Categories
Blog

Urgent: Stop Suicide

Thank you, Tim Ferriss, Jocko Willink and Echo Charles . You just gifted me the most urgent podcast message I have ever heard: Jocko Podcast Episode #50.

For the love of God, share Jocko Podcast Episode #50 NOW. And if God is not among your loved ones, for the love of them, share it NOW! This is a message every teenager should hear NOW, every Veteran should hear NOW, every college student should hear NOW. Every ________ should hear NOW. Fill in the blank. Share, share, share, NOW! Why?

Between Thanksgiving and Christmas some years back, my cousin Tyler killed himself, all alone. He had reached out to me and to my sons, just asking what we were doing over the holidays. We sensed he was fishing for an invitation, but we were busy.

We never heard from Tyler again. Instead my aunt called. She could not handle it. I flew out to California and cleaned up what Tyler left behind. He never saw the New Year. And every New Year, I try to forget it could have been different. But I can’t because it could have been.

You don’t need to carry a burden like this the rest of your life. SHARE Jocko Podcast #50 NOW. Listen for the quiet desperation that may lie behind the polite question or phone call of a friend or relative, and SHARE Jocko Podcast #50. Share yourself, your ear, your heart, your time. A false positive carries little risk, but a false negative can mean a death to be borne forever. You can make a difference you may never know you made until in due time you yourself pass over.

Categories
Health

Post-op praise

1 Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.
2     Worship the Lord with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.
3 Know that the Lord is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
5 For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations. (Psalm 100, New International Version)

 

4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God,which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Paul’s letter to the church at Phillipi, Chapter 4, New International Version)

 

16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (Paul’s letter to the church at Thessaloniki, Chapter 5, New International Version)

This morning, I rejoice, praising the Lord. Thursday before going into the operating room, I signed a sheet acknowledging that I had been warned of all the ghastly possible outcomes, including brain damage and death. It is almost noon on Saturday. The Lord protected me through that valley of the shadow! This morning, the Spirit prompted me out of bed and into my prayer walk. My system started moving again. Gone now is the refuse that had accumulated for two days.

I changed the dressing on surgical incisions. There was no infection. I was able to bathe. I am able to sit here and share with you my joy over what did not happen as well as what has.

Now I pray for marvelously quick healing so that the work of Dr. Schultz the surgeon will be perfected through the post-op care of the Great Physician. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Categories
Wisdom

Praise vs. Thanks

Just now while in Proverbs Chapter 3, a clear insight came, an answer to a prayer of long standing. What is the difference between praise and thanksgiving?

Here it is. I praise God for the wisdom He reveals in the Book of Proverbs. It is marvelous and so unique compared to other teachings on the subject.

Now, I thank him that I have access to the Amplified Bible version of Proverbs. I thank him that I have a computer and the Internet and a private office where I can access Proverbs. I thank him that I have a period of complete calm at this rare moment to seek his wisdom. I thank Him that I can actually ask the Creator of the Universe for help in fathoming these words of wisdom.

That helped me understand the difference. Maybe you already figured this one out.