BEGINNING WITH HIM
September, 2001 Edition
As is the continued tradition, the first E-Mail Ministry (EMM) message
of the month is my chance to talk to all of you about EMM and other
related items.
TABLE OF CONTENTS FOR TODAY’S MESSAGE:
[The Best Of E-Mail Ministry] [A Note From A Subscriber]
[Author Known] [Support E-Mail Ministry]
[Vote for E-Mail Ministry] [For All Teachers Past And Present]
[God’s Caller Id] [Geezers]
[Stopped Going To Sporting Events] [Where Are You From?]
[Usage Of E-Mail Ministry Messages] [Poll Questions]
[Links Page]
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THE BEST OF E-MAIL MINISTRY
I want to thank you for your patience and understanding during August.
As I indicated in last month’s “Beginning With Him” newsletter, I was
traveling on vacation during much of August. To ease the time
requirements of maintaining the ministry while on vacation, I sent what
I am called “The Best of E-Mail Ministry”. I chose messages from the
early days of EMM. If you enjoyed them, you can read more messages in
the Archives section of the web site at:
https://www.emailministry.org/archives
My family and I took a driving vacation through the great southwest
region of the United States. We started with a family reunion in
Branson, MO. It was good to be able to spend time with family and
attend shows which are family oriented – no worries about off-color
language or references. It was also very nice that they often honored
the veterans, a very important group of people to the freedom of this
country.
We then drove to the Oklahoma City National Memorial honoring victims of
the Murrah Federal Building bombing. It is a very moving site and a
vivid reminder of how violence can swiftly tear at the fabric of our
society. I honestly believe every person, including children, should
visit this site. It had an impact on my wife and I as well as our 13
year-old daughter.
We then continued our vacation by viewing some of God’s spectacular
natural creations such as the Petrified Forest, Meteor Crater, Grand
Canyon, Zion Canyon, Bryce Canyon, Monument Valley, Mesa Verde, and
Arches. The sights were beautiful and beyond words. If you have not
experienced the beauty of God’s creation in these locations, you should!
* * *
A NOTE FROM A SUBSCRIBER
“My husband and I are currently working with a youth group. This group
is a little different from the rest although they have the same age as
many kids in other churches they have not lived the same kind of life.
This youth group has been constructed mainly of kids who have lived on
the street. Kids who know what a broken home is and what it feels like.
Girls who know what it feels like to have an abortion and girls who know
the experience of giving birth to a baby just too well. Boys who name
you every drug on the street and not only that but the can also tell you
how they cost, how to use them and what they do !
As you can imagine we can’t talk to these kids with sophisticated
“Christian language” as they like to call it, however we can use the
storied that we find here in e-mail ministry. They can relate to many
of them and understand them a lot better than stories straight from the
bible. It also helps my husband and I to do out “talks” cause we can
use many of the anecdotes that read here.
This is also a good way evangelize to many of friends without them
feeling that I am attacking them or being too insisting. Its easy to
forward messages and pray that they can be touched by them.
Thank you so much for all the work you are doing. Be certain that the
Lord is the one who put you there and will bless you in every way.” –
Teresa B. & Onda V.
A Note From doug: This note describes the main purpose of E-Mail
Ministry. EMM is intended as a means you can use to discuss Christian
concepts without the “Christian language”, a way you can introduce your
faith to your friends, family and work associates. It is always good to
hear how God is using EMM to touch people’s lives.
* * *
AUTHOR KNOWN
Almost all of the messages I send our are “Author Unknown”, or more
specifically, author unknown to me. Thanks to knowledgeable readers,
here is author information on several messages:
* The author of the 27-Aug-01 message “The Lonely Ember” is C.H.
Spurgeon
* The author of the 24-Aug-01 message “The Trees” is from the book
titled “The Tale of Three Trees” A Traditional Folktale told by Angela
Elwell Hunt, illustrations by Tim Jonke and published by Lion
Publishing.
* The author of the 6-Aug-01 message “My Commitment as a Christian” is
a statement, or a compiling of statements by “Uncle Buddy” Robinson. He
became a Christian in the early part of the twentieth century in Texas
and became an evangelist primarily in the Church of the Nazarene. He
was also known as a cowboy evangelist and there are numerous examples of
his unique expressions.
* The author of the 28-March-2001 message “The Shoes” is Leanne
Freiberg.
