Cooling down after practice, Daniel had taken one last dive and his neck struck the bottom of the concrete pool. Daniel sustained damage to C-3, C-4, and C-5 vertebrae of his spine. Two fusion operations followed and the surgeon was successful in preventing paralysis, but Daniel's parents were overwhelmed!

Irene Budd's husband had lost his job the week before and they were in shock, unable to clearly assess the financial damage. With three sons to raise, Irene was also a new nursing school student, so her mind was focused on studies and keeping a tight schedule.

Daniel would be recuperating at home for months. If Irene left school her loans would have to be repaid, immediately increasing their debt. If her husband stayed with him, Irene could continue her studies and work at three part time jobs to offset some of the staggering bills.

They opted for the latter, and the blessings followed. Their headstrong son and his impatient father developed an unshakeable bond which had eluded them in the years of "making a living." Irene's husband learned how to wash the hair of a child who wore a neck brace, cook meals, and help Daniel with his studies.

Daniel 's behavior changed as he was forced to become dependent, and he learned to discuss problems without the inevitable argument. Father and son cemented their relationship with mutual respect and love.

Unemployment gave Irene's husband the time to care for his beloved child, a time when he was able to become the father which he so dearly wanted to be. And that, according to Irene, was worth more than any paycheck.

September 9, 2000 was a day like any other day for Larry and Terry Singletary, Southern Baptist Missionaries to Uganda, as they drove toward Karamoja, Uganda with their two teenage children in the back seat of their car. But it wasn't just any day.

A tribal warrior stepped out of the tall grass that flanks the primitive road, and when he saw them, darted back into the cover. A few seconds later, he reappeared with an AK-47 aiming toward their car. That's when Larry noticed a second armed man on the other side of the road.

Larry slammed on the brakes, threw the gearshift in reverse, pointed the car back toward safety, and sped away.

One bullet lodged between Andy's (19) and Jackie's (15) back seat. Another one shattered Andy's window, and shrapnel from a third lodged in Jackie's back. As the sound of the gunfire waned, it looked like the family had escaped danger, until they heard a tire blow.

Cautiously, Larry got out of the car to change the tire. In the midst of the bedlam, Jackie cried out, "They just need Jesus! They live in darkness. They don't understand …Oh God, they just need you!"

After he fixed the tire, Larry jumped in the car and sped away. Soon another tire blew and they were stranded.

Patiently, they trusted in the Lord and waited for help. The Lord sent a Catholic priest who took Terry and the children into town to get a tire repaired. When they returned, Larry put the tire on the car and they headed home.

They did have another blow out, but it wasn't until they were turning into their driveway.

Jackie was right, the attackers did need Jesus. She ought to know, because through this trial, she came to know the sufficiency of His grace.

—http://www.sbcbaptistpress.org/article.cfm?articleid=6512 Illustration by Jim L. Wilson

2 Cor. 9:8 NASB "And God is able to make all grace abound to you, that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed;"

In his book, “Out of the Whirlwind,” Mark Tabb wrestles with the age-old problem of the presence of evil in the world that God rules over. He writes, “And that’s the dilemma I really do not want to face. I can accept tragedy when I see God working through it. But will I when I cannot? Job posed this question to his wife: ‘should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?’ Will I accept bad things from the hand of God, without demanding an explanation, without seeing any tangible results, or ever knowing why God would possibly want to inflict pain upon me? The question is not whether I will try to understand it or rejoice in it in the hope that spiritual maturity runs through the valley of the shadow. Will I accept bad things from the hand of God as readily as I accept the good?”

Philip. 1:12 NASB “Now I want you to know, brethren, that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel,”

For more information on “Out of the Whirlwind” by Mark Tabb, go to http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/080542721X/fm082-20

In his book, Seasons under the son, Tim Wesemann tells a story about God's providence that he calls, "The circle of Indemnity."

One cold winter day in Denver, Colorado, while people were absorbed by the activities of life, a backdrop of snow and sleet fell to the ground. As the people of Denver went about their daily routines, one woman was focused solely on her child. Today was the day she was taking her newborn baby home from the hospital after a longer-than-usual stay. Shortly after birth, the child had open-heart surgery. Although the doctor probably didn't have to tell her, he reminded the new mom to be extra careful with the fragile child.

She buckled the newborn safely in the car seat, got in herself, locked the door, put on her seatbelt, and drove toward home. Icy rain and snow accumulated on the roads. She turned into Interstate 25. The wind picked up, blowing the snow across the road, making it more difficult to see. She tightened her grip on the steering wheel and glanced in the back seat at her newborn. The windshield wipers moved in fast motion. Squinting and tense, she noticed something unusual ahead. A car had skidded out of control and was turned sideways. She was headed straight for it. She reacted quickly and slammed her foot on the brake. Her mind was on her frail, postoperative child as her car slid, heading right for the car in front of her. They slid down the interstate and stopped only inches from the other car. No impact whatsoever. Inches from a collision that could have been life threatening.

Before a sigh of relief could be released from her lungs, she noticed a semi-truck barreling down the highway and skidding right toward the two cars stuck in the traffic lane. She heard the brakes of the truck squeal as it jack-knifed and slid toward her car. The front of the truck stopped less than a foot from the hood of her car. And the back of the truck surrounded the other end. Again, no impact-at least for her vehicle carrying the frail baby. What occurred behind the truck was a 60-car pile-up. Cars crashed into the truck and into one another. It was one of the worst accidents the city had seen. But there, at the front of the heap was a car carrying a newborn baby recuperating from open-heart surgery.

