One at a Time

The following story comes to us from Kobus Viljoen in South Africa and is used by permission.

Several times my daughter had telephoned to say, "Mother, you must come to see the daffodils before they are over." I wanted to go, but it was a two-hour drive from Laguna to Lake Arrowhead. "I will come next Tuesday", I promised a little reluctantly on her third call.

Next Tuesday dawned cold and rainy. Still, I had promised, and reluctantly I drove there. When I finally walked into Carolyn's house I was welcomed by the joyful sounds of happy children. I delightedly hugged and greeted my grandchildren.

"Forget the daffodils, Carolyn! The road is invisible in these clouds and fog, and there is nothing in the world except you and these children that I want to see badly enough to drive another inch!"

My daughter smiled calmly and said, "We drive in this all the time, Mother."

"Well, you won't get me back on the road until it clears, and then I'm heading for home!" I assured her.

"But first we're going to see the daffodils. It's just a few blocks," Carolyn said. "I'll drive. I'm used to this. You will never forgive yourself if you miss this experience."

After about twenty minutes, we turned onto a small gravel road and I saw a small church. On the far side of the church, I saw a hand lettered sign with an arrow that read, " Daffodil Garden." We got out of the car, each took a child's hand, and I followed Carolyn down the path. Then, as we turned a corner, I looked up and gasped. Before me lay the most glorious sight.

It looked as though someone had taken a great vat of gold and poured it over the mountain peak and its surrounding slopes. The flowers were planted in majestic, swirling patterns, great ribbons and swaths of deep orange, creamy white, lemon yellow, salmon pink, and saffron and butter yellow. Each different-colored variety was planted in large groups so that it swirled and flowed like its own river with its own unique hue. There were five acres of flowers.

"Who did this?" I asked Carolyn.

"Just one woman," Carolyn answered. "She lives on the property. That's her home." Carolyn pointed to a well-kept A-frame house, small and modestly sitting in the midst of all that glory. We walked up to the house.

On the patio, we saw a poster. "Answers to the Questions I Know You Are Asking", was the headline. The first answer was a simple one. "50,000 bulbs," it read. The second answer was, "One at a time, by one woman. Two hands, two feet, and one brain." The third answer was, "Began in 1958."

For me, that moment was a life-changing experience. I thought of this woman whom I had never met, who, more than forty years before, had begun, one bulb at a time, to bring her vision of beauty and joy to an obscure mountaintop. Planting one bulb at a time, year after year, this unknown woman had forever changed the world in which she lived. One day at a time, she had created something of extraordinary magnificence, beauty, and inspiration.

The principle her daffodil garden taught is one of the greatest principles of celebration. That is, learning to move toward our goals and desires one step at a time--often just one baby-step at time--and learning to love the doing, learning to use the accumulation of time. When we multiply tiny pieces of time with small increments of daily effort, we too will find we can accomplish magnificent things. We can change the world.

As we read this story we thought of all the instructors out there, who may be feeling a little discouraged about the few courses they are able to teach or the low number of people they are training.

Take heart! Remember that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. Even if the numbers are small, you are accumulating a great "garden" of teachers who are joining with countless others around the world, reaching the children for Christ.

If we could catch a glimpse of the thousands of teachers we have all worked together to train in this ministry--and the hundreds of thousands of children they have reached, it would indeed be a glorious sight!

So keep on training out there--one TCE course at at time; one teacher at a time--and to God be the glory!

Be Nice!

Have you noticed there seems to be an epidemic of rudeness in our culture these days? Even people who work in the “service” industry seem to be more and more impatient and unkind to those they are supposed to serve. We’ve all been in stores, restaurants, waiting rooms and on telephone help lines hoping for good service and support, only to be treated with crass disrespect.

In a Turning Point daily devotional, Pastor David Jeremiah writes:
"The words influence and influenza are cousins. Leslie Flynn points out that the word influenza was introduced into English in the mid-1700s, apparently coming from the Italian who attributed the origin of his malady to an influenza di freddo (influence of the cold).

