The Road to Wholeness Talent By Design Living A Double Standard

2/ANSWER

Chances are you’ve never heard of thisman. However, R. G. LeTourneauhad a dramatic influence on the 20th

century and world history.June 6, 1944 saw the Allied invasion of

Normandy and changed the course of worldhistory. Accompanying the largest Alliedinvasion force was an impressive array ofmachines and equipment. Seventy percentof the heavy earthmoving equipment usedby the Allies in World War II was built by aman who dropped out of school at age 14.

Robert Gilmour LeTourneau was bornNovember 30, 1888 to Christian parents.

R. G. admitted that prior to his 16th

birthday his spiritual life was hard hit. Hischoice of friends most likely kept his parentson their knees.

Shortly after he turned 16, one of hisfriends was wanted for assault and batteryand another for larceny. These events shookLeTourneau: “This sudden accumulation oftrouble brought me face-to-face withmyself…what really got me was my

mother’s worry that she was turning outone of the pioneers of juvenile delinquency.”

Impacted by a local religious crusade,R. G. made a decision that would eventuallyaffect the entire world, “No bolts oflightning hit me. No great flash ofawareness. I just prayed to the Lord to saveme, and then I was aware of anotherpresence.”

LeTourneau’s first job was at an ironworks factory in Portland, OR shovelingsand and dirt. It was that menial task thatset his mind to thinking of easier ways toget the job done.

His life took many twists and turns. Inhis own words, “I was just past 21 and…wasin many ways, an iron molder, lead burner,bricklayer, carpenter, gold miner, stumppuller, irrigation ditch digger, farmer, andoak chopper. . . . As far as I could see fromthe record, I was a washed-up bum.” By thetime he turned 28, R.G. had worked at 40different places.

No stranger to hardship, LeTourneau

MMoovveerr ooff MMeenn aanndd MMoouunnttaaiinnssVISIONARIES/ R.G. LETOURNEAU

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became a partner in an auto-garagebusiness, where he earned a reputation as atop-notch mechanic.

He served in the Navy in World War I,and returned to his business in 1918 to findit on the verge of bankruptcy. Desperatelytrying to save his business, he returnedhome one night to find his newborn sonsuffering from influenza. On February 9,1919, his son died, and he and his wife criedout to God for direction.

They prayed diligently for the businessand it began to make a turn around, but ithad already taken its toll on R.G. He wantedout. Meeting with his bank, he promised torepay his $5000 debt.

When asked what collateral he had,LeTourneau held up his two hands. In whattoday seems inconceivable, R.G.’s honestyand determination caused the banker toextend the loan.

Unemployed, in debt, and now 30 yearsold, LeTourneau ran into an old friend whohelped him secure a job with a farmmachinery dealer. His work ethic as atrouble-shooter on breakdowns in the fieldsbrought him success.

As happens to many who accept Jesusas Lord and experience His magnificentpresence in their lives, LeTourneau began towonder if he should become a missionary.But God had other plans and after muchprayer, the Holy Spirit spoke to R. G.through his pastor who looked at him andsaid, “God needs businessmen as well aspreachers and missionaries.” R.G.’s responsewas, “Lord, I’ll do anything you want me todo from this day on.”

Later, LeTourneau said his pastor’swords were “… the words that have guided

my life ever since…. I have discovered thatmany men have the same mistaken idea Ihad of what it means to serve the Lord…. Ididn’t realize that a layman could serve theLord as well as a preacher.”

From that moment, LeTourneau’s lifechanged completely, and he would impactthe world in unfathomable ways. Not longafter, he began acquiring contracts forexcavating jobs and went on to design andbuild his own machinery.

The young boy who had dreamed of abetter way to dig ditches went on to buildhis own factory and become a pioneer indeveloping time-efficient techniques inconstruction. He spoke of God as Chairmanof his Board.

What kept LeTourneau going throughthe Great Depression, credit crunches,challenges to his “no Sunday work” rule andthe ongoing obstacles that everybusinessperson faces? He combined hisstrong work ethic and determination withhis faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Never one to back-down from aproblem or task, R.G. would pray forguidance and wisdom, study the issue, andthen work until he found a way to solve itbecause, “The only difference between canand can’t, is a little extra effort.”

