Hello, all!Upon reading the newsletter, I found the request about how my ordination came about. I wasn't hit by a lightning bolt or called through a vision, but when a chaplain friend of mine sent me a very profound email, it made think for a moment of all that I had been blessed with, without even a thought to what I could give back. I found the ULC and read the website contents several times over before deciding that by becoming ordained, perhaps I could bring comfort to families that have lost loved ones, and by bringing joy to couples that were wanting to unite and begin new families. What a legacy that would be! My ordination has inspired me with a desire to talk to others about my beliefs and to listen to theirs with respect and an open mind.
I am blessed with three grown, beautiful daughters, and my wonderful wife that makes me anxious to wake in the mornings, that I may cast my eyes on her to behold my gift from God!
I thank my God for every breath that I take...I AM TRULY BLESSED!
The following is the inspiring email information that was sent to me,
The Lifeline,
After a few of the usual Sunday evening hymns, the church's pastor slowly
stood up, walked over to the pulpit and, before he gave his sermon for the
evening, briefly introduced a guest minister who was in the service that
evening.
In the introduction, the pastor told the congregation that the guest
minister was one of his dearest childhood friends and that he wanted him to
have a few moments to greet the church and share whatever he felt would be
appropriate for the service.
With that, an elderly mans stepped up to the pulpit and began to speak.
"A father, his son, and a friend of his son were sailing off the pacific
coast" he began, "when a fast approaching storm blocked any attempt to get
back to the shore. The waves were so high, that even though the father was
an experienced sailor, he could not keep the boat upright and the three were
swept into the ocean as the boat capsized."
The old man hesitated for a moment, making eye contact with two teenagers
who were, for the first time since the service began, looking somewhat
interested in his story.
The aged minister continued with his story, "Grabbing a rescue line, the
father had to make the most excruciating decision of his life: to which boy
would he throw the other end of the life line."
"He only had seconds to make the decision. The father knew that his son was
a Christian and he, also, knew that his son's friend was not. The agony of
his decision could not be matched by the torrent of waves. As the father
yelled out, "I love you, Son!" he threw out the life line to his son's
friend. By the time the father had pulled the friend back to the capsized
boat, his son had disappeared beneath the raging swells into the black of
night. His body was never recovered."
By this time, the two teenagers were sitting up straight in the pew,
anxiously waiting for the next words to come out of the old minister's
mouth. "The father", he continued, "knew his son would step into eternity
with Jesus and he could not bear the thought of his son's friend stepping
into an eternity without Jesus. Therefore, he sacrificed his son to save
the son's friend."
"How great is the love of God that he should do the same for us. Our
Heavenly Father sacrificed his only begotten Son that we could be saved.
I urge you to accept his offer to rescue you and take a hold of the life
line he is throwing out to you in this service."
With that, the old man turned and sat back down in his chair as silence
filled the room.
The pastor again walked slowly to the pulpit and delivered a brief sermon
with an invitation at the end, however, no one responded to the appeal
Within minutes after the service ended, the two teenagers were at the old
mans' side.
"That was a nice story," politely stated one of them, "but I don't think it
was very realistic for a father to give up his only son's life in hopes that
the other boy would become a Christian."
"Well, you've got a point there," the old man replied glancing down at his
worn bible. A big smile broadened his narrow face. He once again looked up
at the boys and said, "It sure isn't very realistic, is it?
But I'm standing here today to tell you that story give me a glimpse of what
it must have been like for God to give up his Son for me. You see..."
"I was that father and your pastor is my son's friend."
"We will open the book. Its pages are blank.
We are going to put words on them ourselves.
The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day."
---- Edith Lovejoy Pierce
Thank you and may god bless you and your family!
Re. James R. (Jim ) Hensley
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