by Michael Link

A question I have asked myself in the past few months has simply been, “What’s the delay?”  The reason for this is the anticipation and desire I’ve been personally longing for to start a new chapter in my life – where my hard work and persistence will finally pay off.  It has always been a dream of mine to pursue an actual “career” when it comes to music; however, it was difficult for me to fathom the idea of how this would ultimately work out, especially in this society and the stereotypical atmosphere that the music industry portrays.  The question I had then was, “How?”

Great things have happened in the past few months, and it has been an amazing journey thus far, especially since the time of being “discovered,” by a person who could turn my dreams into reality.  The big test in all of this was my first priority – my beliefs, and that compromising against my faith would be out of the question.  I made that clear from the outset, by being completely honest and upfront, explaining what I believe since I know who has given me my talents in the first place.  If I were to slip up, even just once, my dreams would be in jeopardy. 

The response I received was everything I hoped for and our relationship became even stronger as a result.  Excitement was building as plans were being discussed, which would involve an extensive process and time line to bring this project into fruition.  In order for that to happen, the necessary funding would have to be available first.

Everything seemed to go according to plan and I was ready to go.  And then–the delay… The question was and still is, When is GOD ready?  I have to respect the fact that God has this all figured out, and He knows when it’s time.  Yes, I was getting a little impatient, and it was discomforting not knowing when this would all come about.  With planning comes patience and my patience was and still is being tested.  Everything is still according to plan, with the exception of the timeline, and knowing that God is extremely patient, I will continue to be so until He is ready and His Will is done.

by Eric Rank

Throughout the course of a normal day at work, I interact with a lot of different people. An increasing part of my job lately involves the task of communicating with others. I communicate with my team to build plans and organize the goals we have. I communicate with the clients to keep them informed of the progress we’re making on our projects. I communicate with my supervisors to keep them up to date on the current issues my team and I face. It all means that I do a lot of talking throughout the week. While it seems like a simple thing to provide information to the right people at the right time in the right amount, doing it well can be very challenging.

Most of the time, I have enough of a solid foundation to present things in an adequate manner. However, I recently noticed a peculiar habit I’ve developed. On occasions when I don’t know much about a topic, but I am put on the spot to communicate an idea or present some other analysis anyway, I tend to say more than I would if I had understood the topic inside-out. The Bible teaches that a fool is known for his many words. To my chagrin, I’ve come to learn this first hand! However, being aware of this tendency, I’m learning to recognize when I’m heading into uncharted territory, and admit to myself that I have more to learn. Indeed, the first step in achieving growth is submitting to the need for it.

by Ben Agbayani (Canada)

2008 was the year of a full transitional period for me. My family and I were attending a church organization which simply preached a “gospel” about the person of Christ (as they understood it). One day, I found myself wanting to learn more. I was feeling that I was starving spiritually.

On one occasion during services, my family noticed that when the pastor spoke about something, I would turn to passages in the Bible looking for Scriptures that would confirm what he said, but I found none supporting his preaching. In other words, he spoke empty words.

Finally, after having studied the false teaching of the “rapture,” I asked several members and ministers about this concept, but I was only given disappointing answers. When I asked the leading Church pastor, he answered: “If you were God, would you like your people to suffer during the tribulation period? Of course not.”

My eyes grew big, and I was quite surprised that he evaded the question by trying to pull a trick answer, like a magician would act. I realized that he had no answers, and he recognized that I knew, and from that point in time, I was viewed by the entire congregation as someone who had a different spirit.

I prayed to God to show me His Way and to reveal to us where the true remnants of His church are today. God led me to the doorsteps of the Church of the Eternal God and its StandingWatch programs. In 2009, my wife and I were baptized by Mr. Messier, and we are happy to be Spirit-begotten members of the true Church of God.

by Manuela Mitchell

A few months ago I heard a song on the radio that caught my attention due to its melody and rhythm. The more I listened to the song, the more I liked it. The second time I heard the song, I paid closer attention to the words. With music, I tend to listen to the melody and if it still interests me, I listen closely to the words, so that I am able to understand the storyline. I have memorized the words to a lot of songs, due to the fact that I listened to the story. Every time the song played on the radio, I enjoyed singing along, even though I had nothing in common with that particular storyline.

Approximately two or three weeks ago, that same song that I liked so much played on the radio again, but this time it wasn’t the same. I didn’t sing along to the words, I listened even more intently and couldn’t  hold back the tears. The storyline in the song became the storyline of my life. My husband has been out of work for a little while, the bills don’t go away. There are more stresses due to insurance, rent and other things that cost money, all to be covered by my 2 days/week job, which of course doesn’t equal out. It would be easy to lose hope, to become depressed and to lose focus of what is truly important. In the song, the characters kept their sanity by staying home, drinking cheap wine and talking all night; while trying to make things better between the two of them, as financial hardships have a way of destroying the love in a relationship.

