We can fly...!!!

Hardship is part of life.  None of us can escape it, yet all of us want to.

It makes me think about how a caterpillar becomes a butterfly.  After it forms a chrysalis around itself, the caterpillar gradually changes into a butterfly inside it.  

But, exiting the chrysalis is the hardest part of the caterpillar's metamorphosis.  

You see, the new butterfly must push and pull its way out of the chrysalis, and it is quite painful to watch.  

One might think it needs to reach out and help the butterfly to escape, but this is the worst thing we could do.  

Why, you ask?  The painful process of exiting the chrysalis is the very thing that gives the butterfly enough strength to flap it's wings and fly.  Isn't that amazing? 

Sometimes, life can be a  metaphorical chrysalis of sorts.  It's uncomfortable, and we wonder why God would allow things to be so hard.  

We want an easy exit.  

But, what if this grueling season is the very thing that equips us for the calling that God has placed on us?  

What if an early exit from this difficult time would be detrimental to our life as a whole?  

When I think about hardship this way, I can see the purpose and hope in it.  

God is never finished with us.  We are all works in progress, and walking through hard times is an essential part of our growth in Him.  But, we don't have to walk through it alone.  

He is with us through every step--guiding us, holding us, and reminding us that we CAN pull through.  

After some time, we experience a beautiful transformation from the inside out. 

And, we realize that WE CAN FLY.

The best auction..!!

Here's a good one for you :)

This is a great story. Take a moment to read it; I Pray it will make your day!

A wealthy man and his son loved to collect rare works of art. They had everything in their collection, from Picasso to Raphael. They would often sit together and admire the great works of art..

When the Vietnam conflict broke out, the son went to war. He was very courageous and died in battle while rescuing another soldier. The father was notified and grieved deeply for his only son.

 About a month later, just before Christmas, There was a knock at the door. A young man stood at the door with a large package in his hands..

 He said, 'Sir, you don't know me, but I am the soldier for whom your son gave his life. He saved many lives that day, and he was carrying me to safety when a bullet struck him in the heart and he died instantly... He often talked about you, and your love for art.' The young man held out this package. 'I know this isn't much. I'm not really a great artist, but I think your son would have wanted you to have this.'

The father opened the package. It was a portrait of his son, painted by the young man. He stared in awe at the way the soldier had captured the personality of his son in the painting. The father was so drawn to the eyes that his own eyes welled up with tears. He thanked the young man and offered to pay him for the picture.. 'Oh, no sir, I could never repay what your son did for me. It's a gift.'

The father hung the portrait over his mantle. Every time visitors came to his home he took them to see the portrait of his son before he showed them any of the other great works he had collected.

The man died a few months later. There was to be a great auction of his paintings. Many influential people gathered, excited over seeing the great paintings and having an opportunity to purchase one for their collection.

On the platform sat the painting of the son. The auctioneer pounded his gavel. 'We will start the bidding with this picture of the son. Who will bid for this picture?'

 There was silence...

 Then a voice in the back of the room shouted, 'We want to see the famous paintings. Skip this one.'

But the auctioneer persisted 'Will somebody bid for this painting? Who will start the bidding? $100, $200?'
Another voice angrily. 'We didn't come to see this painting. We came to see the Van Gogh's, the Rembrandts. Get on with the Real bids!'

But still the auctioneer continued. 'The son! The son! Who'll take the son?'
Finally, a voice came from the very back of the room. It was the longtime gardener of the man and his son. 'I'll give $10 for the painting...' Being a poor man, it was all he could afford.

'We have $10, who will bid $20?'
'Give it to him for $10. Let's see the masters.'

The crowd was becoming angry They didn't want the picture of the son.

 They wanted the more worthy investments for their collections.

The auctioneer pounded the gavel.. 'Going once, twice, SOLD for $10!'

A man sitting on the second row shouted, 'Now let's get on with the collection!'

The auctioneer laid down his gavel. 'I'm sorry, the auction is over.'

'What about the paintings?'

'I am sorry. When I was called to conduct this auction, I was told of a secret stipulation in the will... I was not allowed to reveal that stipulation until this time. Only the painting of the son would be auctioned. Whoever bought that painting would inherit the entire estate, including the paintings.

The man who took the son gets everything!'

God gave His son over 2,000 years ago to die on the Cross. Much like the auctioneer, His message today is: 'The Son, the Son, who'll take the Son?'

Because, you see, whoever takes the Son gets everything!

FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, WHO SO EVER BELIEVETH, SHALL HAVE ETERNAL LIFE...THAT'S LOVE

Amazing story

AMAZING STORY:

One day a man saw an old lady, stranded on the side of the road, but even in the dim light of day, he could see she needed help. So he pulled up in front of her Mercedes and got out. His Pontiac was still sputtering when he approached her. 

Even with the smile on his face, she looked worried. No one had stopped to help for the last hour or so. Was he going to hurt her? He didn't look safe; he looked poor and hungry. 

He could see that she was frightened, standing out there in the cold. He knew how she felt. It was that chill which only fear can put in you. 

He said, 'I'm here to help you, ma'am. Why don't you wait in the car where it's warm? By the way, my name is Bryan Anderson.' 

Well, all she had was a flat tire, but for an old lady, that was bad enough. Bryan crawled under the car looking for a place to put the jack, skinning his knuckles a time or two. Soon he was able to change the tire. But he had to get dirty and his hands hurt. 

As he was tightening up the lug nuts, she rolled down the window and began to talk to him. She told him that she was from St. Louis and was only just passing through. She couldn't thank him enough for coming to her aid. 

Bryan just smiled as he closed her trunk. The lady asked how much she owed him. Any amount would have been all right with her. She already imagined all the awful things that could have happened had he not stopped. Bryan never thought twice about being paid. This was not a job to him. This was helping someone in need, and God knows there were plenty, who had given him a hand in the past. He had lived his whole life that way, and it never occurred to him to act any other way. 

He told her that if she really wanted to pay him back, the next time she saw someone who needed help, she could give that person the assistance they needed, and Bryan added, 'And think of me.'

He waited until she started her car and drove off. It had been a cold and depressing day, but he felt good as he headed for home, disappearing into the twilight. 

A few miles down the road the lady saw a small cafe. She went in to grab a bite to eat, and take the chill off before she made the last leg of her trip home. It was a dingy looking restaurant. Outside were two old gas pumps. The whole scene was unfamiliar to her. The waitress came over and brought a clean towel to wipe her wet hair. She had a sweet smile, one that even being on her feet for the whole day couldn't erase. The lady noticed the waitress was nearly eight months pregnant, but she never let the strain and aches change her attitude. The old lady wondered how someone who had so little could be so giving to a stranger. Then she remembered Bryan .. 

After the lady finished her meal, she paid with a hundred dollar bill. The waitress quickly went to get change for her hundred dollar bill, but the old lady had slipped right out the door. She was gone by the time the waitress came back. The waitress wondered where the lady could be. Then she noticed something written on the napkin. 

There were tears in her eyes when she read what the lady wrote: 'You don't owe me anything. I have been there too. Somebody once helped me out, the way I'm helping you. If you really want to pay me back, here is what you do: Do not let this chain of love end with you.' 

Under the napkin were four more $100. 

Well, there were tables to clear, sugar bowls to fill, and people to serve, but the waitress made it through another day. That night when she got home from work and climbed into bed, she was thinking about the money and what the lady had written. How could the lady have known how much she and her husband needed it? With the baby due next month, it was going to be hard.... 

She knew how worried her husband was, and as he lay sleeping next to her, she gave him a soft kiss and whispered soft and low, 'Everything's going to be all right. I love you, Bryan Anderson.'

The modern day Ruth

Did you know that you can take that place of pain and turn it into most precious intimate moments with your Heavenly Father? Your place of pain can be a setup for your biggest blessing. We don't always understand why we have to go through heartaches, trials, tears, and struggles, but His love is faithful to meet us there. He is with us. He does not leave us or forsake us. I think, for me, I have more compassion for those who have a broken heart or those who deal with sickness or debilitating pain.

I started this ministry in my most broken of times. My husband had left me to raise our kids on my own. He walked away from God and our marriage. Then, a year later, I was dating a guy who told me everything I longed to hear. A few months later he disappeared with no warning or explanation. I found out a week later he had left me for an old girlfriend. My heart was shattered to pieces. I remember the hours of crying and the tidal waves of emotion that felt impossible to survive. I imagined Him holding my hand, and I knew I had to ride those waves of pain...it was part of the process.

During that time, I remembered the scripture that says:

" When you pass through the waters,

    I will be with you;

and when you pass through the rivers,

    they will not sweep over you.

When you walk through the fire,

    you will not be burned;

    the flames will not set you ablaze." Isaiah 43:2

His hands are not too short to reach down to the place of pain and heartache you are in.

