THE NEW EWE

"What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!'"

Luke 15:4-6

September 17, 2025

LIFE IN THE FOLD

Why am I a christian? It has nothing to do with religion or church attendance. It has nothing to do with thinking I'm better than others; especially those who may not believe. It's not a crutch to help me stumble through life, best as I can.

So why am I a christian? It's because I know that I'm not good enough, wise enough, or strong enough to get through life on my own. It's because I need a Savior and Father to lean on. It's because I need hope to hold onto that there is more after my life on earth is over.

Ever since I was a young girl, I have seen the evidence that there is a God, that He loves us, and we can talk to Him and He hears.

I asked Jesus into my heart when I was only 5 years old. My parents were godly examples to me. They took our family to church and we prayed together nightly, as a family. I saw them living out their faith in how they treated others.

I attended a church where I saw people giving their lives to Christ. I felt the presence of the Lord in our services. I heard testimonies of answered prayer.

When Mama was sick with cancer, there were times when the pain would become unbearable and she was unable to fall asleep at night. Daddy would call one of my uncles, who would then call Mama's other siblings, and soon they would arrive to pray for her. It didn't matter what time it was or what they had going on the next day, they would come and pray, until the pain eased enough and Mama could fall asleep. I saw that prayer works.

The week leading up to Mama's death, she fell into a coma. One night she woke up singing, "I need Thee, oh I need Thee. Every hour I need Thee. Oh Bless me now, my Savior. I come to Thee." She awoke thinking about needing Jesus. It wasn't worry about Daddy and us girls or fear for the future; but she called out to her Father.

My brother-in-law was hard of hearing, and without his hearing aids, he was deaf. He was diagnosed with brain cancer. A few days before he passed away, he was lying in a hospital bed in their living room, without his hearing aids. My sister and I went into the entryway, several feet away from where he was lying, and were softly talking. He spoke up and answered us! Previously, there was no way he could have heard us without seeing us to lipread or having his hearing aids in. We both believe that right before his death, God restored his hearing. Perhaps he was so close to heaven, that God was giving him a glimpse of the healing that was to come.

I believe that the Bible is true! I believe what is says is true! I believe that it is the inspired Word of God and is God-breathed.

So what if I'm wrong? What if I reach the end of my life and after I die, I find that everything that I believed was untrue or that God really doesn't exist? What have I got to lose? But what if I'm right?! If you choose to not believe, what all do you have to lose? I may be wrong, but I don't think so! I've seen too much evidence that God is very real and that eternity is real. I'm not willing to risk my eternity by refusing to believe in God and refuse the gift of salvation that He offers to all mankind.

JON'S PERSPECTIVE:

An acquaintance of mine once said that because I believe in God that I also thought I was better than him. I was so confused and stunned that I didn't answer.

Honestly, I had never even considered comparing myself to him. I know I am better with God than I was without Him. But that's the only comparison that had even occurred to me.

That alone is a good enough reason for me to believe in God.

Not that it's all. I can look at the amazingly impossible organization of particle physics, and see God's hand. I can look at the bizarre and amazing diversity of nature, and see God's hand in it. I can see God's hand in my own life. Any of these are enough to believe in God.

ON THE MENEWE:

Italian Chicken

Place chicken breasts in baking pan and cover with Italian dressing. Marinate for 1 hour or longer in refrigerator. Don't remove dressing before baking. Bake covered at 325 for 2 hours or in crockpot until tender. (Time may need adjusting, depending on amount you are cooking or if the chicken is bone-in or boneless.) **You can also cook a pork roast by marinading in Italian dressing, then cooking until tender.

THIS, THAT AND THE OTHER:

My mom's dad, whom the family all called Poppy, was a rather large, jolly man. He was a great story-teller, and when the family all got together they would sit around and listen to stories he made up. Everyone greatly loved him

When my mom's two youngest brothers were just starting to drive, they thought they would take Poppy for the ride of his life. They talked him into getting into the car, then took off as fast as they could and started turning donuts. They were trying to scare him. Poppy just sat there, not saying a word, smiling. That took all the fun out of it, so they took him back home. I'm sure he knew if he if he could survive that one ride, without saying anything, then they would never do that to him again.

Poppy passed away when I was only a year old, so I never had a chance to know him. But I remember my mom and sisters telling me that when I was a baby, he would call me "the girl" because he thought my name was too hard to say. By the time I was born, he was so large and his feet and ankles were so swollen, that he mostly just sat in a chair with his feet up. He would lay me on top of his belly to hold me.

Poppy's love of family, laughter and story-telling, was passed down to his children and grandchildren.

THOUGHT TO PONDER:

Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray.

Are any of you happy? You should sing praises. James 5:13

OUR HEARTFELT THANKS TO YOU:

We love you!

Loretta & Jon

http://www.graysheep.org