Word for Today, Wed, 02 Feb 2002: How Were They Successful?

#1 · October 2, 2002, 1:25 pm

Quote from Forum Archives on October 2, 2002, 1:25 pm
Posted by: masinick <masinick@...>

Dear friends,

This week's message from Sowing Seeds of Faith tells some
incredible stories about eight different high school seniors.
The interesting thing about each of these people is how each of
them had huge struggles and obstacles to overcome, yet with the
encouragement of others and the amazing grace of God, they not
only overcame their obstacles, they excel in what they do, and
each of them is a great example to us.

I personally believe that everything we have comes from God. I
also believe that God freely gives to all who seek Him. The
problem comes because not all of us have learned how to exercise
all that God has so graciously given to us. I believe that the
attributes described in these stories are God given. Let's give
praise and credit to God for all that He has done and all that He
continues to do, and then let's allow God to use each of us in
some way, for God's honor and glory, for the benefit of others,
and for our own enrichment. Think and pray about these things,
then take action.

Your Brother in Christ,
Brian

Sowing Seeds of Faith...

"Breaking the Peanut Butter Habit..." is a book about change.
"When we seek security, we miss golden opportunities. My son
settled for the security of peanut butter and overlooked a
smorgasbord of delectable food to savor. Are you settling for
peanut butter theology? Maybe it's time to take a hard look at
your relationship with God or with your church. Maybe it's time
for a change. Maybe it's time to break the peanut butter habit!"
Buy one book today for only $18.95 and save $6. Better yet, buy
two for only $24.95 or two books for the price of one and give
one away to someone you care about. You can read samples and
receive more information by clicking here:
www.sowingseedsoffaith.com/peanbutt.htm

"Our Youth: Eight Success Stories"
Larry Davies

Eight high school seniors recently received a college
scholarship. In addition to being intelligent these students were
chosen because they would be the very first in their family to
attend college. All eight allowed me to read and quote from their
scholarship application letters. Each letter highlights a story
offering an inspiring example of courage and faith. It wasn't
always easy...

* My life got off to a very bumpy start: literally. I was born
in transit to the delivery room, somewhere between the back seat
of a 1979 baby blue Volkswagen Rabbit and the fourth floor of
the hospital...My father was sent to prison a few years ago...

* I was four when my parents divorced. I can truly say that it
was one of the worst experiences that I have had yet...

* I was raised in a house full of people... so I always had to
fight for everything I wanted, including attention...

* These seventeen years of my life have been filled with
heartache, joy, compassion, love, and devotion.

If there is a recipe for success, these youth started with many
of the wrong ingredients. Yet they managed to succeed beyond all
expectations. How did they do it? First, I noticed in the
letters that each student knew what they wanted to do: Doctor,
Prosecuting Attorney, United States Army Officer, Special
Education Teacher, Certified Public Accountant, Child Counselor,
Social worker. Each one set clear goals for the future. This is
so important.

Peter explains goal setting in his letter to a struggling church:
"God has given gifts to each of you from his great variety of
spiritual gifts. Manage them well so that God's generosity can
flow through you. Are you called to be a speaker? Then speak as
though God himself were speaking through you. Are you called to
help others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God
supplies. Then God will be given glory in everything through
Jesus Christ." (1 Peter 4:10-11)

1. God gives us gifts.
2. Manage our gifts wisely.
3. Use our gifts knowing God speaks through us.
4. Do everything with all your strength and energy.
5. Give God the glory for your success.

Goal setting is the process of learning to understand and
appreciate your God-given gifts and then managing them well so
that God's generosity can flow through you. Is your goal to help
others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God
supplies. These eight seniors are doing that. Here are some
other valuable lessons from the letters of these remarkable
youth:

f^(o) Desire: despite the emotional distress that loomed due to
those circumstances, I maintained my A' average in school. I
attribute this to my strong, independent character.

f^(o) Perspective: I had a better understanding of how to pray.
Throughout my entire life, religion and school seem to be the
meaningful topics in my life.

f^(o) A Mentor: I will be eternally grateful for my mother's
instruction. My academic success can be traced back to her
taking the time to teach me, when others left it up to the
schools.

f^(o) Appreciation: I believe that there is no greater place on
this earth than the United States of America. I want to put my
life on the line for the country that has been so good to me.

f^(o) Service: I will strive to help students with disabilities.
"The best thing that a person can do in life is to help someone
else."

f^(o) Influence: In my opinion, the difference between a child
that sells drugs and a child that makes the honor roll is the
encouragement and faith that adults instill in them.

f^(o) Faith: I thank God every night for blessing me in so many
ways and ask him to keep giving me the strength and knowledge to
live a prosperous and positive long life.

Everyone is not meant to receive a scholarship or attend a
university, but we are all given unique abilities and talents by
God. Are we applying them? Yes, we also have serious obstacles
and character flaws to overcome. Success is measured by our
willingness to use our God given gifts and talents regardless of
obstacles standing in the way. Maybe, this is what makes our
eight high school seniors so extraordinary? May God continue to
bless and inspire them.

If you like this devotion you will love the book: "Breaking the
Peanut Butter Habit: Following God's Recipe for a Better Life"
now on sale only through this website. Click here for more
information: www.sowingseedsoffaith.com/peanbutt.htm

Join our prayer ministry by clicking here:
www.sowingseedsoffaith.com/sign-up.htm

Jesus said: "You are the light of the world--like a city on a
mountain, glowing in the night for all to see. Don't hide your
light under a basket! Instead, put it on a stand and let it shine
for all." (Matthew 5:14-15)

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=====
--
Brian Masinick, mailto:masinick@yahoo.com
Home page: www.geocities.com/masinick/

__________________________________________________
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New DSL Internet Access from SBC & Yahoo!
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Posted by: masinick <masinick@...>

Dear friends,

This week's message from Sowing Seeds of Faith tells some
incredible stories about eight different high school seniors.
The interesting thing about each of these people is how each of
them had huge struggles and obstacles to overcome, yet with the
encouragement of others and the amazing grace of God, they not
only overcame their obstacles, they excel in what they do, and
each of them is a great example to us.

