There are those special people that we encounter in our lives that have an incredible inspirational impact on those around them. Ms. Norma is one of those for many of us in our church. She has taught Bible Study for well over 50 years. She still has the desire and attends training sessions to learn more how to teach Bible and share her faith with others. She is unassuming and humble yet quietly powerful in her own way. She volunteers and still participates in ministry events to pray and encourage others. She stays focused on the Lord regardless of what is going on around her. She doesn’t talk bad about anyone going through a difficult time; but instead prays for them and encourages them gently in the right direction. 

When you look at God’s description in the Bible of what a Christian should be like in Galatians 5, it is easy to see these traits in her life too: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Gentleness, and Self-Control. She would be the first to tell you, these traits are from the Lord and her allowing Him to direct her life on a daily basis. What a challenge to the rest of us to be like that. Thank you Ms. Norma for letting the Lord use you in a positive way in our lives. It’s faithful people like her that God uses to keep us focused on what really matters.Be thankful for those people who God has placed in your life to encourage you in your faith . 

“Godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also the life to come.” – 1Timothy 4:7-8
“If I had my entire life to live over again…I don’t know if I would have the strength” – Flip Wilson
“The measure of a life is not it’s duration but it’s donation” – Corrie Ten Boom
“Teach me to number my days, that I may gain wisdom” – Psalm 90:12 NKJV
   We need to to to make the most of each day that the Lord blesses us with between now and Heaven. Some priorities that you and I should really take to heart that will help us accomplish that are:

1. People are more important than things. In my observation as a Pastor, I have often seen when someone is facing their last days, the value they place on family and friends. Rarely do they mention other things like a job or material things they acquired through their lives. The most important is always relationships and in particular great memories with family and close friends. This a good reminder for you and me that we shouldn’t take for granted the people God has placed in our lives. Take time to chat or check on those who mean the most to us. 

2. Keep good daily habits. Wisdom and understanding are not built in a day; but they are built daily. Thoas A Kempis put it this way: ” Habit is overcome by habit”. In other words, good habits are developed by repetition. Good lifetime habits could include: daily devotions which is spending time in prayer by talking to God and reading the Bible which is a way that God speakers to us. Also important is getting proper exercise, nutrition and rest which allows us to be at our best. As Dr.E. Stanley Jones stated: ” since habit becomes power, make them work with you and not against you.”

3.Continue to develop your faith and confidence in God. We are never to old to grow spiritually in our personal relationship with God. If you and I are actively involved in a Bible Study that is challenging and interesting, it will keep us focused on the right priorities and will encourage our faith to grow. This will also help us to stay more balanced, give us stability that we all need in such an unstable world.