Rhon’s Inspiration Station: My Own True Story
MY TRUE STORY (Rhon)
After graduating from school I went and applied at a Travel agency (I loved to travel, and this would fit right into my plans, as part of the perks of working there was to travel to places they advertised,so I could sell their tours). All was going very well, I loved the folks I worked with, we were like a big family, and we respected one another and how we worked. One day a woman that looked like she had seen better days, sat down at my desk and gave me a BIG WARM smile & went on to ask what is the best place to go to, and may I eat my sandwich (she pointed to her paper bag). The rest of the staff was staring and my Manager shook his head and pointed to her back and sent me the signal of “get rid of her- she’s a bag lady, waste of time “. I was so taken with this elderly woman and her sweet spirit, I got up and told her go ahead and eat, I need a moment with my Manager. She again gave me a sweet smile, and said ” I need to know today the price of your best trip, you can tell your manager I need to finalize the payment and details today. I shook my head yes, and disappeared into my Manager’s office. He said “Rhon, you shouldn’t waste time on that woman, plus you have many tours to order plane tickets, hotels, tour arrangements). You are doing terrific working here and it shows you love what you are doing….so just tell her you are VERY busy”. I told him I was due for a lunch break, and may I have permission to stay and talk with her? He said yes, but do eat as soon as she leaves.
I proceeded back to this lady who had 8 brochures stretched out on my desk. Her words flowed out of her mouth ” Dear, I need your help and made a promise to my husband before he died that I would use part of his life insurance to take a major trip abroad “. I now was smiling but had tears in my eyes. I then showed her the top trip we were promoting to Europe, and she said “THIS IS IT, HOW MUCH?” I went along to keep her happy and told her about the trip, cost, hotels, site seeing, transfers and she got up, and said I will be back in about an hour. When do you close?” She hugged me and left. The Manager came over, and said “please eat Rhon, You have plane tickets FOR 4 GROUPS that must go out today and 4 different itineraries to finish”. I ate fast, started working on the tickets, and low and behold in walks this sweet ole lady with the President of one of the banks in our area. He approached me after she pointed me out to him , and said thanks for taking care of my friend, she lost her husband last week. He sat down and said to the lady (whose name was ” Hope “) Let me help you fill out the check to this travel company. By this time everyone in the office was staring. “Hope” was crying, and I believe everyone in the office was crying. The trip was to Europe for 6 weeks. She said , ” I went into 2 other travel agencies before coming here and they treated me so badly. I knew when I met you that you would take good care of me. For the record, each year Hope took major trips and brought along friends. We had a deal – She would travel with us, and I would take her shopping for clothes to wear on theses trips. She became a major blessing in my life with her amazing personality, zest for living, and stories .
I learned through this…. never judge anyone by what they wear, judge them by God’s standards of who they are inside.
Enriching Your Time Alone with God
By Dr. Charles Stanley
Has this ever been your experience? You sit down in a quiet place with your Bible, ready to have a devotional time with the Lord. But you feel aimless; you don’t have a plan in mind. You flip through the pages and finally settle on a Psalm. Then you glance at your watch and remember another appointment. Before you get up, you say a quick prayer and tell yourself that you will pray more later—but that never happens. If you are frustrated with the quality of your quiet times, you are certainly not alone. Having a close relationship with Jesus seems so far away sometimes. Think about this: as much as you desire real intimacy with your personal Savior, He longs for it even more. James 4:8 offers this assurance: “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.”
What would benefit you greatly is some direction and encouragement from others who have a close walk with Christ. Many books and devotional guides offer Bible reading plans, some for reading the Bible in a year and others topically. It’s critical to have a method in advance. Yes, there are times when God leads you away from your intended study to something special, but a specific goal will help you focus on His Word daily.
Whatever you choose, select a plan that fits your lifestyle and level of understanding. Remember, though, that spending time with God does not ever just “fit in” to your day’s routine. You must schedule and then jealously guard that time. The more you honor that appointment, the greater your desire to protect it, and the greater your enrichment.
Have you ever run across words or passages that you do not understand? Instead of waiting until later to consider the issues, sit down with a Bible dictionary and concordance or other study aids already in hand. You may not resolve your question completely, but seeking His truth on your own is a valuable process.
Maybe financially you are unable to purchase your own Bible study tools. Never give up—seek other options. Some churches have libraries where you can borrow what you need, as do selected public libraries. Several Web sites now offer complimentary access to on-line Bible dictionaries, concordances and commentaries. Or ask your pastor or church associate if he has materials you may use. The body of Christ should be eager to help you in this pursuit.
As you read the Bible, have a notebook and pen ready to write a spiritual journal. Some people keep a prayer journal and record their daily prayers, leaving a space to go back and write in how God answered them. You may prefer a spiritual growth format, in which you write down a special verse and why it impacted you. If you have kept a journal before, you know what a treat it is to read back and see an overview of your journey.
Are you ready for a relationship with Jesus that knows no boundaries? Open your time, your life, your heart, and expect the Lord’s involvement.
Copyright 2013 In Touch Ministries, Inc. All rights reserved
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When I first saw the headline, I thought it was going to be a true story of your life! : ) But anyway I really
enjoyed it…it was wonderful what you did for that woman and for years after that also. Blessings, Judy
What a great & touching story, I couldn’t keep the tears back. Thank you for sharing that wonderful story.
What a lovely story- god looks at the heart not outward appearances-you have a sweet spirit and god loves you