added the Organizers.
Story and Photo courtesy of reuters.com.
Matthew 7:13-14 (The Message)
Being and Doing
13-14"Don't look for shortcuts to God. The market is flooded with surefire, easygoing formulas for a successful life that can be practiced in your spare time. Don't fall for that stuff, even though crowds of people do. The way to life—to God!—is vigorous and requires total attention.
Have you ever been on a trip and taken a shortcut, only to realize it was more like a "long-cut"? We live in a culture that trains us to do everything to "get there fast." When it comes to our relationship with God, however, we just can't do it that way. Today's verses remind us that the way to God is "vigorous and requires total attention." Are you giving your relationship to God your total attention?
Have you ever tried to find a "shortcut to God"? Ask God to be your strength on the vigorous journey to Him.
Ask God to point out areas of your relationship with Him that need your "total attention." Come up with a plan to dedicate more time to God in your everyday life.
Do you have a friend who is consistently looking for shortcuts to God? Spend some time with him/her this weekend to encourage them in the vigorous journey.
13 Oct, 2011
A Struggle Doesn't Mean a Failure.
Professor tells stuttering student not to speak
(CBS News)
RANDOLPH, N.J. - A student at a New Jersey community college who stutters said he was told not to speak in his class, CBS News station WCBS-TVreports.
Philip Garber Jr., who has been taking classes at the County College of Morris, said the incident made him feel like "stuttering is something to laugh at and that it's not something to take seriously."
The outspoken 16-year-old has been taking the classes to overcome his stuttering. He said an adjunct professor in a history course told him not to ask questions during class to prevent disrupting the other students.
(For more visit: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/10/12/national/main20119117.shtml)
Exodus 4:10-12
English Standard Version (ESV)
10But Moses said to the LORD, "Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue." 11Then the LORD said to him, "Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the LORD? 12Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak."
What does God's Story scripture teach us about God using us in spite of our weakness?
A lot has happened for the Israelite people when we pick up the story in Exodus 4. The founding family has moved to Egypt, a new King is on the throne and has forced the Hebrew people into slavery. Moses himself has been raised in the house of Pharaoh, but has become an exile living in the mountain regions. It is in those mountains we pick up this story. Moses has spent many years away from his people at this point and had no plans for returning to them.
As he is walking with his herds one day his life and plans change drastically. He is called into the service of God – called to lead the nation of Israel to freedom. Even though Moses finds himself directly in front of God he finds excuse after excuse why he should not have to lead. Moses finally decides his greatest argument is that he doesn't speak well.
God's response, "I made you as you are, I can use you as your are."
How can we connect today's God's Story scripture to our lives?
We all have things that we consider weakness, things that we use as an excuse for not serving God. We need to learn that God is willing and capable of using even our greatest frailty.
- Make a list of your weaknesses. Then look for people with similar weaknesses that have succeeded with that "flaw."
- Ask God to show you ways that He might use your weakness to help encourage another person.
How can we connect today's story, God's Story scripture and our story to others?
I enjoy stories like today's where people live beyond what some think they are capable of. It is joyous to watch people overcome struggles.
- Share today's news story with a friend. Share your own weakness you have had to overcome. Then ask them to share – if they are willing.
- Show them the story of Moses and ask your friend for thoughts on how Moses reacted.
- If nothing else, encourage a friend to help them overcome an area where they are struggling.
12 Oct, 2011
Prayers & Pirate's
Pirate's hostages freed after message in bottle
British and U.S. forces freed an Italian cargo ship hijacked by Somali pirates in a dramatic rescue Tuesday after retrieving a message in a bottle tossed by hostages from a porthole alerting ships nearby the crew was safely sealed inside an armored area.
All 23 crew members of the Montecristo cargo ship were brought to safety, the Italian Foreign Ministry said. The 11 pirates were taken into custody. The crew — seven Italians, six Ukrainians and 10 Indians — locked themselves inside an armored area of the vessel when the pirates boarded the ship Monday, Italian Defense Minister Ignazio La Russa said. Safe from the pirates threats, the crew continued to navigate the ship.