This man who learned to dream God’sbig dreams not only designed and builtmassive earthmoving equipment, butintroduced the rubber tire into that industryafter hearing complaints that metal wheelskept sinking into the ground. Hispioneering skills led him to develop thewelding of different metals. His impact onthe oil industry is seen in the huge mobileoffshore drilling platforms that support the

GOD NEEDS BUSINESSMEN AS WELL AS PREACHERS AND MISSIONARIES...

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machines that drill for petroleum aroundthe world. As subcontractor, his companycreated the challenging road that allowedheavy equipment to build the Hoover Dam.

During the span of Word War II, heturned out 78 inventions, many of whichhelped the Allies win the war. His inventionsallowed Allied forces to rapidly clearbeaches in Normany, build airstrips inNorth Africa, and build roads, an advantagethat served to shorten the war. His heavyearthmoving equipment later filled thebomb craters in Hawaii after the attack onPearl Harbor.

At the age of 77, LeTourneau wasgranted his last patent. In total, he iscredited with 299 inventions including thebulldozer, various scrapers, dredgers,portable cranes, rollers, dump wagons,bridge spans, logging equipment, and theelectric wheel, among many others.

All this from a man with only a seventhgrade education! By God’s design, R.G.became a prolific inventor and successfulbusinessman who would receive honorarydoctorates from five different colleges and

universities! A man who learned from theCreator Himself, he founded LeTourneauTechnical Institute, now LeTourneauUniversity.

Robert Gilmour LeTourneau acceptedand ran with God’s destiny for his life. Foryears, he chose to live on ten percent of hisincome, giving ninety percent to Christianwork, even when his business was infinancial jeopardy. He said, “The question isnot how much of my money I give to God,but rather how much of God’s money Ikeep for myself.”

A man who knew, firsthand, that Godis completely relevant to everyday life, hecontinually emphasized that God is able tohelp with everyday problems.

R. G. LeTourneau’s faith guided hisethics and his business conduct. He neverforgot his calling as a layman, a“businessman for God.”

To this day, LeTourneau Universitycontinues to emphasize his vision ofChristians in the workplace, “everyworkplace, every nation.”

VISIONARIES/ R.G. LETOURNEAUA History of Innovation

The phrase “Built on Experience. Driven by Vision.” is more than a marketing tagline. It describes the manifestation of a one-of-a-kindcompany built upon the dedication and personal achievements of an extraordinary man, Mr. R.G. LeTourneau.

Also known to many as “Mr. Earthmover,” R.G. LeTourneau launched his career, and the original LeTourneau in California when hecombined two loves: contracting, and the engineering and manufacturing of earthmoving equipment. His fast growing business wasincorporated in 1929 as R.G. LeTourneau, Inc.

By the mid-1940’s, R.G. LeTourneau, Inc. had completed many large earthmoving projects that spanned the globe from Nevada toAustralia. It is during this time that the name LeTourneau became synonymous with earthmoving, worldwide. LeTourneau himself becameknown as a genuine innovator and inventor, with a series of “firsts” to his credit. He was the first to build a two-wheeled tractor coupled with ascraper for high-speed earthmoving. And he was the first to develop all-wheel electric drive machines for a wide range of uses in heavyconstruction work.

Across eight decades and many challenging earthmoving projects, the LeTourneau Technologies, Inc. company built a reputation forleadership, innovation, and reliability. This rare legacy lives on in LeTourneau Technologies, Inc., across all business units, ranging from offshoreand onshore oil and gas drilling technology to heavy mining machinery.

- Courtesy of letourneautechnologies.com

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PROFILE/ JAMES PAULINO

When I was six yearsold, my olderbrother’s name was

splashed across the localnewspaper for a serious crime.As far back as I can remember Ifelt “different” from everyoneelse. My first thoughts were offear and insecurity.

Growing up in an Italianworking-class household, I wasthe youngest of four children.Despite being a loving andcaring family, we had our fairshare of family dysfunction.Mom and Dad were not ones totalk calmly through stressfulissues. Yelling and screamingwere routine family occurrences.Many a time I saw pots, pans orDad’s dinner plate fly across theroom. So much for a peacefulfamily dinner!

