~Many years ago I was very troubled and had not had a good
nights sleep for several nights, I tossed and turned in bed
and in my head I heard over and over, I AM,I AM, I AM, I AM. I
got out of bed and walked into the livingroom in the dark,
turned on a light, picked up my bible and opened it. In front
of my eyes, there it was, Jesus saith unto him,"I AM the way,
the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by
me." John 14:6 I dear friends had found the way, the truth
and life!
"The One who is, and who was, and who is to come extends to us his grace. That is God the Father, the great I AM. When God appeared to Moses in the burning bush, he proclaimed himself to be "I AM WHO I AM." Moses was to tell the children of Israel that I AM had sent him to them to lead them out of slavery. I AM, the eternally existing God: The One who is, and who was, and who is to come. In the midst of all the changes of life and history, God remains unchanging, the same yesterday, today, and forever."
~THE TUNNEL TO THE SKY~
~In about 1942-43 my brothers and I went out onto the very
thick ice in Mpls. Minn. to drop out marbles in the cracks of
the ice to see the rainbows come up. I was the youngest and
the slowest. They called back to me to watch out for the hole
in the ice, I seen the hole but did not walk far enought
around is as the ice tapers back and I fell in and went under
the ice. Did you know that there is 1" air space between water
and ice? That was the last thing I remembered is panic befor I started going slowly up a stairway to the clouds, it was getting warmer and brighter, as I neared the top I could see a
lot of people and a voice saying, "go back, go back, go back" and I slowly started going back where I woke up all purple and so cold, the police said I had no heart beat or breathing when they got me from under the ice. This was a long time befor they were talking of such things. I truly believe God was with me and had other plans for my life, which you will see at LLOYD'S HOME Be sure to bookmark and bring a box of kleenex with you, better yet read this site, sign my guestbook and then go to my other Homepages.~
~I REFUSE TO BE DISCOURAGED~
~I refuse to be discouraged,
To be sad, or to cry;
I refuse to be downhearted,
and here's the reason why...~
~I have a God who's mighty,
Who's sovereign and supreme;
I have a God who loves me,
and I am on His team.~
~He is all wise and powerful,
Jesus is His name;
Though everything is changeable,
My God remains the same.~
~My God knows all that's happening;
Beginning to the end,
His presence is my comfort,
He is my dearest friend.~
~When sickness comes to weaken me,
To bring my head down low,
I call upon my mighty God;
Into His arms I go.~
~When circumstances threaten
to rob me from my peace;
He draws me close unto His breast,
Where all my strivings cease.~
~And when my heart melts within me,
and weakness takes control;
He gathers me into His arms,
He soothes my heart and soul.~
~The great "I AM" is with me,
My life is in His hand,
The "Son of the Lord" is my hope,
It's in His strength I stand.~
~I refuse to be defeated,
My eyes are on my God;
He has promised to be with me,
as through this life I trod.~
~I'm looking past all my circumstances,
To Heaven's throne above;
My prayers have reached
the heart of God,
I'm resting in His love.~
~I give God thanks in everything,
My eyes are on His face;
The battle's His, the victory is mine;
He'll help me win the race.~
~Author Unknown~
~I AM~
~I was regretting the past
and fearing the future.
Suddenly God was speaking:
"MY NAME IS I AM."~
~I waited. God continued:
"When you live in the past
with its mistakes and regrets,
it is hard. I am not there.
MY NAME IS NOT I WAS.~
~When you live in the future,
with its problems and fears,
it is hard. I am not there.
MY NAME IS NOT I WILL BE.~
~When you live in this moment,
it is not hard, I am here.
"MY NAME IS I AM."~
~Author Unknown~
~The Room~
~In that place between wakefulness and dreams, I found myself
in the room. There were no distinguishing features save for
the one wall covered with small indexcard files. They were
like the ones in libraries that list titles by author or
subject in alphabetical order. But these files, which
stretched from floor to ceiling and seemingly endlessly in
either direction, had very different headings.~
~As I drew near the wall of files, the first to catch my
attention was one that read "Girls I Have Liked". I opened it
and began flipping through the cards. I quickly shut it,
shocked to realize that I recognized the names written on each
one. And then without being told, I knew exactly where I was.
