By Brett Petrillo
Several years ago on New Year’s Day, 20-year-old Nicholas Simmons went missing. His family did everything they could to find their son, including contacting the police and starting a Facebook page. Unfortunately, since Nick had left his wallet and cell phone at home, no one could find him. For days they diligently searched for him, all to no avail.
By Brett Petrillo
As a plane was on its way to Paris, a report came in about extremely heavy fog throughout the city. The fog was so severe that landing the plane in Paris was completely out of the question. So, the aircraft was diverted to another city about 190 miles away, where the passengers would be carried home by charter buses at the airline’s expense. One would think that most passengers would be frustrated by the delay, but understanding of the dangerous situation. Not on this plane.
By Brett Petrillo
“In 1846 former president John Quincy Adams suffered a stroke. Although he returned to Congress the following year, his health was clearly failing. A friend of his came in and made particular inquiry of his health. Adams answered, ‘I inhabit a weak, frail, decayed tenement; battered by the winds and broken in upon by the storms, and from all I can learn, the landlord does not intend to repair” (Today in the Word, April 11, 1992).
A preacher back in the 1800s was feeling extremely stressed and loaded down with the troubles and pressures that came through his ministry. One day he came home and was greeted by his young daughter, Minnie, whose legs were paralyzed. He was about to carry a package from the mail upstairs when Minnie said, “Daddy, I will carry that package upstairs for you.” The preacher replied, “Minnie dear, how can you carry the package?” With a smile on her face, Minnie said, “If you will give me the package, I will hold it while you carry me.” This sweet gesture from his daughter reminded him of the way God wants to help us with our own burdens.
God is fully aware of the stresses and burdens we bare. He also wants to help us with them. In the book of Isaiah, God gave Israel a reminder, “Even to your old age I will be the same, and even to your graying years I will bear you! I have done it, and I will carry you; and I will bear you and I will deliver you” (46:3-4).
The stresses of life can become extremely heavy and burdensome. We don’t have to bear all of this alone. He cares when we are stressed out. Let’s remember that God is willing to take the load for us (Matthew 11:28-30; 1 Peter 5:7). What a loving God we serve!
by Brett Petrillo
Via Daily Bread
Bret Petrillo via Daily Bread
The very accomplished architect, Frank Lloyd Wright, built a house for businessman Hibbard Johnson back in 1937. One rainy evening, Johnson was entertaining some very distinguished guests for dinner when the roof began to leak and drip directly on top of Johnson’s head. Furious and embarrassed, he called up Wright and complained about the roof leaking on top of his head. Frank Wright simply replied, “Well Hib, why don’t you move your chair?”
by Brett Petrillo
“It is an old ironic habit of human beings to run faster when we have lost our way” ~ Rollo May
It doesn’t really make sense, but it’s so very true. When we are lost, we tend to run in an attempt to find our way again. Instead, all we do is become more lost with every passing second.
The same is true spiritually. When we get lost in sin, fo some reason we lose all sense of direction and run deeper into our own faults. Many before us have done this very same thing. Consider those who looked to escape from God when they were lost.