How you treat others matters

A young lady named Sally relates an experience she had in class, given by her teacher, whom we'll call Brother Smith. She says Brother Smith was known for his elaborate object lessons. One particular day, Sally walked into class and knew they were in for another fun day.

On the wall was a big target and on a nearby table were many darts. Brother Smith told the students to draw a picture of someone that they disliked or someone who had made them angry and he would allow them to throw darts at the person's picture.

Sally's girlfriend (on her right), drew a picture of a girl who had stolen her boyfriend. Another friend (on her left), drew a picture of his little brother. Sally drew a picture of Brother Smith, putting a

great deal of detail into her drawing. Sally was pleased at the overall effect she had achieved.

The class lined up and began throwing darts, with much laughter and hilarity. Some of the students threw their darts with such force that their targets were ripping apart. Sally looked forward to her turn, and was filled with disappointment when Brother Smith, because of time limits, asked the students to return to their seats.

As Sally sat thinking about how angry she was because she didn't have a chance to throw any darts at her target, Brother Smith began removing the target from the wall. Underneath the target was a picture of Jesus.

A complete hush fell over the room as each student viewed the mangled picture of Jesus. Holes and jagged marks covered His face and His eyes were pierced out.

Brother Smith said only these words, "In as much as you have done it unto the least of these my brethren, you have done it unto Me." (Matthew 25:40) No other words were necessary. The tear-filled eyes of each student focused only on the picture of Christ. The students remained in their seats even after the bell rang, then slowly left the classroom, tears streaming down their faces.

Nick Vujicic - Life without Limbs

Imagine being born without arms. No arms to wrap around someone, no hands to experience touch, or to hold another hand with. Or what about being born without legs? Having no ability to dance, walk, run, or even stand on two feet. Now put both of those scenarios together� no arms and no legs. What would you do? How would that effect your everyday life?

Meet Nick Vujicic... Born in 1982 in Melbourne, Australia, without any medical explanation or warning, Nicholas Vujicic (pronounced Voy-a-chich) came into the world with neither arms or legs. Having had an uneventful pregnancy and no family history to expect this condition, imagine the shock his parents felt when they saw their first born, brand new baby boy, only to find he was what the world would consider imperfect and abnormal. A limbless son was not what nurse Dushka Vujicic, and her husband Pastor Borris Vujicic had been expecting. How would their son live a normal happy life? What could he ever do or become when living with what the world would see as such a massive disability? Little did they or anyone know that this beautiful limbless baby would one day be someone who would inspire and motivate people from all walks of life, touching lives all over the world.

Throughout his childhood Nick dealt not only with the typical challenges of school and adolescence such as bullying and self-esteem issues; he also struggled with depression and loneliness as he questioned why he was different to all the other kids surrounding him; why he was the one born without arms and legs. He wondered what was the purpose behind his life, or if he even had a purpose. After a lot of frustration and feeling like the odd one out in school, at seven years of age Nick tried out some specially designed electronic arms and hands, in hope that he would be more like the other kids. During the short trial period of the electronic arms, Nick realized that even with them, he was still unlike his peers at school, and they turned out to be much too heavy for Nick to operate, effecting his general mobility quite significantly.

As Nick grew up he learnt to deal with his disability and started to be able to do more and more things on his own. He adapted to his situation and found ways to accomplish tasks that most people could only do by using their limbs, such as cleaning teeth, brushing hair, typing on a computer, swimming, playing sports, and much more. As time went by Nick began to embrace his situation and achieve greater things. In grade seven Nick was elected captain of his school and worked with the student council there on various fund-raising events for local charities and disability campaigns.

According to Nick the victory over his struggles throughout his journey, as well as the strength and passion he has for life can be credited to his faith, his family, his friends and the many people he�s encountered during his life who have encouraged him along the way.

After school Nick went on with further study and obtained a double bachelor degree majoring in accounting and financial planning. By the age of 19 Nick started to fulfil his dream of being able to encourage other people and bring them hope, through motivational speaking and telling his story. �I found the purpose of my existence, and also the purpose of my circumstance� There�s a purpose for why you�re in the fire.� Nick wholeheartedly believes that there is a purpose in each of the struggles we encounter in our lives and that our attitude towards those struggles that can be the single most effective factor in overcoming them.

In 2005 Nick was nominated for the "Young Australian of the Year" Award, which is a large honor in Australia, recognizing a young person for their excellence and service to their local community and the nation, as well as their own personal accomplishments. Nominations for this award are only given to truly inspirational people.