As the media descended on the area, a reporter interviewed this mother. She told the reporter, "It was like I was in a circle of indemnity."

Her remark fascinated me. I pictured a crude-looking circle made by the jack-knifed truck and the car that surrounded her vehicle. But then I had to admit that although I was familiar with the word "indemnity," I wasn't positive of its meaning, so I looked it up in the dictionary. "Indemnity" refers to security against damage or loss. I couldn't get her story, words, or the visual picture out of my mind. A circle of indemnity. I love that idea and phrase. Since that story aired, I have referred to it many times in my life as I constantly find myself within the circle of indemnity God has created for me. Isn't that a wonderful picture? I love it!

For more information on Seasons Under the Son, go to http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0570052939/fm082-20

The war seemed imminent after Hitler annexed Austria, so "Roman Turski" quit his job as a flight instructor in France to go back to Poland, his homeland. On the flight home, his plane developed engine trouble so he landed in Vienna to have it repaired.

The next morning, just as Turski left the hotel to shop for souvenirs, a Jewish man ran past the door and crashed into Turski. His face was white as a ghost, and all Turski could hear him say above his panting was "Gestapo-Gestapo!"

When Turski was a boy, he had participated in some anti-Semitic activities, like throwing stones through the store windows owned by Jews, but this time, he did the right thing. He ran with the man back to his hotel room and hid him under the bed. He took off his coat, messed up his hair and sat up in bed like he'd just woke up. When the Gestapo burst through his door, he spoke the only German he knew and said, "I don't understand it."

When the Gestapo left his room, Turski helped the man up from beneath his bed and pointed to Warsaw on his flying chart. Using hand gestures, he asked the man, "Do you want to go to Warsaw?" He drew prison bars to indicate that the man would be arrested if he landed at any airport and made it clear that they would have to land in an open field. The man's narrow face and dark brown eyes showed great appreciation at the offer.

They evaded customs at the airport and took off toward freedom. Turski sat the plane down in an open field, just across the Polish border. As he said goodbye to the stranger, Turski gave him most of the money he had on him and showed him where he was on the map.

Turski took off again, leaving his "Jewish friend" behind. When he arrived at the airport, the immigration police met him with a warrant to search his plane for an illegal immigrant. Turski, of course, cooperated fully.

When the war started, Turski flew fighter planes for Poland. When Germany crushed them, he went with thousands of his countrymen into Rumania where he was captured and put into a concentration camp. After he escaped, he flew for the French Air Force and when they collapsed, he joined England's forces. While flying for England, his plane went down.

The chief surgeon of the hospital thought he was a hopeless case, but a surgeon from out of town volunteered to operate. The brain surgeon read a news item in the newspaper about a Polish hero, Roman Turski, shooting down five planes before crashing himself. The newspaper said his condition was hopeless. The surgeon asked the Royal Air Force at Edinburgh to fly him there to try to save the war hero. They agreed and the hospital allowed him to operate.

Why would he go to all that trouble? A few years before, the surgeon with a long narrow face and brown eyes was running from the Gestapo when a Polish pilot rescued him-a man named Roman Turski.

Turski would live to received decorations from four different governments for his heroism. And to thank the man whose life he saved, that later saved his life.

Luke 6:38 [NIV] "Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."

For more information on the heroes of World War II, go to http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0375502025/fm082-20

Two missionaries risked imprisonment by smuggling 300 Bibles into a nation with a government hostile to any Christian witness. They were able to evade the authorities and safely deliver their cargo. Unfortunately, dropping off the Bibles created a whole new set of problems. Their van had cleared a low tunnel on the way into the country by a matter of inches, only because the weight of the Bibles compressed the suspension. Without the extra weight the van would now be too tall.

The missionaries were forced to stop at a checkpoint before reaching the tunnel. Policemen ordered the pair to transport four very large solders who needed a ride. The weight of the soldiers more than made up for the weight of the Bibles, allowing the missionaries' van to pass through the tunnel. After dropping off their passengers the missionaries drove their van home, where it will be used again in future Bible smuggling operations.

Mark 4:39-40 "(Jesus) got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, 'Quiet! Be still!' Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, 'Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith.'"

In Vienna Austria, a 93-year-old man, a former professor died and no one noticed for four years. Because no one notified his pension fund of his death, they continued to deposit his allotment into his bank account and his landlord continued to collect his monthly rent by automatic withdrawal.

The landlord sent several letters to the man notifying him of a rent increase, but he never responded, so the landlord knocked on his door to speak to him personally. When no one answered the door, the landlord used his pass key to enter the apartment and discovered the remains.

—http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2006/10/03/europe/EU_GEN_Austria_Long_Dead.php Illustration by Jim L. Wilson

Dead for four years, and no one noticed. Well that's not exactly true. God noticed. And He cared.

Matthew 6:26-27 (HCSB) "Look at the birds of the sky: they don't sow or reap or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren't you worth more than they? [27] Can any of you add a single cubit to his height by worrying?"

Former Major League baseball player Jack Lohrke earned the nickname “Lucky” because it wasn’t his time. In two major World War II battles, Normandy and the Battle of the Bulge, the enemy killed the soldier next to him. This happened not just once, but four times in the two battles. After the war, authorities bumped Jack from his military transport flight at the last minute. The plane crashed, killing everyone all passengers. The next year, traveling with the Class B Spokane Indians on a bus trip across Washington, he received word he was to report to Triple A. He took his gear from the bus and headed back to Spokane. Hours later the Indians’ bus crashed into a canyon, killing nine of his former teammates. Teammates called him “Lucky” from that point on.

