Did you know that an eagle knows when a storm is approaching long before it breaks?

The eagle will fly to some high spot and wait for the winds to come. When the storm hits, it sets its wings so that the wind will pick it up and lift it above the storm. While the storm rages below, the eagle is soaring above it.

The eagle does not escape the storm. It simply uses the storm to lift it higher. It rises on the winds that bring the storm.

When the storms of life come upon us – and all of us will experience them – we can rise above them by setting our minds and our belief toward God. The storms do not have to overcome us. We can allow God’s power to lift us above them.

God enables us to ride the winds of the storm that bring sickness, tragedy, failure and disappointment in our lives. We can soar above the storm.

Remember, it is not the burdens of life that weigh us down, it is how we handle them.

200 page e-book that explains everything you need to know when planning your very own object lessons. It contains 90 fully developed object lesson ideas and another 200 object lesson starter ideas based on Biblical idioms and Names / Descriptions of God.

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One day a young man was standing in the middle of town proclaiming that he had the most beautiful heart in the whole world. A large crowd gathered and they all admired his heart for it was perfect.

There was not a mark or a flaw in it. Yes, they all agreed it truly was the most beautiful heart they had ever seen.
The young man was very proud and boasted more loudly about his beautiful heart.

Suddenly, an old man appeared at the front of the crowd and said, “Why your heart is not nearly as beautiful as mine.”

The crowd and the young man looked at the old man’s heart. It was beating strongly, but full of scars, it had places where pieces had been removed and other pieces put in, but they didn’t fit quite right and there were several jagged edges. In fact, in some places there were deep gouges where whole pieces were missing.

The people stared — how can he say his heart is more beautiful, they thought?

The young man looked at the old man’s heart and saw its state and laughed.

“You must be joking,” he said.
“Compare your heart with mine, mine is perfect and yours is a mess of scars and tears.”

“Yes,” said the old man, “Yours is perfect looking but I would never trade with you.

You see, every scar represents a person to whom I have given my love – I tear out a piece of my heart and give it to them, and often they give me a piece of their heart which fits into the empty place in my heart, but because the pieces aren’t exact, I have some rough edges, which I cherish, because they remind me of the love we shared.

“Sometimes I have given pieces of my heart away, and the other person hasn’t returned a piece of his heart to me. These are the empty gouges — giving love is taking a chance.

Although these gouges are painful, they stay open, reminding me of the love I have for these people too, and I hope someday they may return and fill the space I have waiting. So now do you see what true beauty is?”

The young man stood silently with tears running down his cheeks. He walked up to the old man, reached into his perfect young and beautiful heart, and ripped a piece out. He offered it to the old man with trembling hands

The old man took his offering, placed it in his heart and then took a piece from his old scarred heart and placed it in the wound in the young man’s heart.

It fit, but not perfectly, as there were some jagged edges. The young man looked at his heart, not perfect anymore but more beautiful than ever, since love from the old man’s heart flowed into his.

They embraced and walked away side by side.

200 page e-book that explains everything you need to know when planning your very own object lessons. It contains 90 fully developed object lesson ideas and another 200 object lesson starter ideas based on Biblical idioms and Names / Descriptions of God.

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A son and his father were walking in the crisp clean air of the Swiss Alps.

In rugged terrain, the son slips and falls – letting out a shout of pain:
“AAAhhhhhhhhhhh!!!”

To his surprise, he hears a voice repeating, somewhere in the mountain.
“AAAhhhhhhhhhhh!!!”

Curious, he yells: “Who are you?”
He receives the answer: “Who are you?”

Angered at the apparently mocking response, he screams: “Coward!”
He hears the reply: “Coward!”

In confusion, he looks to his father who says: “My son, pay attention.”

He screams to the mountain: “I admire you!”
The voice answers: “I admire you!”

“You are a champion!”
The voice comes back: “You are a champion!”