"The criminals managed to cut off all means of communication, but the 'prisoners' tossed a bottle with a message through a porthole explaining the situation," La Russa told a news conference.
At that point, other ships in the area were aware that the Italian vessel had been boarded by pirates. But the message in the bottle gave an important signal that the crew of the Italian ship was out of harm's way and that a rescue operation could be launched without risking injury.
"Rubber boats circled the Montecristo, while a helicopter hovered above. The pirates surrendered right away, some throwing their weapons in the sea, and were arrested," he said. One crew member sustained a light hand injury, La Russa said.The pirates attacked the ship Monday 620 miles (1,000 kilometers) off Somalia as the crew was hauling scrap iron to Vietnam on a journey that had begun Sept. 20 in Liverpool, England.
Article from AP News. Picture from Google images
"From the ends of the earth i call to you I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For you have been my refuge, a strong tower against my foe." Psalm 61:2-3
What does today's God's Story Teach us about calling out to God?
The rad thing about this story is there are PIRATES in it, yeah they apparently still exist. The even cooler part is the hostages who where scared and yet filled with some hope, managed to send a message out the window in a bottle!
- The sailors did not know that their message was heard, read, or if it was destroyed.
- The sailors did not know that a rescue mission was on its way
- The sailors only had HOPE and a message in the bottle.
- Yet... the sailors called out in Hope!
Sometimes when we pray we have this picture that we have cast a "hopeless bottle" or "wish" or prayer in the deep blue ocean. Never really believing that God will answer our prayers.
- We do not know if our prayer was heard, read, or if it was not being answer for our own good.
- We do not know the time or place where God will rescue of from our struggle
- We sometimes can only have HOPE that our God hears our Prayers and will answer them in His way and time.
How can I connect today's God's Story to My Story?
- Do you have a wish that you have not turned into a prayer
- Do you have hope that indeed will lead you in your life and dreams
High School and life really is full of opportunities to trust our God to walk with us. Will you trust Him to rescue you from what is happening in your life. Will you step out on a limb and ask God to save you from what you are walking through, ask God to walk with you because your heart is faint. When we ask God to lead he steps up without hesitation. The real question is are you in the way?
- Ask God where in your life do you need him to answer your prayer?
- Ask God to show you where you need to step aside and let Him Lead.
- Ask God to meet you in the areas of life where you are faint.
- Ask God to be your refuge and your strong tower.
How can I connect Today's Story, God's Story, and My Story with Others?
Take sometime and listen as you are hanging out with your friends to thier story. Do they have thoughts of throwing "messages" out into the ocean. Do they seem like no one can help them or that no one is listening.
- Be the friend that shows them there is hope
- Share a story with them where God was your refuge against trouble.
- Ask: What is happening in a tough situation in thier life. And more than anything LISTEN to what they are saying.
10 Oct, 2011
The Wrong Path
Two Alaska river-swimming killer whales found dead
(Reuters) - Two of three killer whales that wandered far up an Alaska river have died, apparently succumbing to stresses associated with being out of their saltwater habitat, federal officials said on Sunday.
The surviving whale was seen swimming downriver Saturday toward possible safety, officials with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Fisheries Service said.
Biologists were concerned about the three whales because they had spent three weeks in southwest Alaska's salmon-rich Nushagak River and were lingering as far as 30 miles upstream from where the river flows into the saltwater of Bristol Bay.
It was the first time killer whales had been documented lingering far upriver in any area of Alaska, according to NOAA Fisheries officials.
Read the Full Story >>
Story and Photo from reuters.com.
Proverbs 1:10-19 (NLT)
10 My child, if sinners entice you,
turn your back on them!
11 They may say, “Come and join us.
Let’s hide and kill someone!
