An Iowa woman, who was tired of drivers speeding through her neighborhood, has taken matters into her own hands by posting her own speed limit signs. Conni Morrell bought large 25 mph speed limit signs on the Internet and then put them up in her own yard and a neighbor’s yard.

Morrell started asking city officials to do something about speeders after her family moved to the neighborhood three years ago. Though neighbors had asked for a stop sign at a nearby intersection, authorities decided against placing the sign.

Morrell says, “I see people speed so much I can tell how fast they are going. After you see them go 25 once, you can guess. I wouldn’t doubt if there are some going 50.”

Morrell’s signs may have had an impact on the city. She learned that officials were measuring traffic volume and speed in her neighborhood. Afterward, she took down her signs because she did not want to influence the results.

—Associated Press, Woman Posts Her Own Speed Limit Signs, March 27, 2003. Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.

James 1:22 NASB “But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.”

Hubert's brother called the church office mid-day on Saturday. "My brother Hubert is in intensive care at a hospital near your church. I am concerned since he is the only family member who does not know Christ. His condition is extremely serious, he has lung cancer. Will you come and share Christ with him?" Pastor Tom and Gary went.

Hubert's brother greeted them in the hallway. He filled them in on his rebellious brother, now in his mid fifties. He left the family at 18, vowing to make it rich in the oil fields of Signal Hill (Long Beach) California and to never again attend church. He kept both vows.

Tom reminded myself of the many similar visits he had made to the same hospital. He had heard similar stories from relatives or friends. He also remembered that on all previous occasions the one he would visit was not receptive, several times they were even hostile. Gary and Tom prayed with Hubert's brother and somehow we all knew this visit would be different.

Hubert's brother made the introductions and Tom sat next to Hubert. We shared our likes, dislikes and concerns for the future. After a few moments Tom asked Hubert to tell him about his relationship to God. He freely responded. He talked about being in church every service. About his anger toward his parents for forcing him to go. He told Tom of his vow to never return to church as soon as he turned eighteen.

Tom's second question was the same as the first. He reminded him that he asked him to tell him about his relationship to God not the relationship to the church. He began to cry. He didn't have a relationship with God. Tom shared how he could begin that relationship immediately. After sharing God's plan of salvation Hubert prayed and received Christ. He was ready now to talk about church.

Hubert came to Christ that day, because Tom and Chris were faithful to share, even when past experience told them it would be a fruitless visit. God never calls us to be successful. But He does call us to be faithful.

Matthew 25:21 NLT "Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let's celebrate together!"

For more information on Transformations, go to http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0966177851/fm082-20

Jim was never one for following the rules until he enlisted in the military. After he graduated from boot camp, he had two days to get across country to his next assignment. On the second day, he called his father midmorning from his hotel room. “Why aren’t you on the road yet?” His father asked. “Well, I’m all ready to go, Dad,” Jim replied, “but the sign on the door says ‘Checkout at 11 a.m.’”

Psalm 112:1 KJV “Praise ye the Lord. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, that delighteth greatly in his commandments.”

Thumper is an Air Force pilot who saw action in the 3-week war with Iraq. Thumper is not this Air Force captain’s real name. “Thumper” is her “call-sign.”

For security reasons, pilots on active-duty only use their call signs for identification.

“Thumper” flies an F-16 Eagle Fighter. She says she enjoys flying a jet, which allows her to act as pilot, navigator, and bombardier because there is nobody to second-guess her.

Thumper’s first mission in Iraq was on March 20th, the first day of the war. When asked if she was scared, she said, “I know that I’ve been trained well to do my job, so I wasn’t scared. I have a strong faith in God…I pray before every mission, and I put it in His hands.” Thumper says her faith does not conflict with her duty a fighter pilot, which requires her to drop bombs, which might kill people. She adds, “I know a lot of people find those to be contradictory, but I believe that God’s put me in this job. Nobody really wants to go to war, but it’s our job as fighter pilots to be prepared to do that. And no fighter pilot wants to be left behind when a war is going on.”