* The author of the 7-Aug-2000 July message “Mom’s Last Laugh” is Robin
Lee Shope
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SUPPORT E-MAIL MINISTRY
I would like to thank all of you who have sent in donations. If you have
been blessed by this ministry, please ask God what He would have you
do. You may make donations by credit card at:
https://www.emailministry.org/ccbill/index.htm Credit card donations can
be made as a one-time donation or as a monthly recurring donation.
You can also make a donation by check. Checks can be sent to:
E-Mail Ministry, Inc.
P.O. Box 944
Garden City, MI 48136-0944
E-Mail Ministry is exclusively supported by its subscribers. I do not
accept any compensation for my efforts with this ministry. Donations
are solely used to offset the growing costs of this ministry. It is my
prayer that, like God’s grace, EMM always remains free.
* * *
VOTE FOR E-MAIL MINISTRY
You for E-Mail Ministry on the three voting sites. The more you vote,
the higher EMM gets on their lists, the more people who will click
through to the EMM web site. Another way you can spread God’s messages
to others. Vote on the EMM main page, right column
(https://www.emailministry.org).
* * *
FOR ALL TEACHERS PAST AND PRESENT
Let me see if I’ve got this right ….
You want me to go into that room with all those kids, and fill their
every waking moment with a love for learning. Not only that, I’m to
instill a sense of pride in their ethnicity, behaviorally modify
disruptive behavior, and observe them for signs of abuse, drugs, and
T-shirt messages. I am to fight the war on drugs and sexually
transmitted diseases, check their backpacks for guns, and raise their
self-esteem.
I’m to teach them patriotism, good citizenship, sportsmanship, and fair
play; how and where to register to vote; how to balance a checkbook; and
how to apply for a job — but am never to ask if they are in this
country illegally.
I am to check their heads occasionally for lice, maintain a safe
environment, recognize signs of potential antisocial behavior, offer
advice, write letters of recommendation for student employment and
scholarships, encourage respect for the cultural diversity of others,
and, oh, yeah, teach, always making sure that I give the girls in my
class 50% of my attention.
I’m required by my contract to be working — on my own time – summer and
evenings and at my own expense towards additional certification, advance
certification and a master’s degree; to sponsor the cheerleaders or the
sophomore class; and after school, I am to attend committee and faculty
meetings and participate in staff development training to maintain my
current certification and employment status.
I am to collect data and maintain all records to support and document
our building’s progress in the selected state mandated program to
“assess and upgrade educational excellence in the public schools.”
I am to be a paragon of virtue larger than life such that my very
presence will awe my students into being obedient and respectful of
authority.
I am to pledge allegiance to supporting family values, a return to the
basics, and to my current administration. I am to incorporate technology
into the learning, but monitor all Web sites for appropriateness, while
providing a personal one-on-one relationship with each student.
I am to decide who might be potentially dangerous and/or liable to
commit crimes in school or who is possibly being abused, and I can be
sent to jail for not mentioning these suspicions to those in authority.
I am to make sure ALL students pass the state and federally mandated
testing and all classes, whether or not they attend school on a regular
basis or complete any of the work assigned.
I am to communicate frequently with each student’s parent by letter,
phone, newsletter, and grade card.
I’m to do all of this with just a piece of chalk, a computer, a few
books, a bulletin board, a 45-minute-or-less plan time, and a big smile
— all on a starting salary that qualifies my family for food stamps in
many states.
Is that all? …..
And you want me to do all of this and expect me to do it without
praying?
PERSONAL NOTE FROM doug: As a “teacher’s kid” I can tell you of the
dedication of a caring teacher. Obviously, they are not in this
profession for the money. During the school year children spend more
time with their teachers than with their parents. Please keep all the
teachers in your daily prayers.
* * *
GOD’S CALLER ID
The pastor’s church is called Almighty God Tabernacle. On a Saturday
night several weeks ago, this pastor was working late, and decided to
call his wife before he left for home. It was about 10:00 PM, but his
wife didn’t answer the phone. The pastor let it ring many times. He
thought it was odd that she didn’t answer, but decided to wrap up a few
things and try again in a few minutes. When he tried again she
answered right away. He asked her why she hadn’t answered before and she
said that it hadn’t rung at their house. They brushed it off as a fluke
and went on their merry ways.
The following Monday, the pastor received a call at the church office,
which was the phone that he’d used that Saturday night. The man that he
spoke with wanted to know why he’d called on Saturday night. The pastor
couldn’t figure out what the guy was talking about. Then the guy said,
“It rang and rang, but I didn’t answer.” The pastor remembered the
mishap and apologized for disturbing him, explaining that he’d intended
to call his wife. The man said, “That’s OK. Let me tell you my story.
