PCM 07-26-2012  Everyone gets in on it, everyone benefits

You are needed, wanted and important! especially those of who have experienced life changing illnesses, traumas or hardships. Your experience is unique to you and while each of us faces our own challenges, weakness and trouble, together with God we are and will remain eternally undefeated.

We all need each other to make it through this journey we are on. We as a people of God are incomplete without each other, we are intertwined and connected through Him and the ways He works through us.

1 Corinthians 12:7 [The Message version] Each person is given something to do that shows who God is: Everyone gets in on it, everyone benefits. All kinds of things are handed out by the Spirit, and to all kinds of people!

1 Corinthians 12:14 [The Message version] I want you to think about how all this makes you more significant, not less. A body isn't just a single part blown up into something huge. It's all the different-but-similar parts arranged and functioning together.

You are important and so is everyone else! What our part of the body is, we are and what function we have is not really 100 percent up to us. Remembering we are part of something bigger than us helps us to stay focused on what we are given to do. You can only do what is in front of you and we cannot lament what we were doing in the past.

The reality is our physical and emotional capabilities change as diseases progress and as we age. Life changes, roles change, skills change. In my family my role has constantly changed. I went from working to disabled and Cathy my wife went from housewife to worker. As our health needs have changed and Cathy's health has digressed I have had to change to more of a helper role.

Writing has become a passion for me, kind of ironic I did not like the literature and English classes as a student. Grammar was boring and not as exciting as all the science classes I enjoyed. The biggest laugh is that I created a company that specializes in fancy writing when the facts are I flunked penmanship in the third grade. With spellchecker even a poor speller like me can seem half intelligible...sorta...lol

The point is we have to find our role and opportunities given our current ever changing circumstances. Turn lemons into lemonade and fight the urge to give up and feel useless. You are all very much on my heart as our time is limited.

Focus your energy on asking God to illuminate the opportunities given you and work with all you heart to do your part. Take all the pain and hurt you feel and turn it into a force for God there is someone who needs to hear what you have to say.

I have a burning desire to get encouragement to as many people as possible. With the internet, social media and devices to access all that is out there we need to spread hope to those around us.

Hoping to brighten your day so you can brighten someone elses when you are up to it.

Oh and by the way if you are the one being ministered to just remember your job at the time is to be there for that someone so they can fulfill what God has asked of them, you will get your turn to give to others when you are comfortable with being comforted.

Bill Sullivan
The Physically Challenged Ministry