The boy is surprised, but still so does not understand. The father continues:

“People call this ECHO, but really this is LIFE.
It gives you back everything you say or do.
Our life is simply a reflection of our actions.

If you want more love in the world, find more love in your heart.
If you want to challenge others to new heights, climb the mountains God sends your way!

“Life will give you back everything you have given to it.”

Your life is not a coincidence. It is a reflection of you!

“The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him.
– Matthew 12:35”

“Based upon an uncredited story circulating the internet.”

200 page e-book that explains everything you need to know when planning your very own object lessons. It contains 90 fully developed object lesson ideas and another 200 object lesson starter ideas based on Biblical idioms and Names / Descriptions of God.

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Bald Eagles enjoy one of the longest life-spans among birds. They can live more than 50 years. But in order to survive that long, they have to make a critical decision.

In time, their claws weaken and it is hard for them to catch prey.
Their beaks grow long and curved almost touching their chest.
Their wings become heavy due to thick and long feathers.

If they want to survive and prosper, they must undergo a painful transformation.
The alternative is death.

Change is painful.
Beaks are broken against the rocks.
Claws are pulled from their talons, one by one.
Feathers are painfully plucked until the eagle is bare.

Five months later, the eagles will fly again with
Sleak new feathers,
Razor sharp claws, and
A sharp new beak able to tear into its prey.

Sometimes we have to make difficult decisions in life in order to embark on a new journey. It may be painful to let go, but the alternative is even more painful.

Its time for you to let go of the old,
Grow into new habits,
Sharpen your skills,
And let yourself fly once again.

“You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”
– Ephesians 4:22-24

Copyright 2006 by Ken Sapp
See flash video of my writing (minus the scripture at the end)

200 page e-book that explains everything you need to know when planning your very own object lessons. It contains 90 fully developed object lesson ideas and another 200 object lesson starter ideas based on Biblical idioms and Names / Descriptions of God.

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Commitment can be costly. Yet there are times when there is no cost that is too high, there is no line we will not cross to accomplish that which we truly believe in.

On March 3, 1836 the cannons fell silent for a few moments. The Alamo, a small fort, was defended by a mere 190 men, but was surrounded by thousands of Mexican soldiers. The Mexican army, under the leadership of General Santa Anna, was determined to put down a revolt of colonists seeking freedom and independence.

As the sun began to set, Commander Travis stood before the tired group of men. Legend recounts that he took his sword from his sheath, drew a line in the sand with its tip, and asked all that were willing to die for the cause of freedom to step over it. We don’t know why each man chose to cross, but in the end, all the defenders except one crossed the line, including the ailing Jim Bowie who asked that he be carried across in his cot.

The line in the sand may have been real or it may have been metaphorical, yet each man at the Alamo had already drawn a line in his heart and each had already crossed. They had committed their lives to a cause that they believed in — freedom.

Their attitude might best be illustrated by the final letter sent by Commander Travis seeking reinforcements:

” I am besieged with a thousand or more of the Mexicans under Santa Anna. I have sustained a continual bombardment and cannonade for 24 hours and have not lost a man. The enemy has demanded surrender at discretion; otherwise, the garrison is to be put to the sword, if the fort is taken. I have answered the demand with a cannon shot, and our flag still waves proudly over the wall. I shall never surrender or retreat….”
He signed it with the following exclamation!

VICTORY OR DEATH

“Remember the Alamo” became the rallying cry of the Texas Revolution. Texas would later become a state of the USA, but people continue to remember the Alamo as a heroic struggle against overwhelming odds — a place where men made the ultimate sacrifice for something they believed in.

When faced with over-whelming odds, remember the Alamo.
Remember that freedom demands a price.
Remember that independence comes with a cost.
Remember that if you want to make a difference in the lives of others..
…its time to cross the line!

After all, Jesus crossed the line between heaven and earth and died for your freedom!