Now at 25 years old this limbless young man has accomplished more than most people even twice his age. Nick recently made the massive move from Brisbane, Australia to California, USA, where he is the president of an international non-profit organization, and also has his own motivational speaking company; Attitude Is Altitude. Since his first motivational speaking engagement back when he was 19, Nick has traveled around the world, sharing his story with millions of people, speaking to a range of different groups such as students, teachers, youth, business men and women, entrepreneurs, and church congregations of all sizes. He has also told his story and been interviewed on various televised programs worldwide. However, Nick�s speaking engagements have gone beyond purely motivational speaking, he has had the opportunity to speak with several leaders, including the vice president of Kenya. This year alone Nick is set to speak in over 20 countries.

�People say to me, �How can you smile?�� he says. �Then they realize �there�s got to be something more to life than meets the eye if a guy without arms and legs is living a fuller life than I am.��

Nick shares with his audiences the importance of vision and dreaming big. Using his own experiences in worldwide outreach as examples, he challenges others to examine their perspective and look beyond their circumstances. He shares his view of ceasing to see obstacles as problems, but instead begin to see them as opportunities to grow and reach out to others. He stresses the importance of our attitude being the most powerful tool we have at our disposal and illustrates how the choices we make can have a profound effect on our lives and the lives of those around us. Nick shows through his own life that the major keys in fulfilling our biggest dreams are persistence and choosing to embrace failure as a learning experience, rather than allowing the guilt and fear of failure to paralyze us.

How does Nick Vujicic feel about his disability now? He accepts it, embraces it and oftentimes pokes fun at his own circumstance as he shows off his many �tricks.� He meets challenges with his special blend of humor, perseverance and faith always encouraging those around him to examine their perspective as they develop and define their vision. Using those new definitions he challenges each person he meets to make changes in their lives so that they can begin the path to fulfilling their biggest dreams. Through his amazing ability to connect with people from all walks of life and his incredible sense of humor that captivates children, teens and adults alike, Nick is a truly inspirational motivational speaker.

This is a clip of his interview...Watch it, everyone!

Here are some links to his sites...

www.lifewithoutlimbs.org

www.attitudeisaltitude.com

Click here to view his Facebook page.

I know

I know He is the beginning,

so why do I worry about the end?

I know He is the creator,

so why do I wonder who will destroy?

I know He has forgiven me,

so why can't I forgive myself?

I know He is a healer,

so why do I speak of sickness?

I know He can do all things,

so why do I say I can't?

I know He will protect me,

so why do I fear?

I know He will supply all my needs,

so why can't I wait?

I know He is my strength and my salvation,

so why do I feel weak?

I know that everything and everyone has a season,

so why when someone's season is over do I weep instead of rejoicing?

I know He is the right way,

so why do I go the wrong way?

I know He is the light,

so why do I choose to walk in darkness?

I know that whatever I ask of GOD,

GOD will give me, so why am I scared to ask?

I know tomorrow is not promised,

so why do I put off for tomorrow what I can do today?

I know that the truth shall make me free,

so why do I continue to lie?

I know He gives us revelation, knowledge and understanding,

so why do I lean on my own understanding?

I know I should live in the spirit as well as walk in the spirit,

so why do I choose to live in the spirit, but walk in the flesh?

I know that when praises go up, blessings come down,

so why do I refuse to praise Him?

I know I am saved,

so why do I refuse the word He has given me?

I know He has a plan for me,

so why am I rushing it because I am eager to do His will,

when it is His time not my time?

The shortest distance between a problem and a solution

is the distance between your knees and the floor.

The one who kneels before God can stand up to anything!

So take time to kneel today!

Be Lifted High

Its been a long time since I posted a video...

This is a song by Michael W Smith. Best heard,

when you reflect on the lyrics...

Lyrics

Sin and its ways grow old
All of my heart turns to stone
And I'm left with no strength to arise
How You need to be lifted high
Sin and its ways lead to pain
Left here with hurt and with shame
So no longer will I leave your side
Jesus, you be lifted high

You be lifted high
You be lifted high
You be lifted high in my life, Oh God
And I fall to my knees
So it's you that they see, Not I
Jesus, you be lifted high

And even now that I'm inside your hands
Help me not to grow prideful again
Don't let me forsake sacrifice
Jesus you be lifted high
And if I'm blessed with the riches of kings
How could I ever think that it was me
For you brought me from darkness to light
Jesus, you be lifted high

God has promised...

God has not promised

Skies always blue

Flower-strewn pathways

All our lives through;

God has not promised

Sun without rain

Joy without sorrow

Peace without pain.