While times have been tough, I understand that this is nothing compared to what it could be. My family and I are still so blessed, despite the few setbacks. We have our love, our health, our family and friends, our home, but most importantly, we have God. God knows our family’s needs and I believe He will provide and take care of us.  Even though I thought about my physical life while I listened to that song, after comparing it to my spiritual life, the storyline is much different.

by John Amorelli

A few weeks ago, we had a new metal roof installed on our home, as well as porch repairs done.  The contractors consisted of a father and son team. Periodically, during the installation of the roof, the father and son would take small breaks to eat and drink, rest and chit-chat with my wife and me.  We had numerous conversations with the father, who was in his upper 60’s, more so than the son.  The themes and subjects we would talk about ranged from being humble, God and the Bible, and the negative situation in our nation today.

You might say he was from the “old school” of thinking.  The more and more my wife and I chatted with this older gentleman, the more we realized how humble he was and how much biblical wisdom this man had about life and the current state of the world.   The most amazing part of the conversations was when he told us that he does not celebrate Christmas and Easter!!  He explained how he had been lying to his son throughout his childhood, before realizing the many pagan falsehoods associated with these days and that the Bible does not command us to celebrate them. What a joy it was to actually meet someone in our neck of the woods who does not celebrate these man-made holidays.  What was even more amazing was that he had knowledge of some of God’s truth. 

Of course, we do know that God the Father alone does His calling and opens the minds of people, and I do not know how much of the truth this man does have.  But one thing was for sure… it taught me a lesson.  I DO know the truth and have been called, so how much more should I be living God’s Way and always be setting a right example, never knowing whom I might meet?  This gentleman inspired me to live a better Christian life; to look at my flaws and ask God to help me correct them; to have better outward love and concern for others; not to sweat the small stuff; and to listen more and talk less!

I have a lot of spiritual work to do.  The Eternal allowed this person to come into my life to fix our home, but more importantly, to give me a spiritual wake-up call and reflect on how I am doing!  At the end, the roof was done and the porch was fixed.  The question is: Will I heed this wake-up call and work on fixing my spiritual life?

by Gilbert Devaux

As I grow older, I find myself drawing closer to God. Sadly, this was not the case during my younger years. I stumbled and fell many times, and God allowed this, as He wanted me to get to know Him and to learn that I should trust in Him and to be reliant on Him.

As a young child, I did believe in God and I prayed to Him, as best as I could and understood, but somewhere and somehow, I turned from God and followed my own way. It was not a good way. It was a hard way of life that so many chose to take. Finally, God showed me His way of life, which is a much easier way.

I still run into problems now, but I know that I can turn to the true God in prayer, and He will show me a way out of my troubles. My body is failing because of age and of what I put it through. I am not acting as fast as I once did. I am weaker in mind and body, and each day, I call on God for help. I just have to do this.

When I go to the store, I ask for His protection for me and for those around me. I ask for help to find a parking place. This may seem to be a small thing; however, when one is handicapped and reaches my age, it is very important. At one time, I took many things for granted, but now I am unable to do them alone, and I need God’s help for the smallest of challenges.

Each day I thank Him for my calling, and each day I know He will be there to help, and I pray that I will be with Him forever.

Shana Rank

Sweet music to a Mother’s ears! These simple words hold a lot of power – “please” and “thank you”. These words convey politeness and often foresight and follow through.

I delight when I hear my kids showing their good manners, but as my own Mother so wisely told me, the process of learning takes time. As long as my boys live in my house, I will need to encourage them to say “please” and “thank you.”

The other day, I sat in the kitchen listening to my two boys, Gideon and Nolan, playing in the living room. Giggles, snorts, sputtering, squealing… “Gideon, can I have your car, I’ll give it back in one minute.” After sharing I hear, “thank you,” and they go about their play.  The times I need to go in and referee the boys are the times I don’t usually hear them using “please” and “thank you.”

I ask myself why these words work. Developing Godly character, which helps me treat others correctly, requires that I put what I’ve learned into action. When I was a child, I said those words because I was taught to do so, and I am passing that training on to my children. Now as an adult–a wife and a mother–communication that is based on true courtesy still serves me as a most valuable and indispensable skill.

by Bill Koeneke (Britain/USA)

Living on the east coast of New Jersey, I often went swimming in the summer. I was 7 or 8 years of age at the time when on one such occasion, I was suddenly caught by the undertow and dragged out to sea. It was perhaps only 10 yards or so, but it seemed a very long way out. Frightened, I became disoriented, attempting to grab onto  something–anything–and then I began to lose consciousness. It felt like an oncoming pleasant death. I simply gave in to what seemed inevitable. Suddenly someone grabbed me, pulled me out, and pumped me out—and here I am, yours truly!  On this occasion I had eluded death. Since that event I continue to fear being in deep water.

As a young lad in my teens, I became interested in justice, and I was always eager that the good guys would win over the bad guys.  Some of my favourite radio and cinema programs involved cops and robbers and cowboys. As I matured, and near the end of my last year of college, I decided I wanted to join the FBI. I travelled to one of their field offices to take a written test. Unfortunately, I was so nervous that, as a result, I failed to pass the test which appeared at first to be fairly easy — I “flunked out” as they say. Fortunately, however, in the years following and together with a bit of hindsight and also in the light of my calling, it has occurred to me I had been, in effect, diverted from this career where I would have had to carry a weapon and perhaps, in the line of duty, would have had to kill someone.

