#1assurance:god's Gift Series

#1 REASSURANCE, GOD’S GIFT!

WHEN FEAR TRIES TO HINDER, GOD WILL GIVE US REASSURANCE!

By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com

This is part #1 of a #2 part lesson.

I. INTRODUCTION:

A. Often times life throws us some strange twists that we never expected.

Our hopes can seem so far away. Why? Why did this happen?

B. Years ago I was driving on 68 in south west Virginia when a lady passed my VW just flying. She had a brand new fancy Ford Thunderbird. She had her foot in the carburetor and she passed me like I was sitting still. On up the road I came around a curve and this beautiful new Thunderbird was resting against a concrete wall of the bridge. The car was totalled.

We helped pull the lady out of the car and she was crying hard.

She kept saying: WHY GOD? WHY DID YOU DO THIS TO ME?

A man spoke up and said: GOD DID NOT MAKE YOU WRECK,

YOU WERE DRIVING TOO FAST!

C. When my sons were growing up and we would travel, we would often

sing. I had a Pinto station wagon and my two sons were singing up a storm. I listened to them --- they were singing a familiar song ---

I just quietly listened as they sang: BLESSED INSURANCE --- JESUS IS MINE...

Now they are grown and are both POLICEMEN ---

I have often recalled those words: BLESSED INSURANCE --- JESUS IS MINE...

JESUS IS BETTER THAN INSURANCE AS HE BRINGS HIS PRECIOUS PEOPLE

BLESSED ASSURANCE.

D. DEFINE:

1. ASSURE:

Guarantee.

To inform POSITIVELY.

To make feel safe. To make sure or certain.

To give confidence.

2. REASSURE:

To assure ANEW.

To restore to CONFIDENCE.

II. ARE WE THINKING KIND THOUGHTS? WHAT IF WE LOOSE THE GAME?

HAVE WE LEARNED THAT THERE ARE THINGS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW

THAT ARE PREPARING US TO FULFILL VISIONS, DREAMS AND PURPOSE

THAT OUR GOD HAS PLANNED FOR OUR LIFE?

SOMEONE NEEDS YOU TO REACH OUT OF YOUR BOX AND HELP!

A. Did you hear about SARA TUCHOLSKY? Sara Tucholsky played softball for Western Oregon University. Western Oregon University was playing their rival team Central Oregon University.

Central Oregon University had a star first base player named MALLORY HOLTMAN. Mallory Holtman had many accomplishments while playing for Central. Mallory was the CAREER HOME RUN LEADER IN THE GREAT NORTHWEST ATHELETIC CONFERENCE.

B. In the game Central Oregon University had the lead over Western Oregon in the last inning. Western rallied and had two players on base when SARA TUCHOLSKY STEPPED TO HOME PLATE TO BAT. The first pitch was STRIKE ONE. The second pitch SARA SWUNG WITH ALL HER MIGHT AND HIT HER VERY FIRST CAREER HOME RUN.

C. Sara started running the bases and was celebrating her HOME RUN. Sara

rounded FIRST BASE and headed toward second when she noticed that she

had not tagged first base. So Sara turned around and returned to first base. Sara twisted her leg as she turned and seriously INJURED HER KNEE.

The pain was so terrible, Sara CRAWLED back to first base. She realized

she could not make it to HOME. THE UMPIRES TOLD THE COACHING STAFF

IF THEY TOUCHED SARA TUCHOLSKY SHE WOULD BE DISQUALIFIED AND

CALLED OUT.

D. IF THE COACH CALLED TIME AND USED A PINCH RUNNER SARA’S HOME RUN

WOULD BE REDUCED TO A SINGLE AND HER RUN WOULD NOT COUNT.

MALLORY HOLTMAN, the opposing teams first base player and the home run

queen, stepped to the UMPIRE and ASKED PERMISSION THAT SOME OF HER

TEAM MATES WOULD CARRY SARA AROUND THE BASES IF POSSIBLE?

E. The Umpire said there was nothing in the rule books against that.

So MALLORY and ONE of her team members, the short stop --- LIZ WALLACE

got under SARA’S ARMS and picked Sara up and carried her.

They stopped at first base and allowed Sara to touch the base with her

GOOD LEG. The three girls headed around the bases stopping at each one

to allow Sara to touch the base with the good leg. Then MALLORY and LIZ

would carry her to the next base.

F. WHEN MALLORY GOT SARA THE OPPOSING PLAYER TO HOME, MALLORY

SAID: "YOU DESERVE IT, YOU HIT THE BALL OVER THE FENCE!"

G. NOW CENTRAL OREGON LOST THE GAME TO WESTERN OREGON.

Central would be eliminated from the SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT.

Three young women learned a great lesson about life. The crowd was

wildly cheering. The HOME RUN QUEEN CARRIED HER OPPONANT

AROUND THE BASES TO HER FIRST CAREER HOME RUN.

I DON’T KNOW MALLORY HOLTMAN OR LIZ WALLACE BUT THEIR

REFLECTION OF COMPASSION AND LOVE THAT MADE THEM REACH BEYOND

THE PROBLEM AND CAUSED THEM TO LOAN A SHOULDER TO THEIR RIVAL

TEAM MEMBER WAS A TESTIMONY.

Softball games are much like real life --- WE CAN DEMONSTRATE KINDNESS,