This lifeless room with its small files was a crude catalog
system for my life. Here were written the actions of my every
moment, big and small, in a detail my memory couldn't
match.~
~A sense of wonder and curiosity, coupled with horror, stirred
within me as I began randomly opening files and exploring
their content. Some brought joy and sweet memories; others a
sense of shame and regret so intense that I would look over my
shoulder to see if anyone was watching.~
~A file named "Friends" was next to one marked "Friends I Have
Betrayed". The titles ranged from the mundane to the outright
weird. "Books I Have Read", "Lies I Have Told", "Comfort I
Have Given", "Jokes I Have Laughed At". Some were almost
hilarious in their exactness: "Things I've Yelled at My
Brothers."~
~Others I couldn't laugh at: "Things I Have Done in My Anger",
"Things I Have Muttered Under My Breath at My Parents". I
never ceased to be surprised by the contents. Often there were
many more cards than I expected. Sometimes fewer than I hoped.
I was overwhelmed by the sheer volume of the life I had lived.
Could it be possible that I had the time in my 20 years to
write each of these thousands or even millions of cards? But
each card confirmed this truth. Each was written in my own
handwriting. Each signed with my signature.~
~When I pulled out the file marked "Songs I Have Listened To",
I realized the files grew to contain their contents. The cards
were packed tightly, and yet after two or three yards, I
hadn't found the end of the file. I shut it, shamed, not so
much by the quality of music, but more by the vast amount of
time I knew that file represented. When I came to a file
marked "Lustful Thoughts", I felt a chill run through my body.
I pulled the file out only an inch, not willing to test its
size, and drew out a card. I shuddered at its detailed
content. I felt sick to think that such a moment had been
recorded.~
~An almost animal rage broke on me. One thought dominated my
mind: "No one must ever see these cards! No one must ever see
this room! I have to destroy them!" In an insane frenzy I
yanked the file out. Its size didn't matter now. I had to
empty it and burn the cards. But as I took it at one end and
began pounding it on the floor, I could not dislodge a single
card. I became desperate and pulled out a card, only to find
it as strong as steel when I tried to tear it. Defeated and
utterly helpless, I returned the file to its slot.~
~Leaning my forehead against the wall, I let out a long,
self-pitying sigh. And then I saw it. The title bore "People I
Have Shared the Gospel With". The handle was brighter than
those around it, newer, almost unused. I pulled on its handle
and a small box not more than three inches long fell into my
hands. I could count the cards it contained on one hand. And
then the tears came. I began to weep. Sobs so deep that the
hurt started in my stomach and shook through me. I fell on my
knees and cried.~
~I cried out of shame, from the overwheming shame of it all.
The rows of file shelves swirled in my tear-filled eyes. No
one must ever, ever know of this room. I must lock it up and
hide the key. But then as I pushed away the tears, I saw
Him.~
~No, please not Him. Not here. Oh, anyone but Jesus. I watched
helplessly as He began to open the files and read the cards. I
couldn't bear to watch His response. And in the moments I
could bring myself to look at His face, I saw a sorrow deeper
than my own. He seemed to intuitively go to the worst
boxes.~
~Why did He have to read every one? Finally He turned and
looked at me from across the room. He looked at me with pity
in His eyes. But this was a pity that didn't anger me. I
dropped my head, covered my face with my hands and began to
cry again. He walked over and put His arm around me. He could
have said so many things. But He didn't say a word. He just
cried with me.~
~Then He got up and walked back to the wall of files. Starting
at one end of the room, He took out a file and, one by one,
began to sign His name over mine on each card. "No!" I shouted
rushing to Him. All I could find to say was "No, no," as I
pulled the card from Him. His name shouldn't be on these
cards. But there it was, written in red so rich, so dark, so
alive. The name of Jesus covered mine. It was written with His
blood. He gently took the card back. He smiled a sad smile and
began to sign the cards. I don't think I'll ever understand
how He did it so quickly, but the next instant it seemed I
heard Him close the last file and walk back to my side. He
placed His hand on my shoulder and said, "It is finished." I
stood up, and He led me out of the room. There was no lock on
its door. There were still cards to be written.~
~By Joshua Harris~
Subject: The Room
~Procrastinating as usual, 17-year-old Brian Moore had only a short time to write something for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes meeting. It was his turn to lead the discussion. So he sat down and wrote. He showed the essay titled "The Room" to his mother, Beth, before he headed out the door.
