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The following pages are personal expressions of Jonathan Gregory Reed covering many years of his life. The paintings, poems, and short essays are expressions of his talent and the feelings he wishes to share with others based on his Christian ethics. The poems and essays are not meant to offend anyone but to express his personal beliefs, character, and feelings during his lifetime. He was raised with Christian principles near the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia.
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The following pages are personal expressions of Jonathan Gregory Reed covering many years of his life. The paintings, poems, and short essays are expressions of his talent and the feelings he wishes to share with others based on his Christian ethics. The poems and essays are not meant to offend anyone but to express his personal beliefs, character, and feelings during his lifetime. He was raised with Christian principles near the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia.
Listen to Expression of Christian Faith Audio Book by Jonathan MP3 song. Expression of Christian Faith Audio Book song from Jonathan is available on Audio.com. The duration of song is 38:47. This high-quality MP3 track has 78.38 kbps bitrate and was uploaded on 13 Jun 2024. Stream and download Expression of Christian Faith Audio Book by Jonathan for free on Audio.com – your ultimate destination for MP3 music.
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The transcription is a collection of personal expressions by Jonathan Gregory Reid, reflecting his Christian faith and values. The book contains paintings, poems, and essays that share his beliefs and emotions. Reid's upbringing near the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia has influenced his work. The purpose of the audiobook is to inspire personal growth, promote love for God, and encourage a deeper connection with Him. Reid also shares a childhood memory about a near-accident and emphasizes the importance of cherishing friendships and memories as expressions of God's love. The transcription also includes a skiing mishap that Reid initially found embarrassing but later found humor in. Reid encourages learning from mistakes and allowing children to experience personal failures as opportunities for growth. My Expression of Christian Faith, Blue Ridge Values, by Jonathan Gregory Reid. Introduction. The following is personal expressions of Jonathan Gregory Reid covering many years of his life. The paintings, poems, and short essays seen in the printed version of this book are expressions of his talent and the feelings he wishes to share with others based on his Christian ethics. The poems and essays are not meant to offend anyone but to express his personal beliefs, character, and feelings during his lifetime. He was raised with Christian principles near the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, which has been expressed throughout this book. If these beliefs offend you, please don't listen any further. This audiobook's sole purpose is to inspire personal growth in others, help produce a love for God, and encourage others to seek to know God better. This is a Christian-based book that expresses Christian love to all. If you're searching for something more in your life, please listen and meditate on what you see and read. Open your heart and soul to God, and He will answer. But only if you're willing and open to hearing God. Know therefore that the Lord thy God, He is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love Him and keep His commandments to a thousand generations. Deuteronomy 7, verse 9. Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life. But teach them thy sons, and thy sons' sons. Gather me the people together, and I will make them hear my words, that they may learn to fear me all the days that they shall live upon the earth, and that they may teach their children. Deuteronomy 4, verses 9 to 10. A Childhood Memory. Childhood friends are a first lesson in God's love for us. Falling headfirst from the tall oak tree at age five was my life's first traumatic experience. The memory of this event will live in my memory forever. Other than breaking my left arm and hurting my pride, I suffered no significant injuries. It was a warm, sunny summer day, and like all children my age, I wanted to play outdoors. Six of us, including my older brother and older sister, had gathered around the makeshift treehouse in the old oak tree. Why did we consider it to be old? Maybe because it was the tallest and most expansive tree at the edge of the forest behind my friend's house. The limbs seemed to stretch forth from all sides and appeared as though they wanted to reach out and grab an unexpected kid, such as myself, a thought that came from watching too many scary movies at a young age. Before my playmates could stop me, I had clambered up the steps made of wood planks hammered into the side of the tree. At my age, it seemed as tall as the Empire State Building. When I got to the top of the platform, I noticed large rocks lying around the wood plank's outer edges that formed the treehouse's central platform. How silly, I thought. My five-year-old mind could not comprehend why rocks from the ground were up in a treehouse. I picked up the largest of the rocks and walked to the edge to throw it back to the ground. As