Inspirational Stories
It happened on the day I refuse to quit…
02/17/2010 in Inspirational Stories
It happened on the day that I had planned to drop out of college. After chapel service I walked past the administration office and headed downtown to my little part-time job at Electrical Equipment Company where I sold lighting fixtures. It was a hot, muggy Friday afternoon. A nice but persistent lady entered the store and wanted to buy a fixture and have it installed that same afternoon in her home, because she was having out of town guest for the weekend. I told her all our electricians were busy and it would be Monday before we could get to her, unless she was willing for me stop by on my way home and do it. She agreed. So after work that day I placed the fixture in my car and headed to South Campbell Street. We had agreed that since I wasn’t a licensed electrician that I would do the job for $10.00. I quickly went to work installing the fixture saying very little about me or my family, except that we were students at Baptist Bible College. When I finished and was cleaning up she handed me $20.00. I reminded her our agreement was for $10.00. She smiled and said she and her husband knew what it was like for a young couple to be working their way through college. I said thank you and proceeded to put my tools in the car when out of the clear blue I heard her from the porch say, “please wait just a few minutes”. I waited for about ten minutes and she came out the front door with a large box of groceries. She smiled as she handed it to me and said, God bless you, your family and your future. I said thank you, then got in my car and drove away. I was so happy I was crying. You see what she didn’t know was that I was going to quit college that day because we had no money to buy food. So many things like that have happened throughout our life. I don’t remember the address, nor do I know her name, but God used her that day to encourage and remind me that He is always watching out for his children. So if you are thinking about quitting today, DON’T!! God only knows what might happen.
You can change your world…
02/17/2010 in Inspirational Stories
We touch the lives of others in ways we often never know. People sometimes come into our personal world for fleeting moments and can leave us forever changed. We have more power to create or to destroy than we can imagine. We can leave things or individuals better or worse than we found them. A look, a word, a gesture has tremendous impact and frequently we blither along through our existence unaware of the mighty power that our communication wields.
Here’s an example:
It was a rainy, humid day: the mother of all bad hair days. I was riding on a bus downtown to go to work. The windows on the bus were covered in condensation so thick you couldn’t see outside. Everyone was wilting. I was sitting next to a man in a business suit and didn’t pay much attention until we both got off at the same stop and walked to the same newsstand to get a morning paper.
The man running the stand was obviously having a bad day. He was rude, abrupt and unsmiling as we purchased our papers, which served to only add more gloom to my day. The businessman caught my eye and smiled. He then proceeded to smile brightly, thank the newsstand proprietor for the paper and for being open on such a morning to make sure we were able to get our papers.
A few little words made all the difference…
02/17/2010 in Inspirational Stories
My wife Anne and I had been eeking out a living for the first three years of Bible College. Things had been tough for some time and I was exhausted and discouraged. I decided that I’d had all that I could stand and would stop by the administration office after school that day and check out. I knew it would be right for me to get a full-time job and support my family the way they needed and deserved to be supported. We had a guest speaker during chapel that day and, to be quite honest, I don’t remember anything he said with the exception of these few words. Somewhere close to the end of his message he clapped his hands and said, “Listen to me! If you don’t hear anything else I say, hear this.” He proceeded with these words, “You don’t determine a man’s greatness by fame or fortune as the world does, but by the amount of discouragement he can withstand and remain standing.” His words were like a sharp dagger in my heart. At that moment I decided to do whatever it took to finish school and become a success on the basis of what God called success. Those few words changed my life’s direction and my family’s future provision. I am reminded as I write this, that if we are not careful we will allow the messenger of good news to keep us from receiving the good news. You see, I had some issues with this man in certain areas of belief, but I refused to allow them to keep me from receiving his life-changing words. Today, I remembered and thanked God for Dr. Jerry Falwell.
How is your focus?
02/17/2010 in Inspirational Stories
Have you ever found yourself STUCK in a rut with the feeling that your life is going NOWHERE?
Have you ever felt UNSURE about the steps you have taken, and continue to take in your life?
Are you EXACTLY where you want to be in life right now?
