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A little girl was holding two apples in her hands, and her mother asked her little princess, gently and with a smile, "Honey, can you give your mom one of the two apples?" The girl looked at her mother for a few seconds, then suddenly bit into one apple and then quickly into the other. The woman felt a smile freeze on her face and tried not to show her disappointment. She was upset that her beloved daughter did not want to share with her. Suddenly the girl stretched out one of the bitten apples and said: "Mommy, take this one, it tastes better Consider: No matter how mature, experienced and aware you are, never rush to judgment on others. Give everyone a chance to explain themselves. What you see can be very deceptive. When we only see the big picture, we often get fooled by the true motives behind another person’s actions.

We had good news that our pregnant sister in Eritrean was released. A good reminder to keep these dear ones still in prison in our prayers. They are the ones worthy of imitation - their faith.

Yesterday I had my one year anniversary with my doctor of being cancer free. I was diagnosed with bladder cancer in December of 2023. The worst part of the diagnosis was the surgeon not being happy about my stance on blood. I stood firm with him about my choice.I recall just before being put under for the surgery I told the team I have great confidence and faith in you and thank you for respecting my view, really God's view of blood. After the surgery was over the doctor came in and was checking on me and telling me the surgery went well. Yesterday we were talking and this doctor who I thought was very adversarial was laughing with me and showing me some fish he caught in Florida (Tarpon i think, I'm not a fisherman). I have had to go every 3 months for a checkup the past year. Now I just have to get checked every 6 months for the rest of my life. A small inconvenience for me. My biggest issue in front of me is my memory loss. I am having real issues with short-time memories. I saw both my parents fade away to dementia and to be honest that terrifies me. But for today I celebrate being cancer free. The past year has allowed me to look at life a lot differently. I still have other health issues that are dragging me down physically and emotionally and sometimes spiritually.

Good video, as we are about to get episode 2 and 3 this year... they are preparing for the huge hype. Also, Jesus during his baptism... i'm going to ask my wife to look the other way Bro is handsome

JWB Jan 2025 - Annual Meeting 2024 Part 2 transcript

Our circuit overseer's visit was entirely based on the "videos from the basement," focusing on continuing to cultivate the qualities needed to face what is coming. The field considerations and talks were centered on these themes.

Elizabeth Only one site is "approved" and that is JW.org. The branch knows of our existence, and we have complied with any request that they have made to the brothers managing this site. How can you know if the person sitting next to you at convention or assembly is a "legit" Jehovah's Witness.... mostly by talking with them... are they speaking the pure language? Is their conduct something a lover Jehovah would demonstrate? Are there any warning signs? So wander around this site if anything doesn't meet the pure language test please contact the moderators, and if you are still nervous and for the sake of your conscience then if I were you I would leave, we would hate to stumble any of the little sheep. I have been on this site for many years and have visited many brothers and sisters on this site in their own congregations and got to meet their friends and family, so far I have only met lovers of Jehovah and his organization. If we do find anyone on this site that does not meet the standard expected by a Jehovah's Witness we remove their membership immediately. There are many sites that try to cater to Jehovah's Witnesses, many have no respect for the Governing Body or the brotherhood....You will not find that here... The moderators around the world try very, very hard to keep this site, a safe and upbuilding site for any lover of Jehovah. We hope you stay, but if not, that is ok too. Lance