While not an excuse for presumption, God’s watchful eye gives the confidence that until it is our time, we are safe, not Lucky.

--Sports Illustrated, May 11, 2009 p. 20. Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

Psalm 139:16 (NIV) your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

God knows your name. In increasing numbers, parents are eschewing the popular names and giving their newborns unique monikers. Jacob and Emma are still the top names for babies but fewer and fewer children have them.

The trend towards less common names began after World War II but has dropped dramatically since the 1990’s. According to psychologists Jean Twenge and W. Keith Campbell the trend is indicative of the growth of individualism, and possibly narcissism, in society.

Fortunately, no matter what your name, God knows your name and He cares for you.

--USA Today, May 20, 2009, p. 7d. Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

Exodus 33:12 (RSV) Moses said to the LORD, "See, thou sayest to me, `Bring up this people'; but thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with me. Yet thou hast said, `I know you by name, and you have also found favor in my sight.'

For years the debate has raged. Can prayer stop a hurricane, well if not stop it, at least turn it? Pastors and Christian groups have been lampooned for daring to suggest prayer in the face of terrifying weather. Now we have an answer. Bill Gates has a plan to stop hurricanes.

Gates currently has five patent applications for the technology needed. The plan is to go in front of the hurricane and pump massive amounts of cold water from deep in the ocean to replace the warm water at the surface. The warm water feeds the strength of the storm. Reducing the temperature of the ocean surface will starve the storm.

The plan has drawn lukewarm support from the scientific community and there remains a lot of skepticism.

Matthew 8:27 (NIV) The men were amazed and asked, "What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!"

After winning a competition designed to help save the planet from global warming. Eduardo Gold has set out to use his prize money to paint mountain peaks in Peru. Gold hopes to use white paint to replicate the effect of Andean glaciers, by reflecting the sun’s rays back into space, in effect cooling the surrounding area. Gold hopes to create a micro-climate, believing cold generates more cold weather, just as heat generates more heat.

Gold hopes his project will slow the melting of other nearby glaciers using an environmentally friendly mix of lime, egg whites, and water. Local residents say they hope Gold’s plans will be successful and produce more pasture to support livestock. Peru’s Environmental Minister, Antonio Brack is not a hopeful. He says the money would be better spent on “projects which would have more impact on mitigating climate change.” Brack added, ”It’s nonsense.”

--Inventor paints mountains white to combat climate change, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/environment/climatechange/7859009/Inventor-paints-mountains-white-to-combat-climate-change.html ; June 28, 2010, Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.

Although I am concerned about possible climate change, I am hopeful because I know who is really in control of the climate. Maybe we should try His ways instead.

Psalm 147:15-18 (HCSB) “He sends His command throughout the earth; His word runs swiftly. (16) He spreads snow like wool; He scatters frost like ashes; (17) He throws His hailstones like crumbs. Who can withstand His cold? (18) He sends His word and melts them; He unleashes His winds, and the waters flow.”

In Star Trek, The City on the Edge of Forever, Captain Kirk and Commander Spock are traveling through time and end up in 1930 America. There Kirk saves a beautiful young lady from sure death when he pushes her out of the path of an oncoming car. Soon, however, the two do-gooders learn that may not have been such a good move. The young lady organizes a powerful pacifist movement that delays the country's entrance into the war, giving Hitler time to develop the Atomic bomb first. He achieves world domination. When they discover the outcome of their kind act, Kirk and Spock know that they have to go back and undo their “good deed.”

--Star Trek, "The City on the Edge of Forever" 1967; see World, July 17, 2010 p. 79. Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

When we wonder why bad things happen to good people, and they die long before their time, we can trust in the providence of God. There is a reason, though we may never understand it.

Isaiah 57:1-2 (NKJV) “The righteous perishes, And no man takes it to heart; Merciful men are taken away, While no one considers That the righteous is taken away from evil. (2) He shall enter into peace; They shall rest in their beds, Each one walking in his uprightness.”

As the cleanup continued on the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, scientists discovered that a previously unknown type of oil-eating microbe was flourishing. Researchers found the microbe, a close relative of another such microbe known as Oceanospirillales, as they studied the underwater dispersion of millions of gallons of oil deep underwater. Before the spill, microbes from the deepest part of the Gulf where temperatures are coldest and pressures greatest where not well known.

Lead researcher Terry Hazen from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory says the influx of oil caused the microbes to multiply rapidly. He said researchers discovered an added benefit because the activity of the oil-eating bacteria did not deplete the oxygen in the water that other life requires. Hazen added, “Our findings, which provide the first data ever on microbial activity from a deepwater dispersed oil plume, suggest” a great potential for bacteria to help dispose of oil plumes in the deep sea.

--http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2010/08/24/new-microbe-discovered-eating-gulf-oil-spill/ Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.

Before the world even knew we had a need for such an organism, the Lord had provided.

Psalm 145:17-19 (CEV) Our LORD, everything you do is kind and thoughtful,
(18) and you are near to everyone whose prayers are sincere. (19) You satisfy the desires of all your worshipers, and you come to save them when they ask for help.

Jesus told us that a sparrow doesn’t fall to the ground without the Father knowing it. One French family discovered the marvelous providence of God when their 15-month-old baby fell from their seventh-floor window in Paris. The baby bounced off a café awning and landed in the arms of an alert passer-by.