During her combat missions, Thumper has discovered a unique aspect of her job. She remembers a mission in Northern Iraq that actually ended a conflict. She was part of a mission to bomb a highway intersection in the middle of an engagement between Iraq and Coalition troops. With the road destroyed the battle ended quickly. Thumper says, “It was a really good feeling inside to know that we helped support the ground troops. I know those guys are working really hard. They’re getting less sleep, (they are ) less comfortable than we are. And my job is to be out there to support them and help them stay alive.”

—www.cnn.com, Female fighter pilot drops, “Die Saddam” bombs, April 10, 2003. Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.

2 Timothy 2:2-3 NIV “Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs—he wants to please his commanding officer.”

The more people respect their government the more likely they are to follow traffic laws. Government corruption and traffic law compliance go hand in hand. If people think their government is corrupt, they will neglect the most basic of traffic laws. “Less effective governance means that laws are less effective, which means that people are less likely to follow them.”

--Tom Vanderbilt, Traffic: Why We Drive The Way We Do, p. 235. Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

Our respect for the Lord of the Universe goes a long way in helping us to keep His commandments.

John 14:15 (CEV) “Jesus said to his disciples: If you love me, you will do as I command.”

In his new book, One Small barking Dog, Ed Gungor encourages believers that tiny points of obedience in our lives work together to bring about God’s will in the world. He says being small and seemingly insignificant is more important than having a well-known name.

Gungor writes, “A perfect illustration of this is the work of nineteenth-century painter Georges Seurat, who is probably best known for his painting, A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Fatte (which actually inspired a Broadway musical called Sunday in the Park with George). Seurat is considered the father of pointillism, a form of art in which images are painted using tiny dots of color. Seurat’s paintings are amazing to behold because, from a distance, they appear as slices of life at the park, the harbor, the opera, the circus, the beach, or in a field. But up close they’re really just a collection of thousands of teeny, tiny dots—literally infinitesimal specks of color. It’s only when one steps back for a more objective look that the ‘big picture’ is revealed.”

Gungor adds, “I believe this is how God works his will in our world. He uses millions of teeny tiny dabs of obedience from the ordinary lives of believers to bring about the big picture – his dream for the world.”

2 Corinthians 5:20 (GW) “Therefore, we are Christ's representatives, and through us God is calling you. We beg you on behalf of Christ to become reunited with God.”

In The Divine Commodity: Discovering a Faith Beyond Consumer Christianity, Skye Jethani writes, “What compelled Jesus was not impact but obedience. He was nourished by doing everything his Father commanded.”

1 Samuel 15:22 (HCSB) Then Samuel said: Does the LORD take pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the LORD? Look: to obey is better than sacrifice, to pay attention ?is better? than the fat of rams.

A couple in Glendora, California are receiving mixed messages from their governments. The city has threatened to fine them $500 if they don’t begin watering their lawn where as the state is threatening to fine residents $500 for wasting water on outdoor use. They don’t know what to do. Fined if you do, fined if you don’t, can make decision making difficult.

When Peter and John received mixed commands, one of the commands came from God and the command from local authorities went unheeded. --Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

--http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/07/17/us-usa-california-drought-idUSKBN0FM2OA20140717

Acts 4:18-19 (NASB) And when they had summoned them, they commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. (19) But Peter and John answered and said to them, "Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge;

In his book, Practicing Basic Spiritual Disciplines, Charles Stanley writes “When the Holy Spirit speaks to an obedient person’s heart, that person doesn’t even stop to consider whether he will act. He responds instantly.”

Deuteronomy 11:1 (NASB77) "You shall therefore love the LORD your God, and always keep His charge, His statutes, His ordinances, and His commandments.”

In his book, Life Coaching Skills: How to Develop Skilled Clients, Richard Nelson-Jones writes, “The Chinese proverb says l hear, I forget. I see, I remember. I do, I understand. Learning by doing is essential to successful coaching. Knowledge gained by exploring oneself, hearing and observing gets clarified and consolidated when clients learn by doing. You do not learn to drive a car without driving.” —Jim L. Wilson

James 2:18 (NKJV) “But someone will say, ‘You have faith, and I have works. Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.’”

