Columns

By Doug Creamer

Our Story

            We all have a story. We have unique experiences that make us who we are today. Those experiences, combined with our perception of how we see God interacting with our lives, creates our testimony. Our testimony is our “God story.” Do we see God as close and intimate with us, or a more distant God who watches over us?

            You know that I believe that God is close and intimate with us. The Bible teaches us that He created us for fellowship. The Bible also teaches us that God knows the number of hairs on our heads. In my case, he is going to have to count daily, if not hourly, to keep up with that information. If He saw me in my mother’s womb, He must be keeping a much closer watch on us than any of us imagine.

            We all go through difficult times, and how we see God interacting with us during those times helps to create a story, our story. It’s that story of how we got through the trials of life that God wants us to tell others who find themselves stuck in the hurricanes of life. Difficult times can feel like hurricanes, snowstorms, or earthquakes, when everything that we consider solid gets shaken up. It’s in those moments that we often turn to God for help, when we find ourselves dependent upon Him.

            I remember a number of years ago that a friend’s wife got cancer. Instead of announcing it at church, they found a dozen people who believed in God’s power to heal and they surrounded themselves with those people. They saturated her life with prayer and support. While I don’t remember all the details of her treatment, I do remember them announcing to the church that she was cancer free. I also remember that anyone they knew after that who received a cancer diagnosis also received a visit from this couple. They wanted to share their story.

            In the middle of difficult or even tragic times, we need the hope that others who have sailed those seas and survived those storms can bring us. We need to know that we are not alone, that others have felt our pain and hopelessness. We need people with similar experiences to show us the way to the other side. That’s why your story, your experiences, are so vital to the Kingdom of God.

            Recently, I found myself sitting in a doctor’s office hearing the news that I had what looked like a cancerous growth on my arm. I remembered a former pastor telling us about hearing similar news. I called him after I left the doctor’s office. I needed to hear the story again, how he got through it. Thankfully my pathology report came back “no cancer” and my arm is healing up well. But I needed my former pastor’s story and his prayers to see me through.

            Many of you have stories that others need to hear. I know they are painful, but the hope you found could help others who might drown. I can’t tell you how many students I helped whose parents had separated or divorced. Seeing that I made it through helped them take steps and move forward in their lives. I didn’t want to expose that pain in my life, but because I was willing, it helped so many students who needed to hear my story.

            Your story might be about COVID survival. Maybe you or your child has been through the torture of drug addiction. You may have a story of surviving an abusive relationship. There are so many of you who have dealt with sudden medical emergencies like heart attacks that can share some comforting words with others. Maybe your story is about the tragic loss of a loved one and how He helped you pick up the pieces of your life. Whatever your story, there are others in your life who need to hear it so they can find their path to survival.

            I want to encourage you to consider your story and be willing to share it with others who are facing similar circumstances. One of the most powerful stories you can share with someone is how you came to faith in Jesus. Many people are struggling with doubts, fears, shame, and other things that are holding them back from God. Your story might free them and open their hearts to a personal relationship with their loving Heavenly Father. We never really know the power of our words to bring hope in the middle of storms unless we share them. Be willing to share your story.

Doug Creamer has a new book at Amazon: EncouragingU: Summer Stories. Contact him at PO Box 777, Faith, NC 28041or doug@dougcreamer.com

By Doug Creamer

            When my wife and I worked full-time, we rarely called each other. I remember calling her on 9/11. Phone calls to each other didn’t require something that big, but until our last couple of years, we just didn’t call each other much while we were working. So, when she called me one winter afternoon about fourteen years ago, I knew something was up.

            I could tell by her voice that nothing was wrong. She told me that there was a kitten hanging around the library where she worked. Someone had obviously dumped her and she wanted to know what I thought about adopting a new baby. She was concerned for the kitten because it was going to be a very cold night that night. I couldn’t say no.

            She brought the kitten home and we agreed that she wouldn’t come in the house until we had her checked out by a vet. She lived in the garage for several days. We fed her and went out and played with her. She was glad to see us. She seemed friendly and wanted in the house.

            We already had a cat and it took a while for the two of them to learn to get along. Once she made it in the house, we discovered that her personality was true cat. What I mean is that she acted like she could take us or leave us. If you tried to pet her, she only allowed three or four strokes before she would try to nip you.

            When our other cat passed away, she acted a little less aloof. I remember the first time she jumped into my lap. I wasn’t sure what to think. She settled down and I was allowed to pet her seven or eight times before she tried to nip me. As time went on, she would jump into my lap and stay about a minute, during which time I was allowed to pet her. No nipping. She always liked to be in the same room as us, just to see what we were doing.

            When I retired and started to teach the Chinese students something changed. She became my teaching buddy. I introduced her to the students and they fell in love with her. They asked to see her. She would walk between me and the camera and the kids would always laugh. She became a star. “What is Kimble doing?” “Where is Kimble?”

            She sat with me while I was teaching. She became increasingly more affectionate. I didn’t realize that we were getting closer. She would join me at the computer when I prepared for classes and help me do the evaluations after classes. If she wasn’t sitting beside me, she was in my lap. The nipping was long gone and she stayed in my lap for long periods of time.

            Since I am up long before the crack of dawn to teach, I often take an afternoon nap. She would always join me. In the cold months, she would lay right up against me. In the warm months, she would lie beside me or down near my feet. She always wanted me to pet her for a long time before I fell asleep. She would purr loudly.

            She suddenly and unexpectedly passed away last week. Until she was gone, I didn’t realize how attached I had become to her. She entertained my Chinese kids and helped to keep them focused. She was my little buddy, always close by, and always hungry for attention, especially in these last couple of years. My routines have changed since her departure. She left a furry hole in my heart.

            As I reflect on her departure I realize that none of us knows how much time we have left. The “suddenly” can come at any moment. Do you think you are ready to meet your maker? Have you made peace with Him? Have you invited Jesus to be your Savior? We need to make that decision before we take our final breath. All eternity is dependent on that decision. I want to see you in heaven and the only way there is through Jesus.

            I want to encourage you to make the most important decision of your life. Decide to believe and trust in Jesus. You don’t need to clean up your life or have all your questions answered, you just need to invite Him into your heart. He’ll forgive all your sins and welcome you home. No one knows when their time will come. I want to encourage you to be ready. Leave all doubts about your eternal destination behind. As for Kimble, I believe there are pets in heaven. I also believe she is waiting there to take a nap with me. 

Doug Creamer has a new book at Amazon: EncouragingU: Summer Stories. Contact him at PO Box 777, Faith, NC 28041or doug@dougcreamer.com