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When 'self' is not enough

 

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When self-reliance ends and God-reliance takes over
by Kaye Kinder
Fountain Hills, AZ

   When Kaye (a distant relative of Martin Drummond) was diagnosed with a T-4 tumor in February 1999, she was in emotional shock and in a mental daze for a time. She had to have 14 teeth pulled because past dental work would cause radiation to burn her mouth. Then she underwent intensive radiation and a major chemotherapy regimen.  Even with ongoing treatment turmoil of various sorts, she continues to give God the sweet sounds of praise.
   Please allow her words to stir your heart to a greater appreciation for God's blessings in your life. Swallow hard as you read these words of faith, for Kaye has not been able to swallow for more than 8 years.

  
I have believed in Jesus my Savior all my life. I was baptized at age 12. I talk to my Father in heaven all the time. He is always near. 
   
   God blessed me with my wonderful mother, daddy, brother Rob and sister-in-law Sherry. He knew I would need the support of these faithful people.

   When I was really sick, I was feeling discouraged because I was unable to swallow and had multiple problems. I heard that quiet voice in my head say, "Don't be afraid." He was with me all the time...just waiting to lift me up with those soft, powerful arms of love.

   People sometimes say they are grateful for an illnesss or trauma in their lives because of what lessons or goodness comes out of it. Although I knew that Christians are supposed to thank God for everything, I had never quite understood being thankful for bad things.

   But I must say I have learned much from this experience.

   God chose for me to live. I have felt so close to Him and though I have frustration times, (I miss those family meals and Big Macs!), He keeps me realizing how blessed I am.

   I know he has a plan for my life, and truthfully, I'm waiting for Him to reveal it. I know that I love the Lord more and I'm so thankful for my family who have been with me every step through the good, bad and worse. They are all angels.

   At times like this, y
ou find out how many wonderful Christians there are reaching out from our churches to others, and prayer groups, even international prayer groups. Only through the grace of God and these many, many faithful heartfelt prayers have I been able to come through this ongoing challenge.

   What I want to say to anyone going through any trial in life is this:  Our Father is right there with you.

  Just let Him in. Open your heart and you will feel His warmth and peace that only He can give. He wants to be there for you. He loves us all so much! All things do "work together for good for those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28).

   I'm not very good at expressing myself, but my message is Love the Lord!  He already loves you!

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The Power of Shared Prayer
    If you have a ministry that emphasizes prayer and involvement  of others, and believe that other believers might have something important to learn from your experience, please contact  the My Altar page coordinator Lori  Drummond at
LoriDrummond@morningdevotion.com




 
  

La teología del banano (Parable of the Banana tree)
By Juan Stam

  Hace treinta años mi esposa Doris y yo vivimos en una finquita en Mata de Plátano de El Carmen (Guadalupe). Parte de la finca, cerca de la casa, tiene facilidades para retiros de las iglesias. La otra parte, mucho más grande, es cafetal y plantación de bananos. Esa parte me toca a mí, y cuando pongo mis botas para salir a cosechar el grano rojo o andar revisando los bananos, siento una felicidad muy grande. Además, los bananos me han enseñado unas valiosas lecciones espirituales, que quisiera compartir en esta conversación.

  Lo primero que me impresiona del vastago de banano es que da toda su vida para producir un sólo racimo de fruto. ¡Toda una vida, para un solo racimo! Una mata de banano concentra su ser entero en una sola causa: producir su racimo. Después de cosechar el fruto maduro (ojalá antes de que las ardillas lleguen a comérselo), no queda más que cortar el vástago y dejarlo para enriquecer el suelo.

  ¿No les parece eso una lección para nosotros? Tenemos una sola vida, sin oportunidad de repetir. Lo que vamos a hacer para el Señor, tenemos que hacerlo ahora, en esta vida mientras dure, porque después será demasiado tarde. Por eso debemos enfocar toda nuestra vida hacia una meta bien definida: cumplir la voluntad de Dios y producir buen fruto para su reino.

  Los bananos nos enseñan también otra lección: ellos siempre se reproducen. Cuando tengo que cortar el vástago que ya dio su fruta, me doy cuenta que su tronco está rodeado de "hijas". No muere sin dejar atrás una nueva generación. Son estas "hijas" que van a continuar la labor de su "mamá" y mantendrá a la finca surtida de sabrosos bananos. De igual manera, nosotros como cristianos estamos llamados a reproducirnos, a sembrar en otras personas la vida que Cristo nos ha dado. El proyecto cristiano no es solitario sino comunitario; cada cristiano o cristiana debe ser como aquella mata rodeada de sus tiernas "hijas". Cristo nos ha llamado para que llevemos mucho fruto. Y a la hora de salir de este mundo, dejaremos la obra del Señor en manos bien preparadas para llevar adelante la causa del evangelio.

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Weekly verse:

 "He is like the light of morning at sunrise on a cloudless  morn-ng, like the bright-ness  after rain  that brings the grass from the earth."
        2 Samuel 23:4