Will you be mine?

"Will you be mine?" 

Asks the God of the universe, who for millenia now has been desperately trying to win back the heart of a runaway and rebel race. 

"Will you be mine?"

 

Need a Check Up?

 

There is one Doctor and only One - who has a “No Waiting Line” policy! You don’t have to make an appointment in advance and no referrals needed. No patient goes unseen and no insurance is required. In fact, all treatment is free of charge! Best of all, He is the Greatest Physician who knows absolutely everything and has all the answers to whatever is ailing you! Who is this incredible Physician, you ask? - well, His name is God! Be sure and get a daily spiritual checkup by spending time with Him. Tell Him all about how you are feeling, not just physically, but emotionally, and spiritually as well. God loves you so much and cares about every aspect of your life - which includes your physical health too! 

Brendawalsh.com 

Let me teach you something about marriage

Let me teach you something about marriage.

Copy of the Original Facebook Post By Suli Breaks October 28 2020

Once during a massive argument over the laundry, my wife took the overpriced diamond engagement ring I bought her and threw it in my face like it was cheap Wood Green Market Hall NYC jewellery? Was she mad?

Do you know how much that cost me?

The argument escalated further.

You’re crazy.

Shut up! Solomon.

Don’t chat to me.

I’m leaving

I don’t care.

I’m not coming back

I. Do. Not. Care.

Several hours and an untold number of missed calls to her sisters and friends later, she came back.

That was not the first time we fought before the wedding and it wasn’t the last, but those are the moments we edited out of the anniversary posts and wedding speeches. The part you don't see in the tweet you all liked on Instagram. That is the hashtag goals you snapchatted.The BTS. The directors cut that never makes the world premiere. That is marriage; in marriage, the bitter doesn’t shy away from the sweet.

Having been in a relationship for 13 years, I can tell you that marriage is brutally honest. If you are not ready to be exposed, stay away from marriage.

The singular act of saying I do is easy. Getting married is easy. That part is fun and filled with photographs, food and celebration. People assume they are ready for marriage because they are ready to get married. They might be prepared for the bridal shower, the bachelor party, the wedding, the honeymoon. They might be ready to stand in front of the pastor, iman or rabbi and declare their undying love in front of wet-eyed friends and family members.They might have already bookmarked their first home, decorated their vision board with holiday destinations and collected brochures of potential schools their children might attend. They might be naive enough to think they are ready for kids and family—you are never prepared for kids.

I blame Dinsey, Titanic, Celine Dion, Love Island, Love is Blind and any other Tv series that begins with love and ends with a couple winning some prize money. I blame reminders that you are getting old. I blame friends who edit their entire relationship and present you with the filtered VCSO cam version. I blame tweets like my own that only give you sample of the product.

Don’t get it twisted, I am not doubting your love.

But if you are serious about marriage, I don't want to hear about love. Love is the icing on a giant cake, and sometimes it spreads too thin. People think love is an emotion when really it is a commitment.

So tell me about commitment— asking your partner for help while choking on pride and humiliation. Breaking down—not crying—breaking down every single atom of your existence in your partner's arms. Can you handle that vulnerability? Are they strong enough to put you back together?

Then tell me about discussing the past with your partner. Every scar from the one under your chin from when you fell off a swing in reception; to the ones slashed deep in your heart from abuse and mistrust. Your timeline says the past doesn't matter, but in a marriage, everything matters because marriage is built on foundations.

The hardest thing about commitment in marriage is it doesn’t end. There is no break.

Marriage exists even with the debts. The dismissals. Miscarriages. Diagnoses. Funerals and the fights. The question is no longer can I (or you) handle this? It is: Can we handle this? In marriage everything is “us”.

Till death do us part.

Marriage is plunging into the deep end of the public swimming pool holding on to your partner's hand while neither of you has learnt how to swim yet.

Look at the couples that have arched their backs for 20 to 30 years for their partners. Don't look at newlyweds social media for marriage goals. Don’t look at tweets. Marriage is not a sprint; it's a long marathon.

If you wish for anything; want that you can still make your partner laugh at the age of 60, the same way they did at 21. That is marriage.