My oldest sibling, Dan, hada powerful impact on methough much of it was negative.A charismatic man, he lived alife of crime for years.

My other brother, Vinnie,although having special needs, isa most-tenderhearted and caringindividual. We are more thanbrothers. Even from our youth,we are the best of friends.

Then, there is my sister,Ann, always an incrediblypositive influence in my life. Shewould one day impact my life ina way that still guides me today.

As a boy attendingparochial elementary school, Ihad this hunger for God. In factsome classmates gave me the

nickname of “Father Jim!” Yet despite this yearning toknow God, there seemed to be no one to guide me to Him.

Beginning in my late teens, I found myself drawn towomanizing and the initial stages of substance abuse.During college and my first years of law school, I movedfar from God. I was a heathen agnostic, drowning inungodly living.

Having dropped out of law school twice, I worked,partied, and spiralled deeper into despair and depression.

This was when “suddenly” my mother, sister andbrother, Vin “gave their hearts to Jesus!” (My brother Danand Dad would accept the Lord years later.)

Life for me wasn’t crazy enough. I now had a familyof religious kooks ranting and raving about God. I wanted

DrawingStraight withCrooked Lines

DrawingStraight withCrooked Lines

nothing to do with Jesus. But, He had otherand better plans for me.

It was 1974 and despite what others sawon the outside, I was an absolute basket-caseon the inside. Something kept drawing me toquestion if God existed. I began to call out, “IfYou are real, You can hear me. If You are there,please reveal Yourself to me.”

Shortly after on a July afternoon, at mysister Ann’s house, when it seemed as if theworld was about to cave in on me, I decided totest what she had been telling me.

Ann guided me as I asked Jesus to comeinto my life, forgive me of all my sin, andchange my life. It was a simple but life-changing prayer.

Ann told me that I was now a son ofGod. I John 3:1 says, “Behold what manner oflove the Father has bestowed upon us that weshould be called the children of God.”

I didn’t change overnight though andcontinued to party for what seemed to be onelong season! Yet, Jesus said, “The Kingdom ofHeaven is like a man sowing a seed.” The seedof God was planted in my heart and my lifedid begin to change.

Even though I had dropped out of lawschool twice, within four months of acceptingthe Lord I reentered law school for the thirdtime. Even the secretary from the schooladmission’s office was totally amazed that theadmission board was willing to give me thatthird try!

While in school, I got married andsuccessfully completed my last two-and-a-halfyears of law school. Passing the New YorkState bar exam, I became an attorney.

It was now 1977. We had our first child,Nicole, and four years later, welcomed ourson, James II into our world.

But for a variety of reasons, our marriagedissolved and my former wife and I becameensnared in a bitter custody battle for our twochildren. It was during these next few yearsthat God would teach me one of His greatestlessons - how to forgive completely.

Our divorce and custody case wasmarked by insane anger, bitterness, and hurt.My mind and emotions were consumed withthe deepest emotional pain and scathingunforgiveness.

Much of each day was spent mulling overimages of past hurts from my wife. One daywhen pouring out to a friend all the“transgressions” of my spouse, he said, “Jim,do you think your sins are any more pleasingto God than hers?”

That hit me like a crushing blow to theface and opened up my eyes to take an honestlook at myself. “Wow! What a phony Christianhypocrite I am. I am filled with hurt andcondemnation for her as if I have no sin. Yes, Ihad messed up countless times. And, yes, my“sins” had a part to play in our breakup.”

Matthew 6:14-15 reads: “For if youforgive and release others from their sins and

6/ANSWER

PROFILE/ JAMES PAULINO

Four years after my divorce, a singleparent of a seven and eleven year old,I was introduced to a lovely Christianwoman, Sharon...

offenses, your Heavenly Father will forgiveyou. But if you do not completely forgive andrelease, neither will your Father forgive andrelease you.”

Jesus went to the cross so I could beforgiven. God taught me that I must forgiveher for every real or imaginary offense, everymemory, and every image that conjured upanger or hurt.