--The Week, November 12, 2010 p. 8 Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

Each of us is more valuable than many sparrows. We can live confident that our lives are in the hands of a loving Father.

When Marvin Olasky moved to a new home in Asheville, North Carolina, he was not aware of the presence of poison ivy on his new property. Soon he was itching, blistering, oozing, and miserable enough to see the Doctor. The doctor prescribed 12 days of prednisone pills, one of the side effects is insomnia.

Olasky took his own previous advice seriously. In 2008, he wrote Don’t Waste Your Bypass about how to make the best of a bad situation. In this case, he spent his sleepless nights reading the book of Daniel and learning that God has brought us (America) through the fire before, and “we can hope He will bring us through this one—but if He doesn’t, it will still be good.”

God will use our circumstances to grow us closer to Christ, if we will be open and willing.

Romans 8:28 (NASB) “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”

Doug Tilley is a North Carolina pastor suffering the beginning stages of Lou Gehrig’s disease. Known officially as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis the disease with no cure slowly eats away at healthy bodies, eventually leaving them unable to survive.

A few years ago, Tilley was looking at a large, beautiful tapestry of The Lord’s Supper. He said, “Out of curiosity, I wondered what the back side of the tapestry looked like. I lifted a portion away from the wall and noticed that the back was an ugly mess of threads seemingly strewn in a nonsensical pattern. Beauty on one side, a dark threaded mass on the other. So it is with our lives:” he concluded, “Dark and messy threads on the back—sickness, relationship troubles, temptations, ethical issues, fear, and so on—can be what we need for the greatest beauty—maturity, spiritual growth, and godly character qualities—to appear on the front.”

Tilley goes on to say that he is confident that God is working a great plan in his life, and part of that plan includes the dark threads of the disease that is consuming him.

Genesis 50:20 (NASB) "As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.”

Public Policy Polling recently asked Americans what they thought of God. This was not the usual, “Do you believe in God?” questions. This was a poll on God’s performance. There is good news and bad news with the results. Taking into consideration God’s performance in Creation, the animal kingdom, and natural disasters, God received a 52% approval rating. That is the bad news. The good news is that there was only a 9% disapproval rating.

--The Week, August 5, 2011 p. 17 (For more results see http://publicpolicypolling.blogspot.com/2011/07/evaluating-god.html) Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

Job would have been one of the 52%. The 48% who did not give God an approval would do well to read Job’s story and understand trusting God.

Job 13:15 (HCSB) “Even if He kills me, I will hope in Him. I will still defend my ways before Him.”

A recent break-in and incidence of arson at a Seattle area church has the pastor and church building to get food. The suspect ate some of the communion bread, and then set several fires in the building to cover his tracks. The local paper reported the arsonist set fire to artificial flowers, a tablecloth, some cardboard boxes, and the pastor’s desk. Although the official report listed the source of the fires and other evidence, the paperwork did not explain what happened next.
Pastor Vonda McFadden said the congregation believes the Lord intervened, protecting the church by extinguishing the fires before they did much damage. The evidence they cite are two symbolic and very strange coincidences. One fire burned until it reached an old Bible. The flames stopped at that point leaving the book unharmed. A second fire stopped as it reached a picture of Jesus. Pastor McFadden told the local paper, “I think everyone believes the situation could have been much worse, and God was with us.” She added, “If I hadn’t believed in God before Sunday morning, I would believe in God now.”

--Pastor says a ‘miracle’ halted six fires at church, http://blog.seattlepi.com/thebigblog/2011/11/08/pastor-says-a-miracle-halted-six-fires-at-church, November 8, 2011, Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.

Psalm 111:1-3 (GW) “Hallelujah! I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart in the company of decent people and in the congregation. (2) The LORD'S deeds are spectacular. They should be studied by all who enjoy them. (3) His work is glorious and majestic. His righteousness continues forever.”

As the 2011 NFL season moved into the playoffs, a telephone survey discovered some interesting things. After the Denver Broncos pulled out an amazing overtime victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, another round of jokes about Denver Quarterback Tim Tebow receiving divine help began to surface. To investigate further, the Poll Position website conducted a survey to see if people really believed the quarterback might be receiving help from God. The results of the survey revealed an interesting phenomenon that crossed many demographic lines.

The survey focused on people who were up to date on Tebow’s adventures leading the Broncos. It found that 43.3 percent of respondents who were aware of Tim Tebow also thought Divine Intervention had something to do with his success. The younger 18-to29-year-old demographic was most apt to believe Tebow was receiving help from above, with 52,3 percent saying yes to the Divine Intervention Theory.

Poll: 43 % say Tim Tebow is winning via Divine Intervention, http://content.usatoday.com/communities/gameon/post/2012/01/tim-tebow-poll-43-believe-in-divine-intervention/1 ; January 12, 2012, Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.

Psalm 46:1 (ESV) God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

After experiencing a medical attack, an Ohio woman mistakenly dialed the wrong number, but still found the help she needed. Seventy-year-old Loretta Smith felt her right side go numb and fell to floor of her Ohio home. She was able to grab the phone with her left hand and tried to call her son. Instead, she was one digit off and reached a man in the Denver area. The man was originally from northeast Ohio and had kept his old phone number after he moved.

Smith told the man, Kenny Crater, she thought she was having a stroke. Crater was able to use another phone to call 911 on the woman’s behalf, and get help. From her hospital room later, Smith said Crater’s actions had probably saved her life.