Just for fun, let’s ambush the innocent!
12 Let’s swallow them alive, like the grave;
let’s swallow them whole, like those who go down to the pit of death.
13 Think of the great things we’ll get!
We’ll fill our houses with all the stuff we take.
14 Come, throw in your lot with us;
we’ll all share the loot.”
15 My child, don’t go along with them!
Stay far away from their paths.
16 They rush to commit evil deeds.
They hurry to commit murder.
17 If a bird sees a trap being set,
it knows to stay away.
18 But these people set an ambush for themselves;
they are trying to get themselves killed.
19 Such is the fate of all who are greedy for money;
it robs them of life.
What does today's God's Story teach us about being out of our environment?
When I first told my son about today's story he said, "Thanks a lot, Dad! Why did you have to tell me that?" He loves killer whales. It broke his heart to hear that this happened to these creatures. In fact, many of you may have had the same reaction. It is after all a sad story. When these killer whales wondered out of their natural habitat, they were asking for trouble. And I am no whale expert, but something tells me there was one whale leading the way and that the other two followed.
I wonder how many times today we will all encounter people in our lives who are wondering from their natural habitat? I'm talking about those who follow Jesus who put themselves in dagerous situations that could lead them into sin. Often the line between spending time with sinners in order to connect them to God's Story and spending time with sinners who could negatively influence us is a very fine line. In today's God's Story scripture we are reminded that we should not allow sinners to entice us to head down the wrong path. We also should be very active in keeping others from heading down that wrong path as well.
How can I connect today's God's Story to My Life?
- What areas of your life do you consider your weak areas? What sins are you more enticed by? Ask God to be your strength to stay away from those areas.
- Read the rest of Proverbs 1 several times today.
How can I connect today's God's Story to My Life?
- Ask a close Christian friend to hold you accountable from being enticed by sin this week.
- Do you have a close Christian friend who struggles with being pulled down the wrong path fairly often? Spend some time with them this week and ask what you can do to help keep them on the right path.
7 Oct, 2011
Eyes to the Blind
Blind man runs lap around NASCAR track
Ronnie Presnell crossed an item off his bucket list today at Charlotte Motor Speedway as the retired Mecklenburg County sheriff’s deputy, who lost his sight in 1998, took a spin around the superspeedway in his restored 1968 Chevrolet Camaro.
The 62-year-old Presnell received a bit of coaching during his cruise around the track from NASCAR driver and SPEED TV personality Kenny Wallace, who rode with Presnell and instructed him when to turn left or right.
In 1998, a car accident left Presnell in a coma for six weeks. His injuries were so severe that he needed reconstructive surgery on his face and he permanently lost his eyesight. After he returned home from the hospital, he told his wife that he needed a project to work on. Presnell began restoring a 1968 Camaro, complete with 327 high-performance engine and Viper Red Metal Flake paint job, with the hopes of one day driving it around Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Presnell’s ride around the track was the first time he had been behind the wheel of a street car since his accident. However, throughout his life Presnell, who lives in Mooresville, N.C., has spent plenty of time behind the wheel. He has racing in his blood, having competed in the Limited Sportsman division on local dirt tracks and at Metrolina Speedway in the Hobby division, the latter on the same nights as NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt. Presnell even won a race at Metrolina Speedway on the night before his accident. He built his own race cars and did all of the engine work himself.
After his ride around Charlotte Motor Speedway, Presnell compared the experience to those from his racing days.
“That sure felt different than driving a car on a dirt track,” Presnell said immediately after emerging from his Camaro. “It was awesome. I always wondered what it would be like to ride on the banking like that. It was more extreme than I thought it would be.”
Though he joked that he wanted to “turn a lap fast enough to qualify for the Bank of America 500” on Oct. 15, Presnell and Wallace cruised around the track between 20 and 25 miles per hour. Presnell thanked Wallace for his help, but also joked that while the Camaro was handling well, he started to have concerns about his co-pilot.
