God Is Merciful
The Lord is merciful and loving, slow to become angry and full of constant love. (Psalm 103:8 )
0000
The Story of Beth’s Brothers
When he was a child, my older brother, Chuck, was hyperactive, had a low IQ, and often got in trouble at school. In junior high, he started hanging out with the wrong crowd and doing drugs. By the time he was 25, his drug habit had become a serious addiction. He stole from my parents to get money for drugs.
While I was in high school, Chuck was in and out of jail. He spent time in different rehabilitation centers, too. My parents tried everything to help him, but nothing seemed to work. When I entered college, I was glad to escape my family’s “circus.”
During my last year of college, I learned a shocking family secret. I found out that my mom had a child before she met my dad. My mom had made a difficult decision – she gave the baby boy up for adoption. A year later, she fell in love with my dad, got married and started our family.
Although my parents had four children already, my mom said she had always missed her firstborn son and hoped to meet him one day. However, because of the adoption arrangements, he would have to find her first.
Around the time I found out about my “other” brother, we learned that Chuck had manic-depressive disorder. He began taking medicine and seemed to be doing better. However, on February 1, 2001, Chuck committed suicide. Sadly, I think Chuck believed that we’d be happier without him. We were all full of guilt and regret, especially my parents.
Six weeks after Chuck's death, my mom got a life-changing phone call. Her firstborn son wanted to find her! My “new” brother, David, and my mom had many phone conversations over the next few weeks. In May 2001, David came to meet us. When I saw him, I couldn't believe it! He looked amazingly like Chuck!
David wanted to find his mom for many years, but was too scared. However, right around the time Chuck passed away, David felt very strongly that he must contact his mother.
Of course, we miss Chuck a lot, and David can’t replace him. But I believe God arranged this reunion. He truly provides for our needs at just the right time! Because God loves us so much, He can turn our mistakes around for good. God used my mother’s mistake of having a baby before marriage to bring light to my family during the dark time of Chuck's death.
Friends, this life can be full of sadness. But as the Lord has shown my family, it’s also full of joy! It doesn’t matter what you’re facing or what wrong things you’ve done in the past. God can turn it all around – if you let Him! Never underestimate what He can do!
0000
God's Word
Isaiah 55:9:
As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Psalm 103:8-12:
The Lord is merciful and loving, slow to become angry and full of constant love. 9 He does not keep on rebuking; he is not angry forever. 10 He does not punish us as we deserve or repay us according to our sins and wrongs. 11 As high as the sky is above the earth, so great is his love for those who honor him. 12 As far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our sins from us. (Good News Translation)
Job 5:11:
He sets on high those who are lowly, and those who mourn are lifted to safety.
Hebrews 4:15,16:
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet was without sin. 16 Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
2 Corinthians 12:9:
But He [the Lord] said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."
Stairs for the crew
The deck and the BIG lifeboats
Books in the bookstore
The book store!
Stairs for the crew
Books in the bookstore
The book store!
.JPG)