My Heavenly Father throws my sin intothe “sea of forgetfulness.” That’s how Heforgives me. So, I began to speak out loud,sometimes fifty to a hundred times a day: “InJesus’ name I forgive her and I release her”from whatever wrong I remembered or hurt Ifelt.

At first I had to force myself to say it andsay it. But what happened over time, two yearsto be exact, was that every trace of that bitterpoison was cleansed from my heart!

The Holy Spirit had changed me. Hefreed me, and this poison of unforgivenesswould never be able to contaminate our twochildren.

Four years after my divorce, a singleparent of a seven and eleven-year-old, I wasintroduced to a lovely Christian woman,Sharon. She was also a divorced single parentof five-year-old Rachel.

Within seven months of our first date,Sharon and I were married. Our family nowconsisted of two divorcees with three children.

Ten months later my little cousinZachary came to stay with us for a weekend.We later ended up in court, winning custodyof Zachary. That made us a blended family ofsix!

Eight years later my two-year-old cousinJoey came to live with us permanently. We hadgrown to a blended family of seven!

Isaiah 40:3-4 kind of speaks as to howthe Lord has worked in our lives. We learnedthat God draws straight with crooked lines.

It would be great to end here as if welived happily ever after. But as with all of us, Ihad more junk to clean out of my life.

Among the many flaws God was healing,was anger. It really had its hooks in me. I hadcarried it with me from my childhood onthrough my teens and into manhood.

I could go from calm to “lunatic” in amatter of seconds. Although I was doing mybest to remedy this destructive behavior, itwas my strong-willed Sharon who said, “Jim,your anger is destroying our family.”

Those words were absolutely frighteningto me, but I recognized it was God speaking tome through my wife.

I thought, “I, the man of God, amdestroying my precious wife and children?”Yes, it was true. But God, my God, was thereto forgive me, heal, and restore.

“Is anyone out there crying for help?God hears you. He’s ready to rescue you.Psalm 34:17 says: “The righteous cry and theLord hears, and delivers them out of all theirtroubles.

If you’re willing to give your life to Him,He will adopt you as His child and give youthe grace you need to make it through.

Over time, the Lord keeps changing meinto the likeness of His Son, from glory toglory.

Wholeness! It doesn’t come in an instant.It comes from walking with God, hearing andobeying His voice, one day at a time.

ANSWER/7

James Paulino is an attorney living inWebster, NY. He and his wife,Sharon, have five children and sixgrandchildren. They attend FaithTemple Church.

8/ANSWER

How’d I WindUp Doing This?Discovering God’s Planfor Your Life

Have you ever asked yourself thatquestion? Or, wondered how and why youwound up in your particular occupation?

Many of us can probably answersomething like this, “Well, it was a familybusiness. Or, my Dad was a doctor so Igrew up around medicine.” Maybe youranswer is, “I just fell into it.”

God’s Word tells us somethingdifferent. He says that He’s gifted us asindividuals for special tasks that Heprepared beforehand. He has a specificplan for each of our lives. Knowing Him,opens the door to seeing that plan unfold.

There was a day when God had aspecific job of pretty enormous magnitudefor Moses. It encompassed design,construction, carpentry, manufacturing,weaving, and artistry. The job was toconstruct the Tabernacle, the Ark of theCovenant, furnishings, utensils—theultimate total package! And, the Oneplacing the order was Perfection Himself.He told Moses exactly what He wanted.

Now this is the same Moses who wasabout 80 years old when God called him tosave His people from the clutches of theEgyptians. When God told Moses He wasto go before Pharaoh, Moses said, “ButGod, I don’t speak well.” So even though he

CAREER/

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didn’t trust God to equip him in thatsituation, God told him, “Okay, yourbrother Aaron will be your spokesman.”

Put yourself in his situation, you’re 80;you’ve led two-and-one-half to threemillion people out of slavery in Egypt, andnow God places a job order that requires alarge and skilled workforce and all types ofmateriel. Moses must have wondered,“How am I ever going to get all of thisdone to spec and make sure it pleasesGod?” The truth is that God had alreadygiven him logistical experience and thepeople.