I was dropping the rock, I yelled to the kids below, What are these stupid rocks? That is all I got out. The board I was standing on flipped up and catapulted me outward into midair. I remember briefly flying through the air, but not hitting the ground. It was over in an instant. I remember waking up in a reclining lawn chair on my neighbor's carport, looking up through a sea of faces looking down at me. The other kids had lifted me and carried me to the safety of the carport. In those days, we didn't know about leaving people still until help arrived. It's a good thing I didn't break my neck, but the love and concern shown at a young age by my friends show we all have a loving, caring heart that God bestowed on us at birth. The cast on my arm was temporary, but my memory of this childhood event has lived in my memory as though it were only yesterday. Friends and memories are all expressions of God's love for us. Cherish the growing up moments and the lessons God is bestowing upon us. O God, thou hast taught me from my youth, and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works. Now also when I am old and gray-headed, O God, forsake me not, until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation and my power to everyone that is to come. Psalm 71, verses 17-18 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me. Thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me. Psalm 138, verse 7 Even though we live individual lives and may feel alone, we each have the opportunity to send out a beacon to share with the world. What do you want to share or leave as a legacy? God has given each of us a gift. Share it. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. Hebrews 13, verse 16 Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act. Proverbs 3, verse 27 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. Matthew 5, verse 16 Life The Lord and His good wisdom. Conjured up a great vision. In His own image did man He make. For one day to heaven He will take. But as we now live we have much to do. To enjoy life while we can still move. We must learn all we can in this life stage. Don't let sadness and miseries put us in a cage. Always put your best foot forward. For to waste life's pleasures is something we cannot afford. Don't ever give up, but always reach for the stars. It may surprise you that they're not so far. Once you have reached your goal, you will be able to rest and find peace within your soul. Our possibilities are endless and cannot be measured. For life is truly to be treasured. Gregory Reid I treasure my life and give thanks for everything I've seen, done, and received because of God's loving grace. We need to treasure our lives and honor the gift God gave to each of us. Always put your best foot forward. No laughing matter. An example of never give up. An embarrassing moment is only funny in the eyes of the beholder. It was certainly not amusing to me as I was being dragged up the ski slope by a lift. But to everyone who witnessed the incident, it must have been hilarious. The incident occurred when I was still a novice at skiing. At that time, I was not familiar with the proper protocol when using this type of system for transporting people from the bottom of the hill to the top. I had ridden on a chairlift a few times and felt confident that I could handle any contraption that came my way. But my overconfidence would be my undoing. Had I not been a young know-it-all, this embarrassing incident would probably not have occurred at all. The incident occurred at Homestead, Virginia, a resort frequented by many from my area. On several other occasions, I had skied there and had become quite self-assured that I could handle any ski lift that came my way. Little did I know that the easiest of all their rides would be my downfall. I had never skied on their beginner slope and decided today I would warm up by doing so. The beginner slope had the slightest incline of all the slopes and to reach the top, you were required to ride a T-bar. The T-bar was designed to pull two skiers up a short incline, one on each side of the bar. The skiers would position themselves so the bar would come from behind and between the two to hit them around mid-thigh and slowly pull them along. This sounded simple enough, but I obviously didn't pay much attention to the lift assistant's instructions. I had no one to pair up with, so the assistant instructed me to go alone. As the T-bar swung around and from behind, I positioned myself as I had observed everyone else do before me. As the T-bar hit my mid-thigh area, I immediately sat down. This was the part of the instructions I had ignored. Sitting on the T-bar was a big no-no, and I quickly realized this. As I put my entire weight on the T-bar, it began to stretch toward the ground. I fell backward, and as my upper body made contact with the ground, a loud thud could be heard. This drew the attention of the large crowd which had gathered at the T-bar station. All eyes were on me. My skis were stuck on the T-bar, my back on the ground, and I was being dragged up the hill. The crowd broke into a huge uproar of laughter. I fought frantically to free myself. Seconds seemed like an eternity, especially with the continued laughter from the crowd. I was halfway up the slope before I broke free. To this day, I will never know why they did not stop the T-bar. I suppose if they had, the other skiers would have