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
maide service in Lincolnshire ..In the interest of mankind the Angels are delivering messages... Read More
I want to tell you a love story. It's actually... Read More
The 'As Above, So Below' law that is the combination... Read More
In Corrogue I am finding it's a wonderful life.Let me... Read More
In my work with clients who have physical illnesses there... Read More
His name sounds as Finn. He has beautiful blue eyes... Read More
It happens to us all from time to time, especially... Read More
Matthew 1:1-17The Genealogy of Jesus Christ1 The book of the... Read More
Those five words are from a song that I remember... Read More
In life, sooner or later, we come to the midnight... Read More
Are you facing some challenges in your life right now?... Read More
I thought for sometime that I was hard done bye... Read More
AN ARISTOCRATIC UPBRINGING:There are many people who write about sex... Read More
I believe in the source we refer to as 'God'.... Read More
Actually, loving does not take any great effort on our... Read More
The magic of the tarot was obvious to me the... Read More
ADDICTION: - There are numerous obsessions and addictions which prevent... Read More
Even Pandora and her box come in two versions. In... Read More
INTRODUCTIONSpiritual affirmations are positive, statements of intention, that facilitate manifestation.... Read More
It's strange how my life today looks wildly different from... Read More
It's not exactly a news flash that we live in... Read More
It's amazing how - even when we're working from a... Read More
The teacher of the future.... will be a master of... Read More
Is your hope in God? Or, is it in people?I... Read More
It was my intention to explain the word "simple," and... Read More
cleaning lady near Deerfield ..I still remember the scene vividly. I was getting out... Read More
"Let me take you down to a town called Paradise."Van... Read More
forgiveness stories quotes definition and loveForgiveness is that quality in... Read More
I'm not sure Paul had the Japanese culture in mind... Read More
Everything was going wrong.The weight of the world had decided... Read More
Is your hope in God? Or, is it in people?I... Read More
You're probably sabotaging your successful Christian life right now if... Read More
The second verse of Amy Grant's song, "Angels Watching Over... Read More
Healing is a special gift that any human being can... Read More
Breaking with tradition, today's article comes from the 9-23-04 edition... Read More
Looking for some ways to feed your soul in the... Read More
The fundamental aim of spiritual study is to get facts... Read More
The time we spend on earth is very short when... Read More
Matthew 22:37-39 Jesus said unto him, "Thou shalt love the... Read More
Mrs. Dixon the famous prognosticator and psychic to the stars... Read More
Just for a moment think of what is stopping you... Read More
In one forum, one participant posted this query:I think quite... Read More
In Habakkuk, the prophet cries out in a lament complaint... Read More
Have you ever noticed how much our lives resemble a... Read More
Some may ask why in a disaster some people are... Read More
As we proceed further into the 21st century there is... Read More
I have a big mouth. If you have read my... Read More
Almost every spiritual and religious teaching exhorts its followers to... Read More
We've all heard the saying, "You have to forgive, but... Read More
The truth revealed as we read about Hazael also reminds... Read More
Spirituality |