Praise God, Even in the Bad Times

by

Now if that isn’t God at work then I don’t know what is.

Last summer Bret Swinghammer, a friend from my church, and I took our families to the Creation Festival in Shirleysburg, PA. This is an awsome festival which I would recommend to everyone who loves the Lord.

While here I got the chance to meet an amazing artist Stephen S. Sawyer. His art drew me to his booth which he had set up selling his art. I engaged him in conversation and he told me the story of how he started “ART for GOD”.

He told me that he was a contractor doing goverment contracts and had spent 100 hours putting together a proposal for a certain contract which he was sure he was going to be awarded. Well push came to shove and they gave the contract to someone else. Needless to say he wasn’t a happy camper. More like furious, and he was blaming God. Then he realized that he was supposed to be praising God for everything, even the bad stuff, so he sat in his living room and started to praise our Heavenly Father for the failed contract attempt.

He had also been looking for a model for his artwork who resembeled Jesus. He had been to Isreal looking for a model and was unable to find one. This had been a twenty year search to no avail. After the worship time in the livingroom he went to the kitchen to get a glass of water. As he was standing at his kitchen sink he looked out the window to see a guy across the street from his house whom looked like Jesus. He sprinted across the street to talk to the guy who was helping his sister move out of her apartment. He told him that he had been searching for him for 20 years and asked if he would like to model for his artwork. He agreed and is still working with Stephen today. Had Stephen received the contract, he would not have been home that day to find his model and thus start his new art business.

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Jerry Van Schoick Jr.
Myrtle Beach, SC

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comments:

on 10/19/09

I love you daddy! I remember thiss!

on 03/15/10

This is a blessed revelation. Currently, I am unemployed, broke, facing eviction and was disheartened that the relief God has promised has not yet manifested. I was so brokenhearted but tonight after praying Psalm 25, I searched the internet for ‘miracle’ stories and came across yours. Thank you so much for teaching me on what it means to give God praise in all things. As of this writing, nothing has changed but I am wiser than I was a few minutes ago! :)

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"They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom and tell of your power, to make known to the children of man your mighty deeds, and the glorious splendor of your kingdom." Psalm 145:11-12