So, “God spoke to Moses: "See whatI've done; I've personally chosen Bezalelson of Uri, son of Hur of the tribe ofJudah. I've filled him with the Spirit ofGod, giving him skill, know-how, andexpertise in every kind of craft to createdesigns and work in gold, silver, andbronze; to cut and set gemstones; to carvewood—he's an all-around craftsman.

Not only that, but I've given himOholiab, son of Ahisamach of the tribe ofDan, to work with him. And to all whohave an aptitude for crafts I've given theskills to make all the things I'vecommanded you….” (Exodus 31:1-6, TheMessage)

God had already chosen two lead menand had equipped a workforce long beforeHe gave Moses His job order.

God had given these men naturalabilities and filled them with His HolySpirit to the point that they were experts inevery trade needed to complete the job toperfection! The Holy Spirit equipped themwith wisdom, knowledge, experience, logic,understanding, sound decision-making,

10/ANSWER

and skill.That same Holy Spirit had, years

before, equipped Moses from His youth asa leader, educated by Egypt’s most learnedmen as he grew up in Pharaoh’s house.

When you accept Jesus as your Saviorand Lord, you take the first step down theroad to discovering the specific plan Godhas for your life. You’ve already been on alife-journey. But with God as your partner,you’ll learn your career has much morepurpose than to merely earn you paycheck.Your next steps are to study God’s Word inthe Bible, learn to hear the voice of theHoly Spirit for wisdom and direction, andtrust Him at all times.

You’re not in your field of endeavor byaccident or your parents’ plan. You’re therebecause God the Father knew you,fashioned you, and called you to a uniquepurpose before you were born (Psalm 139).

If you’ve been walking with God andfind yourself faced with a seeminglyunsolvable or insurmountable issue in yourwork, the same Holy Spirit who first calledand equipped you, hasn’t left you high anddry. The God of creation has the solutionto your problem.

He’s your Maker and your Redeemerand deeply cares and wants to be involvedin the practical issues of your life. Heknows what you need to be successful inyour work and wants you to be fulfilledand successful in what He’s prepared youto do. And He’s placed you there to be Hisambassador on the job.

Jim was the Chief Inspector of QualityControl at a Ford plant. He was also afollower of Christ who learned to look tothe Holy Spirit and hear His voice to help

him on his job.Whenever a problem arose on the

assembly line, Jim’s first move was to askthe Holy Spirit to show him exactly whereand what the problem was. And, that’sexactly what the Holy Spirit did!

After a while, Jim developed areputation as a man who could quickly getlines up and running again. As word of hisabilities spread, he was called to otherplants to see if he could solve theirproblems. The Holy Spirit never failedhim! He became known as “the guy Godtalks to.”

God’s purpose in Jim’s life was multi-faceted.

He equipped Jim for his occupation.God’s Name and His character were madeknown because of how He worked in Jim’slife, and how Jim treated people and hisjob. Jim’s co-workers and supervisors sawup close and personal how God works in aman whose life is yielded to Him!

What we don’t know just yet is howmany Ford employees came to know Christbecause of this one man. That part of thestory remains to be told.

God will give us supernatural wisdomand knowledge to solve the practical issueswe face each day no matter what kind ofwork we do.

Ephesians 1:11 (The Message) says:“It’s in Christ that we find out who we areand what we are living for. Long before wefirst heard of Christ and got our hopes up,He had his eye on us, had designs on us forglorious living, part of the overall purposeHe is working out in everything andeveryone.”

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As I approached the convenience storeI had partially remodeled to housemy new business, feelings of panic

overwhelmed me. No one was in sight.Nearing the building, I saw the padlock

on the door. Soon I learned that theowner—my partner in this venture—hadalso shut down the restaurant she had justrecently opened.

When I tracked her down, I franticallyasked, “Can I get my $6,000 back?”

“No, I’ve spent it all,” she said. “You’reout of luck.”

A few days later, she deeded herremaining property to her children and lefttown. Although I filed a police report, theynever took action.

It was June of 2006. A month later, Ifiled for bankruptcy. Staggering under theweight of outstanding loans, credit carddebt, and other obligations, I felt hopeless.

My problems began that April when Icouldn’t close on a loan to buy the mobilehome where I had been living.