Let's also look at WWI to see how a major world event supported by Bible prophecy came completely and unexpectedly out of the blue. Everything was fine until Archduke Ferdinand was assassinated. Suppose that Christians hypothetically in 1814 clearly understood Bible prophecy and had faith a global war was going to start in 1914. Would they have been able to read political events, follow elections and coronations and see just how the stage was being set for a world war? No. Until the assassination and the choices made at that moment there was no sign, no hint, no news report that suggested such a momentous change. There were no war mongers in power. No nasty world leaders that seemed full of hate. *** w92 5/1 p. 4 1914—The Year That Shocked the World *** “The spring and summer of 1914 were marked in Europe by an exceptional tranquillity,” wrote British statesman Winston Churchill. People were generally optimistic about the future. “The world of 1914 was full of hope and promise,” said Louis Snyder in his book World War I. https://www.jw.org/finder?wtlocale=E&docid=1992320&srctype=wol&srcid=share&par=10 *** re chap. 18 p. 106 par. 6 Earthquakes in the Lord’s Day *** In 1980 statesman Harold Macmillan, reflecting on the peaceful start of the 20th century, said: “Everything would get better and better. This was the world I was born in. . . . Suddenly, unexpectedly, one morning in 1914 the whole thing came to an end.” https://www.jw.org/finder?wtlocale=E&docid=1101988018&srctype=wol&srcid=share&par=9 Suddenly. Unexpectedly. That's my understanding of how Jehovah's one thought and the start of the great tribulation is going to be. There will not be any signs or events or politicians that we will point to and see how Jehovah will maneuver them. We won't see how the stage will be set. This topic is 329 pages of people trying to see how Jehovah is or will maneuver kings and nations into doing his will. The thing is, Jehovah does not need any previous set up by world powers or UN resolutions or brink of nuclear war or Trump or Putin or any politician to be in place before giving them his one thought. Jehovah could act suddenly and unexpectedly. That's how I see it.

Finally finished this one ! I enjoyed drawing him 🙂

On a cold and dark November evening, we visited a sister to encourage her. We had noticed that she was obviously no longer enjoying the meeting. Her facial expression showed sadness and she seemed lonely. We sat there for a moment and I didn't know how to start the conversation. I said: “We are pleased that you attend the meetings so regularly. You have been associated with our congregation for over 30 years and are a real veteran. You are extremely important to our congregation. Oh, she said, nobody notices me at all. I'm just a very small light, and she made a gesture with her thumb and index finger to show how small she was. I stood up, went to the light switch and switched off the light. What do you see, I asked. Nothing, you turned off the light. I turned on the little flashlight I had on my key ring. I asked her if she could see me. She said: Yes, you've turned on a small light. I went to my companion and asked the same question. She could see him too. Sometimes children are afraid of the dark. Especially when they are lying in bed and the light is switched off. Parents sometimes leave a small orientation light on. Then the children are no longer so scared. You are such a guiding light in our congregation. Some people in the congregation are afraid, discouraged, sad and feel lonely. And then they see you. They see your faithfulness, your perseverance, your loyalty. When you make a comment in the congregation, it gives them courage, they lose their fear and are grateful for the direction you give them ... you little light! We need a little light like you. You are extremely important. This is one of the reasons why Jesus said: You are the light of the world. So put your light on the lampstand and don't cover it with the measuring vessel of your own judgment. When I said goodbye, I said. Stay healthy, you little light, we need you. And I saw a happy smile on her face.

That Caleb and Sophia movie... Jesus speaking to Zoe... beautiful !

Crumbs that was an emotional start 🥹

One day we were visiting a congregation in Bucharest and this brother came and greeted us. After chatting for a few minutes I said: "Brother, I hear you and I feel like I'm listening to Satan". He started laughing. He was the brother who played the voice of Satan in dramas.

Donald Trump on X: "I just spoke to Chairman Xi Jinping of China. President Xi and I will do everything possible to make the World more peaceful and safe!" Peaceful and safe = Peace and security. THIS IS IT BROTHERS!!! (eventually _ lol)