What you're worth? by David Asscherick

 

The 50 Dollar Story - Part 2

Cocktails and orange juice

One day I was invited to a cocktail party. I didn't usually go to such celebrations, which were held almost every day in government circles. There was always a lot of drinking there. But this time I was saying goodbye to a good friend who had been a legal adviser to the California government. So, for once, I decided to attend his farewell party.

Some of my Adventist friends prefer not to make a fuss about not drinking alcohol on such an occasion. In order not to attract attention, they hold a full glass in their hands throughout the evening. They don't drink, but they're something of a "semi-Adventist" - underground fighters who don't want to be noticed, soldiers without uniform. Maybe they are ashamed of the army they belong to? Do you know that, too?

When I got to the party, the door opened and a lady greeted me, saying, "Dr. Farag, welcome! I know you don't drink alcohol. I've prepared something special for you: here, a glass of orange juice.” I replied, “Thank you for thinking of that!” Little did I know that the governor was standing right behind me. He had overheard and said to my surprise: "An orange juice for me too!"

He drank nothing else all evening. Rather, he stayed by my side and peppered me with questions, "Why don't you drink alcohol? How else do Seventh-day Adventists live? What do you think about this? How do Adventists see this?” He talked to me at such length that other guests asked, “Mr. Governor, do you talk to other people besides Dr. Farag?”

The world needs our values

What am I trying to say, especially to our young Adventists? Don't be ashamed of your faith! There are people who would like to live according to good principles, but are too weak to do it on their own. But when they meet someone who is principled, they are happy to join them. Therefore, we should always remember that we not only have a great responsibility for ourselves, but also for our fellow human beings.

Sometimes I, too, have felt the temptation to veil my faith—like when I applied when I almost didn't tell you that I was a Seventh-day Adventist. But let us not be ashamed of our special faith! The world needs the values ​​we hold as Adventists. Let's wear our "uniforms" and be proud of it! God has no underground Christians. He wants us to be his representatives, his ambassadors.

What I didn't know

It was not until many months later that I found out in passing why my predecessor had been fired. He had embezzled money and accepted an expensive Mercedes-Benz as a bribe. This had caused the governor a great deal of inconvenience. Sensitized by this incident, he was immediately taken with me when he learned that a missionary was also among the narrow group of applicants. He is said to have said spontaneously, "Who could be more honest than an Adventist missionary!"

I kept thinking how good it was that I had identified myself as an Adventist when I applied. Through God's power I had been able to be honest at that crucial moment.

Back to Australia

As our home leave came to an end, I presented the governor with the complete California health care plan. I gave him a report in triplicate. One copy was intended for him personally, the other two were to be presented to the Senate and the State Assembly for discussion and decision-making.

Based on experience, I was told that this process would take about a month. Since my presence was required during this time for any queries and explanations, I had to postpone my departure accordingly. My wife and our three girls boarded the ship as planned, which was to take them back to Australia in 31 days crossing. We agreed that I would come by plane once everything was settled.

Night call

Finally we all got back to Australia on time. Only three weeks passed when the phone rang one night and woke us up. It was midnight. I picked up the phone and the voice on the other end of the line said, "This is Robert Pearson." Drowsy, I asked back, "Robert who?" "Robert Pearson, the President of the General Conference."

I had never received a call from the President of General Conference, and I was amazed that he would want to speak to me in the middle of the night. "Yes, Brother Pearson, what is it?" I asked. "Brother Farag, we want you to come back." In disbelief, I repeated, "Come back?? We've only just arrived!'

“Yes, I know,” Brother Pearson said. "But Governor Reagan has contacted President Nixon and told him that he needs you to help implement the US public health plan. Reagan and his advisors believe that no one else can do this as well as you. President Nixon then called my home and asked that you be released for this task. I have discussed this with the General Conference Committee, and they prayerfully concluded that you should heed the call of President Nixon and Governor Reagan.” My wife and I cried because it was a difficult decision for us. Finally we decided to go back to America.

God also loves the great of the world

It would be a total of almost 20 years of working among the "rich and famous". All along, opportunities have come to testify of what we Adventists believe. I didn't choose this - it was God's plan. It is important to God to reach the big ones in the world.

