Some Encouragement

During the spring of 2006, my wife and I bought a new house. We were planning on growing our family and wanted the extra space. We were living in a two bedroom house and it was going to get small real fast. So, we started looking and found a new place out in the country. I told my wife when we were looking for a house that I wanted a place that I can go out in the back yard anytime I wanted and shoot my guns. The only problem was, I didn't have any! So, that summer, I asked for an air rifle for my birthday.

While searching for the air rifle I wanted, I joined the Straight Shooter's discussion forum to ask questions and get help. There, I met Juan, from Puerto Rico. We e-mailed each other back and forth quite frequently for a while and discovered that we both were Christians, played guitar on our worship teams, enjoyed guns and had several other things in common. The e-mailing faded out to about one or two a month, but we still kept in contact.

Juan played a big part in helping me select this rifle (thanks Juan!), a Beeman HW-97:

I can confidently say that Juan is a good friend, even though I have never met him in person. He has offered encouragement and prayer over the last year and a half. We were e-mailing each other back and forth about guns, guitars and wood finishes. Out of the blue, in one of his e-mails, he added the following.

….Do you know something? We are part of the Lord plans in such a magnificent way!

If we die, meaning to the old nature, we will open up to a new life with Him!, All the ugliness, was left on the cross. Now a new and Christ like me shines thru the Sacrifice of the Son!

If we suffer, and we will, we certainly will rejoice with Him in our true home, the Heavens. But he says; “Don’t give up” I was up against the world and I won! My victory is yours now!!!

If we reject Him, He will do the same. He is a gentleman so he won’t force us to accept him. It is our decision to accept what He has in His heart for us. But most important, the opposite is also true; If we declared Him as our Lord and Savior; He will declare us as one of His friends, one of His own. That is good!

BUT, if we are unfaithful, he remains FAITHFUL. He won’t give up on us. He can’t do that. His nature is to be faithful. So there is always a way to the Father because he is always faithful. He will simply not abandon us. No matter how mean, or bad or away from Him we might be, His grace is enough to reach us!

There is really no reason why we should not get back on our feet, be right with the Father and Rejoice in his presence!!!!! Is this amazing or what? Our Lord is Awesome!!!!!!!

11 This is a faithful saying:

For if we died with Him,
We shall also live with Him.
12 If we endure,
We shall also reign with Him.
If we deny Him,
He also will deny us.
13 If we are faithless,
He remains faithful;
He cannot deny Himself.
2 Tim 2:11-13.