My Greatest Treasure

I may not have
The smarts,
Good looks,
Riches or fame.
But
I have Jesus
And He knows
My name.
When I think about 
How he died
On a cross
For poor,
Wretched me,
I can only thank
And praise Him,
Abundantly.
So,
I may not
Have much
In this world
But that's ok.
There's a place
Called Heaven
Where I'll be
Someday.
Yes,
It's a place
That promises
Streets of gold,
Mansions,
And a crown
On my head.
The reward
Not for what
I've done
But for what
Jesus has done
Instead.
So,
I may pout,
Fuss,
Gripe
And moan.
Yes, 
For those things
I wish
I owned.
But none
Of that matters,
They will soon
Rust and fade.
The most
Important thing,
The greatest
Treasure
I have today,
Is my dear
Savior,
My blessed
hope
That can
Never
Be taken
Away!

- Joe Scot Schroeder

He Doesn't Believe In Luck (Part 7)

I was overwhelmed by their story. I said "In my years in the Navy I never had the desire to do this. But I'd like to hug you, Commander!"
We did. We all did.
I am sending them a copy of my book, "The Flight of a Lifetime!" and a few other things. My story is in there. I know they will understand.
By the way. Their daughter and my son is doing very well. So is his beautiful wife. During dinner God had urged me to tell her that everything was going to be all right. There have been times when someone has shared a story with me that I get this overwhelming urge to share a message with the individual. Sometimes they think I'm full of it. But as I was walking back to the table during dinner, I argued with God, "They won't believe me. I'll be lucky if he doesn't punch me in the nose, sharing a message from God."
God said, "I don't believe in luck!"
"I believe in YOU!"
Bob Perks © 2001
Ashley is no longer in pain. She took her heavenly place July 13, 2001 
- Written by Bob Perks at www.BobPerks.com. Used with permission.

He Doesn't Believe In Luck (Part 6)

For some reason I rarely looked in his eyes as he told the rest of this story. I found myself watching his wife. Her eyes lit up when his did. They filled with tears when he shared stories of painful memories and long difficult months. She smiled in anticipation of his words of hope and funny stories they have both told a hundred times since this ordeal. She loved him deeply. I could tell.
We sat silently. Tears mixed with nervous laughter.
"I know it to be true. I have heard many stories just like it from
others." I said.
He looked at me and reminded me again "I don't believe in luck."
Just before we said our good-byes, he casually mentioned, "Oh, yes. In the middle of all of this we found out that my wife had cancer, too."- Written by Bob Perks at www.BobPerks.com. Used with permission.

He Doesn't Believe In Luck (Part 5)

We talked over dinner, watched the show and then our new friends shared the rest of their story. Not only did their child have Ewings Sarcoma, but then after defeating that, she developed another similar cancer within a short time. He went on to share this story with us...
"I told you when we first met this evening that I don't believe in luck. I am a military man. A commander of helicopter pilots. I believe and trust only in what I see and know. When flying, I look at my meters, my controls, my equipment and trust what they tell me is accurate. But!", he pauses for a minute to gather his thoughts.
"My daughter needed a bone marrow transfer. I was with her alone the evening she came close to death. I held her hand as I sat by the side of her bed, never letting go. It was in that moment..." he stops. I can see how difficult this was to share. "It was that evening in the hospital as I held her hand and prayed to God to save her, that...I swear this to be true. Remember I told you that I was trained to believe in my instruments, the true readings they provide. I swear to you that as I prayed for her I felt a third hand. It was on top of mine as sure as my wife is holding my hand now. I believe it was God. I knew then that she would survive."
- Written by Bob Perks at www.BobPerks.com. Used with permission.

He Doesn't Believe In Luck (Part 4)

I spoke to him about the past tens years and discovering my true purpose in life and I told them about my son Keith's fight against Ewings Sarcoma, a cancer.
His wife grabbed his hand and with tears in her eyes, still looking at him, she said "Our daughter had Ewings Sarcoma." Oh yes the cancer was in the same leg as our son's.
Confirmed. My thoughts of "meant to be" were confirmed. I laughed and cried in amazement that this couple would sit next to us. Harold held four seats for us on this final night. I thought we only needed two.
But God was in charge of seating this evening.
- Written by Bob Perks at www.BobPerks.com. Used with permission.

He Doesn't Believe In Luck (Part 3)

It all started when I asked him what he did for a living. He replied "Nothing." His wife immediately reached for his hand and urged him to explain. I instantly had the feeling that our meeting was meant to be.
He obviously was unemployed and struggling with the new changes in his life, I thought. So I went into my story about losing my job and facing thoughts of suicide.
I said, " I can't believe how lucky we were to have both of you sit next to us tonight."
"I don't believe in luck!" he said. He then told me that he was a Commander in the Navy and recently was taken out of the one position he loved and assigned to a desk. He flew helicopters. He lead men and women in the air. "The finest."
I spoke to him about change and turning seemingly bad events into positive ones. "God has bigger plans for you!" I said.
- Written by Bob Perks at www.BobPerks.com. Used with permission.