"I wowed 'em," he later told his father Bruce. "It was a killer. It's the bomb.
It's the best thing I ever wrote."
It was also the last.~
~Brian's parents had forgotten about the essay when a cousin found it while cleaning out the teenager's locker at Teays Valley High school. Brian had been dead only hours, but his parents desperately wanted every piece
of his life near them-the crepe paper that had adorned his locker during his senior football season, notes from classmates and teachers, his homework.~
~Only two months before, he had handwritten the essay about encountering Jesus in a file room full of cards detailing every moment of the teen's life.
But it was only after Brian's death that Beth and Bruce Moore realized that their son had described his view of heaven. "It makes such an impact that people want to share it. You feel like you are there," Mr. Moore said.~
~Brian Moore died May 27, 1997-the day after Memorial Day. He was driving home from a friend's house when his car went off Bulen-Pierce Road in
Pickaway County and struck a utility pole. He emerged from the wreck unharmed but stepped on a downed power line and was electrocuted.~
~Brian seemed to excel at everything he did. He was an honor student. He told his parents he loved them "a hundred times a day", Mrs. Moore said. He was a star wide
receiver for the Teays Valley football team and had earned a four-year scholarship to Capital University in Columbus because of his athletic and academic abilities. He took it upon himself to learn how to help a fellow student who used a wheelchair at school. During one homecoming ceremony, Brian walked on his tiptoes so the girl he was escorting wouldn't be embarrassed about being taller than him. He adored his kid brother, Bruce, now 14. He often escorted his grandmother Evelyn Moore, who lives in Columbus to church. "I always called him the deep thinker," Evelyn Moore said of her eldest grandson.~
~Two years after his death, his family still struggles to understand why Brian was taken from them. They find comfort at the cemetery where Brian is buried, just a few blocks from their home. They visit daily. A candle and dozens of silk and real flowers keep vigil over the gravesite. The Moores framed a copy of Brian's essay and hung it among the family portraits in the living room. "I think God used him to make a point. I think we were meant to find it and make something out of it," Mrs. Moore said of the essay. She
and her husband want to share their son's vision of life after death. "I'm happy for Brian. I know he's in heaven. I know I'll see him again someday," Mrs. Moore said. "I just hurt so bad now."~
~DON'T QUIT~
~When things go wrong as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all
uphill, When the funds are low and the debts
are high, And you want to smile but you have
to sigh, When care is pressing you down a
bit...
Rest if you must - but don't you quit.~
~Life is queer with its twists and turns, As
every one of us sometimes learns, And many a
failure turns about, When he might have won
if he'd stuck it out. Don't give up, though
the pace seems slow You may succeed with
another blow. Often the goal is nearer than
it seems to a faint and faltering man; Often
the struggler has given up. When he might
have captured the victor's cup, And he
learned too late, when the night slipped
down, How close he was to the golden crown.~
~Success is failure turned inside out. The
silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
And you never can tell how close you are, It
may be near when it seems afar, So stick to
the fight when you're hardest hit, It's when
things go wrong That you must not quit.~
~Author Unknown~
~~THE HAND OF GOD~
~The following pictures are the same photograph of a funnel
cloud.~
~The first picture shows the photograph as it was actually
taken.~
~What you are about to see next is the same picture turned
sideways.~
~ Photographer Unknown ~
~What Do You See?~
~This is an actual photograph and has not been altered in any
manner.~
~GOD'S ETERNAL INK~
~I dreamed I was in heaven
Where an angel kept God's book.
He was writing so intently
I just had to take a look.~
~It was not, at first, his writing
That made me stop and think
But the fluid in the bottle
That was marked eternal ink.~
~This ink was most amazing,
Dark black upon his blotter
But as it touched the parchment
It became as clear as water.~
~The angel kept on writing,
But as quickly as a wink
The words were disappearing
With that strange eternal ink.~
~The angel took no notice,
But kept writing on and on.
