A few years back, my Wife and I separated. I had to stay with some friends and co-workers. I had been living a pretty care free life. The people I had chosen to stay with were not much of a change in the life that I had been living. After a few weeks had gone by, and I was given physical custody of our children. I wasn’t staying in the best atmosphere for the children. The children and I spend most of our time driving around checking out parks and places to hang out. While driving one evening we pasted an old country church, out in the middle of nowhere and by change the preacher was there. I turned the car around and went back. I must have talked to the preacher for two hours or better. After explaining my circumstances with him, he gave me his insight on the situation, and offered his advice. After a few days of thinking about, I finally took that preachers advice. I took the children to the department of health and human services to see if they might have any programs for fathers with children. They signed us up with daycare assistance; the woman in the office was concerned with our living arrangements. She made a few phone calls and then told me that a hotel had donated us a room for two weeks to help get us on our feet. After arriving at the hotel and meeting the manager, I had to sign an agreement, no smoking, alcohol or drugs in the room. No high volume of people in and out, and no overnight visitors. He went on to explain the theme of the room was GOD’S room. Do you believe that? GOD’S room!!!(Home Suites, Florence, Ky). Later that week the preacher that had given the advice called to see how we were doing. After telling him, I believe he was as excited as the children and I. Where we were now staying was about 40 miles from the preacher’s church, so he had suggested us attend a church that was just a few blocks down the street from where we were staying. After about a week and a half staying in the hotel, the manager called me to his office and said that if needed, we could stay there as long as needed for $180 a MONTH, which was amazing. Changing jobs trying to better our situation, we moved to another town, then to another state. Over the last two years we got used to living in hotels, moving town to town and we visited a lot of different churches. We came to WV (where I’m from) This past April, the day after getting to this area, I found a job building a Wal-mart. We moved into the Heldreth motel and started attending Kingwood Baptist Church. The congregation accepted us as if we were family, I had shared with them the situation that the children and I were in, and they wanted. The mental support that they gave us was absolutely priceless. The encouraging words they offered the genuine concern. We stayed at the Heldreth until about mid October. The Wal-mart construction had been completed. I had been offered the opportunity to go to KS for a month or so, doing seismic surveying. They said I would be paid very well and when I was ready to leave, They would send me home. I made arrangements with my sister to keep my children and I went with them. After about 40 days I came back to Kingwood, Wv. Three days after Christmas I was finally able to move my children into a two bed room apartment. Now we have a home, all the moving around we had done really hurt my daughter in school. She had attended four different schools last year, and after talking with her teacher and the school principle they felt it would be good for her to repeat first grade. She is doing very good now. I have been unemployed since I came back from Ks. But I was able to save enough during that time to be able to provide for us. A couple days ago I finally had a job interview that went very well, and I have orientation Friday, and start work Monday. It’s not the best paying job, but again I’ll be able to provide. I can honestly say I found my strength in God. I have included Him in each aspect of my life since the children and I have been in hotel, and He has blessed me. He has completely changed my life. I could say that I wished I would have turned to God sooner, but I am truly grateful for the Life’s Experiences He has thought me. I was moved to start this web site because of the positive changes that He has made in my life. The most valuable lessons I learned was, if you’re not willing to make changes in your life, don’t expect your life to change. If you are strong enough to turn it over to GOD, GOD will fix it. The link below is to the parent web site. |
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Life's Beacon simply uses stories, some poems, and modern life experiences to illustrate and question the moral and social issues facing the world around us today. By applying Bible wisdom to today circumstances can make a huge difference in putting things into prospective. By following examples that or outlined in the many books of the Bible, there is an endless amount of resources that can be applied to our lives daily. A golden rule to life is that you only get out of life what you put into it. If you are surrounding yourself with negativity, you most likely will attract more negativity. Surrounding your self with positive influences is a really good start. If you are wanting more out of life, not happy with your current circumstances, then take a stand. Make the changes you need. Always remember you are not alone, everyone you meet is fighting the same battles.
Parable of the Carrot, Egg, and Coffee.
You may never look at a CUP OF COFFEE the same way again. A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved a new one arose. Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to a boil. In the first, she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs and the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil, without saying a word. In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to her daughter, she asked, "Tell me, what do you see?" "Carrots, eggs, and coffee," she replied. She brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. She then asked her to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg. Finally, she asked her to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma. The daughter then asked, "What does it mean, mother?" Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity--boiling water--but each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard and unrelenting. However after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior. But, after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened. The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water they had changed the water. "Which are you?" she asked her daughter. " When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean?" Think of this: Which am I? Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity, do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength? Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and a hardened heart? Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you can get better and change the situation around you with God's help. How do you handle adversity? When adversity strikes, ask yourself...ARE YOU A CARROT, AN EGG, OR A COFFEE BEAN?
The link below is to the parent web site.