Jehovah gives us humans more than we need. For example, we need food. When Jehovah created man, it would have been enough to have trees that produced tasteless, gray fruit that contained all the vitamins, nutrients and trace elements that man needs. Humans would have been able to live and feed on them. It is also not absolutely necessary that we can see in color. There are many colorblind people who manage their lives well. But Jehovah wanted us to see in color, that there are different tastes. And he has endowed us with feelings so that we can enjoy all this, the beauties of the earth. He didn't give animals this feeling. Or have you ever seen a cow in the pasture that forgets to eat because it is watching a beautiful sunset or enjoying the beautiful meadow flowers? No, it simply eats them without thinking about it. Jehovah has made many things just for our pleasure. What other purpose does music have, for example, than to delight us? And the many flavors. A strawberry tastes different from a banana, a pineapple different from a peach, cherries different from pears. And then the many different spices to refine our food. Then the beautiful colors. Just look at a sunset. Isn't it beautiful to watch Jehovah turn out the light? Aren't Jehovah's “ceiling paintings” beautiful? We could certainly continue this series endlessly. I'm sure you could think of many more things. Thank Jehovah that he gives us things that go beyond what is necessary. He does this because he wants us to be happy. In the new world, he will make sure that we can enjoy all this in peace and endless tranquillity. Let us not forget to thank him for this.

Thank you, @Elizabeth Alvarez, for your thoughts in your very first post here! Welcome to JWTalk! I had the same misgivings when I first became a member on the site. Unfortunately none of us here can give you a quick answer to your question that will instantly make all your anxieties disappear. Besides the thoughts already expressed above, the only thing I can add is that time will provide a more definitive answer. Your own experience here will gradually answer your query. Perhaps I can help out with some of my own experiences. Brother Lance, who commented above, is for certain a real, non-apostate, brother! It was only recently that I found out that he is the uncle of our Circuit Overseer's wife! Even though the two of them are on almost opposite sides of Canada, they are indeed related. Just two weeks ago we had our CO's visit and I could speak face-to-face with Lance's niece and get to know her a bit better! I might add, Lance is one of the moderators here, and is almost solely responsible for allowing you and all other new members onto the site! He is the "door guy," as he used to call himself, and reviews all the applications of new members here. Well, several years back, Lance wrote a PM (private message) to me about a "sister" that was applying for membership, but said that something in her application didn't add up. She mentioned in her application that she belonged to a congregation here in Montreal, which happens to be the same congregation I was in at the time. Lance asked if I knew her. I did not! I think you get the picture; that "sister" is not a member on this site. (Later I found out that her "friends" list on Facebook was filled with known apostates...) Other than that, reading each member's comments in the forums will tell you a little about that member's spirituality. Like getting to know someone personally, it takes time to get to know the various members here and their backgrounds, goals, and spiritual standing in their congregation. It's not instant, but is an ongoing experience and requires patience. Granted, there are some whom I have "met" on the forums here who have purposely left the site, even after spending some time here and participating. Some of them left because they heard a talk that they say seemed to be directed specifically to them! They heard some counsel about associations on the Internet, concluded that it applied to themselves, and followed their conscience and made a decision to leave. That is their choice, and we respect that. We hope that you, too, will take some time to get to know us first, and then follow whatever your conscience is telling you. We wish you the very best.

Elizabeth, you are right to be very careful about using any internet site, and especially one that encourages participation between brothers and sisters. We are all very much more aware of the issues, today, with 'deep fake imagery' and misleading information everywhere. We know the ultimate source of all such, as being the one spoken of at Rev 12:9, where it says of him that he is "the one called Devil and Satan, who is misleading the entire inhabited earth". Our brothers overseeing this chat site, put in many hours to ensure a fine quality of interchange, and we all appreciate that. I have discovered there are also limits on how the site may be used, and what is encouraged. As I understand it: * This site does not offer dating facilities * This site does not support the exchange of personal details, unless done privately and by agreement * The site does not allow bad-mouthing of others, whether brothers and sisters or other people * This site does not support political comment * This site does provide for healthy exchange of thoughts and ideas * This site is not an Ebay type facility for selling things A number of the bothers and sisters using this site suffer from physical, emotional, mental or sometimes even spiritual problems, and find that interaction with others is very helpful. I am a relative newbie, myself, but hope that any contribution made by me is encouraging. I am sure that you will find encouragement here, and will be invited to give it, too.