--Wrong-number call helps Ohio woman in emergency, http://news.yahoo.com/wrong-number-call-helps-ohio-woman-emergency-112733254.html ; February 3, 2012. Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.

Hebrews 4:16 (HCSB) Therefore let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us at the proper time.

Some might say the Fulton, Mississippi couple was lucky, but if you ask Joseph Gale and his wife Dionne, they believe the reason they survived an encounter with a logging truck was divine intervention. The Gales were driving along the highway when a truck carrying a load of logs flipped over in the opposite lanes of traffic. The accident sent huge logs flying across the median into oncoming traffic. One of the logs smashed into the Gales’ minivan. Joseph suffered a broken arm and his wife needed 29 stitches in her head.

The accident could have been worse because the couple dropped their children off only minutes before. Gales says he is sure one or more of them would have been killed had they been in the car. Though he doesn’t remember everything, Gale says he did remember seeing the truck flip and logs coming toward them. He is aware that he came close to death, and is completely aware of what could have happened to his family. He said, ”It was just centimeters. It could have killed me. It came through the window and hit my wife first and it hit me. It was straight through the window.” When asked about the bizarre circumstances, Gales’ mother Rene observed, ”It’s a total miracle and I know that God has a plan for all of us and we are so very blessed.”

--Log truck survivor calls it a miracle, http://www.wtva.com/news/local/story/Log-truck-survivor-calls-it-a-miracle/Ib9H9vlEVEiEzaiTAJjBLA.cspx ; March 8, 2012, Submitted by Jim Sandell.

Psalm 61:4 (CEV) Let me live with you forever and find protection under your wings, my God.

One year ago, Terry Francona was managing one of baseball’s top organizations, the Boston Red Sox. Today he is an analyst for ESPN’s coverage of Little League Baseball. When asked about the difference he said, “I was pretty beaten up last year, I don’t want to admit it, but it’s been healthy to take a step back.”

Writing for USA Today Michael Hiestand comments, “he personified the adage that if you want to make God laugh, make plans.” –Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

James 5:13–15 (HCSB) “Is anyone among you suffering? He should pray. Is anyone cheerful? He should sing praises. 14 Is anyone among you sick? He should call for the elders of the church, and they should pray over him after anointing him with olive oil in the name of the Lord. 15 The prayer of faith will save the sick person, and the Lord will restore him to health; if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.”

After suffering the loss of her Kokomo, Indiana home to a tornado in November, 2013, Phyllis Rawlins said, “I’m very strong with my faith, and I know that God is in control of everything, the good and the bad.”—Jim L. Wilson

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/woman%E2%80%99s-unlikely-find-amid-tornado-destruction-182739999.html (accessed 11-26-13)

Job 2:10 (NLT) But Job replied, “You talk like a foolish woman. Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?” So in all this, Job said nothing wrong.

A 13-year-old-girl who was hit by a stray bullet is recovering from surgery and working through her pain. Tiya Hudson was hit in the back when a bullet went through the side of her house. Several neighbors heard an argument outside, but no one is sure where the bullet came from. Hudson’s doctors think it may have been an AK-47 due to the damage that was done to her body. While authorities search for the person who fired the shot, Hudson is recovering. When asked about her ordeal, she said, “ It’s been hard because I’ve been in a lot of pain trying to get up and do what I normally do, but at the end of the day I still push through even though I’m not gonna be the same.” Hudson added, ”I didn’t have to survive this, but I guess God made me survive it for a reason.”—Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell

--Girl Shot by Stray Bullet: 'God Made Me Survive' By Maggie Bowers, http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/Teen-Shot-by-Stray-Bullet-Perseveres-267808241.html, Accessed July 19, 2014.

When Youth Pastor Stephen Spencer asked the youth group to write down their life goals, he had no idea how significant the words would be. During a regular Friday evening meeting, Spencer challenged the young people to write down three life goals. He joined in the activity and wrote his goals on a yellow flower shaped piece of paper. Spencer said he wanted to be a good father and husband, wanted to have a ministry that encouraged people to follow God and he wanted to make awesome music. Just a few hours after that meeting, Spencer was killed in an accident while exploring the rooftop of an abandoned building with friends. His mother, Rosanne, said she will cherish the paper because it says so much about who her son was. She characterized her son as an adventurer and said he loved working with the church and youth. She said her faith was sustaining her during the hard time and added that her son was already working to fulfill those life goals. She said, “Those kids hung around him almost 24 hours a day. He changed their lives, he was giving them direction and he kept them out of trouble.”—Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell

Youth pastor dies hours after writing his life goals By Oliva Carville,
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2014/10/13/youth_pastor_dies_hours_after_writing_his_life_goals.html , Accessed October 13, 2014.

James 4:14 (HCSB) You don’t even know what tomorrow will bring—what your life will be! For you are ?like? smoke that appears for a little while, then vanishes.

A Kingsport, Tennessee woman became an Internet sensation after she and a friend were highlighted during the SEC Network’s coverage of a football game between Kentucky and Tennessee. McKenzie Hoskins said that she and a friend spent 28 hours awake hoping to get good seats and catch a glimpse of her hero, Tim Tebow. They waited over fours in the cold to get front row seats and then held up a sign reading, ”We’re only here for Tebow.” In return , Hoskin received an unusual favor when the announcers and Tim Tebow saw the sign and took time on the broadcast to go to the women to give her a piece of red velvet cake from a local restaurant and a hug. Afterward, Hoskins said, ”Tim Tebow presented me with a piece of cake and a couple of welcomed hugs. I began to sob because my biggest dream was being fulfilled.”—Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell

Piece of cake from Tim Tebow changes Tennessee woman's life, http://www.thedenverchannel.com/sports/piece-of-cake-from-tim-tebow-changes-kingsport-womans-life, Accessed December 1, 2014.