But God has promised

Strength for the day,

Rest for the labour,

Light for the way,

Grace for all trials,

Help from above,

Unfailing sympathy,

Undying love.

(by Annie Johnson Flint)

That's salvation

Longfellow could take a worthless sheet of paper, write a poem on it, and make it worth $6,000

- that's genius.

Rockfeller could sign his name to a piece of paper, and make it worth a million dollars

- that's capital.

Uncle Sam can take gold, stamp an eagle on it, and make it worth $50

- that's skill.

An artist can take a fifty-cent piece of canvas, paint a picture on it, and make it worth $1,000

- that's art.

God can take a worthless, sinful life, wash it in the blood of Christ, put His Spirit in it,

and make it a blessing to humanity

- that's salvation.

Most

A simple but beautiful and profound story, MOST ( a short film) quietly stuns audiences everywhere it plays.

A father and son love each other very much. Stargazing or enjoying tea together, the two are nearly inseparable. One day, Lada, the son, asks his father if he can join him at the bridge. The bridge is where the father works as an operator, raising a drawbridge when a boat must pass and lowering it when the train arrives. On the one day that Lada joins his father at work, a train arrives early. Lada tries to alert his father that the train is early, but his father cannot hear him. Father is away, inspecting some machinery. So, the boy rushes to throw the switch manually, enabling the drawbridge to drop and let the train safely pass. But, by the time the father discovers the problem, Lado has accidentally fallen into the drawbridge wheel and pulley mechanisms. The father must make a choice. Save his son and let the train wreck. Or, lower the bridge, save the train and sacrifice his son to the crushing wheels.

( taken from turnbacktogod.com)

Determination and Love

In 1883, a creative engineer named John Roebling was inspired by an idea to build a spectacular bridge connecting New York with the Long Island . However bridge building experts throughout the world thought that this was an impossible feat and told Roebling to forget the idea. It just could not be done. It was not practical. It had never been done before.

Roebling could not ignore the vision he had in his mind of this bridge. He thought about it all the time and he knew deep in his heart that it could be done. He just had to share the dream with someone else. After much discussion and persuasion he managed to convince his son Washington, an up and coming engineer, that the bridge in fact could be built.

Working together for the first time, the father and son developed concepts of how it could be accomplished and how the obstacles could be overcome. With great excitement and inspiration, and the headiness of a wild challenge before them, they hired their crew and began to build their dream bridge.

The project started well, but when it was only a few months underway a tragic accident on the site took the life of John Roebling. Washington was injured and left with a certain amount of brain damage, which resulted in him not being able to walk or talk or even move.

"We told them so."

"Crazy men and their crazy dreams."
"It’s foolish to chase wild visions."

Everyone had a negative comment to make and felt that the project should be scrapped since the Roeblings were the only ones who knew how the bridge could be built. In spite of his handicap Washington was never discouraged and still had a burning desire to complete the bridge and his mind was still as sharp as ever.

He tried to inspire and pass on his enthusiasm to some of his friends, but they were too daunted by the task. As he lay on his bed in his hospital room, with the sunlight streaming through the windows, a gentle breeze blew the flimsy white curtains apart and he was able to see the sky and the tops of the trees outside for just a moment.

It seemed that there was a message for him not to give up. Suddenly an idea hit him. All he could do was move one finger and he decided to make the best use of it. By moving this, he slowly developed a code of communication with his wife.

He touched his wife's arm with that finger, indicating to her that he wanted her to call the engineers again. Then he used the same method of tapping her arm to tell the engineers what to do. It seemed foolish but the project was under way again.

For 13 years Washington tapped out his instructions with his finger on his wife's arm, until the bridge was finally completed. Today the spectacular Brooklyn Bridge stands in all its glory as a tribute to the triumph of one man's indomitable spirit and his determination not to be defeated by circumstances. It is also a tribute to the engineers and their team work, and to their faith in a man who was considered mad by half the world. It stands too as a tangible monument to the love and devotion of his wife who for 13 long years patiently decoded the messages of her husband and told the engineers what to do.

(Picture of the Brookyn Bridge)

Perhaps this is one of the best examples of a never-say-die attitude that overcomes a terrible physical handicap and achieves an impossible goal.

Often when we face obstacles in our day-to-day life, our hurdles seem very small in comparison to what many others have to face. The Brooklyn Bridge shows us that dreams that seem impossible can be realized with determination and persistence, no matter what the odds are.

Even the most distant dream can be realized with determination, love and persistence. All we have to do… is never give up.