Sunday, November 02, 2008
President's Point - Step Up and Step Out
I have been putting off writing this article for a couple of weeks. I haven't been feeling too guilty, because I heard that Janice's (our editor) computer blew up, and we might not be having a November newsletter. Anyway, she got a new one, so I am getting off my (you know what) and getting moving.
Yesterday I received the CMA Heart Beat (our association's monthly magazine), and I read an article by Holly Ogden in the Fast Lane section. I am really glad I did, because it reminded me that God knows where I am, what I am going through, and that He desires to equip me to handle anything that is being thrown at me, and everything that is going to be thrown at me. Now to some of you that might seem obvious, but what really touched me was the way God did this. I will give you a brief overview. Holly's husband (John Ogden Jr.) went on a trip for a month, and Holly was feeling very alone. They had been apart before, but this time she was having a lot of trouble dealing with the separation. As the days went by, It seemed that she was being driven to retreat even further into isolation. At this point, God took steps to get her some help. He encouraged her to go to church Sunday and ask for prayer. I don't want to give away the entire story, so just let me say that she not only got the help she needed, but she was empowered and enabled to handle the future events that God already knew were coming. The important points that are revealed in this article, are that God required that Holly step out of her comfort zone to get help, and that God used other people to help her. Stepping out or our comfort zone gives us an important opportunity to grow in our trust in the Lord, so we can better understand that He is in control and can handle it. Finally, helping other people in need, strengthens our own relationship with God, and enables us to see how He works, and to experience the joy of being His tool in helping another person get through a difficult time. So, step out, and step up, the blessings far exceed the risk.
If you would like to read Holly's article, I have posted them below, just click on a page.
Tom Zimmer
¶ 7:06 AM 
I have been putting off writing this article for a couple of weeks. I haven't been feeling too guilty, because I heard that Janice's (our editor) computer blew up, and we might not be having a November newsletter. Anyway, she got a new one, so I am getting off my (you know what) and getting moving.
Yesterday I received the CMA Heart Beat (our association's monthly magazine), and I read an article by Holly Ogden in the Fast Lane section. I am really glad I did, because it reminded me that God knows where I am, what I am going through, and that He desires to equip me to handle anything that is being thrown at me, and everything that is going to be thrown at me. Now to some of you that might seem obvious, but what really touched me was the way God did this. I will give you a brief overview. Holly's husband (John Ogden Jr.) went on a trip for a month, and Holly was feeling very alone. They had been apart before, but this time she was having a lot of trouble dealing with the separation. As the days went by, It seemed that she was being driven to retreat even further into isolation. At this point, God took steps to get her some help. He encouraged her to go to church Sunday and ask for prayer. I don't want to give away the entire story, so just let me say that she not only got the help she needed, but she was empowered and enabled to handle the future events that God already knew were coming. The important points that are revealed in this article, are that God required that Holly step out of her comfort zone to get help, and that God used other people to help her. Stepping out or our comfort zone gives us an important opportunity to grow in our trust in the Lord, so we can better understand that He is in control and can handle it. Finally, helping other people in need, strengthens our own relationship with God, and enables us to see how He works, and to experience the joy of being His tool in helping another person get through a difficult time. So, step out, and step up, the blessings far exceed the risk.
If you would like to read Holly's article, I have posted them below, just click on a page.
Tom Zimmer
¶ 7:06 AM