2024 GB Update #8 transcript

Jesus also knocked over the tables, whipping and clearing out the money grubbers....but that does mean WE are now justified in doing such things. Jesus will ultimately Judge Herod. The FS never mentions Trump or Biden except that Trump was nearly assassinated, showing the growing violence. Then they quote Biden mentioning a nuclear armageddon. So it appears that the message is to avoid it direct criticism of specific current leaders. So the appearance is always Nuetrallity. Our neutrality has saved lives. I got a private message from a brother here who makes a good point. There are people on the outside looking in on this forum and If we allow ourselves to start bashing specific politicians here by name....how in the world can we say we are neutral? I’ve been embarrassed several times over the years by some well meaning friends who at a public meeting mention the president by Name and proceed to bash him......giving all newcomers the impression that we aren not neutral. The opposite of what we should do. We’ve even been counseled in the past not to bash a specific religion by name but to couch our remarks so as not to offend any visitors that may be a member of the church being bashed. I recall years ago a sister calling "Catholics stupid”..... Lot of good that did. But this topic of politics and politicians is a burning topic today and so easy to get sucked into. I think it is very wise and discreet advice from the FS to be neutral in our speech and actions.....even in our thoughts, which is much much more difficult. The FS urges neutrality, not just because we only support God’s Kingdom....but because they know if our neutrality were to disappear somehow......we would also lose our unity very quickly.

Not friends only, but for everyone. None deserves feeling the pain of a disaster.

As I know In all places (even in a deeper places of Ukraine) at the first day of war all JW signs has been immediatelly removed and all paper documentation has been destroyed. Despite a fact that Russians stopped at 80 km from us at the beginning of war and then move back, we also destroyed all the signs. Melitopol on this photo has been occupied in 2 hours from the war beginning without any resistance. By the way elders which names and adresses were in administration escapeed to Ukraine in first days. The enemies visited them 3 months later without result. We had have privilige to renew KH signs.)) But the problem was that brothers who removed were excited, sometimes worked quickly and very similar to this soldier`s above manner ). We have needed much more time to restore.

We have quite a few friends that have come out in videos. We had a bus load of friends that came in from the Carolina's and wounded up in our parking lot thinking we were headquarters. (our name has finally changed) thank goodness. We all moved up to the front of the hall to make room for them. It was a watchtower meeting and talk. They caught sight of some of our friends that appeared in several videos and wanted pictures. One of our brothers had to exit out the back door. It was quite a sight because they were all bringing their cameras out to take pictures. I can see how instantly we forget that we can worship creatures, immediately forgetting who the worship belongs to. The Jews of the day fell into that trap time and time again.

News reports from LA look horrific, are any member here from that area? Praying for our friends there.

25 years gives one a lot of hindsight. Things were a little different 25 years ago, eh. I am happy to leave the past in the past. I hope Jehovah does the same for me.

Perhaps their circumstances aren't "better". It is just what these publishers make of their circumstances. In our congregation, amongst the 24 Reg Pioneers, we have single ones who have been left single by unfaithful spouses, those that are single because they are widows, those that pioneer because their health is poor but stabilized and others that qualified for 'infirm' pioneering. Some are young but have agreed to sell their homes and possessions to simplify their lives. As I mentally review our pioneers, most have had lives that were better and more comfortable before now. But they took the changes presented and turned them into opportunities to serve Jehovah full-time. Many of them would be happy to revert to full, loving families, return of dead loved ones, better health and more comfortable life styles. But they accept the challenges of their current lives and strive to put Jehovah's Purpose to work in their present circumstances. It is a matter of devotion and drive to overcome.

