I have almost died twice in my life. The first time was from pneumonia when I was 4 years old. I was hospitalized for a week and although I remember little of the experience, to this day I have to be diligent about my respiratory health because another case could be fatal. The second time was when I was 18, and I fully recall that experience. It was January 1994, and I was a second semester freshman at the University of South Carolina. I went to class and band practice, ate supper with my family, and studied for a quiz in one of my classes when I suddenly got violently ill. I still don't know exactly what it was, but it hit hard and fast. After a few miserable hours with no improvement, I finally ruled out a stomach virus and asked my parents to take me to the emergency room.
Lying on a bed in the ER with a nurse trying to find a vein in my arm, all I could think of was that I hadn't had a chance to live. I was only 18, had just started college, and my brother was getting married in 3 weeks. It seemed ironic that I would be spared death at age 4 to barely grow up. I definitely conversed with the Lord that night. The main thing I prayed for was a chance to serve Him in this world as an adult. I felt I really hadn't done much for Him up to that point, and had spent all of my life in preparation for a future that I may never have.
The next thing I remember was waking up in my bedroom the next night. More than anything, I was relieved that I woke up at all. Despite being weak and achy from my ordeal, I was overjoyed that my prayers had been answered and that God had a purpose for me in this world.
Anybody that has had a near-death experience will tell you it's the most frightening thing that can happen. Suddenly, all of the little things fall away and you see what's really important. The blessings seem to shine brighter and you start to realize what matters to you the most. One thing I realized is that every day is a gift from God that should never be taken for granted. Every morning is a new opportunity to serve the Lord through the gifts He blessed us with. Every new dawn brings with it the grace of new chances to serve Him and build faith in one another and ourselves.
No matter what you are facing in life, remember, "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness." (Lamentations 3:23-24 RSV) I know from experience that the same old routine can get mind numbing after a while, and I also know that sometimes you go through seasons where it seems nothing goes right. We all face trials and challenges, and all of our lives are difficult in one way or another. The good news is that, no matter how bad things seem, the Lord is always with us and gives us the gift of another day to set things right. Hard times never last. The Lord graciously forgives the mistakes of yesterday turns them to the forgiven wisdom of today. It may take a while to reach that goal, make that dream come true, or resolve that problem, but you have a chance with every sunrise to take steps toward that goal. If you faithfully persevere, one day you will wake up to a bright sunrise on a clear horizon.
Where there is life, there is hope. If you woke up this morning, the Lord has given you a golden opportunity. Hope gives us the chance to learn from the experiences of the past and move forward. All of us are given this gift with the dawn of each new day.
How will you use this gift today?
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 http://hometown.aol.com/bgearth/index.html
best cleaning company Lincolnshire ..Enlightenment can come in an instant or it may take... Read More
Matthew 22:37-39 Jesus said unto him, "Thou shalt love the... Read More
The Tarot is not just a divinatory tool, but it... Read More
I heard recently on a Christian radio station somebody talking... Read More
There is a natural tendency to asociate spirituality with religion,... Read More
Spiritual Inspiration Music is about Love, Growth, Spiritual and Personal... Read More
Forgiveness breaks all bounds of repression and depression. It liberates... Read More
"Here I am! I stand at the door and knock.... Read More
Sundered Knight:Although the world, Denies the weak aid and justice,... Read More
The practice of meditating on loving-kindness may be over two... Read More
I still remember the scene vividly. I was getting out... Read More
It's an almost unbelievable thought, but could you be getting... Read More
I said something last week I haven't said in years.... Read More
The Emmaus Journal What is Wrong With Being Common? This... Read More
Sometimes we're already free but we don't realize it. We... Read More
Woodstock, the watershed event for a generation, had a far... Read More
Greetings Divine Ones, I am going to ask you a... Read More
There is an inherent generosity in the human spirit to... Read More
An Illuminatus Speaks:You will have to decide if this Illuminatus... Read More
The word "psychology" is the combination of two terms -... Read More
His name sounds as Finn. He has beautiful blue eyes... Read More
There's nothing wrong with wanting to improve ourselves either outwardly... Read More
Do you ever have one of those days when you... Read More
All Shamans have several power songs because the vibration of... Read More
Although your creative ability and talent is something that God... Read More
on demand house cleaning Lake Forest ..It is important and necessary that we regularly spend time... Read More
Christianity: White man's religion?Martin Luther King referred to Sunday as... Read More
One of my favorite movies is "The Green Mile". A... Read More
Angels are making their presence felt everywhere. Once I started... Read More
Nicole Kidman and Will Ferrell recently starred in the movie... Read More
Imagine yourself marooned on a vast deserted island. You have... Read More
If you were Satan and your goal is to destroy... Read More
In the game of billiards there are two things you... Read More
Do you ever get into those moods where you just... Read More
We make sense of our world via the senses. The... Read More
My mentor, a brilliant Ph.D, with a powerful marriage counseling... Read More
If you've been on a conscious spiritual journey for any... Read More
Though closely akin and sometimes used synonymously, John Rawls distinguish... Read More
As a child growing up, whenever I was worried about... Read More
Most forms of psychotherapy I know either tries to help... Read More
Whenever we have the opportunity to make human assessments, the... Read More
It seems more people today are using the Christian god... Read More
After first seeing my photography, people... Read More
Rose Ann Schwab is an internationally and world renowned professional... Read More
What power do we hold individually in the midst of... Read More
Worldwide extensive research is being published related to the mind-body... Read More
On one side there is a dark cloud. It is... Read More
It will all be clear in a minute, but first... Read More
Sometimes, in traveling a path, we discover a short-cut, and... Read More
God !"My son will be brought up in a place... Read More
Spirituality |