"He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters." Psalms 18:16

Don't feel bad if you shed tears. It doesn't mean you are going backwards -it's part of the healing process. Let His love wrap you and hold you. Cling to Him and He will not let you drown. He is your life preserver. You will overcome this temporary season. You will overcome in Jesus' name. Your testimony is being developed into a love story. One of His love and redeeming grace. Your beauty will come from your ashes, Beloved. ~ Jenny Williams, A Modern Day Ruth, Copyright 2015

★★★Such a wonderful story★★★

A very poor newly wedded, young couple lived in a small farm. One day the husband made the following proposal to his wife:

Honey, I will leave the house: I will travel faraway, get a job and work hard in order to come back and give you the comfortable life that you deserve. I do not know how long I will stay away, I only ask one thing, please wait for me, and while I am away, you should be faithful to me, because I will be faithful to you. His wife agreed, so the young man left. He walked many days until he found a farmer who was in need of someone to help him. The young man offered his services. He was accepted. Therefore he discussed the terms with his boss:
Let me work for as long as I want and when I think I should go home, please relieve me of my duties. I do not want to receive my salary. I ask you to save it for me, until the day I leave. The day I decide to go, please give me the money and I will go my way. They agreed on that. So, the young man worked for twenty years without holiday and without rest. After twenty years, he came to his boss and said:
Boss, I want my money, because I am returning to my home. The boss replied:
All right, after all, I made a deal with you and I will stick to it. However, before you go I want to offer you something new: I will give you all your money and send you away; or I will give you 3 pieces of advice and send you away. If I give you money, you lose the 3 pieces of advice. If I give you the 3 pieces of advice, you lose the money. Now, go to your room and think about your answer. He thought for two days. Then he went to the boss and told him:
I want the 3 pieces of advice. The boss stressed again, if I give you the 3 pieces of advice, I will not give you the money, and the man replied:
I want the 3 pieces of advice. The boss then told him:
No. 1: Never take shortcuts in your life, shorter and unknown paths can cost your life. No. 2: Never be too curious, for curiosity towards evil can be deadly. No. 3: Never make decisions in moments of anger or pain, because when you repent, it could be too late. After giving these 3 pieces of advice, the boss said to him:
Here, you have 3 loaves of bread, 2 are for you to eat during the journey and the last is for you to eat with your wife when you get home. So, the man went his way, after twenty years away from home and from his wife, whom he loved so much. After the first day of travel, he found a man who greeted him and asked:
Where are you going? He replied:
To a distant place which is about 20 days away if I continue walking. The man said to him:
Ol' boy, this path is too long! I know a shortcut that is very safe and you will arrive in 5 days only. The man began to follow the path suggested until he remembered the first piece of advice. Then, he returned and followed the long path. Days later he learned that the shortcut led to an ambush.
After a few more days of travel, he found an inn by the roadside, where he could rest. He paid for a room and after taking a bath he lay down to sleep. During the night he woke up as he heard a terrifying scream. He rose to his feet and went to the door to check what happened. As he was opening the door, he remembered the second piece of advice. Therefore he returned, lay down again and slept. At dawn, after breakfast, the owner of the lodging asked him if he had not heard the scream at night. He affirmed that he heard. Then, the host said:
Were you not curious to see what happened? And he replied:
No, I was not. Then the host said:
You are the first guest to leave this inn alive. My neighbour is completely crazy. He usually shouts at night to call someone’s attention. When some of the guests come out, he kills them and buries their bodies in the backyard. The man continued his long journey, eager to arrive soon.
After many days and nights walking, he was very tired, but he finally saw his house far away. It was night. He saw some light coming out of the window of his house and was able to see the silhouette of his wife. But he also saw that she was not alone. He came closer and saw there was a man with her. She softly caressed his hair. When he saw that scene, his heart was filled with hatred and bitterness. He decided to rush at and kill them both mercilessly. However, he took a deep breath and he remembered the third piece of advice. Then he stopped, reflected and decided to sleep outside that night. He slept in the midst of the bushes, determined to make a decision the next day. At dawn, he was calmer and thought:
I will not kill my wife and her lover. I am going back to my boss to ask him to take me back. But before I go, I want to tell my wife that I have always been faithful to her.
He went to the front door and knocked. When his wife opened the door and recognized him, she cried and embraced him warmly. He tried to push her away, but he
was not able. Then, with tears in his eyes he told her:
I was faithful to you but you betrayed me.
She was shocked, so she replied:
How did I betray you? I have never betrayed you. I waited patiently for you for twenty good years. Then he asked:
How about the man that you were caressing yesterday? And she said:
That man is your son. When you left, I discovered I was pregnant. Today he is twenty years old. Hearing that, the man asked her forgiveness. He met and hugged his son. Then he told them all the things he had experienced while away. Meanwhile, his wife prepared some coffee for them to eat together, the last bread given by his boss. After a prayer of thanksgiving, he broke the bread. When he looked at it, he found all his money inside. In fact, there was even more than the right payment for his twenty years of dedication and hard work.
Friends, our God is like this boss. When he asks us to make a sacrifice, he wants to give us more than what we give Him. He wants us to have His unique wisdom as well as the
material blessings.

