Our interview this month is my friend Karen Finley. Karen and I met a couple years back at one of our Fun and Frolic weekends with my precious friend and mentor Ann Platz. Karen has a beautiful story. She grew up the child of an evangelist and school teacher. She had wonderful success in the corporate world, and spent the last seventeen years working in conflict resolution for Bell south. She also has spent the last thirty years as a member of Mt. Paran Church in Atlanta, where she works with the Women’s Mentoring Program.
Karen, what are the most valuable lessons you learned through the loss of your home and this fire?
1. Don’t go back to the past. This is now and should not be repeated. You are stronger and have more wisdom and power from the Lord. You have been there and done that and he took you through it then and will be there now.
2. He will never leave you are forsake you. Regardless of the past he has plans for you and will help you through this.
3. You will be changed as a result of almost dying. You look at things different and will appreciate life more to the fullest degree.
4. Things are not as important to you. You only take your friends with you when that time comes. There is not a U Hall on the back of your coffin.
5. You know who cares for you and who your close friends are and are not. They will be there for you big time. Neighbors come out of the woodwork to help.
6. You are a Christian witness and people watch you in times of crisis. You have to be strong and not loose it.
7. You see God’s favor on your life every day. Things happen and you can’t believe how the Lord does it in such a precious way.
8. The Lord will use this to his glory. You have to give it to GOD and trust Him. Don’t take it back and do it on your own.
9. Reach out in your crisis and do the Lord’s work even if you are hurting. He will reward you for it.
10. Pray for favor and that favor shield around you when you are facing these challenges. GOD is there and will give you more than you can imagine.
11. Have a purpose for each day. When you get up give your life to the Lord for the day and ask Him to show you his purpose.
TODAYS PEACE IS GOD’S PIECE TO LIFES PUZZEL CELEBRATE THE PROGRESS.
There is a story I love about a man who was stranded on a desert island. He built him a hut and finally had some semblance of life and then one day his hut burned down. He was devastated. He had nothing, and now the little that he had was taken away. Until he saw the ship. The ship that came to his rescue. The ship that would have never seen him had he not had that blazing fire from his hut that had burned down….
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