Proverbs 3:35 (NIV) “The wise inherit honor, but fools he holds up to shame.”

The amazing discovery of a 1880s era Winchester rifle has authorities in Nevada stumped. During an archaeological survey in late 2014, the rifle was discovered leaning against a tree. It blended in to its surrounding so well that officials say it is possible the .40-40 rifle had been there since the 1880s. When found, the wooden stock was well weathered, and the barrel was rusty, but the serial number was intact and it indicates the rifle was manufactured in 1882. The area where the rifle was found has a rich history of mining, ranching, and hunting so officials are looking through historical documents to see if they can figure out who may have owned it. The rifle was one of the most popular guns in the west at the time, so determining the owner will be that much harder. It would have sold for $35 to $50 in 1882, so it isn’t likely that the owner left it on purpose. Nichole Andler, the park’s chief of interpretation, said, “I would say the possibilities are wide open as to who owned the rifle and why it was left there. It leaves a lot to the imagination and it may be a mystery that’s never solved.”
—Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.

Researchers puzzled by discovery of 1882 Winchester rifle in Nevada national park,
http://www.wxyz.com/news/national/researchers-puzzled-by-discovery-of-1882-winchester-rifle-in-nevada-national-park, Accessed January 17, 2015.

Luke 15:9 (HCSB) “When she finds it, she calls her women friends and neighbors together, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found the silver coin I lost!’ “

Researchers working on tracking the movements of birds have discovered the animals seem to have the ability to sense and flee an area before bad weather arrived. Scientists were working to see if it was possible to track the birds, when they discovered unique patterns. When a storm system produced deadly tornado outbreaks in Misssouir, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Alabama, researchers located birds and found that they had left the area long before meteorologists issued warning about the storm. One possible explanation could be that the birds could hear a low frequency rumble from the storm that is not audible to humans. They said conditions such as cloudy skies could have warned the birds as well and more research is needed before they can be sure of the observations. The researchers noted that strange behavior from animals could be a warning of things to come.—Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell

Birds Might Be Better Meteorologists Than Us, By Jasmine Bailey, http://www.thedenverchannel.com/newsy/birds-might-be-better-meteorologists-than-us, Accessed December 19, 2014.

Luke 12:6-7 (HCSB) “Aren’t five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten in God’s sight. (7) Indeed, the hairs of your head are all counted. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows!”

Police in Northbridge, Massachusetts say they began receiving strange phone calls in March, 2015. One caller warned them that there were a bunch of people fighting in Russell Square. The only problem was that there is no Russell Square in Northbridge. Police say they began trying to determine if what the callers were referring to and finally realizing that they were calling from Northbridge, Australia. They determined that people in Australia were searching for the number for the police and when they called, they were connected to Massachusetts instead. The Police say the calls involved break-ins, fights, and missing items, but none have been too serious. When they come in, now they direct the caller to the correct country. The department has also asked the police in Northbridge, Australia to alert their citizens to the issue. Dispatcher Jordan Tredeau said he has answered at least 20 calls from Australia. He said, when he tells the caller about their error, they usually sound embarrassed. He added,” The accent was definitely the first thing that gave it away.”—Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell

Northbridge Police Getting Flood Of Calls From Australia, By Katie Brace
http://boston.cbslocal.com/2015/04/22/northbridge-police-getting-flood-of-calls-from-australia, Accessed April 22, 2015.

Psalm 57:2-3 (HCSB) I call to God Most High, to God who fulfills ?His purpose? for me. (3) He reaches down from heaven and saves me, challenging the one who tramples me.Selah God sends His faithful love and truth.

When he was 40, Rod Wolfe was struck by lightning. His friends call him lightning Rod. Eighteen years later, Lightning Rod was working in his garden when it happened again. A lightning bolt hit a nearby tree. The shock flung Rod through the air and knocked him out cold. He was treated and released at the hospital. The Doctors and his friends tell Rod that he is exceptionally lucky to escape serious injury, twice.

Rod doesn’t think he is particularly fortunate. “Lucky people,” he said, “don’t get struck by lightning.”

Often we become more aware of God’s protection over us when we experience some harrowing accident or narrow escape. But the truth is, He is constantly watching over us and most of the time nothing out of the ordinary happens. --Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell.

Matthew 10:29-31 (NIV) (29) Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. (30) And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. (31) So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

Providence

When Greg Carlson’s Las Vegas taco shop was burglarized, he deiced to turn the footage into a television commercial. Security footage shows three men breaking into the closed restaurant and ransacking it, looking for cash or other valuables. Carlson was alerted by an alarm system, and found the glass door smashed and two empty cash boxes missing. Since he knew he would have expenses due to the break-in, Carlson used the footage to create a new advertisement for the store. Underneath the surveillance video, he put text describing how the intruders desperately wanted a taco. As the robbers leave, the video moves to close up shots of the food the restaurant sells, and ends with a disclaimer that their tacos may cause people to do unexpected things. Just in case, Carlson also included a line urging viewers with any information to contact the police department. Carlson said business has been up since the ads began running. He added, “I don’t think we expected this kind of reaction, but we hoped for it. We’re really pleased and surprised.”—Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell

Genesis 50:20 (HCSB) You planned evil against me; God planned it for good to bring about the present result—the survival of many people.