Important rules and regulations. ..!!!

●Don’t shout at your wife when you are
talking. It really hurts her. (Proverbs 15:1)
●Do not speak evil of her to anyone. Your wife
will become who you call her. (Gen. 2:19)
●Do not share her love or affection with
another woman. It is called Adultery. (Matt. 5:28)
●Never compare your wife to another woman.
If the other woman was good for you, God
would have given her to you. (2 Cor. 10:12)
●Don’t ever allow her to beg you for sex. She
owns your body just as you own her body. (1 Cor. 7:5)
●Be gentle and accommodating. She has
sacrificed so much to be with you. It hurts her
deeply when you are hash and irritating. Be
tender. (Eph. 4:2) ●Hide nothing from her. You
are now one and she’s your helpmeet. Let there be no secret
you are keeping from her. (Gen. 2:25)
●Do not make negative comment about her
body. She risked her life and beauty to carry
your babies. She is a living soul not just flesh
and blood. ●Do not let her body determine her worth.
Cherish and appreciate her even till old age.
(Eph. 5:29)
●Never shout at her in the public and in
private. If you have an issue to sort with her,
do it in the privacy of your room. (Matt. 1:19) ●Thank and appreciate her for taking good
care of you, the kids and the house. It is a
great sacrifice she is making. (1 The 5:18)
●All women cannot cook the same way;
appreciate your wife’s food. It is not easy to
cook three meals a day, 365 days a year for several years. (Pro. 31:14)
●Never place your siblings before her. She is
your wife. She is one with you. She must come
before your family. (Gen. 2:24)
●Invest seriously in her spiritual growth. Buy
books, tapes and any material that will edify her and strengthen her walk with God. That’s
the best thing you can do for her. (Eph. 5:26)
●Spend time with her to do Bible study and
pray. (James 5:16)
●Make time to play with her and enjoy her
company. Remember when you are dead, she’s gonna be by your grave but your friends may
be too busy to attend your funeral. (Ecc. 9:9)
●Never use money to manipulate or control
her. All your money belongs to her. She is a
joint heir with you of the grace of God. (1 Pet.
3:7) ●Do not expose her weakness. You will be
exposing yourself too. Be a shield around her.
(Eph. 5:30)
●Honour her parents and be kind to her
siblings. (SOS 8:2) ●Never cease to tell her
how much you love her all the days of her life. Women are never
tired of hearing that. (Eph. 5:25)
●Grow to be like Christian ,That’s the only way
you can be a good and godly husband. (Rom.
8:29) AMEN

Father's testimony

A FATHER'S TESTIMONY: My daughter was born on the 3rd of March 2002, 5 months and 2 weeks of pregnancy. She was premature. I had just finished my overnight job as a bouncer in a club in Germany. She weighed 790grams, not even 1kg. On seeing her tiny structure inside the incubator, I cried like I never cried before. I asked God, why, why me? After crying out my heart, I realized only a miracle could save her. She is the reason till today, why my faith in God is so strong. I laid my hands over her and prayed. I did not know what to pray about, but I prayed my pains onto God and begged God not to allow my sins/punishment for my numerous transgressions be passed unto my little girl. I made a vow to God. 3 days later I went and paid the vow to my Church to be passed unto the poor and needy. My Pastor prayed with me. I prayed that my daughter would leave that Hospital without complications hence the vow/deal with God. My daughter is 14+ years old now, straight A student, speaks 3 international languages already and she left that Hospital without complications. What else can I say? My pain as I saw it then was actually God's way of drawing me closer to come to know him and have faith in him to prepare me for the movement that was to come. Jesus saves! Jesus still heals! Render your hearts to Him today and commit whatever that may sound so difficult to you unto Him today. He's there to always answer us when we call on Him. Glory be to God! Halleluyah!!!

Need to know where we are going. ..??!!

BILLY GRAHAM

Billy Graham is now 92 years-old with Parkinson's disease.

In January, leaders in Charlotte, North Carolina invited their favorite
son, Billy Graham, to a luncheon in his honor.

