In all the years my husband and I have been receiving your publications, I don't remember an article having such an impact on me as the one in the November-December issue about Mother Teresa, "In His Service."
I don't cry easily, but tears were streaming down my face before I finished the article. I was experiencing so many emotions at the same time--gratitude, admiration, guilt, shame, envy.
Some of these stemmed from past years of former teachings that I held dear. I remembered how I used to feel about Mother Teresa because of these convictions.
How could she be a Christian? She didn't keep the Sabbath or Holy Days and worst of all, dare I say it--she was a Catholic. Poor woman was doing all this good stuff for nothing because she wasn't a WCG member and was deceived.
During my time of struggling with the new covenant teachings, I, too, had set my limits on what I would be willing to listen to--"If they change this or that, I'm out of here."
Well, I'm still here, and by reading about this beautiful servant of God who put me to shame by being the personification of the teachings of our Savior, it drove home emphatically how much in error I/we were and what a wonderful miracle God has performed in our fellowship. We are learning to give Jesus his proper place in our lives.
Mother Teresa's legacy continues. I mentioned envy as one of the emotions I experienced while reading this article. Yes, I envy this woman's willingness to be molded and used in whatever way her Lord saw fit, and I envy the love with which she carried out God's will for her life.
The article ended with the words, "True to her word, the living saint's compassionate heart beat its last on Sept. 5, as she lay resting at her convent in Calcutta, her work on earth complete."
What a beautiful testimony. Will our individual work for Christ be complete when we go to meet him?
Will we be able to say along with the apostle Paul and Mother Teresa: "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing" (2 Timothy 4:7-8, New King James Version).
Sharon Hall
Norfolk, Virginia
The Nov. 18 WN arrived here Nov. 28, and it was nice to have to read on this dreary and wet weekend in Florida, the Sunshine State. I did enjoy reading about the 1997 Festival conducted in many areas. Thank you for making church news so interesting.
Marjorie E. Osborne
Palm Harbor, Florida
I want to say a special thank you for the article "Concerned but not Consumed" by Paul Kurts and the article "Dealing With Anxiety" by Don Mears, both in the Sept. 16 WN.
Both continue to be sources of strength (from God) for me. Thank you for publishing the article and I thank both men for contributing such helpful God-inspired writings.
Johnny B. Denton
Selma, North Carolina
I was a victim of sexual abuse. I can't remember all the events because I was only 6 years old, but the emotional scars are there. Through years of blocking out my painful emotions I had become only a shell of a person. I felt no pain, but I felt no joy either.
I am today a person in the process of healing one of the most precious gifts God has given us--our emotions.
When our emotions are damaged, we know deep inside something is not right. We know the saving power of Jesus Christ. We know we should feel great joy for what God has given us, but instead we feel nothing but hurt and sadness.
We know with our minds God loves us unconditionally, but we feel so unlovable. Because of the way you feel about yourself you think that no one can love you because you are unlovable. Not even God.
I have had a lot of hurt in my life since becoming a Christian, but I can see how God wove each and every event so I could get to the point where I am today. He has carefully seen me through to this point where he says: "It's time to get better. Let me love you."
I urge everyone to seek help if they have a pain in their heart that just won't go away. Pray about it. Put it in God's hands and he will show you the way to go.
I have never known true happiness, but through the grace and love of God I now have hope.
Name withheld
Dec. 23, 1997, WN, page 2
| WCG Home | Issues | Contents |
Copyright © Worldwide Church of God,1997