“I thought at one point we were going to have to come into the pits to make some adjustments on Kenny,” Presnell said. “A few times during the ride he kept saying ‘My heart’s skipping a beat.’ I was worried.”
Following the ride in the Camaro, Presnell and Wallace swapped seats and Wallace gave Presnell a full-speed ride around Charlotte Motor Speedway in a Richard Petty Driving Experience stock car.
“I loved the sound of the engine, it was awesome,” Presnell said.
“It was a life lesson for me,” said Wallace. “I was so excited to help Ronnie out. This is a big deal for me, being able to meet him and help him fulfill his dream. He’s an inspiration and it’s a day I’ll never forget.”
Story and Photo from news.google.com.
Job 29:14-16 (ESV)
14I put on righteousness, and it clothed me;
my justice was like a robe and a turban.
15I was eyes to the blind
and feet to the lame.
16I was a father to the needy,
and I searched out the cause of him whom I did not know.
What does today's God's Story teach us about being "eyes to the blind?"
In today's God's Story scripture we read that Job says about himself that he "was eyes to the blind."
In today's story, Kenny Wallace was "eyes to the blind" as he guided Presnell around the track in Charlotte.
In your story, when was the last time you were "eyes to the blind?" Not necessarily the physically blind, but the spiritually blind. There are people all around us every day who are walking through this life blind.
Like Job, we too can be eyes to the blind as we walk with them through this life. Who can you guide today?
How can I connect today's God's Story to My Life?
- Thank God today for giving you sight and healing your spiritual blindness.
- Spend some time reading the book of Matthew in God's Story this week. Look for encounters with those who were blind and Jesus response to them.
How can I connect Today's Story, God's Story, and My Story with Others?
- Make a list of your closest friends who are walking through this life in spiritual blindness.
- Spend some time with at least one of those friends over the weekend.
- Ask God to guide your conversation with that friend and listen for ways to introduce your friend to God's Story.
6 Oct, 2011
A Creative Reflextion
Steven Paul Jobs, co-founder, chairman and former chief executive of Apple Inc., passed away Wednesday.
A visionary inventor and entrepreneur, it would be impossible to overstate Steve Jobs’ impact on technology and how we use it. Apple’s mercurial, mysterious leader did more than reshape his entire industry: he completely changed how we interact with technology. He made gadgets easy to use, gorgeous to behold and essential to own. He made things we absolutely wanted, long before we even knew we wanted them. Jobs’ utter dedication to how people think, touch, feel and interact with machines dictated even the smallest detail of the computers Apple built and the software it wrote.
(For more visit: http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2011/10/jobs/)
(Photo provided by: http://www.tipb.com/2011/08/24/steve-jobs-resigns-ceo-apple-chairman-board-tim-cook-ceo/)
Genesis 1:27 (New International Version)
So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.
What does God's Story scripture teach us about God's image reflected in our lives?
This scripture has always been one of my favorites, and one of the most intriguing verses in the bible. What does it mean to be created in the image of God? It grabs my attention that this short poem comes just as God finishes the creation of our world. Our God is deeply creative and He invites us into the creative process. One of the attributes of God we get to share is the desire to create.
How can we connect today's God's Story scripture to our lives?
This one short verse shares a lot of truths with us that we need to cling to...
- We are created. God has pieced each of us together, unique from all others.
- God loves us. He took the time to create each of us.
- God has placed his signature on each of us. He created us in his image.
How can we connect today's story, God's Story scripture, and our story to others?
I don't know what Steve Jobs believed about Jesus, but for this purpose the important part is that Steve was an incredibly creative man. He was passionate about making things and making them well.
- For the next few days Steve Jobs will be easy to talk about. Take the time to ask your friends what they think about the creativity of Mr. Jobs. Then ask them where they think people get their creativity?
- What do you and your friends think it means to be made in the image of God? Then you can share the excitement you feel that God would take the time to create you.