One thing I appreciate about our congregation, we don’t seem to worry about elders giving to pioneers, everyone just gives to each other. Pioneers just give to each other and the elders. We make or buy gifts. Some of us join our funds and buy specialized Jw gifts. Some give simple gifts. We have also received cash and gift cards. About half of our pioneers have husbands who are elders. We all join in, it’s contagious. Different ones initiate some sort of meal together, once someone starts, everyone joins in. We have had simple meals, restaurant meals, take out meals, organized pot lucks, and so on. Sure it’s great if the elders initiate, but if they don’t, anyone can start the fire of giving.

So, here's a question maybe someone with experience can help with: I am indirectly affected by the fires. Due to the winds, So. Cal. Edison shut off the power. Our Wednesday MWM was cancelled. The winds knock down trees, and one of the families had a tree come down on their mobile home. The family (grandma, mom and grandson) went to stay with another family initially. I have a three bedroom / two bathroom mobile home I could provide to the family until they get things sorted. The issue is the mobile home community has an HOA. I contacted the president of the HOA to explain the situation, and to make sure it would be okay for this family to stay in my house as my guests. He said he would need to consult with the board members and get back to me. Why is it even a question? Because, in this park the owners are not allowed to rent their houses. I would not be renting it. This park is an "over 55" senior park. The family are two people under 55. So, if you have experience with an HOA, or California mobile home law, can the HOA deny my request outright? I would think they could put a time limit on their stay, as an emergency measure. Thoughts?

Good for you! OTOH, I am 68 years old, I am not a vegan, vegetarian or on any type of restricted diet. I have never had a serious medical problem, and I do not take any medications except a few vitamins. Genetics has a big role in our personal health too.

Interesting illustration but might need explaining. The story compares a window and a mirror to explain how money can affect people. When you look through a window, you see the world....other people, nature, and life happening around you. But when you look at a mirror, you only see yourself. The difference? A thin layer of silver on the back of the mirror. The silver represents money. The lesson is, when people focus too much on wealth, they might stop seeing others and only see themselves....their own wants, needs, and desires. It can make you selfish if you only see yourself,... like looking in the mirror. So, the question is: Are you looking through a window or staring into a mirror?

The birdcatcher - - Trapper in the Bible... 1.PETRUS 5.8 One Sunday the speaker came on stage with a rusty cage. The brothers and sisters were astonished when he placed the cage next to the lectern. Naturally, they wondered why he was doing this. The speaker began to speak, answering their unspoken questions. When I went for a walk yesterday, I saw a boy with this cage. Three little birds were in the cage, shaking with fear. I stopped the boy and asked him, “What have you got there, son?” “Three old birds!” he replied. “What are you going to do with them?” I asked. “I'm going to take them home and have fun with them,” the young man replied in a mocking tone. “I'm going to tease them and I'm going to pluck out their feathers to hear their cries. I'll provoke them, I'll make them squabble. Ah, I'm going to have fun.” “But sooner or later you'll get bored. What are you going to do then?” “Oh, I have cats. They love birds. I'll give them to them.” I thought for a moment. “How much do you want for these birds, son?” I asked. “What? You want these wild birds, my lord? They're nothing special, they don't even sing, they're not even beautiful!” “How much?” I asked again. He must have thought I was crazy. Then he blurted out, “Ten euros”. Without hesitation, I took €10 out of my pocket and placed it in the young man's hands. In a flash, he grabbed the money and disappeared. I picked up the cage, carefully moved it to the meadow near the trees and flowers and set the birds free. That's why I have this empty cage. After the speaker had explained this, he told the following story. One day Satan and Jesus were talking to each other. Satan had just come back from the Garden of Eden and he was full of pride. “Yes, you see, I have just captured all mankind. I've set a trap with a bait and I've captured them all!” “What are you going to do with them?” asked Jesus. “Oh, I'm going to have fun with them! I'll teach them how to marry and divorce, how to hate and hurt each other, how to drink and curse. I will teach them how to make military weapons, viruses, bombs and how to kill themselves. I'm going to have fun!” “And when you've finished with them, what are you going to do with them?” asked Jesus. “Oh, I'm going to kill them!” exclaimed Satan proudly. “How much do you want for them?” asked Jesus. “Do you really want these people? They are not good at all, they are even bad, they will hate you, they will spit on you. No, you certainly don't want them.” “What do you want for them?” asked Jesus again. Satan looked at him and smiled. “All your blood, all your tears and all your life!!!” Jesus said, “Deal!” And then he paid the price. There was absolute silence in the room. The speaker took the cage and walked slowly to the exit. Everyone had tears in their eyes. Don't forget this great love that was shown to us. Thank you for reading.