I cannot point to any experience of anyone in government circles becoming an Adventist through my testimony. But I can say one thing openly and honestly: everyone I have dealt with in the course of my work has learned what Adventists believe. Sometimes the governor or members of parliament even called me at home and asked for advice. Although some of the topics were outside of my area of ​​responsibility, they wanted my opinion because they knew I would always tell them the truth.

A notable exception

When Governor Reagan left office, all of his advisers were fired, as is customary in America. All except me. The successor, Governor Jerry Brown, called me and asked me to stay. "I used to work for Governor Reagan," I replied. "Yes, yes, we know that," he said. When I asked him the reason for the takeover, he explained: “We made detailed inquiries about you. You are not tied to any party. You always tell the truth, whether you're speaking to Republicans or Democrats. Such people are rare.”

Wasn't that a big compliment? This incident also shows that most people appreciate it when someone is honest and sincere. God's people must be truthful! Let's not be ashamed to be completely honest in front of people.

A Sabbath

Jerry Brown had completed training as a Catholic priest. Little did he know when he took office as governor that I generally don't work on Sabbaths. So it was that one Sabbath morning, as we were leaving for church, the phone rang. My wife was already in the car with the children. I thought it was someone from the church and answered. It was the governor. He said: "Dr. Farag, please come to my office as soon as possible. We have a special session. It will not take long."

It wasn't his secretary who had called - he himself! I replied, "I'm sorry, Governor, I can't today." He replied, "I know something is unexpected. But there are some people here from Washington who need your advice. It really only takes a few minutes.” For a moment I thought about going over there and helping them out. But then I was like, "No, you can't do that." So I told the governor that. "Please come, just for a few minutes!" He pleaded with me. "It's not about the few minutes," I told him. “The point is that I'm a Seventh-day Adventist and I don't generally work on Saturdays. My family is already in the car and we want to go to church for the service.” “Oh,” he cried, “that's no problem! I am writing your priest a letter.”

He was familiar with that, as a graduate of the Catholic seminary. "No," I replied, "I don't want that at all. But I'm more than willing to come to you after sundown and if necessary work through the night for you.” – Silence on the other end of the line. Then came the terse reply: “Well, all right. Goodbye.” When I hung up the phone, I had an uneasy feeling. Turning to my wife, I said, "I think I just lost my job."

"Dr. Farag, where have you been?”

The cabinet meeting was on Monday morning. My neighbor Dr. Jerome Lackner, Director of Health, said to me, "Dr. Farag, we missed you on Saturday. Where were you?” The governor sat at the head of the table and listened. I replied, “I was in church at the service. But you are a Jew. Why weren't you in the synagogue?” The question just slipped out of my mouth – in the governor's ears. dr Lackner scratched his head in embarrassment and replied, "Yes, I know, I should have been in the synagogue. I just didn't have the courage. dr Farag, you are a better Jew than I am.”

The governor opened the meeting and, addressing his secretary, first recorded the following: “In the future, meetings attended by Dr. Farag is scheduled to attend is no longer on a Saturday.” And so it is that since that episode I have never had a call from the governor on the Sabbath.

I worked for Brown and the California government for another eight years. It wasn't as interesting as the first eight years under Reagan, but I did my best during that time. And the Lord has put his hands protectively over me.

Set yourself high goals!

Why did I report these experiences? Because God also wants to reach "the upper ten thousand". He is looking for associates who are able and willing to bear witness to him before the rich and powerful. These people also need a Savior. Many of these high profile celebrities feel a hunger for the soul. Many are looking for the enduring values ​​in life. They too need witnesses. We care a lot about the ordinary people - and that's a good thing. But Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea must also learn the truth, just as Paul reached people in high circles.

In those very interesting years I have learned that every human being needs a Savior, the humble worker as well as the government official. Very few Adventists are represented in the leadership circles of this world. Above all, God is looking for younger people who want to serve him faithfully. Aim high! We need Daniels and Josephs in many places around the world. Let's make ourselves completely available to God and let him put us where he puts us. He wants to do great things through us!