Don’t worry, and don’t feel bad. There are lots of other people just like you. People who have no direction, or possibly have a direction but just don’t know how to get there.
Everybody’s life has its ups and downs, but not everybody is aware that they can actually DO something themselves to turn things around. Knowing how to focus, how to build up confidence and self-esteem, and knowing when to exercise self-discipline are HUGE steps toward a better life for yourself and those around you.
Focusing is usually not our problem, but focusing on the wrong thing(s) is a problem.
We have a tendency to focus on what we have lost or don’t have, rather than focusing on what we do have.
It is not a matter of no focus but a wrong focus. Mario Andretti the famous race care driver once said, “the reason for many mishaps and crashes is that people focus on what they are trying to avoid or miss.” So if you focus only on the wall or other race cars you will eventually be pulled into those things.
We need to look for daylight, for openings and opportunities. And think about finishing the race.
If you are not happy with your answers to the above questions I would recommend today you take inventory of your life and make a mental list of the wonderful things you do possess and begin to focus on them and give thanks.
Sometimes you can’t go back and fix it…
02/17/2010 in Inspirational Stories
Zig Ziglar writes how that a few years ago when He was doing an early-morning seminar, He greeted the young woman who was guarding the backstage door with a cheerful “Good morning, how are you doing?” She said, “I’m not doing well. I hate this job.” I confidently, cheerfully and arrogantly said to her, “Well, think about it this way. There are some people who don’t have any kind of job doing any thing, so maybe you’ll feel better with that thought.” The young woman looked at me and said, “Look, I’m not ready for any of your ‘positive thinking.’ I’m having an extremely tough time.” As I walked away I thought to myself, “Boy! What a lousy attitude!” However, as I pondered it during the next few minutes I realized that what she needed was some empathy, somebody to say, “Is there anything I can do?” or, “I’m sorry things are not going your way.”
I went back at my earliest possible moment to apologize to the young woman. Unfortunately, she was gone. That’s one of the reasons today I talk a great deal more about the right attitude in addition to having a positive attitude. In that particular incident, my relationship with that young woman, and the possibility of giving her any real encouragement later, was destroyed because I was so intent on saying what I had to say and not really empathetic to her problem. Relationships are built on putting yourself in the other person’s position and trying to relate; as the old Indian adage says, “You won’t know another person until you’ve walked in his moccasins at least one day.” Try to imagine how he or she must feel, and you will be able to deal with them more effectively and get along with them far better – and feel better about yourself in the process.
Zig Ziglar-Having A Right Mental Attitude
How do you identify someone who needs encouragement?
02/17/2010 in Inspirational Stories
Answer: “That person is breathing.”
There is breakdown today in the church, in the family, and in the meaningfulness of work. All three arenas were given to us as blessings, but our culture has turned them into sources of hurt. Some pastors lead like CEOs instead of shepherds or spiritual guides. But people long for shepherds. They are looking for comfort, encouragement, direction and spiritual guidance.
Even though he headed a large institution, Pope John Paul II came across as a shepherd. He had and showed character, love and compassion. His character appealed to young people. He was the rock. The love was the generous spirit he displayed.
When our politicians wave, it’s in a way that says, “I hope you like me.” John Paul didn’t wave, he gave a blessing. People felt that they were being blessed by seeing him, that the encounter wasn’t for him, but for them. That’s encouragement.
And when he died, the occasion attracted 5 million people to the largest voluntary gathering in history.
The thoughts above concerning Pope John Paul II was the observation of Fred Smith Sr.
Ron Corzine
Better known as Son of a Preacher, Ron started the first Christian Fellowship Church in Harlingen, Texas in 1982 and presently serves as a counselor, consultant and apostolic overseer to multiple churches and ministries. He travels nationally and internationally motivating and challenging people to be effective in their call and ministry to their local church, their community, and the marketplace.Ron and his wife Anne were married in 1968. They have three children, six grandchildren and presently reside in San Antonio, Texas.
Ron is the founder and president of Christian Fellowship International. Click to email Ron.
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