Ford says they have created a car that reads speed limit signs and slows down by itself. The company says the newest edition of its S-Max car has a technology that scans traffic signs and adjusts the throttle to help keep drivers with legal speed limits and avoid fines. The new system, called the intelligent speed limiter will be available on the company’s cars worldwide. The system does not apply the brakes when it senses a lower speed limit but controls engine torque by electronically adjusting the amount of fuel delivered. Ford says drivers can temporarily override the system by pressing firmly on the accelerator. Most observers believe the S-max system is another step toward creating a driverless car.--Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell

New Ford car automatically obeys speed limits, http://money.cnn.com/2015/03/25/technology/ford-speed-limit, Accessed March 25, 2015.

1 John 5:2 (HCSB) This is how we know that we love God’s children when we love God and obey His commands.

When 21-year-old Josten Bundy pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor manslaughter charge after fighting with his girlfriend’s former boyfriend, he was given a choice of marrying her or going to jail for the crime. The judge gave Bundy the choice between two years’ probation or 15 days in jail. The terms of probation included requiring Bundy to write out a Bible verse 25 times every day, and getting married to his girlfriend within 30 days. The verse he had to write out was Proverbs 26:27, “If a man digs a pit, he will fall into it.” The woman, Elizabeth Jaynes said that she and Bundy got married, but her father was not happy with the judge’s decision. Both Jaynes and Bundy said they thought the judge’s sentence would include probation, but they were surprised about the conditions involved. Both admitted they were afraid not to follow through with the judge’s orders, and so they went ahead and got married. —Jim L. Wilson and by Jim Sandell

Man gets a choice: Marry her or go to jail, By Tony Marco, http://www.cnn.com/2015/08/07/us/texas-judge-marriage-sentence/index.html, Accessed August 8, 2015.

Proverbs 26:27 (NASB) “He who digs a pit will fall into it, And he who rolls a stone, it will come back on him.”

A woman vacationing near a beach in Germany has found a message in a bottle that was set afloat more than 100 years ago. Marianne Winkler, a retired post office worker, was walking down a beach on the German North Sea island of Amrum when she found the bottle that had been sent out by British scientist George Parker Bidder in 1906. Bidder originally released more than 1,000 bottle designed to float above the sea floor to study ocean currents. Each bottle contained a postcard with instructions in three languages asking the finder to return it to the Marine Biological Association in Plymouth England in exchange for a shilling. Most were returned within a few months, enabling Bidder to confirm his theory that deep sea currents flowed west in the North Sea. Winkler followed the instructions on the bottle and broke it open to find the postcard still intact more than a century later. She said, “It’s always a joy when someone finds a message in a bottle on the beach.” —Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell

World's Oldest Message In A Bottle Discovered, By Jackie Salo,http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/worlds-oldest-message-in-a-bottle-discovered/ar-BBlXh4Q, Accessed August 21, 2015.

Jeremiah 15:16 (HCSB) Your words were found, and I ate them. Your words became a delight to me and the joy of my heart, for I am called by Your name, Yahweh God of Hosts.

New Jersey police are reinforcing good behavior by giving out tickets. They say normally when a person gets a ticket, it’s a bad thing. But with the new policy, it is sometimes a good thing. Two bicyclists were some of the first people to learn about the new policy. Sgt. Ostermueller of the Cherry Hills Police was out on patrol when he saw two young people riding down the street. He pulled them over and gave them “tickets” for riding their bikes on the right side of the road and for wearing their helmets. The bicyclists, Joey and Amelia, thanked the officer and said they were looking forward to using the tickets that entitled them to a free drink at a local convenience store.—Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell

Youngsters Riding Their Bikes in Cherry Hill Get ‘Tickets’ From Police, and Smile,
By Steve Beck, http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/Cherry-Hill-New-Jersey-Cherry-Hill-Police-Department-Tickets-Slurpee-330564441.html?_osource=SocialFlowTwt_PHBrand, Accessed October 4, 2015.