fallen off as well. But there I lay on my back, halfway up the beginner's slope. With what little dignity I could pull together, I slowly stood up and brushed off the snow. I had snow up my shirt and down my pants. The crowd was still laughing, but the laughter was somewhat diminished now. Maybe because they were further away, or some felt sympathy for my plight. Either way, I was still very much red in the face. This embarrassing moment has stayed with me ever since, and I relive the incident each time I go skiing. But I made one right decision on that fateful day. I skied back down to the T-bar station and got back in line. I was not going to let the incident or the crowd get the best of me. Yes, I went back for a second try, and I did it correctly this time. At the time of the incident, I did not see anything funny about it, but I look back on this memory and find myself with a smirk as time passes. God gives each of us a chance to learn from our mistakes. Please don't take these opportunities away from your child. Let your child learn through their personal life failures. It's God's way of making us stronger and wiser. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not, and it shall be given. James 1 verse 5 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down, for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand. Psalm 37 verse 24 For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not, I will help thee. Isaiah 41 verse 13 Earth, I am with you every second, and yet you do not see me. I speak to you every day, and yet you do not hear me. I give you wonderful gifts, and yet you never thank me, only when bad things come of me. Do you speak, but only then to curse me? I have given you a home, and yet you only destroy it. I give you materials to build with, and yet you only throw them back as trash. I give you air to help sustain you, and yet you only pollute it. Even though you do these things, I will continue as long as I can to bear you, for the Lord has commanded it. But, oh, what you do to me! My only prayer is that God will take this curse from me, and give me those who truly know me. Gregory Reed If the planet Earth could talk to us, what would it say? To love God is to love our world. He created it, and we're the caregivers. Stop destroying it. God's reflection in the adults that lead us. As I approach my senior years, I look back on my teen years, and give thanks to God for the many adults who shaped my future. One such person was my first employer, Grady Jessop. Grady Jessop was a man liked by all. He is one of only a few that left a great impression on me that remains today. I first met Mr. Jessop when I was very young. He was a soft-spoken gentleman who was an acquaintance of my father. He enjoyed fishing so much that he built himself a boat dock shaped in a square-like fashion so that he could fish from the center area while resting in a comfortable lawn chair. Old shrubs, debris, and tree branches were placed in the middle section of the dock so the fish would nest and lay eggs. On many occasions, I would sit with him as a young boy and fish all day from the center of his specially designed dock. As we sat fishing, he would instill some adult wisdom into my young mind. I'm unsure if he enjoyed fishing more or just the time he spent sharing stories with others. But I know his time with me helped me grow into a more mature young man. We would catch fish all day, within our limits, and sit chatting, which seemed to suit him just fine. I also remember that he always wore hush puppies, a very comfortable, conservative style of shoe, no matter if he was fishing or at work. He was a very laid-back and easy-going person. When I turned 16, I went to see Mr. Jessop about working at his upholstery shop as a part-time worker after my school hours and full-time in the summer months. When I was ushered into his office, there sat this soft-spoken gentleman with hush puppies. We talked for about an hour about every subject except the job I applied for. Finally, he said, You must talk with Mr. Huddle. He does all the hiring around here. Although I had wasted an hour, I never felt more at ease, and I enjoyed the conversation time I had with Mr. Jessop, just like the days we spent fishing together. That was the kind of man he was. He enjoyed people. God does the same with us. He will listen so long as you're willing to spend time talking to him. We may have to turn to others for help, but God is directing us in that direction. Have an open heart to where God is leading us. Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22, verse 6 And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou least down, and when thou risest up. Deuteronomy 11, verse 19 Compassionate heart. My eyes yearn to see the things it has never seen. My ears the sounds it has never heard. I yearn for knowledge of the things I know nothing about. I want to share the happiness and sadness of those whom I have never met. To hold those who have never been held. To help those who are in need of help. I want to show love to those who never knew love. I want to free the oppressed wherever they may be found. I want to feed the hungry, whose frail bodies I have never seen. I want to reach my hand out to those I never knew were reaching. I want to destroy hate where hate should never have existed. I want to make friends between those whom should have always been friends. I want to