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Thought for the Day:
"God brings men (and, women) into deep waters not to drown them, but to cleanse
them." If you feel like you're drowning it
might only be God reworking you for a better future!


"God allows us to experience the low points of life in
order to teach us lessons we could not learn in any other way. The way
we learn those lessons is not to deny the feelings but to find the
meanings underlying them."...

Without the low points how would we
appreciate the high points? Every day has a high point - find it and
have a wonderful day.


IN CHRIST LOVE,
AMBER

I read this story and, thought I would pass it along..........its very heart warming..............



A little girl stood near a small church from which she had been turned away because it was 'too crowded.'



'I can't go to Sunday School,' she sobbed to the pastor as he walked by.

Seeing her shabby, unkempt appearance, the pastor guessed the reason and, taking her by the hand, took her inside and found a place for her in the Sunday school class. The child was so happy that they found room for her, and she went to bed that night thinking of the children who have no place to worship Jesus.



Some two years later, this child lay dead in one of the poor tenement buildings. Her parents called for the kindhearted pastor who had befriended their daughter to handle the final arrangements.



As her poor little body was being moved, a worn and crumpled red purse was found which seemed to have been rummaged from some trash dump.



Inside was found 57 cents and a note, scribbled in childish handwriting, which read: 'This is to help build the little church bigger so more children can go to Sunday School.'



For two years she had saved for this offering of love.



When the pastor tearfully read that note, he knew instantly what he would do. Carrying this note and the cracked, red pocketbook to the pulpit, he told the story of her unselfish love and devotion.



He challenged his deacons to get busy and raise enough money for the larger building.



But the story does not end there...



A newspaper learned of the story and published It. It was read by a wealthy realtor who offered them a parcel of land worth many thousands.



When told that the church could not pay so much, he offered to sell it to the little church for 57 cents.



Church members made large donations. Checks came from far and wide.
Within five years the little girl's gift had increased to $250,000.00--a huge sum for that time (near the turn of the century). Her unselfish love had paid large dividends.


When you are in the city of Philadelphia , look up Temple Baptist Church, with a seating capacity of 3,300. And be sure to visit TempleUniversity, where thousands of students are educated.



Have a look, too, at the Good Samaritan Hospital and at a Sunday School building which houses hundreds of beautiful children, built so that no child in the area will ever need to be left outside during Sunday school time.



In one of the rooms of this building may be seen the picture of the sweet face of the little girl whose 57 cents, so sacrificially saved, made such remarkable history. Alongside of it is a portrait of her kind pastor, Dr. Russell H. Conwell, author of the book, 'Acres of Diamonds'.



This is a true story, which goes to show WHAT GOD CAN DO WITH 57 CENTS.

This is great, take a moment to read it, it will make your day!





The ending will surprise you.





Take my Son







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 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

lovingmysummer, what beautiful stories! I was blessed by each one. Thank you for taking the time to write them out.

Loving those are awesome stories. Thanks for posting them, they sure blessed me.
I know they will bless many.

J~