The following is an excellent story I (stole) from 48 Days to the Work You Love, which I have been meaning to review for ages. It’s an amazing resource/ministry that encourages and helps those that want to change their work situations. So many people are miserable at their jobs, but are either too afraid to make a change, or don’t know where to start. Dan Miller at 48 Days addresses both and offers some of the best helps on the market to do so.
We discovered 48 Days in their early years as a result of a Dave Ramsey consult. Shortly after our personal disaster (which God worked out for good), we were encouraged by the Ramsey Group to take a look at what Dan Miller offered and well… as they say, ‘The rest is history!’ I fell in love with what they were doing and wanted to do something similar, to help others like ourselves that wanted to work at home. The seed for our Homeschool-Entrepreneur.com vision was born, but did not take form for many years later.
I have read almost every newsletter Dan Miller has sent out for the last 6+ years. It’s always been brief (who has time for a long newsletter?), encouraging, uplifting, and I have printed out and saved several for the impact it had. I promise, you’ll love it. Sign up for the newsletter at 48days.com. I also highly recommend his Personality Profile for your graduating junior or senior.
Here’s a story that came from this week’s newsletter, for all the millions of people that have suffered disaster-because…’what the enemy intended for evil, the Lord works out for His good‘:
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Once there was an old man who lived in a tiny village. Although poor, he was envied by all, because he owned a beautiful white horse. People offered fabulous prices for the horse, but the old man always refused. “This horse is a friend, not a possession,” he would respond.
One morning the horse was not in the stable. All the villagers said, “You old fool. We told you someone would steal that beautiful horse. You could at least have gotten the money. Now the horse is gone, and you’ve been cursed with misfortune.”
The old man responded, “Perhaps. All I know is that my horse is gone; the rest I do not know. Whether it be a curse or a blessing, I can’t say.”
After fifteen days the horse returned. He hadn’t been stolen; he had run away into the forest. Not only had he returned, he had brought a dozen wild horses back with him. Once again the village people gathered around the old man and said, “You were right – what we thought was a curse was a blessing. Please forgive us.” The old man responded, “Perhaps. Once again you’ve gone too far. How do you know if this is a blessing or a curse? Unless you can see the whole story, how can you judge?” But the people could only see the obvious. The old man now had twelve additional horses that could be broken and sold for a great deal of money.
The old man had a son, an only son. He began to break the wild horses. Unfortunately, after just a few days, he fell from a horse and broke both his legs. Once again the villagers gathered around the old man and said, “You were right. The wild horses were not a blessing; they were a curse. Your only son has broken his legs and now in your old age you have no one to help you. You are poorer than ever.” But the old man said, “Perhaps. Don’t go so far. Say only that my son broke his legs. We have only a fragment of the whole story.”
It so happened that a few weeks later the country went to war with a neighboring country. All the young men of the village were required to join the army. Only the son of the old man was excluded, because he had two broken legs. Once again the people gathered around, crying because there was little chance their sons would return. “You were right, old man. Your son’s accident was a blessing. Our sons are gone forever.”
The old man spoke again. “You people are always quick to jump to conclusions. Only God knows the final story.”
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And so it is with our lives. What we see as a blessing or a curse may simply be part of God’s preparation for what lies ahead. Be careful in seeing “disaster” in any change. Just recognize it as change – which opens the door for good as well as bad – for gain as well as possible loss. (comment is from Dan Miller)
Be blessed. Bob & Debbie, Homeschool-Entrepreneur.com
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