mepastormike

Today was a day of visiting. I was able to make face to face contact with several within the community by attending a monthly Chamber of Commerce event. But I was also able to visit a few individuals from the Crossroads congregation. One visit imparticular was with an elderly gentleman who was not short on stories from his life. It was good to hear him share of his experiences... I've learned to appreciate and value these stories, becuase in them are nuggets of gold that help me in my own life's journey.
A story told to me today was one of true perseverance and determination. When trying to make a visit with a dear friend, this gentleman became stranded in a snow storm. Originally he believed to be a half mile away from any help, but it turns out that it was a much greater distance. Walking in the snow with very little protection he continued to make his journey to find shelter. A few times he felt like stopping to rest, but he knew that hypothermia was setting in. Stopping would mean certain death. "Sometimes," the gentleman said, "you've just got to have the guts to push through." By the time he reached shelter his legs were frozen from the knees down... he still suffers from that exposure some 60 years later.
My reading took me to Romans chapter 5 today. I'm reminded how God pushed through for us. Jesus gave his all knowing the alternative would be our spiritual death with no possibility of being reconciled before God. Believers in Christ are not quiters! We have a hope that gives us the determination and "guts" to push through anything that comes our way.