He Doesn't Believe In Luck (Part 2)

I put on my finest Hawaiian shirt and Marianne was as beautiful as ever. We had already started our "It's our last night in paradise. I don't want to return to reality!" crying and moaning. So we were determined to wrap it all up in a big way.
I located Harold and asked him to show us to our seats. As promised, Harold came through again. Front row center. "There are four of you, right?" asked Harold. "No. Just the two of us." "Ok. Enjoy!"
This time we were at the end of a long banquet table. Within a few minutes Harold sat another couple next to us in the extra seats he mistakenly reserved.
"Hello. How are you?" the man asked as he turned to everyone seated. We all shook hands and made the necessary introductions. When he heard that a young couple at the other end of the table was from his area of the U.S. the conversation turned toward them and all of the things they had in common. I was Ok with that. This was our last night and I wanted to enjoy these final hours here with my wife. But before long the four of us became instant friends.
- Written by Bob Perks at www.BobPerks.com. Used with permission.

He Doesn't Believe In Luck (Part 1)

We were fortunate indeed to have met Mr. Bagheri, the Director of Food & Beverage at the Allegro Resort Aruba. He had no idea the important part he would play in fulfilling God's plan for this vacation.
"I'm so glad that you enjoyed the stage show. Did Harold take care of you?", asked Mr. Bagheri. "Yes, it was incredible! Harold had a table for us front row. The show was magnificent!" I told him.
"Your plans for tonight?" "We are attending the beach barbecue." "Please see Harold again. Tell him I said to save seats for you right down front. You'll love our limbo show!"
I was very uncomfortable and always am when it comes to "pulling strings", using influence or name dropping. But it was our last night and this vacation at the Allegro was absolutely perfect. I found Harold and mentioned Mr. Bagheri's request.
This wonderful trip was about to become even more incredible.
- Written by Bob Perks at www.BobPerks.com. Used with permission.

Nehemiah's Prayer

Nehemiah 1:5-11 KJV
I beseech thee, O Lord God of heaven, the great and terrible God, that keepeth covenant and mercy for them that love him and observe his commandments: Let thine ear now be attentive, and thine eyes open, that thou mayest hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee now, day and night, for the children of Israel thy servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee: both I and my father's house have sinned. We have dealt very corruptly against thee, and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the judgments, which thou commandedst thy servant Moses. Remember, I beseech thee, the word that thou commandedst thy servant Moses, saying, If ye transgress, I will scatter you abroad among the nations: But if ye turn unto me, and keep my commandments, and do them; though there were of you cast out unto the uttermost part of the heaven, yet will I gather them from thence, and will bring them unto the place that I have chosen to set my name there. Now these are thy servants and thy people, whom thou hast redeemed by thy great power, and by thy strong hand. O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear thy name: and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. For I was the king's cupbearer.

Love And Unity

So, I have been observing the variances in beliefs/behaviors of my fellow Christians lately. I do this with an interested curiosity. We all have different beliefs, but the same G-d. When we let theological differences come between us we inhibit the spirit from moving. It says "they will know you by your love for one another" - and yet even people who I know love the Lord will forget this. Our greatest witness is our love for each other. 
I have explained denominations to my kids as we all have the same parent (G-d), but we live in different houses with different expectations, although it doesn't have to apply to denominations only - sometimes within a denomination, or even a church itself.
Much like a family, the parents have children, and they start their own families with their own beliefs/values/traditions. It doesn't make them not part of the parental family, and arguing does not make for a very desirable visit. The grandchildren will take on some of the characteristics of the family, and still have their own identity. 
Issues such as drinking, Halloween, tattooes, clothing, company, days of church, arg! the list goes on - I am not singling out anyone in this post, but it has seemed to be such a HUGE observation for me everywhere I go that people are in discord. 
I get made fun of for being a "hippie" with my "peace, love, happiness" mantra, but seriously people! Peace, love and happiness! I am not endorsing other hippie behavior with that; please don't come by my house with anything illegal, or I will decline it. 
God reaches us where we are, convicts us by the Holy Spirit, and leads us to where He wants us to be. This doesn't mean we can control what we do by what we feel; we are responsible for acting on our beliefs. But please be kind to your brothers, sisters, friends, fellow churchies, strangers, and the community that is full of broken people looking for Yeshua.
Written by Christine Embry
Used with permission.