I had wanted to arrange a landcontract, but the owner insisted I get amortgage. When I started the paperwork inOctober 2005, I thought it would only take acouple of months.

That meant I wouldn’t have to tell thereal estate broker I was retiring from myteaching job in March 2006. Not wanting tocomplicate things, I decided not to revealthat information.

That proved to be a huge mistakebecause the closing dragged on for months.By then, banks were reluctant to loanmoney for property in our area about 100miles northwest of Las Vegas.

After numerous delays, the broker left amessage on my answering machine: “All weneed to do is verify your income, and wecan close the deal.”

For some reason, I struggled with whatto do. I knew my income from a statepension and nearly 30 years in the Air Forcereserves didn’t match my teaching salary.

I was a boiling cauldron of conflict. To

PROFILE/ TOM SMITH

12/ANSWER

tell the truth or not?After four years in the military, I had

earned degrees in recreation andcommunity service. Originally, I was ayouth counselor with a juvenile court. Later,I worked in the state prison system for 11years.

Seeing numerous inmates sufferbecause they had poor reading skills andhad dropped out of school, I decided toswitch gears to teaching. I thought byworking with students, I could steer them inthe right direction.

As these dual careers progressed, Iplayed the part of church-goer andresponsible father. However, I managed tohide serious personal problems and myfinancial mismanagement. This double lifecontributed to two failed marriages.

When the real estate broker asked meto verify my income, the dilemma forced meto a decision point. I had to decide whetherto try faking it or to be honest. Telling thetruth would be costly. I had already spent$10,000 on landscaping and adding twoporches to the mobile home.

After hours of wrestling with mydecision, I said, “No, it’s over. I’ve got to tellthe truth and face the consequences.”

As soon as I said that, I felt peace washover me. For the first time in years, thatnight I slept like a baby. Somehow, I knewthat God was doing something inside me.

Years before I had made a pledge tofollow Jesus Christ. But I let myself getsidetracked, and I reneged on my word toHim. I had only paid Him lip service. Inever treated Him as my Lord.

Now, the truth hit me that all alongGod knew I had clung to my old sins andbad habits. But today, something stirredinside me. I knew today was the day thosepatterns had to be broken.

My first step in this new directionwould be to call the real estate broker thenext morning.

“I’m sorry, but I can’t verify myincome,” I said.

After investing countless hours on thiscontract, he was stunned. “Well, I’m sorrytoo,” he said, his voice tinged withfrustration and disappointment. “Thatmeans there’s no way we’ll be able to get thisdone.”

That reality hurt. Yet, putting an end tomy pattern of deceit felt great. It was a “Godmoment” for me.

But there would be more crises tofollow. As part of starting my businessoffering computer tutorials, I had enrolledin an online university to work on adoctorate in educational leadership.

The next semester would begin in June.In May, I received a letter from the federalgovernment stating that on my student loanapplication, I had listed 2006 as the year Iwould graduate. For this reason, theywouldn’t renew the loan.

I called several agencies and explainedthat I had made a mistake and meant towrite 2007 on my application, but that gotme nowhere. Unable to pay the tuition, Idropped out. A few weeks later, my businesspartner closed her doors.

By August of 2006, I was drowning inso much debt my pension income couldn’t

PROFILE/ TOM SMITH“I played the part of church-goer andresponsible father.”

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keep up with my bills. After my landlordevicted me, I lived in my travel trailer.

Then one day I ran into an old friendwho owned a towing service. He had offeredme a summer job while I was teaching.When I bumped into him that August, heasked if I wanted to apply for a job. Thenext day he called to ask, “Do you want tocome to work on Monday?”

After a few days of training, I had myown route. Not only did I have a job, itincluded housing in a mobile home on thetowing company lot! While unpacking mybelongings in my new home, I discovered abox of Answer magazines I had picked upyears before.

I read the issue from cover to cover.One story touched me deeply. It was about abusinessman who had lost everything.

What was the chance that story was inthe magazines I held for years, yet neverread until now, when I needed to hear somegood news? Was it the Holy Spirit who hadme hold on to them knowing what I’d facetoday? I’m sure He did.