5 Oct, 2011
Broken again
Man with broken leg survives 4 days in Utah desert
A north carolina man crawled four days across the Utah desert after breaking his leg on a solo hike, inspired by a Hollywood movie about a man who cut off his own arm to save himself after being trapped by a boulder in the same canyon.
Amos Wayne Richards, 64, is now recovering at home. He said he was inspired to hike Little Blue John Canyon after he saw the Oscar-nominated movie "127 Hours" but fell 10 feet (three meters) during his trek on Sept. 8.
Canyonlands National Park rangers found Richards four days later. Along with the leg injury, he dislocated his shoulder but was able to work it back into place...
Without cellphone service and only two protein bars to eat, Richards began crawling back to his car across the rocky terrain. He filled his water bottles with rain as he painstakingly retraced his steps, eventually dragging himself almost five miles...
Ziemann (Park ranger) said the result could have been much worse for Richards because he went hiking alone and without telling anybody about his plans.
Article from Ap news and image from google images.
Romans 5: 3-4
"We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation."
What does today's God's Story teach us?
God helps us to learn through trials that happen in our lives. It is a matter of what outlook we have on the events in our lives both personally and what is around us. Today we have a great ability to learn from the mistakes of others. This day Richards went hiking on his own and did not learn from someone else trial, he told no one, and almost suffered the same fate as Aron Ralston who had to cut off his own arm. Life as we follow Christ is often like a hike, we must prepare, not walk alone, and know that we may run into trials but God WILL help turn them into: "developing our endurance, our character, & our confident hope. As we face a trial we face it saying Lord what will you teach me?
How can I connect today's God's Story to my life?
Pay attention to the lessons of others around you. God uses our life, & stories of those around us, & stories of people in the bible to help us learn.
- What stories is God using in your life right not that you can learn from?
- What stories in the bible connect to your real life right now?
- What wise choice can you make to not hike alone in the midst of a trial in your life?
How can I connect Today's Story, God's Story & my Story to others?
Never be afraid to tell your story to your friends. Talk about the lessons you are learning with out the gory details.
Do not be afraid to allow your friends to hear:
- that you can rejoice in a trial.
- that you have developed your character (show them with your actions) due to a trial
- that you have a greater confidence in Christ because of a trial.
3 Oct, 2011
Greater Works
Cook's time to shine with new Apple iPhone
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Tim Cook finally gets his chance to stride out from under Steve Jobs' shadow, and he could not have picked a better time or device to mark his unofficial debut as Apple Inc's CEO.
The latest generation of the iPhone -- still the smartphone industry's gold standard after four years -- is expected to see the light of day this Tuesday, just in time for the holidays.
Even in a dismal economy, consumers should again line up in droves for a souped-up device that also marks Cook's first major product launch since taking over from Jobs in August.
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Story and photo courtesy of yahoo.com.
John 14:12-14 (ESV)
12"Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. 13 Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.
What does today's God's Story teach us about what we can do?
It's pretty amazing to think that Jesus himself said that his followers could and would do greater works that what he was doing. What are those "greater works?"
Check out what the Life Application Study Bible has to say about these verses;
Jesus is not saying that his disciples would to greater works - after all, raising the dead is about as amazing as you can get. Rather, the disciples, working in the power of the Holy Spirit, would carry the Good News of God's Kingdom out of Palestine and into the whole world.
How will you do "greather works" as one of Jesus followers?
How can I connect today's God's Story to My Life?
- Ask God to allow you do do "greater works" in the power of the Holy Spirit.
- Read the book of Acts to get a first hand look at the "greater works" of the Holy Spirity working through Jesus' early followers.
How can I connect Today's Story, God's Story, and My Story with Others?
- Ask God to use you to impact the life of one person this week.
- Are you a senior? Ask God to point out an underclassmen you can encourage to follow Jesus more closely. Someone who can continue to share the love of Jesus after you leave high school.