We are, by our very natures, very contagious people—our influence tends to spread to others as easily as the flu. Our attitudes are "catching." When you're cheerful, those around you become more joyful. When you're forgiving, those closest to you become more merciful. And when you're brave, those around you grow more courageous.”

Pastor Jeremiah’s words are important for us to remember as instructors of teachers. You are infecting your TCE students! Your words, attitudes and actions are contagious. If you are impatient, rude, unforgiving or unkind toward your students, they will pick up those traits like a bad cold! Then they will very likely pass them along to the children they teach. Such negative examples not only do a disservice to our students, they grieve the Holy Spirit.

God’s word says, “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you” (Ephesians 4:29-32).

As instructors of teachers, we need to be influencing our students in positive ways. We can model patience, gentleness, forgiveness and kindness. As our teachers “catch” those attitudes from us in our words and actions, they will pass them along to the children.

The question is not whether you are contagious—you are whether you know it or not! The real question is, what are you passing along to others? Are you a positive influence or a toxic influenza? In other words, just BE NICE!

Do you have a comment on this subject? Click the comment link below and share your thoughts with the rest of us!

Kaylee's Story

Back in May, we received the precious testimony below from our friends and long-time instructors of teachers, Misses Wanda Nuhn and Wilma Wilkerson. We know you will be moved by Kaylee's story.

Last night (May 22, 2007) was the memorial service for one of our Good News Clubbers. Six-year-old Kaylee Jordan was killed suddenly when a basketball standard fell on her and the loose wire pierced her heart. She was playing in a vacant lot Thursday, May 17, when this happened. She died in her daddy's arms. She had just turned six.

Kaylee and her brother Michael have been regular members of the McGregor after school Good News Club. I (Wanda) had the joy of praying with both children as they have received the Lord; Michael in October, Kaylee much later. She came again for counseling April 16 to be sure that God meant what He said.

At the beautiful service at Temple Baptist her Sunday school teacher came to tell me that Kaylee recently said, "I just want you to know I have Jesus in my heart." The teacher's words were significant. She said, "I questioned her because we do not talk about salvation with 4-5 year olds unless they ask. But Kaylee insisted: 'Yes, I asked Him to come in. He forgave my sin.' " Because I had the privilege to tell the packed church Kaylee's story, the teacher now understood that she was telling it as it really is. Kaylee is with the Lord! Her Sunday school teacher was in tears. Oh, that teachers will learn to give the Gospel clearly to the little ones with an opportunity to receive Him.

Do pray for the Jordan family. They have big decisions to make. Kim, the mother, says she has to move. Kaylee is 'everywhere she looks.' She cannot stand it. Scotte and Kim Jordan were about to go their own ways, but God is holding them together right now. Isn't He marvelous?! Let's trust Him to make them a strong Christian family.

Michael is a very open, earnest nine-year-old. Two weeks before Kaylee died, Michael was working in his Wonder Devotional Book. He told me (Wanda) he wanted God to be his Decision Maker from now on. It is such a blessing to be a team. Wilma prays right through each GNC hour. Last night she met Michael. He is a very sincere boy in a torn up family. Thank you for praying for him.

We trust that you will lift the Jordan family up in prayer as they go through this difficult time of grieving. Pray especially for young Michael, that he would stay strong in the Lord.

What a special blessing to know that when children we have reached are taken in such a sudden way, they are with the Lord! Kaylee's story would make a wonderful illustration in classes such as Importance of Conversion, Reaching the Child in the Neighborhood, Bible Lesson Preparation and Presentation (on giving the invitation) or Importance of the Teacher. God will continue to use Kaylee's testimony and the faithfulness of her GNC teacher as we share her story with others.

We would also ask you to pray for Miss Wanda and Miss Wilma. These two dear saints are still fighting for the souls of children, both through prayer and in club ministry. How we praise God for such faithful servants! They have been role models for many of us in the training ministry. Both ladies have physical challenges that they deal with on a daily basis. They pray for all of us regularly. We know they would appreciate your prayers on their behalf.