For those of you who have followed my journey through cancer on CaringBridge, this might be a rerun for you. However, it should serve as a good reminder.
In the throes of cancer and chemo treatment, I read David Jeremiah's book about his journey through cancer - lymphoma, the same thing I had. He had a quote from Alan Redpath that just literally touched my heart to the very core. Here is the quote: "There is nothing, no circumstances, no trouble, no testing that can ever touch me until, it has come past God and past Christ, right through to me. If it has come that far, it has come with a great purpose." Dr. Jeremiah's book was an inspiration to me, but this quote is what has stuck with me through all of this past year. My wife, Mary, made a copy of the quote for me and framed it. I am sitting at my computer now, looking at the framed quote. In fact, what I just typed for you is from that framed copy of the quote. The quote still touches my heart deeply. I want to ask you to read this quote through several times and let it's message sink into your heart. God may have allowed some negative things to happen in your life because He wants to use you. Somehow these negative things could make you more useful, or could help you to be used in a different way. This is what happened in my life. For over fifty years my main ministry was preaching and teaching from the pulpit. I never thought about being used in a different way. My daughters, Faith and Hope, subscribed (if that's the right word) to CaringBridge for me. I began to write on that site, keeping people abreast of what was going on with me, and writing an inspirational piece each time. Then they decided that I needed a website, so Faith set me up on Weebly and I began to write daily blogs. I have only preached twice since June of 2011, so this has been my ministry since then. I'm not saying that I will never go back to preaching and teaching. But at this time God is using me to encourage others through this medium. This has been God's "great purpose" for me during this time of illness. I'm writing all of this for you to let you know that no matter what happens in your life, God is not through working with you and will show you another way. This is not just true for preachers but for all of you. Whatever happens in your life, embrace what God has in store for you and serve joyfully in the midst of the trial. (Isn't it interesting that God used our two daughters, Faith and Hope, to help me find my purpose for this period in my life? Thank you girls.) Bro. Joe
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AuthorDr. Joe Beauchamp is the author of this blog and website. Categories
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September 2021
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