WHEN YOU REACH THE END OF YOUR ROPE...CONGRATULATIONS

I live in a really good time of life. Sixty-four and sturdy health, I stay fit by hunting. I constantly hunt for where I left things...all kind of things. While that may sound funny, I'm only half-joking.

I so enjoy life in the church. Study is a daily ritual as learning is still so amazing. My goal is to grow old by becoming newer every day. Why not? It is His idea!

For you younger sort---any younger than me---be encouraged about the process of church life. It will all be all right when you can learn to step back and let God lead. This is simple sounding, I know, but a most glorious road of emotional satisfaction. God works. Our faith works to believe God works. If we fail to believe God works, our works wither.

For me, I found the 20s, 30s, and 40s were God's time to prove to me I didn't run the show. I never once demanded authority, etc; but I did think my creativity and ingenuity could do magic in the kingdom. Wrong. Very wrong. I could have quit; yet I knew He was out there somewhere and somehow. My job was to seek Him out.

In my 50s I found myself out of innovative and resourceful steam; yet the work seemed to be more productive and even more fun. The Spirit of God is so willing to help. Even at this age, I find life as a preacher in the Church of Christ to be what He promised....well beyond my imagination.

Troubles? Stinking attitudes all around? Hurt by others who have no mutual vision? Don't shrink back and do not quit. Use these stresses as classes to go to school and learn of Him. You will find a new world open right where you live that at one time you would have deemed possibly a lost cause. Be prepared. Your discovery will likely be you (as I did) may find it is your lack of hope in Christ which has held back progress.

God is an awesome God! He has ideas no one has yet thought to seek. One of my talks with Him is often that I would like Him to show me His possibilities which have long been overlooked. Oh, time has proven me flawed, faulted, and failure-full. Each time, though, has proven Him power-potent and ready-to-roll.

Learning to trust God is a process of Life which really begins to kick in when you reach the necessary end of your frayed rope.