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Stand Up!
One of the most undervalued blessings is God's will to make every individual a unique creation. It takes all kinds of people to do the great work of the Lord's kingdom, and it's a good thing that each of us has special talents, callings, and gifts to serve this purpose. Working together, we can accomplish great things. Unfortunately, the world doesn't value unique character. In fact, being different often translates to being misunderstood. Take it from one who's been there. I am certainly not like other people. I was raised in a Christian home where faith, hope, honesty and integrity still mean more than anything else in the world. Above all, my brother and I were taught to follow the prompting of the Holy Spirit and not to compromise our faith for any "easy way out" the world may offer. I was lucky to marry a wonderful man that was raised with the same values. Then I entered the work force. Although college did prepare me to face working with people that hold different values, there was no way to brace myself for the harsh reality that waited. At first things went well. I worked for a wonderful person that trained me well and had faith in my ability to learn and grow. After a year and a half in that position, I was promoted to another job that required me to move to a different office. This too went fairly well, until we consolidated three years later. Then everything changed. It went from a small, easy-going office to a large formal setting where cliques were common and conformity was prized above all else. It didn't take me (and everybody else) long to find out something vital about my character: I'm a non-conformist. Although I tried blending in and making people happy, I eventually grew frustrated with putting on an act. My sense of right and wrong was tested at several points, and I found myself falling back on my faith. I was relieved to find that when I was put to the test, I turned to the Lord and not the easy way out - but I was the only one happy about this personal discovery. To put it kindly, my sense of ethics was more sensitive than they liked, and their cliques frustrated me. Fortunately, we consolidated again two years later, and I was transferred to another section with wonderful people of faith that shared my interests and values. It took a while to flush the poison of conformity out of my system, but God bless them because they were patient and understanding. I still thank God every day for delivering me from that situation. Although I wore it as a badge of honor, two years as the office freak was quite enough. That was a hard time for me, but I learned a lot about my faith and myself. One of the most important things I learned is that God values you as an individual, even if other people don't. What really matters is if He can use you, not if other people can use you to get ahead and make themselves look good. Although the world may say, "the ends justify the means," God does not accept this excuse. Christians are the light of the world, and if you prayerfully follow the Lord's way and do what is right, He will always work things out for the best in the end. God needs all kinds of people working for Him, and each of us meets certain requirements. If He can use a fiercely independent, non-conformist like me, He can use you as well. Christ died for us to have a union with God and an opportunity to be all we can be. Stand up, and be proud of who you are in Him! After all, "If God is for us, who is against us?" (Romans 8:31 RSV) It doesn't matter, because His opinion is really the only one that matters. The world may make us pay a price for doing what is right, but the Lord will always see us through to the eternal rewards. Sherri Fulmer Moorer is a freelance Christian/Inspirational writer from Columbia, SC. Her writing focuses on applying faith to everyday living situations, and is based on her own personal experiences and the experiences of those around her. Her goal is to show people that the battles they face in life are shared by others, and how the Lord can use their experiences to build faith. She is the author of Battleground Earth - Living by Faith in a Pagan World (PublishAmerica 2004), which is a book about spiritual warfare and discovering faith in day-to-day living. For additional information, please visit the Battleground Earth web page at hometown.aol.com/bgearth/index.html">http://hometown.aol.com/bgearth/index.html
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In Search For Wealth My eldest son phoned me the other night to let me know that he and his partner was going to have a baby. When I got the news, I was more excited then he was. A Cat In The Hand Is Worth Two Birds In The Bush! I bought this computer just over two years ago with my first venture into the world of credit cards. I'm a mature woman and have seen and done a lot in this world, but nothing could have prepared me for this. Sixty-Second Caring "How are you doing?" you ask. There's a pause before the reply. Being An Adult I have always thought that grandparents were the icons of wisdom, the "go to" person with he answers, the epitome of patience.When I was young, I often thought, "When I grow up, I want to be like Grandpa". A Little Blessing Changes Everything "We're on a one-game winning streak!" That's what freshman Dawan Boxley said after his basketball team, the Rutgers-Camden Pioneers, beat Bloomfield College 77 to 72, snapping a five-year, 117-game losing streak. Imagine losing every game for five years; how depressing that must have been for the team, the coach, and the entire school! But what a joy when that buzzer sounded and game 118 turned out differently. Nine Lives Direct Answers - Column for the week of September 2, 2002My husband of four years has been arrested for the fourth time for hurting me. This time he strangled me. Why Buddhism Succeeds - The Right Thing is the Thing to do The ongoing teachings are exemplified in an understanding and execution of two ideas, which I will briefly describe:Karma: the Buddhist interpretation is in the words and actions of the individual. It means that good work brings about a good rebirth, and that each rebirth is a reflection of the good living and good deeds in the prior life. Summertime - Take Time To Smell The Roses I AM SO GRATEFUL for the time to smell the roses. Lying in a hammock between two shade trees Or wandering through a multicolodred rose garden, Sitting quietly and communing with nature Beholding something beautiful in each person I meet. Lifes Purpose To every life, there is a purpose; a purpose of will and a purpose of choice. A choice to make the right or wrong decisions and the will to act on the choices made. Listening to Your Inner Voice May Save Your Life "I was washing my breakfast dishes one morning when it occurred to me to go visit a friend who lived several miles away. I did my work and started to dress for my journey, when there came over me such a feeling of depression, or despondency, or gloom, that I could not understand. The Climbs In Our Lives I grew up climbing mountains. Mountains are beautiful and challenging, majestic and all powerful. Moneys Sad Lack of Intrinsic Value A good number of my columns deal with finances and money-related issues. Obviously, these are issues we have to confront everyday. Musicians Survival was Truly a Miracle: Singer Songwriter Fights for his Life Every morning when singer-songwriter Michael Alan looks into the mirror and sees the surgical scar across his chest he is reminded of how lucky he is to be alive. Three years ago he suffered a major heart attack and a year after the episode he was required to have open-heart surgery. How To Turn Your Life Around FAST! There is nothing more important than feeling good.Come again? Didn't I just tell you how bad everything is!When you feel good you raise your vibrations. Life Life is what happens to you, while you are making other plans. ( John Lennon )Truly, I think life has no surety. The Information Age Direct Answers - Column for the week of December 1, 2003My sister and I are very close, and we don't keep things from one another. Recently she shared with me concerns about her sex life, or lack thereof. A Plan Of Attack Direct Answers - Column for the week of October 28, 2002I feel I am at the breaking point. I work at a small school and run the office. The Four Emotions that Can Lead to Life Change Emotions are the most powerful forces inside us. Under the power of emotions, human beings can perform the most heroic (as well as barbaric) acts. Change Those of you, who can fathom yourselves welcoming and enjoying a big, major change in your life right now, raise your hands! When I say, change, it might be a good change and it might be a bad change. Either way, we all don't know what that change is going to be like, what aspect of our lives is going to change and we might not even be happy with it. Dreams Do Come True Experience has made a lot of folks to consider dreams to be fantasies, unattainable, galaxies away from reality.Some folks believe dreams do come true.
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