live where man can be free to dream and make those dreams come true. Gregory Reid In my earlier life, I wanted to help mankind. I express my compassionate heart in this poem. Never stop dreaming or believing. Follow your heart in your young age and do as much as you can to help your fellow man. God has given each of us a gift. Share it. Whisper in the crowd. We never realize the importance of something until we lose it. The day I lost my voice was the turning point of my entire life. It was a turning point that changed my career pathway and changed the way I view people with handicaps. My life-altering experience began in April of 1984. Like any other day, I woke early to get ready for work. But unlike those other days, today I had trouble talking. It sounded as if I had laryngitis, but I did not have the usual sore throat that would accompany such a diagnosis. As the week progressed, my voice continued to worsen. I went to my family doctor who said it was laryngitis and gave me antibiotics. After several weeks had passed, I was down to a whisper. I could not talk, and the more I tried, the harder it was. My voice was so tight I developed ulcers on a third of my vocal cords and had to stop all talking for several months. What was happening to me? All kinds of ideas were going through my head. I thought I was going completely crazy and sometimes felt like I would have a complete nervous breakdown. As the weeks progressed into months, I began my journey into a medical hell. I was passed from one doctor to another. Everyone had a different opinion, a different treatment, and a larger bill. I was put on total voice rest, given inhalers, psychoanalyzed, hypnotized, given speech therapy, and medicated. I never realized the importance of communication until this mysterious condition came upon me. I could not talk to anyone in a crowded room because I could only whisper to avoid strangling when I spoke. Any noise would drown me out. I finally got to the point where I had to carry a writing pad to communicate with others and annoy the environment. I was getting a taste of what it was to be handicapped. I now knew how difficult life could be for people who were not considered complete. I was treated in many instances as if I were mentally handicapped. People would talk slowly to me, thinking I had a mental deficiency, not a physical problem. Some friends and family cut off communication with me completely. I guess they just did not know how to approach someone they could not understand. Those who talked to me would not speak to me directly, but to those with me. Because of the years of treatment, I became more compassionate to those who are disabled, an appreciation I don't think I had before. We see how we believe obstacles in life are a curse and not a blessing. But God had bestowed a blessing on me that I slowly grew to realize over the many years of suffering from this rare voice disorder. I will now stop and talk with anyone, regardless of their condition. And the most precious gift of all is now I really do listen to others, a skill I was forced to pick up when my voice was taken away. How many people actually listen to others? In 1990, after living for six years in total depression, I was diagnosed with spasmodic dysphonia, a neurological condition that caused the vocal cords tightness and spasms. I became a patient in a two-year research program at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. I began receiving botulism toxin, also known as Botox, into the muscles controlling my vocal cords, reducing the spasms considerably. Since I began receiving Botox, I have regained 80 to 90 percent of my normal voice. Because of my experience, my career changed, and I became a nurse to help others. To this day, 40 years later, I still must continue Botox injections every three to six months. This I will do for the rest of my life. Botox has been a blessing to me because I will never have to whisper in the crowd again. I wrote the above story many years ago. My hometown ran a story on me, which helped ignite the startup of the first dystonia support group of Southside, Virginia. I served as treasurer for the group until I left Virginia in 2006 and moved to California. The group still serves the community today and continues to help others come to terms with their illness, ranging from generalized dystonia affecting the whole body and those with focal dystonia, blepharospasm, oromandibular dystonia, spasmodic dystonia, focal hand dystonia, writer's cramp, and spasmodic torticollis. Today, I am fortunate to have regained enough control over my voice that I don't get the Botox injection as often as I once did. But my voice will always be a struggle for me as long as I live. I continued to work as a nurse until March of 2024 and am now retired. I still continue to show more compassion for those with a handicap. I am blessed. Support the National Dystonia Foundation or National Spasmodic Foundation if you are looking for a cause to support. http://www.dystonia-foundation.org For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, neither hath he hid his face from him, but when he cried unto him, he heard. Psalm 22, verse 24 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer. I have overcome the world. John 16, verse 33 For the Lord will not cast off forever, but though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies. For he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men. Lamentations 