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"God’s Love and Mercies are New Everyday"
By: Mike Schultz

Now to understand this story you have to know at the time I was biking allot and still do but didn't always make it a habit of wearing a helmet every time I went out riding. On this particular day in 2002, and to this day I have come to understand this more and more. God impressed on me to wear a helmet, which is something I didn't always make a habit of doing every time I rode. This day I was on a training ride, things were going well. My friend and I got to the end of our destination about 30 miles from where we started. When we took off to head back That is when my life would be changed forever for the second time. The first being when I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior in 1998.

As we were heading back we started to pick up speed and start what biker's call a draft following really... really close. When for some reason I am still unsure of, I hit the rear tire of his bike. That started my bike to shack violently and I lost control moving me to the left of his tire then back into it. At that point the bike flipped end over end with me striking my head with such force it sounded like a bowling ball cracking the ground. That's the last thing I remember.

Now my friend didn't know anything was wrong, it happened so quick till he look back for me and I wasn't there. The strange thing was that prior to that there wasn't a soul anywhere. By the time he turned back and got to where I was there where people on the trail. A Good Samaritan stopped to see what happened because as I was to find out I was out cold lying on the trail.

Well, I was so dizzy that when I sat up I immediately fell backwards hitting the back of my head this time the helmet was off. When I got back up my friend looked at me and asked if I was all right. I said "ya... I'm ok". Then he said, "Mike your right shoulder is drooping down". At that point it was suggested I go to the hospital that was just up the trail. That's when this Good Samaritan who had stopped, agreed to take me in his truck. When I got checked in apparently my friend left and rode back to his truck, then went to pick up my son and another friend, which I had no memory of him doing that so I was a little surprised when my son was there with another friend.

The next thing I remember after getting out of the CT scan was the nurses scrubbing my road rash that hurt. Even though I was given some morphine for pain, I could still feel what they were doing. I looked over and my son. Now he is not one to show much emotion, but I could see the concern on his face was real, and I could see the tears in his eyes. So I grabbed his hand and told him I'm going to be ok, no worries it's not as bad as it looks. As I looked down at my other friend, he was laying hands on me and praying. Although that gave me a great amount of peace I thought things weren't going as well. Yet through the pain and morphine I started to joke around with the nurse's. Little did I know I had broken a shoulder, bruised my ribs making it painful to breath, and I suffered a severe head injury. With that I was dizzy and sick to my stomach for two weeks twenty-four hours a day. I could see the room spinning with my eyes closed then when I opened them it was spinning.

As to my current condition, I still suffer with chronic headaches, short-term memory loss, blurred vision at times, and difficulty with concentration, which causes me problems in speaking, and focusing. Some day's can still be more difficult than others just in working through the frustrations, rejections, difficulties of life yet I'm reminded, God's love and mercies are new every day. The effects I have, are from the effects of a traumatic brain injury. The good news is the proof God was watching over me that day for sure. I have been given the chance to even write this testimony to His love and grace.

The only reason I share this personal story at all is to show God is real, and his grace and mercies are new everyday if you choose to accept him.

God's word is true. He does show his love and mercies for the one's he calls his own, all the time, and in all situations, even if they do not turn out the way we would have wanted. His plan is much bigger than what we can even understand and we have to except that by faith. He says in his word, my ways are not your ways. However, he gave us His word so we can come to understand His ways.

The question we need to search in our lives is this. Can you say without a doubt that you are one of God's own? If not, please take time to come to grips with this eternal question. If you where to die today do you know for sure you would be saved from a eternal separation of a God that love's you. Think about these two words. Grace, this is God not giving us what we deserve, and Mercy is God showing us how much love he has for us. So much, love that he sent his son to die on a cross, so that we will never be separated from that love. This is the love of our father that he gives it freely if we ask for it.

There are many reason's God allows suffering in the live of his children. We can gain an understanding of all these from the bible. I will share more about that next time. What we need to except by faith is he knows what's best for us, and that He dos work all things out for our good, and his glory. Even the life changing things that can happen to any of us. I can share two reasons, for the positive path this has taken in my life for me is. One is God is real and so is his mercies. Two, God's proof and sovereignty to show me He's not done with me yet. The growth of this ministry, and the new development of this magazine is testimony that there's still more for me to finish in life. If just by the use of this personal story to show beyond any doubt that God's Love and Mercies are new everyday, and that there is hope even in some of our unexpected difficulties. His word says he will never leave us. Do you believe that...?

My life lesson has become, never... never bike, blade, or ride a motorcycle without a helmet! Things could have been allot worse if I was not obedient to that still small voice of his Holy Spirit prompting me to put a helmet on that day. I could have severely fractured my skull, gone into a coma or died. I may have never been given the blessings of seeing my son graduate high school, or spend precious time with him. Chances are I may have never been given the Lord's blessings to enjoy his beauty all around me, and the blessings to be received in knowing the purpose He has for my life.

We never know when this life will be over or changed forever. We never know when we will be standing before God's throne for the final judgment. If you haven't come to faith in Jesus Christ don't wait another day. God's word says whomever comes to the father, repents of their sin, asked for forgiveness, and believes in his son shall be saved. You could be as close as a prayer away from eternal security. If you would like more information, feel free to contact us. Or you can call a 24 hour help line at 1-800-NEED HIM

May the Lord's blessings and mercies be with you today.

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