Let His Kingdom come. I always pray everyday because I dont feel safe in this system . I just realized how evil and unstable this system is . I have a daughter and I always pray for her safety. Rape and murder is getting common in Philippines... and burglar and psychopath people and company are common.. You know how hard to live in this world? can cause everyone;s mental health.

Exciting in the sense that we are witnessing prophecies being fulfilled. We are privileged in a sense to be on hand as this system comes to a close.

I get this Sister Bea - 1000%. For many years, I felt sad around the elder/pioneer meeting time because it seemed so nice and fun.. and I was in sore, dire need of encouragement and association. I felt like - the elders and pioneers are always hanging out with spiritual people, doing Jehovah's work, getting "extras", and my sad, single, struggling self couldn't buy an invitation to anything, anywhere. 😢 In fact, one of the many different reasons I wanted to regular pioneer was so I could finally be in the "In Crowd".. feel like I *really* belonged to a group. And I'll tell you - it is quite different. As a regular pioneer, the elders pay more attention to you. You get the Pioneer School (education, association, encouragement - just for you!), the Circuit Pioneer Meeting ahead of the Circuit Assembly (I didn't even know about that one 'til I started going), and the Elder/Pioneer Meeting. They are all SO lovely! And you get a key to the Kingdom Hall 😉 Of course, it's a huge time commitment, exemplary living requirement, and responsibility. And a massive blessing of undeserved kindness from Jehovah. The special attention is definitely warranted and appreciated. I'm sorry for those of you whose elders/pioneers don't go "all out" for each other - over the years, our crew bought coffee mugs, encouraging cards, tote bags, pens, etc... especially during pandemic. We pioneers delivered spiffy mugs to our elders at the 2021 meeting. ❤️Usually the dinners were cooked by the elder wives and we all ate together at the Hall. CAVEAT: I do want to emphasize that our pioneers are NOT exclusionary or clique-ish or anything like that. My feelings on this are my *own* expressions... not necessarily rooted in an actual problem or issue in my congregation. We've gone from over 40 pioneers down to nine now over the past few years and they need all the support we can give them. This is my first year without all those extras. 😢 I do really miss it. I know why I was asked to come off the list and it was the right thing to do.. but I'm not one of "The Cats" anymore and it does feel different- more internally, than externally. I missed my first Circuit Pioneer Meeting on December 6. I did get to hear about this year's elder/pioneer meeting outline from a couple of weeks ago, about taking good personal care of oneself - I sure would have liked to hear that entire meeting. But my elders still look after me. A fine consolation is that since I'm aux pioneering this month, I can join the CO pioneer meeting next week (Jan 25). That will be fantastic. I hope I can rejoin the ranks one day soon. It *is* a bit of a rush, I don't care what anyone says. 😉 But we also must always keep in mind that Jehovah only wants the best we can do. If that's pioneering, groovy. If it's being a regular publisher in this distressing world, that is also so very groovy. ❤️ Let's all of us strive not to forget each other out here and unite, not divide. Love y'all.... u.