A series of powerful rainstorms that caused flooding and closed roads and schools in northern California have also helped the state by easing drought conditions. The storms filled several reservoirs and raised hope that they may be able to lift the water restrictions. George Kostyrko, spokesperson for the State Water Resources Control Board said, “March is really looking good so far and we’re hoping for an awesome April, but we can’t revisit our regulations until the end of the water year, which is April.”—Jim L. Wilson & Jim Sandell

Matthew 5:45 (HCSB) “so that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. For He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.”

Providence

Aley Meyer’s ultrasound picture of her unborn child contained an image that appears to be an image of Jesus on the cross. She did not notice until a week after she had the procedure when some friends showed her the picture at her baby shower. She said the picture has a lot of detail and when she magnified it on her phone, they could see the hair and even what appears to be crossed legs. She shared it on social media and the picture spread rapidly as more and more people asked for permission to share it with friends. Meyer said she is glad the picture is getting so much attention, but she likes to think the image is a subtle message from the Lord. Meyer said, “I’ve been on a lot of medicine for my Chron’s Disease and I’ve been very worried about it so I feel like it’s a sign that everything’s going to be ok with him.”—Jim L. Wilson & Jim Sandell

Psalm 105:5 (HCSB)“Remember the wonderful works He has done, His wonders, and the judgments He has pronounced,”

Providence

God used a mean-spirited meme on social media to give Crystal Hodges an opportunity to help others discover real beauty in their lives. Crystal has a birthmark that covers half of her face. Though it never bothered her growing up, and she was never been made to feel different by friends or family, a cyber-bully stole her photo and used it to create a hateful meme that went viral. Crystal said her picture has been seen by over 30 million people and being exposed to what strangers think about you can be difficult. She said some days she struggled and other days she felt that God could do something with this opportunity. She began telling others about the girl behind the meme and how her birthmark is a sign of God’s unique workmanship in her life. Crystal’s goal to help women and girls find their worth in God. She said, “We need to remember that God is the knitter. He knits us together according to the Bible. Knitters are intentional. They pick the fabric, they pick the pattern. So God made you intentionally and with purpose.” —Jim L. Wilson & Jim Sandell

Mean Meme Births Ministry,http://www.klove.com/news/2017/01/06/Mean-Meme-Births-Ministry, Accessed May 13, 2017.

Psalm 139:13–14 (CSB) “For it was you who created my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I will praise you because I have been remarkably and wondrously made. Your works are wondrous, and I know this very well.”

Marvin Olasky, writing in World Magazine, tells of world events that led to his birth. “If a fire in 1902 hadn’t swept through Bobruisk, Russia, and impoverished the community; if the czar hadn’t drafted Jews into his army more than non-Jews, leading both of my grandfathers to desert from that army and escape to America; if one man didn’t like the looks of a woman he had paid to import for matrimony, and one of my grandfathers hadn’t swooped in for a cheap wife; if World War II hadn’t happened; etc. etc.—I wouldn’t be here.”

Looking at your life as a simple chance, Olasky says a one-in-a-trillion-trillion-trillion chance, makes you an insignificant accident of history. The Bible says that God knew you before you were born, he ordained you to be, and you are exactly what his providence intended for you. —Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell.

Jeremiah 1:5 (CSB) “I chose you before I formed you in the womb; I set you apart before you were born. I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”

A nine year old New Jersey boy who described himself as a “Guardian of the Galaxy,” submitted his resume for the position of “Planetary Protection Officer” with NASA. Jack Davis told the agency that though he was young, and that his youth would make it easier for him to learn to think like an alien. He said he had seen all the space and alien movies he can see, and is great at video games. NASA Planetary Science Director James Green said the job might not live up to the thrilling title, but is important to prevent microbial contamination of Earth and other planets. He encouraged Davis to study hard so he could join the agency one day. Green added, “At NASA, we love to teach kids about space and inspire them to be the next generation of explorers.”—Jim L. Wilson & Jim Sandell

9-year-old wants to be NASA's 'planetary protection officer', https://www.yahoo.com/news/9-old-wants-nasas-planetary-protection-officer-113137712.html, accessed august 7, 2017.

Psalm 41:2 (CSB) “The Lord will keep him and preserve him; he will be blessed in the land. You will not give him over to the desire of his enemies.”

93-year-old Ben Bender had been playing golf for nearly seven decades, but had never hit a hole-in-one. He began playing golf at age 28 had his handicap down to a 3 at one point. Lately, his hip had been bothering him, so Bender decided to hit the course one last time. On the 152-yard third hole at the Green Valley Golf Course in Zanesville, Ohio, Bender hit the first hole-in-one in his golfing career. He said he was in awe watching it, but his hip started to hurt again so he played a few more holes and called it a day. Bender said he hated giving up the game, but knew he couldn’t play forever. There is nothing like ending on a high note.—Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell

Dylan McWilliams is a 20-year-old Colorado man who has had some bad knocks. Three years ago, while hiking in the Utah desert a rattlesnake sank its fangs in his leg. Then last year a bear attacked him, dragging him from his tent in Colorado. It took nine staples in his neck to repair the damage. Just recently he was bodyboarding in Hawaii when an 8-foot tiger shark chomped down on his leg leaving a gash that needed seven stitches. Any one of those attacks would be a life experience, but all three, in three years? I think if I were him I would begin to wonder exactly what the Lord was trying to tell me.