3, verses 31 to 33 God is the potter and we are the clay. Open your heart to God and let him shape you into your greatest potential. My walk with Christ Each day I seek to understand the words and promises given to us by our Lord Jesus Christ. As I pray, meditate, and read the Holy Scriptures, I find myself with open eyes in the ways of the Lord. The human side of my thinking becomes discouraged when I see the world around me living a life of sin, corruption, and greed. But the spiritual side of me rejoices and strengthens my human side of thinking when I know that there is hope for salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible tells us that man is sinful in nature and will live life according to his natural desires and do whatever suits the wishes of his body and mind. Human nature has been disobedient and unholy since the days of Adam. But through God's grace, His Son Jesus Christ's sacrifice, and our faith in Christ, we can all be saved and brought to eternal life with Christ. But how can I, one person, tell my family, friends, and strangers about this great gift from God? Many claim they are Christian because it is custom and tradition to be Christian, but truly, at heart, they are not Christian. The only thought of Christ in their lives is once a week when they visit a church entirely out of custom and tradition. Guilt or shame only comes to them if they break their custom. The same with Muslims, Hindu, Buddhists, Jews, etc., all wrapped up in false doctrine and stuck in rules and customs. How do I reach out to these people? First, I myself must break down barriers I've built up over the years. I confess my sins before Christ and ask Him to forgive me and accept me as His disciple. Yes, I have sinned before God, my family, and my friends. Please forgive me for disappointing you because I answered only to my human nature. How can I be an example to others if I am unwilling to humble myself and surrender all to Christ? I must learn to walk as Christ would have each one of us walk. I must be willing to let the Holy Spirit work in me and through me. I must be willing to sacrifice myself to get the message out. Only when we entirely accept His gift and receive the Holy Spirit can we then start to change within. You would only want to change. You would only want to do good work. With great joy, I know Christ will make a home in our hearts if we let Him in. Today and every day, henceforth, I will devote myself to spreading the good news because I know I am not just one person but many in Christ, the body of Christ. Are you a true Christian? Is the foundation of your faith based on love for your fellow man? As Christians, we are to humble ourselves, never thinking we are better than anyone else, to be gentle, being kind to everyone we meet, and to have patience, understanding to all. As Christians, we should not try to bring our brothers and sisters down but lift them up. We must become more Christlike in our daily lives. Love every man, including your enemies. If the Lord has blessed you with money, then share it with your brother in need. How can we, as Christians, wear the best clothes, drive the best cars, live in the finest houses, and not feel guilty when we have brothers living around us without proper clothing, food, and homes? Live meager and share. This is what Christ would do. Do not ask why your brother is without. We may try to make excuses for not helping and parting with our money by saying things like, they are lazy, they can work just like I do, and it's not my place to help. Well, I tell you now, it is your place. God has planted His crop and will soon come to harvest that crop. He will judge the bad crop from the good and will dispose of the bad. Our souls will be that crop. Open your hearts to Christ. Let Him into your life. Love all, give help to your brothers, humble yourself, and help spread the good news. We all have our sinful human nature to deal with daily. But as we grow in Christ, we will find that our sinful side will vanish. Try not to be angry. So, pray for guidance from God. Do not use harmful words in talking. Many people make hurting others with words a part of their daily life. This is a statement. But when people hurt us with comments or deeds, we must forgive them and pray for them. If we are to be forgiven, then we must learn to forgive. Only use helpful words that will build up and strengthen those who hear. Get rid of bitterness, lust, and anger. Do not use obscene, foolish, or dirty words. Do not get drunk and do not become driven by selfish ambition. Learn not to have hateful feelings toward others. Please be kind and tenderhearted to one another and learn to forgive. I cannot repeat this enough. Pray and study Scripture daily for guidance. Ephesians 6, verse 18. Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit. If we seek God and give ourselves over to Him, He will make proper use of each of us in His own way. We each have unique gifts that were given to us by God. Ephesians 4, verse 11. It was He who gave gifts to men. He appointed some to be apostles, others to be prophets, others to be evangelists, others to be pastors and teachers. When we witness Christ, we will find some who come easily to know God. But others are so far away from Christ that they cannot see the truth. They cannot and will not understand anything until they are willing to open their eyes and hearts to the Word of the living Christ. We can only pray for these people and live an example, hoping they will accept Christ when ready. This saddens me as a Christian because we may never have eternal fellowship with these people should they not come to Christ before the trumpets blast on that last day. Live your life as an example to others. Colossians 3, verse 17. Everything you do or say then should be done in the name of the Lord Jesus as you give thanks through Him to God the Father. As a Christian, the most God asks of us is. Run your best in the race of faith and win eternal life for yourself for it was to this life that God called you when you made your good profession of faith before many witnesses. 1 Timothy 6, verse 12. Blessed is he that considers the poor. The Lord will deliver him in time of trouble. The Lord will preserve him and keep him alive and he shall be blessed upon the earth and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies. Psalm 41, verses 1 to 2. And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry and satisfy the afflicted soul then shall thy light rise in obscurity and thy darkness be as the noonday. Isaiah 58, verse 10. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am chief. 1 Timothy 1, verse 15. The winter years of our life. Winter reflects our later years in life. The years to look back on our lives. What have you accomplished? Will God judge you as a good and righteous person? What is life truly about? It should be clear why I am here. But it isn't and I doubt the answer will ever be near. If only I could discover what life is truly about. But everyone who came before me could never figure it out. I'm told that we came from God above. Which I'm sure we did come thereof. But everyone seems to have their own opinion. How God went about giving us our dominion. To prove his point, man will always fight. To show that others are wrong and he is right. But if God is as we conceive, why should we force others to believe? The time will come when all will know. From where all life force does flow. But until then, why can't we do as we all commonly preach? To love thy neighbor and be caring to each. Most of the fighting and killing occurring worldwide centers around personal religious beliefs. If we truly believe in God, we will let him handle the situation and judge us after leaving this earth. From my talk at a Vietnamese church in Alhambra, California in 2006. When I was asked to speak to this Vietnamese church in Los Angeles County, California, I was mortified because I have always feared speaking in front of large groups. I've always had a problem with shyness. So being in front of people like you is a phobia for me. But I tell you now that I wouldn't be here without the strength I receive from God and the motivation of the indwelling Holy Spirit he has bestowed upon me. We can do all things in God if we are only willing to open our hearts to let him work in our lives. I want to talk some today about serving God. I grew up in a Christian home but never knew Jesus Christ. How is that possible? Like most Christians in America, we were traditional or cultural Christians. Our grandparents were Christian and our parents were Christian. So we were Christian. But outside of the church, I never heard Christ mentioned much and I certainly did not see a lot of Christ-like behavior. I figured that was normal. We were Christians and therefore we would go to heaven. There are so many Christians like that today. But I tell you now that they are not Christian in the sense that Christ would consider them a follower and they are just as far from God as any non-believer would be. I always knew something was lacking in my fellowship with God and I prayed that he would show me or give me a purpose. But with all my prayers, I never stopped for a response. I never listened and I never fully let him into my life. I continued to live my life as I always had, always as I saw best, never what God saw best for me. But because I did continue to pray and ask God to show me and give me a purpose, he would not deny me. He always answers our prayers but not always the way we think. At the age of 24, I developed a neurological condition known as laryngeal dystonia and it became almost impossible for me to talk. And for six years, I could only whisper or write on a notepad to communicate. I lost my job and spent all my money on medical bills from three throat surgeries. My life was devastated. I went through depression and every thought that comes with depression. But during those years, I learned to listen. Since I couldn't talk, I would sit and listen. Going out with friends, family get-togethers, church, work, and anywhere I was at the time, I just sat and listened. I continued to pray to God for direction and help, but this time I heard him. I had learned to listen by force. It was a hard lesson I would not wish on anyone, but for me, it worked and God knew this was what was best for me. I grew more faithful, became more prayerful, and opened my heart to God. Because of my surgeries, all the doctors and nurses I saw, and all the medical clinics I went to, I decided to go into nursing. I still could not talk, but I knew I could do something in that field of work. While working at the hospital in my hometown, a doctor I knew gave me an article about NIH research with Botox for laryngeal dystonia. I prayed to God to help me get into this program. I