The suspension bridge of Niagara Falls was begun by a thread attached to kite. When the wind blew, the kite went across. Then on the thread they attached a string and pulled it across. Then to the string, they attached a rope and pulled it across. By this means, they were able to build the bridge. Your faith may be just a little thread, or no larger than a mustard seed, but you must act on that faith. Through action, your faith will be rounded had settled (Col. 1:23), as it moves you to do even greater works of faith for the Lord (II Thess. 1:3). This is how your faith will grow exceedingly (Eph. 4:15). J. J. Turner

Paul gives this admonition in Galatians 6:9, "And let us not be weary in well doing; for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not."

A scientist once conducted an interesting experiment in his laboratory. From the ceiling he suspended an iron ball weighing a ton, attaching it to a cable strong enough to sustain its weight. Beside the huge iron ball, he hung a small sphere made of cork attached to a thread fastened to the ceiling. An electrical mechanism kept the little cork ball swinging slowly, pendulum-like, against the iron weight.

At length, after days of unceasing swinging back and forth on the part of the cork, the iron ball weighing a ton began to swing very gently to and fro in harmony with the little cork ball. Gradually, its motion increased until it was prescribing a wide arc, all because a tiny cork ball had kept persistently knocking against its massive side, day in & day out.

Our efforts to influence people to love God, accept Christ as Savior and live under the direction of the Holy Spirit should be as gentle as the tapping of the cork ball but also we should be persistent and faithful.

Never be cast down by trifles. If a spider breaks it web twenty times, twenty times he will mend it. Make up your mind to do a thing, and you will do it. Fear not if trouble comes upon you.

Keep up your spirit, even though the day be a dark one. If your seat is hard to sit on, stand up. If a rock rises up before you, roll it away, or climb over it. If you want money, earn it!

It takes longer to skin an elephant than to skin a mouse, but the elephant skin is worth something! If you want confidence, prove yourself-worthy of it. Do not be content with doing what another has done-surpass it. The boy was not born a man. The sun does not rise like a rocket, nor go down like a bullet fired from a gun. Slowly and surely it makes its rounds, and never tires. Author Unknown

QUOTE: In the confrontation between the stream and the rock, the stream always wins - not through strength but by perseverance. -H. Jackson Brown "A Father's Book of Wisdom"

CUTTING DOWN A LIVING TREE Robert H Schuller from "Tough Times Never Last But Tough People Do!" Quoted in Reader's Digest Feb 1990 p. 200

I remember one winter my dad needed firewood, and he found a dead tree and sawed it down. In the spring, to his dismay, new shoots sprouted around the trunk. He said, "I thought sure it was dead. The leaves had all dropped in the wintertime. It was so cold that twigs snapped as if there were no life in the old tree. But now I see that there was till life at the taproot." He looked at me and said, "Bob, don't forget this important lesson. Never cut a tree down in the wintertime. Never make a negative decision in the low time. Never make your most important decisions when you are in your worst mood. Wait. Be patient. The storm will pass. The spring will come."

IF FAILURE WERE FATAL Don Campbell in Pulpit Helps 9/91 p.1

We recognize Abraham Lincoln as one of the greatest presidents in our history. What we my not know is that he failed no less than 11 times prior to being elected the 16th president of the United States.

He failed in business in 1831, was defeated for the legislature in 1832, failed again in business in 1833, had a nervous breakdown in 1836, was defeated for Speaker of the House in 1838, was defeated for elector in 1840, was defeated for Congress in 1843, was defeated again for the same office in 1846, was defeated for the Senate in 1855, and was defeated for vice president in 1856. He tried the Senate once more in 1858, but lost.

Lesser men would not have placed their names in nomination for President of U.S. and won.

Moses failed - Acts 7:23-30

Samuel failed - I Samuel 8:1-3

David failed - II Samuel 12:7-15

Peter failed - 3 times on the night prior to Christ's crucifixion.

Not a single one of these men was thrown away by God. They were all recycled.

CHICKEN FROM AN EGG by Arnold H. Glasow R.Digest 5/93 p. 33

The key to everything is patience. You get the chicken by hatching the egg, not by smashing it.

QUOTE: "Success is a marathon, not a sprint" Executive Speechwriter Newsletter quoted in R.Digest 5/93, p.42

POETRY GARDEN STONES Signals Catalogue Holiday 1994
It matters not what goal you seek

Its secret here reposes:

You've got to dig from week to week

To get Results or Roses