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{HeartTouchers.com} *Tested* ______________________________________ If you enjoy this email service, I encourage you to spread the word to family and friends that we may bring inspiration the lives of many! If you are not on the list and this has been passed along to you, join us by visiting: http://www.HeartTouchers.com Be sure to check out our inspirational list just for teenagers! http://www.Heart4Teens.com ____________________________________________ Michael's updated book Heart Touchers "Life-Changing Stories of Faith, Love, and Laughter," is finally here! ($13.95) Visit the link below to preview the book! Personalized autographed copies are available at no extra charge and we pay the shipping for you! An E-book version is also available for just $3.25! http://www.hearttouchers.com/books Be sure to let us know who you would like it autographed for and then allow about two weeks for us to sign it and send it on its way to you.Credit card, PayPal, Checks, and Money orders accepted! The book is also available through Amazon.com, Borders.com, BarnesandNoble.com, and Booklocker.com _____________________________________ TESTED by David McLaughlan On the train heading for Glasgow I raised a subject I'd read about the day before. "Is your church-going a substitute for Christianity?" My wife looked puzzled so I explained. "It's about folk who claim to be Christian because they go to church every Sunday but don't actually lead very Christian lives the other six days of the week." Well, we tossed the idea about for a few minutes then the train reached the terminus. Once in Central Station we made our way through the masses of travellers towards the exit. The last thing I expected was to have my question put to the test almost immediately. My wife tugged at my sleeve. "Look." She pointed to a bank of pay phones against the far wall where a hunched, elderly lady was checking every change return slot. Looking at her many layers of ragged clothing and shoes held together with tape my wife commented, "She's probably wearing everything she owns. And what she isn't wearing is probably in the plastic bag she's carrying." I turned against the tide of people and stood for a moment, watching her. Having found no forgotten change this woman, who had to be in her seventies, headed for the news agent's shop. She was so small I doubt the sales assistant ever saw her amongst the genuine customers. She picked up a magazine of two and "accidentally" shook out the advertising leaflets and free TV guides. She picked these up off the floor and tucked them into one of her many cardigans. I could only guess they might be insulation to help her through a cold night. By now I was feeling like something of a voyeur. It was time to move on. I had seen poor people before. On the streets of Glasgow that night I would probably walk past a dozen professional beggars. But I couldn't walk away. Once again the woman made her way, all but unnoticed, through the crowd. Her next stop was the photo booth, where she pressed the coin return button a few times. When she came out I was standing in front of her. Now, I'm a fairly big man so I don't blame her for being startled when I said, "Find anything?" But there was something more in her expression. She didn't seem to think I was police, or security, or railway staff, she just seemed totally confused by the fact that someone was paying attention to her. "Here." I held out some money. She smiled, tried for a few seconds to speak but she seemed to have forgotten how. Then she silently mouthed the words, "Thank you." Stunned and scared I stepped back into the crowd. By the time I reached my wife again my tears were flowing freely. Minutes before I had been questioning other folk's Christianity. Now I had been tested. If Jesus had been in that old lady I might not have recognised him. So, instead, he sent a messenger, someone I certainly would recognise. In that deeply lined face and those watery blue eyes I had seen my own dearly loved, long departed Granny. Long before, when I still had a child's innocence, I had fixed her fence, brought coal for her fire, anything to see Granny smile. And in that face I had seen proof that, decades after her death, by caring for someone else, I had made her happy again. We were on our way to the theatre. but I confess I only saw about half of the performance; the rest was blurred by tears of happiness. David McLaughlan david.mclaughlan@btinternet.com Write David and let him know your thoughts on his story! David McLaughlan is a Scottish laddie who always dreamed of being a writer. Now he is. Shhh! You might wake him. _________________________________________ Thought For The Day: "Success is knowing the difference between cornering people and getting them in your corner." -- Bill Copland Verse for the Day: "Can two walk together, except they be agreed?" -- Amos 3:3 Kid's Thought For The Day: "You can try on your fathers shoes, but you can't walk very well in them." Parent's Thought For The Day: "What is a home without a Bible? 'Tis a home where daily bread for the body is provided, but the soul is never fed." --Charles Meigs Coach's Thought For The Day: "A good coach will make his players see what they can be rather than what they are." Writer's Thought For The Day: "To write what is worth publishing, to find honest people to publish it, and get sensible people to read it, are the three great difficulties in being an author." --Charles Caleb Colton Deep Thought For The Day: "When you hear from an old friend you can bet they have a network marketing opportunity just for you." _________________________________________ Inspired Audio -- Inspirational Audio Message of the Week! Inspired Audio is a brand new offshoot of HeartTouchers.com. Every week we will offer a different audio message that you can listen to right on your computer as you are surfing the net or just getting things done around the house. Be sure to come back and visit each week! This Week: "Letting Go" by Jeff Williams http://www.HeartTouchers.com/Inspired_Audio _________________________________________ Over 85,000 people have listened to popular Chicken Soup Author Michael T. Powers' free inspirational message entitled: "Breathing Life into Others". If you aren't one of them just visit: http://www.HeartTouchers.com and click on the link to listen to the free streaming audio message! __________________________________________ Video Imagery --Michael's Video Production Business Dear Michael, I just wanted to take a minute to thank you for the beautiful video you made for me! It was so special to see both of my parents in tears as they watched their children grow up in pictures before their eyes! I loved the way you made Estania's part set aside from the rest--that was the part that really got them! The music was beautiful. My mom kept blubbering, "What song is that?" I don't know how you did such a beautiful job with the video in such a short time. I really appreciate your doing it so quickly. You have a wonderful gift, and I thank God that you are using it to create such sentimental memories. I hope that I can find my niche like that in an area that I love. Your video gave us one of our most lasting Christmas memories! I hope yours was filled with moments to be treasured forever! Love, Trisha Silverhill, AL Let me make you a video from your photos! Check out my video production business by visiting: http://www.hearttouchers.com/video_imagery __________________________________________ Do you feel as if life has no meaning for you? http://www.greatcom.org/english/four.htm |
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Touching Lives - One E-mail at a Time! Author Michael T. Powers - HeartTouchers @ aol.com
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