Copyright 2004 by Ken Sapp

200 page e-book that explains everything you need to know when planning your very own object lessons. It contains 90 fully developed object lesson ideas and another 200 object lesson starter ideas based on Biblical idioms and Names / Descriptions of God.

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Want to see some of my other inspirational messages (minus the scripture references and intended for public use)? Check out www.InspirationJunction.com/ken

You can download the windows screensavers for your PC and send the messages to friends for FREE. Almost my whole collection is there. You just have to add your own scriptures to the powerful inspirational stories.

200 page e-book that explains everything you need to know when planning your very own object lessons. It contains 90 fully developed object lesson ideas and another 200 object lesson starter ideas based on Biblical idioms and Names / Descriptions of God.

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They have been married for a long time. As usual they have their ups and downs. One day they had a big fight over his long working hours and things are falling apart. He was disappointed and she was angry.

After one week of silence treatment from her wife, he approached her with papers and pencils. He suggested that both of them sit down on the dining table and write down on paper what they are not happy about each other. They will then exchange the papers and discuss.

So the wife started to write without looking up because she has a lot to write about her frustration. The husband took a long look at the wife and he too started to write. After fifteen minutes of writing, they look at each other and exchange the papers.

The husband looked at the paper full of complaints. She was angry. When the wife looked at his paper, she was embarrassed and quickly tears away her own paper. On his paper, he wrote for two full pages:

“I love you, honey”

Author: Unknown
Source: Unknown

200 page e-book that explains everything you need to know when planning your very own object lessons. It contains 90 fully developed object lesson ideas and another 200 object lesson starter ideas based on Biblical idioms and Names / Descriptions of God.

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Even the greatest and most powerful have weak moments. At such times, they may need a push before they stretch their wings and fly.

Golden and bald eagles are among the largest and most powerful birds in the world. Eagles are symbols of strength, bravery and courage — and proud independence. But their independence must be learned.

As young eaglets, the nest is comfortable, safe, and secure. But if the eaglets are to survive on their own, they must leave the comfort of the nest and learn to fly! To convince the eaglets that it is time to leave the parents make the nest uncomfortable by tearing up the bedding with their talons, allowing the sticks and sharp ends to be exposed.

The mother eagle then beats her wings at the eaglets, harassing them, and driving them forward. Cowering before such an attack, the little eaglets climb up on the edge of the nest, only to be pushed over the side by the mother eagle. The eaglet falls, its wings struggling to catch the air currents, but flopping out of control due to inexperience.

Just before the eaglet crashes upon the rocks below, the mother eagle swoops down, catches it on her back, and soars upward into the sky. Much relieved, the young eaglet feels safe, until suddenly, without warning, the mother eagle dives downward, depriving the little eaglet of its grip. Once again it finds itself plummeting toward the ground.

Repeatedly the eaglet is dumped then rescued until it learns to catch the rising air currents and ride the winds. Its wings strengthen and soon the eaglet soars high above the earth, taking on the character of a true eagle.

Unfortunately, some eaglets refuse to use their wings and fly. Eventually, the mother eagle soars high one final time with the eaglet on her back, and with a wild screech of disappointment and pain, she dives out from under it and flies away, leaving it to its fate — either “fly or die.”

Have you become too comfortable? Do you have a “fly or die” attitude. It’s time you gave your life a push and stretched your wings! If you never stretch your wings, you will never fly to greater heights.

“”Those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles”
– Isaiah 40:31

The Lord uphold all those who fall
and lifts up all those who are bowed down

Copyright 2003 by Ken Sapp

200 page e-book that explains everything you need to know when planning your very own object lessons. It contains 90 fully developed object lesson ideas and another 200 object lesson starter ideas based on Biblical idioms and Names / Descriptions of God.

Learn More…

200 page e-book that explains everything you need to know when planning your very own object lessons. It contains 90 fully developed object lesson ideas and another 200 object lesson starter ideas based on Biblical idioms and Names / Descriptions of God.

Learn More…