Billy initially hesitated to accept the invitation because he
struggles with Parkinson's disease. But the Charlotte leaders said,
'We don't expect a major address. Just come and let us honor you.' So
he agreed.

After wonderful things were said about him, Dr. Graham stepped to the
rostrum, looked at the crowd, and said,
"I'm reminded today of Albert Einstein, the great physicist who this
month has been honored by Time magazine as the Man of the Century.
Einstein was once traveling from Princeton on a train when the
conductor came down the aisle, punching the tickets of every
passenger. When he came to Einstein, Einstein reached in his vest
pocket. He couldn't find his ticket, so he reached in his trouser
pockets.
It wasn't there.

He looked in his briefcase but couldn't find it.

Then he looked in the seat beside him. He still couldn't find it.

"The conductor said, 'Dr. Einstein, I know who you are. We all know
who you are. I'm sure you bought a ticket. Don't worry about it.'

"Einstein nodded appreciatively. The conductor continued down the
aisle punching tickets. As he was ready to move to the next car, he
turned around and saw the great physicist down on his hands and knees
looking under his seat for his ticket.

"The conductor rushed back and said, 'Dr. Einstein, Dr.
Einstein, don't worry, I know who you are; no problem. You don't
need a ticket. I'm sure you bought one.'

Einstein looked at him and said, "Young man, I too, know who I am.
What I don't know is where I'm going.�

Having said that Billy Graham continued, "See the suit I'm wearing?
It's a brand new suit. My children, and my grandchildren are telling
me I've gotten a little slovenly in my old age. I used to be a bit
more fastidious. So I went out and bought a new suit for this
luncheon and one more occasion. You know what that occasion is? This
is the suit in which I'll be buried. But when you hear I'm dead, I
don't want you to immediately remember the suit I'm wearing. I want
you to remember this:

I not only know who I am. I also know where I'm going." May your
troubles be less, your blessings more, and may nothing but happiness,
come through your door. "Life without God is like an unsharpened
pencil - it has no point."

And may each of us have lived our lives so that when our ticket is
punched we don't have to  worry about where we are going. it blesses you, don't loose the blessings. It's worth sharing...We all need to know where we are going.

Forwarded from another platform.

Awesome post.....!!!!

A professor began his class by holding up a glass with some water in it. He held it up for all to see and asked the students, "How much do you think this glass weighs?" 

50 gms!.... 100 gms!' 125 gms….the students answered. 

"I really don't know unless I weigh it," said the professor, "but, my question is…what would happen if I held it up like this for a few minutes?" 

“Nothing" the students said. 

"Ok! What would happen if I held it up like this for an hour?" the professor asked. 

“Your arm would begin to ache," said one of the students. 

“You're right. Now what would happen if I held it for a day?" 

“Your arm could go numb. You might have severe muscle stress and paralysis and have to go to hospital for sure!" ventured another student and all the students laughed. 

"Very good. But during all this, did the weight of the glass change?" asked the professor. 

"No…" the students said. 

"Then what caused the arm ache and the muscle stress?" The students were puzzled. 

"Put the glass down!" said one of the students. 

"Exactly!" said the professor. "Life's problems are something like this. Hold it for a few minutes in your head and they seem okay. Think of them for a long time and they begin to ache. Hold it even longer and they begin to paralyze you. You will not be able to do anything." 

"It's important to think of the challenges (problems) in your life. But EVEN MORE IMPORTANT is to have trust in HIM and to put them down at the end of every day before you go to sleep. That way, you are not stressed, you wake up every day fresh and strong and can handle any issue and any challenge that comes your way!" 

So, as it becomes time for you to leave office today. Remember friend to PUT THE GLASS DOWN TODAY.

Happy Teacher's day

Teachers’ Day is

celebrated in India on

5 September every

year. It is the birthday

of Dr. Sarvepalli

Radhakrishnan. This

great son of India was

an outstanding scholar

and teacher. Later on

he became the Vice

President of Indian

republic when Dr.

Rajendra Prasad was

the President of India.

When he died,

Radhakrishnan became

the President.

Teachers’ day is

observed to pay

respect to the

teachers of our

country. We also pay

our respect to our own

teachers. Teachers are

regarded as the back-

bone of our society.

They have the

greatest contribution

to build up the

characters of students

and help them to

become ideal citizens

of our country.

The teachers teach

students most

carefully and sincerely

and love them as their

own children. We owe

them more than our

parents. Our parents

bring us up and give us

food and drink for our

survival, but teachers

arouse our hearts with

light of knowledge and

remove all sorts of

ignorance. The study

that we do at schools

and colleges build the

foundation of our

character.