Eddie Rivero

"If we did all the things we are capable of doing, we would literally astound ourselves." - Thomas A. Edison

"If you don't go after what you want, you'll never have it. If you don't ask, the answer is always no. If you don't step forward, you are always in the same place." - Nora Roberts

All achievements, all earned riches, have their beginning in an idea. - Napoleon Hill

"A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle." - Erin Majors

"The most authentic thing about us is our capacity to create, to overcome, to endure, to transform, to love, and to be greater than our suffering." - Ben Okri

Another Reason Why It's a Good Idea to Attend Sunday School

Three blondes died and are at the pearly gates of heaven.  St. Peter tells them that they can enter the gates if they can answer one simple question. 

St. Peter asks the first blonde, "What is Easter?" 

The blonde replies, "Oh, that's easy! It's the holiday in November when everyone gets together, eats turkey, and are thankful and stuff..."

"Wrong!," replies St. Peter, and proceeds to ask the second blonde the same question, "What is Easter?"   The second blonde replies, "Easter is the holiday in December when we put up a nice tree, exchange presents, and drinks eggnog." 

St. Peter looks at the second blonde, shakes his head in disgust, tells her she's wrong, and then peers over his glasses at the third blonde and asks, "What is Easter?" 

The third blonde smiles confidently and looks St. Peter in the eyes, "I know what Easter is."

"Oh?" says St. Peter, incredulously. 

"Easter is the Christian holiday that coincides with the Jewish celebration of Passover.  Jesus and his disciples were eating at the Last Supper. Then the Romans took him to be crucified and he was stabbed in the side, made to wear a crown of thorns, and was hung on a cross with nails through his hands.  He was buried in a nearby tomb which was sealed off by a large boulder."

St. Peter smiles broadly with delight.

Then the third blonde continues, 

"Every year the boulder is moved aside so that Jesus can come out... and, if he sees his shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter."

THE RIPPLE EFFECT

Recent surveys of Christian leaders reveal that a startling percentage of them are not convinced they are having any real impact on anyone.  This is particularly regrettable because making a difference is the very reason most Christian leaders go into the ministry.

 A Sunday school teacher named Edward Kimball wasn’t always sure his life had much consequence.  In 1858, he at least was able to lead a shoe clerk to Christ.  The clerk, Dwight L. Moody, became an evangelist, and in 1879 Moody awakened an evangelistic zeal in the heart of F.B. Meyer, the pastor of a small church in New England.  Meyer, preaching on a college campus, won a student named J. Wilbur Chapman to Christ.

 While Chapman was engaged in YMCA work, he employed a former baseball player named Billy Sunday to help with evangelistic meetings.  Sunday held a series of services in the Charlotte, N.C. area, and a group of local men were so enthused by the meetings, that they planned another campaign, this time they brought preacher Mordecai F. Ham to town.

 During one of his meetings, a young man named Billy Graham yielded his life to Christ.  Since then, millions have heard the gospel though Graham’s ministry.  Kimball had started quite a ripple effect!  So can you.

 In fact, you’re probably already making a greater impact than you think!   - Article by Jim Buchan

The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand. Ps. 37:23-24