Salem Farag, The $50 Story,  (Iss. 23, 2014), pp. 65-71 

Calm Seas

There are days when your life is filled with so much joy, you just can’t help but praise Jesus for His goodness! But the moment when everything seems to go wrong, it’s a whole different story! Let's be clear: just because you are a Christian does not mean that everything will go smoothly in your life! Remember, calm seas . . . don’t make better sailors! In other words, if you’ve never experienced the challenges and difficulties of life, you would never learn to lean on Jesus! If people were always blissfully happy, they would never know their need of a Savior! So instead of being bitter, thank God for your trials! The Bible says in James 1:2, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds.” And in James 1:12, we’re told, “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.” What a beautiful promise to claim! Remember Job stood the test and remained faithful to God even though he lost literally everything! He lost all his wealth, his home, his wife, his children, and even his friends! Yet, through it all, Job praised God! Oh, how wonderful it would be to have that deep love and faith in God! It doesn’t matter what heartache or trials you are experiencing–in all things . . .  praise God! 

© Brenda Walsh Ministries www.brendawalsh.com

https://brendawalsh.com

The 50 Dollar Story - Part 1

After a happy few years in California, my wife, our three little girls, and I were called to the mission field. In a responsible position I was supposed to expand the medical care there. First we went to New Guinea for three to four years. Then the General Conference sent us to Australia, which also had a large mission area. It was customary in those days that after about seven years of service in the mission, you would be given nine months of home leave.

A year before we were due to begin our nine-month vacation, I prayerfully began preparations. We were looking for a quiet place to live in the USA. In addition, there should be further training opportunities for me nearby and a job where I could earn good money, since the wages in the mission field were very modest. I wrote to my friend who worked at the University of California on this matter. In his reply he assured me that he had an interesting and well-paid research job in store for me. I was to contact him as soon as I arrived in the US. That seemed like an answer to prayer!

Then came the day we left Sydney for San Francisco. We looked to the future with confidence. Our voyage lasted 31 days. I found the crossing unbearably long, but my wife and our three girls enjoyed the carefree time on board.

Bad news

When I finally arrived in California, I immediately called my friend and discussed a number of details with him. I was supposed to check in with him on the first day of work before I left the house. Everything seemed to be going well. But God had a different plan for me. Sometimes what we have prepared so well, so that God can fulfill his intentions for us, goes wrong. When I called my boyfriend on the morning of the first day at work, as agreed, he had bad news for me. Shortly after our last conversation, he explained to me in dismay, a lawsuit against the university had come to light. The university then imposed a two-month hiring freeze, which of course also affected me. My friend tried verbosely to console me for the time afterwards; then I could definitely get the promised research contract. But nothing could be done at the moment.

I understood but was deeply disappointed. We finally agreed that I would contact him again in two months if I hadn't found another job by then. To be on the safe side, I gave him our current address and private telephone number.

Looking for a job

Now I had to look for another opportunity to earn money. I figured it wouldn't be bad to try Sacramento, the capital of California. There I asked the first passer-by where I could find work here. He pointed to a building and said I should try the California employment center over there. So I did the same. I was sent to a lady who was responsible for job placement. She showed me wall shelves with many, many thick files containing over 10,000 vacancies. The huge range included all imaginable jobs, from the simplest to the highly qualified.

I took out some folders and flipped through numerous ads. Three of them in particular caught my attention. The most interesting sounded the following job offer: "California Governor Seeks Special Counsel for Health Care." This governor was Ronald Reagan, later President of the USA.

When I considered whether this position could seriously be considered for me, I had doubts: “What advice could I give the governor? This vacancy has been printed in all the major American newspapers and I'm sure a lot of people will apply. Would I even have a chance?” But somehow the offer just wouldn't let me go. The more I thought about it, the more I thought that I would actually like to advise Ronald Reagan on certain things! For hadn't we Adventists received many good principles of health that we should pass on to others in due course?

A question of honesty

Finally, I took the three ads that appealed to me the most and presented them to the lady at the counter. She gave me an application form for each position and asked me to fill it out right away. In principle it was a simple matter. But two questions really gave me a headache: the one about my last salary and the one about my religious affiliation.

What would you think of someone who was last making just $50 a week? Shouldn't the admissions committee doubt my mental abilities, not knowing that Seventh-day Adventist missionaries were paid very little? Wouldn't it be better to just leave the field blank or would it be better to state my last salary in the USA? I made very good money at the University of Loma Linda, where I had done research. After some hesitation, I decided to make an honest statement nonetheless. I truthfully wrote, "$50 a week."