Prior to the closing years of World War II, I joined the U.S. Army Air Force and was trained in Texas as an Airplane and Engine mechanic on their B-29 bomber aircraft. Following completion of the course, I was shipped to an east coast camp where I was asked to volunteer for a secret mission. Not knowing what the mission was all about, and wary of volunteering for the unknown, I declined. Subsequently I learned that it would have involved a transfer to the Pacific island of Tinian where some of the Army’s B-29 aircraft were stationed.

That assignment, in turn, would have involved me as a mechanic, along with others, helping to prepare one such aircraft which eventually was used to drop the first atomic bomb on Japan–with the result of having directly killed, out of a total population of 450,000, around 135,000 in Hiroshima and 64,000 in Nagasaki and let alone those thousands who subsequently died weeks and months later from exposure to the effects of radiation and flash burns. In the light of my calling I have come to realize I was led to opt out of a potential scenario where I would have been directly involved in a mission with devastating consequences.

I was then shipped to the European theater of operations in southern France where there were no B-29s, in order to work on other types of aircraft as a mechanic while involved also in the refuelling unit. Thus I was spared from being assigned to one of the crews flying out of other airfields, for example in England, with B-17 aircraft, the so-called “Flying Fortress” that had as their daily mission the job of bombing, and thus killing, thousands of Germans, and in a number of cases the airmen themselves being shot down.

As a result of these incidents and considering the possibility of similar happenings in the past of which I am unaware, I feel mightily blessed, for with hindsight I have come to realise that, in effect, and unknowingly at the time, I was being super-naturally protected and prepared for a very special future mission.  Once discharged from the Air Force in 1946, it was to be another 26 years before I actually realized God’s calling for that future mission.

It has been brought to our attention that God predestined and foreknew those whom He would ultimately call, and that the called-out ones are no longer subject to time and chance. I believe, based on the incidents I related above, that even prior to my actual calling, God was already watching over me, and that He was guiding and directing me in certain incidents.

Considering my own situation in that light, God called me for a far greater mission than anything this world could offer—a mission in which I have been involved for the past 39 years—and Amen to that!

by Kalon Mitchell

Growing up in the Church of God, I’ve heard my fair share of people’s stories about how God has helped them in a personal way–whether it be with blessings or protection. And through the years, He has done the same for me on several instances. The most recent intervention occurred just the other day.

As I was driving home from work, winding up the large hill with hair-pin curves that I always take home, there, around the tightest turn, came a large diesel truck towards me. It was hauling a 5×20 covered trailer behind it. I could see that for a truck that size, it was rounding the corner way too fast, and that it was coming into my lane. So I slowed down to a stop about forty feet away and watched as the events played out before me. As the truck continued around the corner, the back right tire on the trailer hit a large rock that was off to the side of the road.

I watched in disbelief as the trailer started to tilt and continued to do so more and more. I could see it coming—the trailer was going to flip, rip off its hitch, and the truck might flip too; and truck and trailer would all come crashing into me, possibly even pushing me off the side of the mountain.

Then it happened. The trailer drove on one wheel in about a 45 degrees angle, and I thought for sure the trailer was about to tip over, but all of a sudden, it slammed back on to the ground.  As truck and trailer passed me, the driver had a shocked look on his face. I gave him a big thumbs up.

As I started to drive away, I was hit by the fact that there was no physical way that the trailer should have done that. The only explanation was that God was indeed watching out over me. I said a prayer, thanking God for sparing my life. I was reminded again that God observes us at all times. He is always right there, not around the corner. It is true: I am not to tempt Him by placing myself in harm’s way, but when there are unforeseen instances where I need His protection, He will and does watch over me.

by Phyllis Bourque

When I first began attending church services many years ago, the ladies would come up to me with warm greetings and make me feel so welcome. Conversations would often center around children, as I had a toddler and a newborn at that time. It was an exciting experience because God was opening my mind to the truth and I had a new sense of direction and purpose in my life!

These new acquaintances quickly became friends and conversations migrated to spiritual principles and practical application of God’s laws. Several would invariably share what lesson they had learned during the preceding week. I remember listening in quiet amazement to their various stories, being particularly fascinated by the remarkable correlation between simple everyday events and spiritual lessons. At the same time, I was quite disappointed in myself, as I wondered, “What am I learning?” I didn’t have an answer. Oh yes, I was learning to keep my children quiet during church, and I was learning about clean and unclean meats. I was learning what it meant to “keep” the Sabbath, and I was learning about the Holy Days and how they outline God’s master plan for mankind. But when it came to personal spiritual lessons, I had nothing to share with them.

Little did I realize then that the spiritual truths I was learning were actually the building blocks in a new relationship with the God that I thought I already knew. These truths would later prove to be the very foundation on which I could stand when Satan attempted to destroy my personal convictions and the very church in which I was so anchored.

I have long since learned to see the spiritual parallels in my everyday life and I thank God for showing me the significance of these daily growth opportunities. I need to thank God for what I am experiencing, whether or not I can identify the reason at that moment, because I know it is He who presents me with the lessons that I have to learn in order to become what He wants me to be.