TIME and FAITHFULNESS: A Payday of Blessings

[Steadfast]

Upon taking the Church I now Pastor some 19 years ago the wise Bishop who preceeded me gave some wise advice to this young (26 year old) incoming Pastor. Seeing the questions I had on my face pertaining to a few hopeless looking areas of our congregation he said, "Son, your best two friends in life will now be time and faithfulness. When the congregation sees you endure TIME while being FAITHFUL to God in every way it will pay great dividends."

He was right and now that little congregation has become a booming revival Church.

The blessings of time and faithfulness have also reached into my own life and marked it with blessings beyond measure. In fact, this week seems to almost be a 'payday' of blessings for my faithfulness through time. How so?


This week my eldest son (my full time Assistant Pastor) and his wife will be having my FIRST grandchild. They love God, love this Church and honor my wife and I in every way. According to the 'due date' I will be blessed with a grandchild this week... born into a home without drinking, drugging or destruction of Godly principles. I'm blessed for living faithful through time.

This morning I announced my youngest son's engagement to our congregation. He's a full time Evangelist and is going to marry one of the most priceless young people I've every had the privilege of Pastoring. She's holy, virtuous and loves God more than she loves my son. So much could be said about these two precious young adults that time would fail to say it all. I can, however, say this... I've been blessed for living a faithful life through time before my children.

I wasn't born in the Church.
I was, quite literally, the son of the town drunk.
I don't deserve these kinds of blessings on my life.

But I'm thankful that my children have seen me put God first in their world and that they, in return, have followed my path of commitment.

The tears I've wept today aren't of sorrow or sadness. It's called 'gratitude'. TIME and FAITHFULNESS have been my friends: I'm living in a 'payday' of blessings.

[freeatlast]

You have been blessed !!

[Coonskinner]

That's awesome, Brother White.

Thanks for the great report and profound words.

[rgcraig]

Steadfast!

Thank you for taking time to share your blessings with us! You are truly a blessed man.

[Steadfast]

Whoa... talk about a change of events! It was only about 10 minutes after I posted this thread today that my oldest son called in a panic. We own about 34 acres of land on the outskirts of town and he keeps his 9 horses out there. He had gone out to feed his horses on our property and looked over and saw a car parked about halfway back along the fenced property line.

He saw it there last night and thought someone was looking at an adjecent piece of land but when he got there today he saw it was still there and decided to check it out. Much to his suprise he found, lying beside the car, a dead body of a young man. I would never have expected something like this on our serene little 'getaway'. But there on the property line it was: a dead body. Quite shaken he called us and then immediately the authorities only to find out that it was a man in his late teens or early twenties. Rushing out there I was saddened to see the sobering scenery with this ashen corpse the sad centerpiece.

At this time they aren't sure if it's homocide or suicide. What they are sure of is that nobody has reported someone missing even though the man has been there anywhere to two to three days.

Drugs? Who knows. Broken family? No idea. Shattered hopes? Most likely.

While my heart grieves for this young man who saw a hopeless world it makes me even more grateful that I've shown my kids what faithfulness and truth can do in a life.

Selah.

[Ron]

Wow. You have been blessed Bro beyond measure.
It is sad to hear about the man that died so close to a home where truth is taught and lived.

[Steadfast]

Wow. You have been blessed Bro beyond measure.
It is sad to hear about the man that died so close to a home where truth is taught and lived.

It was, in all honesty, a sobering moment when I looked and saw my son standing there by his car while, in this same line of sight, this other young man lay dead beside his car.

Both were about the same age.
Both were about the same size.
Both had the same color hair.

Ron, I'm so thankful that I've allowed my children to see God first in my life... and that it transfered into their lives.

Yes, my life could be so much worse. Again, all I can say is that I'm blessed.

[Margies3]

Steadfast, you have preached more of a sermon today by sharing these experiences than if you had given us an hour long step-by-step message from a Sunday morning sermon. These are sobering thoughts, indeed. Thank you for giving us something to think hard about.

[Steadfast]

Steadfast, you have preached more of a sermon today by sharing these experiences than if you had given us an hour long step-by-step message from a Sunday morning sermon. These are sobering thoughts, indeed. Thank you for giving us something to think hard about.

Miss Margie,

It was quite an ordeal for my eldest (who found the body) as well. He's been pretty quiet since finding the body. He said he stayed up until 6 AM this morning and when he did try to rest he kept seeing the body laying there.

As one might expect, the thing that bothers him (having mentioned it several times) is how sad it is that someone could find nothing to live for.

Blessings on you and yours.