1 John 5:2 (HCSB) This is how we know that we love God’s children when we love God and obey His commands.

Obedience

District Church in Jacksonville, Florida has a unique way to minister to their community at Christmas. Two nights before Christmas, the church offers a “Christmas Eve Eve” service at a local theater. The pastor Boyd Bettis says the church started in his living room and has now grown to an average attendance of 200 on Sundays. He said the church offers a Christmas service on December 23rd because it makes Christmas Eve less stressful, and it is easier to invite friends to attend on that date. Bettis says, anytime he has asked the question about what God could do, he has been amazed at the answer. He said the service encourages people to respond in faith like Mary did. The church also takes an offering which benefits four local schools that they partner with. Bettis says the overarching purpose of the church is to be obedient and show God’s love to their community.—Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.

Luke 1:37–38 (HCSB) For nothing will be impossible with God.” ³⁸ “I am the Lord’s slave,” said Mary. “May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel left her.

Many customers say that McDonald’s soda tastes better than soda from other fast food chains. What makes the difference? Is it the special machines? Is it the slightly larger straw? The water filtration system? The insulated and chilled tubes in the soda machine? The small additional syrup to compensate for ice melt? Well, it’s all of the above.

McDonalds has spent astonishing amounts of time and financial resources perfecting their soda method so that it is consistent in all of their restaurants. But if you ask them how they came up with the idea in the first place you find a simple answer. They just followed the guidelines recommended by Coca Cola. —Jim L. Wilson and Scott Hill

Following instructions? Really? Well, I guess that’s one way to approach life.

2 Timothy 3:16 (HCSB) “All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness,”

In an online article, author Joseph Sciambra wonders about the current cultural understand regarding gender. Somehow our culture has decided that a person’s sexual orientation is forever fixed and cannot be changed but their gender is fluid and can be changed, with surgery and hormones if necessary. He points out the hypocrisy of those conflicting views.

These opposing attitudes should not surprise us. They come from the same source. We are more interested in living what we desire, fulfilling our own desires, rather than being faithful to the God who created us. Both homosexuality and gender transition are a form of rebellion against the creation of God. —Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

But each person is tempted when he is drawn away and enticed by his own evil desire. Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is fully grown, it gives birth to death.

A United Airlines flight landed safely in Hawaii after an engine cover came off during a flight from California. Images passengers posted on social media showed an engine with the exterior cover missing. A video showed the engine shaking back and forth with pieces of the cover flapping in the wind. Passengers reported a loud boom, followed by the plane rattling and shaking. They were warned to prepare for a possible rough landing and informed that an emergency had been declared due to a vibration in the right engine. A Spokesperson for the airline said there were no injuries and all of the passengers departed normally at the gate. The spokesperson added, “Our pilots followed all necessary protocols to safely land the aircraft.”—Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell

“They will not hand you over,” Jeremiah replied. “Obey the Lord in what I am telling you, so it may go well for you and you can live.

Prosecutors charged Aleksey Germash with “delaying or detaining mail” when they discovered 17,000 pieces of mail in his car, apartment and locker at work. His defense was that he “made sure to deliver the important mail.” —Jim L. Wilson

Ree Drummond, the quite famous “Pioneer Woman” blogger, turned author, turned television icon, describes how her success is rooted in the reality that she, “wrote about and cooked things for which I had a great passion…. It definitely shows in the finished product.” On television, and in her cookbooks and magazines, the food she prepares always looks amazing.

Jeryl Brunner, Forbes, 29 November 2019, https://www.forbes.com/sites/jerylbrunner/2019/11/29/how-ree-drummond-turned-her-blog-into-an-empire/?sh=144379e31584

Just having access to the stunning pattern of pictures and recipes in the cookbook, however, does not guarantee satisfactory results when actually cooking one of the dishes at home. The correct ingredients must be purchased at their freshest state. The proper equipment must be procured often at great cost. Of course, the instructions must be also be followed with careful precision, and a touch of skill. —Jim L. Wilson and Jon R. Pennington

the anointing oil, and the fragrant incense for the sanctuary. They must make them according to all that I have commanded you.”