I personally believe that everything we have comes from God. I
also believe that God freely gives to all who seek Him. The
problem comes because not all of us have learned how to exercise
all that God has so graciously given to us. I believe that the
attributes described in these stories are God given. Let's give
praise and credit to God for all that He has done and all that He
continues to do, and then let's allow God to use each of us in
some way, for God's honor and glory, for the benefit of others,
and for our own enrichment. Think and pray about these things,
then take action.

Your Brother in Christ,
Brian

Sowing Seeds of Faith...

"Breaking the Peanut Butter Habit..." is a book about change.
"When we seek security, we miss golden opportunities. My son
settled for the security of peanut butter and overlooked a
smorgasbord of delectable food to savor. Are you settling for
peanut butter theology? Maybe it's time to take a hard look at
your relationship with God or with your church. Maybe it's time
for a change. Maybe it's time to break the peanut butter habit!"
Buy one book today for only $18.95 and save $6. Better yet, buy
two for only $24.95 or two books for the price of one and give
one away to someone you care about. You can read samples and
receive more information by clicking here:
http://www.sowingseedsoffaith.com/peanbutt.htm

"Our Youth: Eight Success Stories"
Larry Davies

Eight high school seniors recently received a college
scholarship. In addition to being intelligent these students were
chosen because they would be the very first in their family to
attend college. All eight allowed me to read and quote from their
scholarship application letters. Each letter highlights a story
offering an inspiring example of courage and faith. It wasn't
always easy...

* My life got off to a very bumpy start: literally. I was born
in transit to the delivery room, somewhere between the back seat
of a 1979 baby blue Volkswagen Rabbit and the fourth floor of
the hospital...My father was sent to prison a few years ago...

* I was four when my parents divorced. I can truly say that it
was one of the worst experiences that I have had yet...

* I was raised in a house full of people... so I always had to
fight for everything I wanted, including attention...

* These seventeen years of my life have been filled with
heartache, joy, compassion, love, and devotion.

If there is a recipe for success, these youth started with many
of the wrong ingredients. Yet they managed to succeed beyond all
expectations. How did they do it? First, I noticed in the
letters that each student knew what they wanted to do: Doctor,
Prosecuting Attorney, United States Army Officer, Special
Education Teacher, Certified Public Accountant, Child Counselor,
Social worker. Each one set clear goals for the future. This is
so important.

Peter explains goal setting in his letter to a struggling church:
"God has given gifts to each of you from his great variety of
spiritual gifts. Manage them well so that God's generosity can
flow through you. Are you called to be a speaker? Then speak as
though God himself were speaking through you. Are you called to
help others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God
supplies. Then God will be given glory in everything through
Jesus Christ." (1 Peter 4:10-11)

1. God gives us gifts.
2. Manage our gifts wisely.
3. Use our gifts knowing God speaks through us.
4. Do everything with all your strength and energy.
5. Give God the glory for your success.

Goal setting is the process of learning to understand and
appreciate your God-given gifts and then managing them well so
that God's generosity can flow through you. Is your goal to help
others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God
supplies. These eight seniors are doing that. Here are some
other valuable lessons from the letters of these remarkable
youth:

f^(o) Desire: despite the emotional distress that loomed due to
those circumstances, I maintained my A' average in school. I
attribute this to my strong, independent character.

f^(o) Perspective: I had a better understanding of how to pray.
Throughout my entire life, religion and school seem to be the
meaningful topics in my life.

f^(o) A Mentor: I will be eternally grateful for my mother's
instruction. My academic success can be traced back to her
taking the time to teach me, when others left it up to the
schools.

f^(o) Appreciation: I believe that there is no greater place on
this earth than the United States of America. I want to put my
life on the line for the country that has been so good to me.

f^(o) Service: I will strive to help students with disabilities.
"The best thing that a person can do in life is to help someone
else."

f^(o) Influence: In my opinion, the difference between a child
that sells drugs and a child that makes the honor roll is the
encouragement and faith that adults instill in them.

f^(o) Faith: I thank God every night for blessing me in so many
ways and ask him to keep giving me the strength and knowledge to
live a prosperous and positive long life.

Everyone is not meant to receive a scholarship or attend a
university, but we are all given unique abilities and talents by
God. Are we applying them? Yes, we also have serious obstacles
and character flaws to overcome. Success is measured by our
willingness to use our God given gifts and talents regardless of
obstacles standing in the way. Maybe, this is what makes our
eight high school seniors so extraordinary? May God continue to
bless and inspire them.

If you like this devotion you will love the book: "Breaking the
Peanut Butter Habit: Following God's Recipe for a Better Life"
now on sale only through this website. Click here for more
information: http://www.sowingseedsoffaith.com/peanbutt.htm

Join our prayer ministry by clicking here:
http://www.sowingseedsoffaith.com/sign-up.htm

Jesus said: "You are the light of the world--like a city on a
mountain, glowing in the night for all to see. Don't hide your
light under a basket! Instead, put it on a stand and let it shine
for all." (Matthew 5:14-15)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
This mailing proudly powered by Subscribe Me(TM) Professional -
Enterprise Edition http://www.subscribemepro.com

=====
--
Brian Masinick, mailto:masinick@yahoo.com
Home page: http://www.geocities.com/masinick/

__________________________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
New DSL Internet Access from SBC & Yahoo!
sbc.yahoo.com