He turned each page and filled it
Till all its space was gone.~
~I thought he wrote to no avail,
His efforts were so vain
For he wrote a thousand pages
That he'd never read again.~
~And as I watched and wondered that
This awesome sight was mine,
I actually saw a word stay black
As it dried upon the line.~
~The angel wrote and I thought I saw
A look of satisfaction.
At last he had some print to show
For all his earnest action.~
~A line or two dried dark and stayed
As black as black can be,
But strangely the next paragraph
Became invisible to see.~
~The book was getting fuller,
The angel's records true,
But most of it was blank, with
Just a few words coming through.~
~I knew there was some reason,
But as hard as I could think,
I couldn't grasp the significance
Of that eternal ink.~
~The mystery burned within me,
And I finally dared to ask
The angel to explain to me
Of his amazing task.~
~And what I heard was frightful
As the angel turned his head.
He looked directly at me,
And this is what he said.~
~I know you stand and wonder
At what my writing's worth
But God has told me to record
The lives of those on earth.~
~The book that I am filling
Is an accurate account
Of every word and action
And to what they do amount.~
~And since you have been watching
I must tell you what is true;
The details of my journal
Are the strict accounts of YOU.~
~The Lord asked me to watch you
As each day you worked and played.
I saw you as you went to church,
I saw you as you prayed.~
~But I was told to document
Your life through all the week.
I wrote when you were proud and bold,
I wrote when you were meek.~
~I recorded all your attitudes
Whether they were good or bad.
I was sorry that I had to write
The things that make God sad.~
~So now I'll tell the wonder
Of this eternal ink,
For the reason for its mystery
Should make you stop and think.~
~This ink that God created
To help me keep my journal
Will only keep a record of
Things that are eternal.~
~So much of life is wasted
On things that matter not
So instead of my erasing,
Smudging ink and ugly blot.~
~I just keep writing faithfully and
Let the ink do all the rest
For it is able to decide
What's useless and what's best.~
~And God ordained that as I write
Of all you do and say
Your deeds that count for nothing
Will just disappear away.~
~When books are opened someday,
As sure as heaven is true;
The Lord's eternal ink will tell
What mattered most to you.~
~If you just lived to please yourself
The pages will be bare,
And God will issue no reward
For you when you get there.~
~In fact, you'll be embarrassed,
You will hang your head in shame
Because you did not give yourself
In love to Jesus' Name.~
~Yet maybe there will be a few
Recorded lines that stayed
That showed the times you truly cared,
Sincerely loved and prayed.~
~But you will always wonder
As you enter heaven's door
How much more glad you would have been
If only you'd done more.~
~For I record as God sees,
I don't stop to even think
Because the truth is written
With God's eternal ink.~
~When I heard the angel's story
I fell down and wept and cried
For as yet I still was dreaming
I hadn't really died.~
~And I said: O angel tell the Lord
That soon as I awake
I'll live my life for Jesus --
I'll do all for His dear sake.~
~I'll give in full surrender;
I'll do all He wants me to;
I'll turn my back on self and sin
And whatever isn't true.~
~And though the way seems long and rough
I promise to endure.
I'm determined to pursue the things
That are holy, clean and pure.~
~With Jesus as my helper,
I will win lost souls to Thee,
For I know that they will live with Christ For all
eternity.~
~And that's what really matters
When my life on earth is gone
That I will stand before the Lord
And hear Him say, "Well done."~
~For is it really worth it
As my life lies at the brink?
And I realize that God keeps books
With His eternal ink.~
~Should all my life be focused
On things that turn to dust?
From this point on I'll serve the Lord;
I can, I will, I must!~
~I will NOT send blank pages
Up to God's majestic throne
For where that record's going now
Is my eternal home.~
~I'm giving all to Jesus
I now have seen the link
For I saw an angel write my life
With God's eternal ink.~
The Christian Counter
**IMPORTANT READING**
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Copyright infringement is not intended. If you hold the
copyright on any "author unknown" materials displayed here and
would like your name displayed or thank me for displaying them
or wish them removed please contact me of the page, and the materials will
be removed immediately. Thanks, Lloyd
~JUST AS I AM~