You see, I was planning to commit suicide on Saturday night, but before
I did, I prayed, ‘God if you’re there, and you don’t want me to do this,
give me a sign now.’ At that point my phone started to ring. I looked at
the caller ID, and it said, “Almighty God”. I was afraid to answer!”
* * *
GEEZERS
Geezers are easy to spot. This is slang for an old man. During a
sporting event during the playing of the National Anthem, they will hold
their caps over their hearts and sing without embarrassment. They know
the words and believe in them. They remember World War I, the
Depression, World War II, Pearl Harbor, Guadalcanal, Normandy and
Hitler. They remember the Atomic Age, the Korean War, the Cold War, the
Jet Age and the Moon Landing and Vietnam.
If you bump into a Geezer on the sidewalk, he will apologize. Pass a
Geezer on the street and he will nod, or tip his cap to a lady. Geezers
trust strangers and are courtly to women. They hold the door for the
next person and always when walking, make sure the lady is on the inside
for protection.
Geezers get embarrassed if someone curses in front of a women and
children and they don’t like violence and filth on TV and in movies.
Geezers have moral courage. Geezers seldom brag unless it is about
their grandchildren in Little League or music recitals.
This country needs Geezers with their decent values and common sense. We
need them now more than ever. It is the Geezers who know our great
country is protected not by the so-called politicians or police, but by
the young men and women in our military that are serving their country
in foreign lands, just as they did, without a thought except to do a
good job and the best you can and to return home to loved ones. Each and
everyone of us should thank God for Old Geezers
— Author Unknown
* * *
STOPPED GOING TO SPORTING EVENTS
Several years back there was an interesting tract done in an amusing
style. It gave 12 reasons why one pastor announced that he had stopped
going to, of all things, sporting events–and yet it was clear, that he
really was talking about something else. The reasons were listed as
such:
1. Every time I went, they asked me for money.
2. The people with whom I had to sit didn’t seem very friendly.
3. The seats were too hard and not at all comfortable.
4. I went to many games, but the coach and players never learned my
name.
5. The referee made a decision with which I could not agree.
6. I suspected that I was sitting with some hypocrites–they came to
see their friends and what others were wearing rather than to watch
the game.
7. Some games went into overtime, and I was late getting home.
8. The band played some numbers that I had never heard before.
9. It seems that the games are scheduled when I want to do other
things.
10. I was taken to too many games by my parents when I was growing up.
11. I recently read a book on sports and now I know more than the coach
does.
12. I don’t want to take my children to any games either because I want
them to choose for themselves what sport they like best.
* * *
WHERE ARE YOU FROM?
If you are from a country other than the United States, please let me
know by sending an e-mail to: emailministry@emailministry.org
E-Mail Ministry has a mission to reach “all nations” and needs your help
to accomplish this calling! Currently, EMM is in 63 countries but there
are many more to reach! To see the list of countries and the world map,
go to: https://www.emailministry.org/subscribe/index.htm#SubscriberMap
Countries added this month: Norway, Costa Rica, Sri Lanka, Bhutan,
Denmark, and Bahamas.
* * *
USAGE OF E-MAIL MINISTRY MESSAGES
As always, feel free to send these messages on to others as the Lord
leads you. I respectfully request that when you forward the messages
on, please leave the ‘header’ and ‘footer’ information in place so that
others may know about this ministry and how to subscribe.
Also, feel free to use these messages in your church bulletins, sermons,
bible studies, etc. If you do use the messages, please put “Message
distributed by E-Mail Ministry (https://www.emailministry.org)” at the
bottom of any material you use. That way more people will become aware
of this ministry.
* * *
POLL QUESTIONS
The results of the June/July poll question can viewed at
https://www.emailministry.org/pollresults.htm. Here is the August poll
question (Go the web site at: https://www.emailministry.org/#Polls
register your vote!! Please do NOT send me an e-mail with your vote!)
Q: Have you personally been affected by violence?
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LINKS PAGE
Thanks to all of you who submitted a link to be added to the EMM Links
Page. To recommend a Christian site, please use the ‘Add a Link’ form
at: https://www.emailministry.org/links/index.htm#AddALink
You can add a link from your web site to EMM. Simply copy the following
html code into your web page using your html editor:
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I pray this message finds you growing in the understanding of how much
God loves you.
— doug
Founder, Editor, Webmaster & ‘Chief Bottle Washer’ of E-Mail Ministry