Perhaps one day, like Joseph he will be able to say God caused it all to happen for good. —Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell.

You planned evil against me; God planned it for good to bring about the present result—the survival of many people.

When Cody Parkey’s field goal attempt bounced off the uprights twice and the Chicago Bears failed to advance in the 2019 playoffs, fans were disappointed. Sportswriter Brian Smith watched the play and said there is something to learn even in life’s losses. Smith said Parkey was redeemed by replays showing the kicked was blocked by a defensive player, but he said Parkey’s response to the miss was unusual. Rather than throwing his hands up in defeat or falling on the turf, Parkey pointed to the sky, a gesture usually reserved for winning plays. Smith said Parkey does the same thing every time he misses a field goal and that is an example to follow. He said God can get glory from missed field goals, because losing reminds us that joy in Christ transcends outward circumstances. Smith said, “We do well when we remember that God often works in ways that are different from what we would expect.” –Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell

Isaiah 55:8 (CSB)“’For my thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not my ways.’ This is the Lord’s declaration.”

At least 23 people were killed when tornados hit Lee County Alabama. The National Weather Service classified the tornado as an EF-3 with winds up to 165 mph. Reports said the area looked like someone had taken a blade and cleared the ground. In the midst of the destruction, 72-year-old Earnestine Reese was seen sitting in the ruins of her house paying and thanking God for sparing her life. In a video call with her grandson Kingston Frazier, to thank God despite her loss. Kingston told reporters, “The only thing she told me was to thank God. And that’s what I did. I’m just thankful she made it out.”—Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.

Psalm 94:22 (CSB)“But the Lord is my refuge; my God is the rock of my protection.”

Speaking at hospital news conference, Octavio Lazarde, a survivor of the shooting outside an El Paso Department store told the people gathered that the wound to his foot was painful, but he knew that pain would end. Lazarde said he was wounded in the foot and will need reconstructive surgery. He said when he heard the gunshots; he grabbed his nephew’s hand to lead him to a safe place. He said that though the pain in his foot would heal, “The only pain that won’t end is the emotional.” Lazarde added, “I just feel grateful that I’m alive. He had the chance to kill me but he didn’t. I know cause God’s with me.”—Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell

https://foxsanantonio.com/news/local/el-paso-shooting-survivor-he-had-the-chance-to-kill-me-but-he-didnt

A hardhat that fell into the Mississippi River in 2015 was mailed back to its owner after it was found on a beach in Ireland. Liam McNamara, a member of a beachcombing group said he found the hat on a beach in Fanore, County Claire and used social media to track down the owner. The custom paint job in the colors of Louisiana State University and a sticker with the name of International Union of Operating Engineers helped McNamara contact Matthew Bonnette. Bonette said the hat fell into the river in 2015, while he was working near Belle Chase La., and he was surprised that it had resurfaced so far away. McNamara mailed the hardhat back, so Bonnette will have proof of the hat’s amazing trip. –Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell

While a lot of the country worried about a coin shortage, the North Carolina Aquarium in Pine Knoll Shores used a supply of coins to keep their bills paid. The aquarium was closed for six months due to coronavirus mandates and could only hold virtual events for the public. To keep the programs funded, the facility decided to drain the large waterfall at the facility and collect the coins tossed in by wishful visitors. They gathered 100 gallons worth of coins and had them cleaned, sorted and put the money toward the general care of the facility and animals. To increase interest, the aquarium asked social media followers to guess at how much money 100 gallons of coins added up to. They promised to reveal the answer later, and said in the meantime, the work of maintaining the facilities and caring for animals continued. —Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell

A Taiwanese man who dropped his phone into a lake while paddle boarding, was sure he would never see the device again. He was surprised to learn it had been recovered when a drought caused the water to recede a year later. The man reportedly lost the phone in March 2020 when the chain around his neck came loose and it dropped into the water. He was contacted by people living near the lake when they found the phone after a drought caused the water to drop lower than they had been in fifty years. The man said the case apparently did its job and protected the phone, because it still worked perfectly. ---Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell

Michael had a whale of a time while lobster diving in the ocean near Provincetown, Mass. A humpback whale scooped him up. Packard says that he “was in his closed mouth for about 30 to 40 seconds before he rose to the surface and spit me out.”

Packard’s crew got him out of the water and took him to the hospital to make sure he was OK. Later that afternoon he was released from the hospital having suffered only “soft tissue damage.”

The Lord appointed a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.

Without rain’s moisture, the crops would not survive—they would shrivel up and die. The rainwater also released the soil’s minerals and nutrients that fed the plants.

A Canadian woman said her view of safety was challenged when a meteorite crashed through her roof. Ruth Hamilton said she was asleep when she became vaguely aware that her dog was barking at something. Suddenly Hamilton said there was an explosion which showered her with debris. When she turned on the lights, she saw that something had punched a hole through her ceiling. While talking to an emergency operator, Hamilton found a melon sized rock between the pillows she had been sleeping on. Authorities initially thought the rock might have come from a nearby construction site but based on reports of bright fireball in the area at the time, they conformed everything was consistent with a meteorite fall. The space rock was given to a local university for further study. Reflecting on the event Hamilton said, “The only thing I can think of saying is life is precious and it could be gone at any moment even when you think you are safe and secure in your bed. I hope I never ever take it for granted again.”—Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.

https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2021/10/12/canada-meteorite-roof-bedroom-Golden-Ontario-Canada/5821634070453/