called them immediately and was told they had met their research quota and were not taking any more clients. The article was months old. I repeated a quiet prayer to myself, and just before I hung up the phone, the person on the other end said, but I think we may be able to work you in. It was not long after starting the research program that I had started Botox injections into my throat, and after three tries, I regained the use of my voice. My life was given back to me. Although my life was far from perfect, I still had ups and downs. I still faced life's hardships and disappointments. I always would have to get Botox shots into my throat every three months for the rest of my life if I wanted to talk close to normal. But now, I had an inner strength I never had before because I had discovered my real relationship with God, a love relationship that is deep within my heart and soul. I give praise to God for every breath I take, and He has never forsaken me. I continue to grow in my walk with Jesus Christ, through prayer, through friends in Christ, and faith. When I stumble, He always picks me up. Whether it is His direct intervention or His guidance working through my many Christian friends, He is always there to redirect my path when I start to leave it, which all of us are prone to do throughout our lives. As a body in Christ, we help each other. We help each other back on the path when we see each other wandering away from it. Even when we stumble, we should help each other. The advice from many of my Christian friends has helped me many times. The road is narrow, but we can make it to the end of that path with each other's help. My cousin worked as an East Coast director for VLM, or Voice of the Martyrs. She had asked me several times if I would like to go on a mission trip with her. With much prayer, I knew God was calling me to go, if not just to help others, but to help myself spiritually. I have always had a deep desire to help others. I went with her mission team in March of 2005 to Vietnam. We spent several weeks giving out aid in the form of rice, bicycles, money, and toys. We shared our faith where we could safely gather and find those yearning to know more about Jesus Christ. We went to orphanages, leper colonies, and AIDS colonies, wherever the Lord allowed us to go. My love for the Vietnamese people grew at that time. I am sure if I had gone to Africa, South America, or anywhere else, I would have loved the people there as well. But I think God sent me to Vietnam, and He will send others to the places I didn't go. God has a purpose for me as He has for each one in this room. I will meet many Asians along my journey who have never heard of or knew the Word of Christ. But living among Asians, whether here in Southern California or Vietnam, I know I will influence many through the Spirit of Christ I try to reflect on daily. I am now following a new life, a new adventure, and I know God has a purpose for me. I will listen to Him. If it is His wish that I serve Him by making short trips to Vietnam, then that is what I will do. If it's living many years in Southern California among my new friends, then that's what I will do. I have put myself in His hands. I will serve Him now and forever. Christ is my Lord and Savior, and no sacrifice is too little for Him. What about you? What is God calling you to do? God did not ask us to share our faith. He commanded us to share it. And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and in the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you. And, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. Matthew 28, verses 18-20 This is the Great Commission. You need not go to other countries, but you do need to share your faith or live it so it is reflected on others who watch us for examples of being Christian. It is a command. Share it with your family, your friends, and your co-workers. Whoever may be lost, share your faith with them. That is how you witness. Remember, as I said at the beginning of my talk, most Christians are traditional or cultural Christians. All you should do is share your faith. Whether through your example of living a Christian-based life or witnessing. Then, step back and let the Holy Spirit work in them to change their hearts, and then let Jesus do the saving. Appreciate your uniqueness. We are all different. God made us that way. Stop judging and trying to make others like you. Honor the uniqueness of each person and honor God by your grace. The sum of our experiences makes us who we are. No two people go through life with the exact same trials. Just like snowflakes, we are uniquely different. So, when you meet another person, recognize that uniqueness and open your heart to understanding. Uniqueness is God's gift to us. I love all of you. My old friends and the ones I have yet to meet. Greg Reed For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3 verse 16 The author lives in Garden Grove, California, with his wife Jeanette. His interest is in writing biographies and Christian-based science fiction novels. Other works by the author. America's Sherlock Holmes, The Life and Times of William J. Flynn, A World War I Soldier's Story. The Roanoke Boy, A World War I Diary. The Life and Times of Henry H., Brilhart in Catawba Valley. The Life and Times of Joseph Ali, Organ Maker. The Protector's Pentalogy, Christian-based sci-fi.
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