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The Goodness and Love of God is seen in each new day that is given to us.
In the outdoors, we can see God's goodness in each new sunrise, we can
hear God's goodness with the sounds of birds singing and we can feel God's
goodness with the wind that blows in our face. If the enemy has been
trying to discourage your heart from continuing on, I want you to know
that God is with you and will strengthen you to defeat the enemy and every
weapon of discouragement that he brings with him. The Lord is on your side
so have confidence in His ability to lift you up and place you on His solid
foundation where nothing will be able to harm you. (Revelation 4:11) (John 10:10)
I hope you'll be encouraged by today's message to focus more on the beauty
that surrounds you than any negative situation that has tried to bring down
your spirits. In doing so you'll soon find the magnification of God's
power and love and the limitation of the enemy's discouragement.
MANATEE TRANQUILITY
It was the last thing anyone expects. I had rounded the corner on my
motorcycle at fifty miles an hour. Unfortunately, so did the car coming
from the opposite direction. I learned later that the collision had sent
me flying a hundred and seventy feet. My legs, hips and internal organs -
just about every piece of my body - had been crushed. Doctors said I would
never walk again. Let me tell you, there are few more sobering words in
life than that.
Now the question was: What was I going to do? With little else to do over
the course of my recovery, I began to examine my life. A friend suggested
I try boating. Right, I thought. As if that was going to make a difference!
But my friend insisted. And, yes, the spring- fed rivers around my home in
Florida were beautiful this time of year. The channels were fringed with
Sabal palms, live oaks and southern magnolia. I was skeptical, but maybe
he was right. Maybe I could spend some quiet time on the river and perhaps
even find the answers to some of my questions about life.
After I was discharged and feeling a little better, I bought a kayak and
volunteered my time with a local organization to teach visitors about the
endangered manatees that inhabited the rivers. Every day, I would paddle
through the river with my dog Sky, a two-year-old red chow, perched at the
front of the kayak. Pretty soon I was enjoying the sounds of nature and
talking to boaters about rules regarding manatees.
The work was comforting and relaxing, but I still couldn't escape the
feeling that something was missing. Then one day while I was doing a
manatee count for a local research group, I saw a tiny, wrinkled nose poke
out of the river. A baby manatee, less than two weeks old, was swimming
with its mother close behind. Sky's ears shot up. As I paddled toward the
manatee family, Sky moved to the front of the kayak, her black tongue
hanging to the side.
This was her first experience with a baby manatee, and I figured she
probably wanted to get a close look. The water began to bubble. Sky
barked. She wanted to know exactly what this thing was. It probably looked
too small to be a manatee. For all she knew, it was some chubby, little
alligator. When the baby manatee finally came up, it sprayed foam all over
Sky, who, for the first time in her life, looked too shocked to bark. But
Sky was nothing if not a trooper.
She regained her composure, leaned in again and balanced carefully until
she and the baby manatee were touching noses and greeting each other like
visitors from different worlds. With the mother close at hand, I reached
down and scratched the little manatee. I scratched and scratched. The
manatee couldn't seem to get enough. She was in absolute manatee heaven.
All that winter, Sky and I took the kayak out on the river. Pretty soon
Sky and the baby manatee were greeting each other like old friends. That's
when I first noticed the change. My whole outlook began to shift. I had
been undergoing physical therapy all this time, and slowly, but surely, I
regained full use of my legs. Eventually, I could even walk without a cane.
There was something special about those days on the water. I think I was
inspired by the affinity for life all these creatures had, even the baby
manatee. She had a tranquility that I'd never seen before. She just moved
around with the sure and certain knowledge that things were okay. Being out
there with them day after day, I began to feel like that, too. Eventually,
I became certain about life again and gained the understanding that, no
matter how bad things got, life would take care of itself. And that feeling
has never gone away.
By Paul Dragon
Read and meditate on these scriptures:
Hebrews 4:14-16 “Seeing then that we have a Great High Priest, that is
passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our
profession. For we have not an High Priest which cannot be touched with
the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we
are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of
grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”
Philippians 1:6 “Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath
begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.”
Joshua 1:9 “Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be
not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee
whithersoever thou goest.”
Psalm 91:14-16 “Because he hath set his love upon Me, therefore will I
deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known My name. He
shall call upon Me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble;
I will deliver him, and honour him. With long life will I satisfy him, and
shew him My salvation.”
All of these scriptures can be found in the King James Version Bible.
Today’s Selected Poem: DON'T LOOK BACK
Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/enpoem152.htm
Today’s Selected Testimony: TOMMY'S TESTIMONY
Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/testimony110.htm
In Christ’s Service,
Dwayne Savaya
Gods Work Ministry |