I knew those magazines heldsomething valuable that other peopleneeded to hear. So I took them with me onthe job, handing out copies to motorists Itowed and telling them how Jesus changedmy life.

In the midst of it all, I had starteddating a woman whose husband had died.By the end of that year we were married andliving in her home on five acres of land.God had given me a wife and a home.

My journey to healing has taken years,and it still isn’t finished. It has includedChristian counseling and learning how todepend on God. I have learned to submit toHim, acknowledge my failures, and commit

to living His way. God’s been patient withme, and I’m a different man today.

Ultimately, I wound up getting intouch with Business Men’s Fellowship andstarted a chapter in my area.

One key to my growth has been thisopportunity to form close relationships withother men. Only when I was honest aboutmy problems and got the encouragement Ineeded, did I find the strength to truly livefor Christ instead of just talking about it.

Despite my struggles and in spite of myimperfections, God loves me and has chosento use me to help others know Him. That’sthe wonderful truth that every follower ofJesus Christ has discovered.

Tom Smith is the President of BMF’sAmargosa Valley Chapter. A formerteacher and state prison employee,Tom works as a substitute teacher andbusiness consultant. In their combinedfamily, he and his wife, Patty, havesix children and nine grandchildren.They attend Rock Church in Pahrump,Nevada.

14

ANSWER testifies of God’s love for people expressed through the life ofJesus Christ. By His death and resurrection, Jesus offers redemption andeternal life to all who will believe in Him. Knowing Him, has changed usfrom the inside out. That’s why we eagerly tell everyone we meet all thatHe has done. Answer was created for that purpose: To make sure you knowthat you matter to God!

Have you ever wondered: Can I really knowGod? Or: Does He even care enough towant to know me?

The answer to both questions is “YES!”The key to that relationship is a simple act offaith on your part. That may be hard to believein this crazy and complex world, but God lovespeople and kept His plan pure and simple:Jesus did it all. He came and taught us by Hislife. He suffered. He died. He rose from thegrave conquering sin and death! He did it foryou and me.

“For God so loved the world that He gaveHis only begotten Son, so that everyone whobelieves in Him will not perish but haveeternal life.” (John 3:16)

If you want this new life in Christ, here’sall you have to do:1. Admit to God that you are a sinner and

are separated from Him. “For all havesinned; all fall short of God’s gloriousstandard.” (Romans 3:23)

2. Be willing to turn away from your sinsand repent. “...and I tell you again thatunless you repent, you will also perish.”(Luke 13:5)

3. Believe that the Lord Jesus Christ sufferedand died for you on the cross to pay thepenalty for your sins and that He rosefrom the grave. “For if you confess withyour mouth that Jesus is Lord and believein your heart that God raised Him fromthe dead, you will be saved.”(Romans10:9)

4. Ask God to save you. “For anyone who

calls on the Name of the Lord will besaved.” (Romans 10:13)

If you are ready to accept Jesus as yourSavior and Lord, pray from your heart:

“Jesus, I know I am a sinner and that Ihave a choice to make about my life. I believethat you died for me so I wouldn’t have to paythe penalty for my sin. I believe that You rosefrom the dead, making a way for me tobecome a child of God. I turn from my sins,and ask You to come into my heart and life. Iwant to trust and follow You as my Savior andmy Lord from this moment on. Thank you forloving me, forgiving me, and accepting meinto your family. I pray this in Your HolyName. Amen.”

It’s that simple. You are now a child ofGod: “But to all who believed Him andaccepted Him, He gave the right to becomechildren of God.” (John 1:12)

Email us at info@bmfusa.com to let usknow that you’ve chosen to follow Jesus.

Visit www.bmfusa.com to see if we have agroup that meets near you. You can meetChristian men who will pray with andencourage you in your journey with God.

You’ve made a momentous and life-changing decision! We looking forward tohearing from you.

JESUS CHRIST - THE ANSWER

I have made a decision to follow Jesus Christ.Email BMF with your decision at appropriate address listed on back cover and provide the following:

Name

Street City Zip Code

Email address Telephone/Cell

Or mail this form to BMF at the appropriate address listed on the back cover.

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