But I found it even more difficult with the question of religious affiliation. This information was mandatory at the time (it is no longer the case today). "If I identify myself as a Seventh-day Adventist, I can forget about the application," I thought to myself. But here, too, I finally made up my mind to stand by the truth.

Surprise

After filling out all three forms, I gave them to the lady at the counter. I was pretty sure that these applications were hopeless. I also told my wife that when I told her everything at home.

To my great surprise, a few days later, I received a call from the governor's office. I was told I was one of ten shortlisted people to be called for an interview. When I told my wife about the phone call, I again expressed my doubts as to whether I really had a real chance of being accepted. My faith at the time was not very strong.

"Are you Albert Schweitzer?"

A few days passed before the governor's office called again. The time had come: I was summoned to Sacramento for an interview.

The governor's mansion was impressive. I was then led into the room designated for the questioning. The members of the application committee sat on one side, and the vacant chair opposite was reserved for me. I sat down and looked around at those present. The Chairman's expression didn't bode well for me. With a slightly mocking undertone in his voice, he began the questioning. "Well, I read here that you were last paid $50 a week. Are you Albert Schweitzer, or are you a fool?”.

For a few seconds I didn't know what to say. Then I replied: “Neither, Mr. Chairman. I am a Seventh-day Adventist missionary. And we don't measure people by how much money they make, but by what they contribute to the work.”

The chairman had obviously not expected such an answer. He was amazed. His voice sounded completely different now, any hint of sarcasm gone. The situation had eased noticeably. Another prover spoke up: “A Seventh-day Adventist missionary? Can you tell us a little more about that?” And so I gave the commission a brief outline of where and how I had served as a missionary. At the end they asked me a few organizational questions and then I was allowed to go. My wife welcomed me expectantly at home. I immediately explained to her that someone else would certainly be chosen for this interesting position. After everything I had experienced, I assessed my chances as low to non-existent.

Unbelievable!

Three days later the phone rang; it was someone from the governor's office. He said, "You have been selected as the governor's special adviser." I was absolutely stunned! I happily promised to come to Sacramento as soon as possible. At that point, however, it was still completely unclear to me what exactly was expected of me and what I had gotten myself into. God doesn't always show us everything that's coming our way, lest we get discouraged at the beginning.

When we got to Sacramento, the governor told me my job was to create a health plan for the entire state of California! At the time, I knew next to nothing about California's healthcare system. I was forced to learn a lot of new things in a short time. But God helped me.

The governor assured me that I could enlist any help I could think of in preparing the health plan; there is generous financial and human support. I was allowed to make decisions independently, also with regard to my staff. I worked 15 hours a day to get things moving.

News

After a creative phase of several weeks was behind me, one evening my friend from the university called me at home. He said the hiring freeze had been lifted and I could start the planned research work immediately. I told him about my new, extraordinarily interesting job, which of course I didn't want to just give up now. But he insisted that he really needed me and therefore wanted to speak to the governor personally. He managed to negotiate a compromise with the governor: I was allowed to help my friend with his research work for a few hours a day until a replacement was found for me. So it happened that I was employed by two different employers at the same time for about two months. The governor provided me with an official car. In the morning I drove to the University of California and worked on the research project, and the rest of the day I worked for the governor in Sacramento. And I received a full salary from both jobs!

I did my best to get the health care plan moving forward as quickly as possible, even under this double burden, as I had limited time until the end of the vacation. The Lord helped me day after day, I could feel that.

An Adventist in government circles

As a governor's advisor, I moved in the highest circles of government in California. Everywhere I was introduced as an Adventist missionary from New Guinea. My stay in New Guinea had impressed both the members of the bid committee and the governor, for it was well known that cannibals had already murdered foreign missionaries there. Now, I felt it was God's guidance that I put my name on the Seventh-day Adventist form and identified myself as a missionary at the interview. It pained me a little, though, to think of how hesitant I had been to make that statement.

Knowing that I belonged to the Seventh-day Adventist Church, people expected certain behavior from me. They also sometimes behaved differently in my presence than usual. They often apologized when they used vulgar expressions in my presence. If alcohol was drunk, it was sympathetically mentioned that they knew about my abstinence. I didn't tell anyone that I didn't drink alcohol! But our actions are known to speak louder than our words.