It is is interesting how people/ companies etc react ...greed is good ...exercising the law of supply and demand is a smart thing... profit is a sacred right. My favourite scripture from the Message Bible is 2 Tim 3:1-5 1.Don't be naive. There are difficult times ahead. 2 As the end approaches, people are going to be self-absorbed, money-hungry, self-promoting, stuck-up, profane, contemptuous of parents, crude, coarse, 3 dog-eat-dog, unbending, slanderers, impulsively wild, savage, cynical, 4 treacherous, ruthless, bloated windbags, addicted to lust, and allergic to God. 5 They'll make a show of religion, but behind the scenes they're animals. Stay clear of these people. That about sums it all up.

Can you imagine Jesus taking those of his earthly family, when they were resurrected to heaven, saying, “Come, I want you to meet my Father”. And introducing them to Jehovah? I get chills thinking about it.

It's up! https://www.jw.org/finder?srcid=share&wtlocale=E&lank=pub-jwb-120_11_VIDEO

https://www.foxnews.com/media/bible-sales-booming-despite-decline-religiosity-first-time-buyer-says-its-about-finding-purpose We certainly have a big opportunity this year to get people actually reading what they bought.

https://www.leinsterexpress.ie/news/your-community/1689312/volunteer-women-builders-to-the-fore-in-laois-in-jehovah-s-witnesses-kingdom-hall-build-in-portlaoise.html Volunteer women builders to the fore in Laois in Jehovah's Witnesses Kingdom Hall build in Portlaoise

Apparently we do need the counsel again... less than 10 years later... Good to remember though, many new ones coming in/ returning, They may not have been with us when this WT came out and have not seen this study article & picture: ws16 Jan "We Want to Go with You"

Impulse Strength in weakness For all those who think that they have to be perfect in order to succeed in life or be important to others important to others, there is this story: The two bowls Once upon a time there was an old Chinese woman who had two large bowls. These hung from the ends of a pole that she carried over her shoulders. One of the bowls was cracked, while the other was flawless. At the end of the long walk from the river to the old woman's house, one bowl always contained the full portion of water water, but the other was always only half full. This happened every day for two years. The old woman only brought home one and a half bowls of water. The spotless bowl was very proud of its achievement. But the bowl with the crack was ashamed and sad that it could only carry half the water. water. She said to the woman: “I am so sad that half of the water is lost because of my jump. water is lost.” The old woman smiled and said, “Have you noticed that there are flowers blooming on your side of the path, but not on the other side of the bowl? I sowed flower seeds on your side because I saw your peculiarity. Now you water them every day when we walk home. I pick these beautiful flowers and decorate the table with them. If you weren't were exactly as you are, this beauty would not exist and grace our home.” The story can show us that sometimes it might just be “my crack in the bowl” that becomes something beautiful, valuable and important in my life or the lives of others. becomes. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 12:9: But he said to me: “My undeserved kindness shall be sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness.” That is why I would prefer to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may remain over me like a tent. 

In Iraq, the Parliament passed a law that lowers the legal age of the bride for marriage to NINE years old. The previous law stated that "Marriage requires a sound mind and completing 18 years of age" and included provisions for women fleeing abuse and annulling a contract. The new law was advocated primarily by conservative Shiite lawmakers, as a means to align the law with Islamic principles and reduce Western influence on Iraqi culture. Source: AP

These are both examples of making mountains out of mole hills or distorting facts to fit an agenda. Pay them no heed. Don't get wrapped up in the distractions.

Start digging fast …LOL 😂

https://www.jw.org/finder?wtlocale=E&docid=702025046&srcid=share JW.org update.

Sorry, this all can be disconcerting. Iʼm going to say it like I feel it. I had a pioneer sister, (for many years) actually tell me, “You donʼt know what to, um, have an appointment in the congregation .” I said, “um”, because I guess it still riles up a bit of stress in me. I kid you not. We have pioneers in our congregation, and I love them dearly. They don’t set themselves aside from the rest of us. In fact, I have to think hard as to who they are. Maybe 7 in a small congregation of maybe 20 publishers They fuss over us as much as we fuss over them. We have a meal where we meet for service on Wednesdays. Most all bring food. And some of the most wonderful dishes are provided by our dear pioneers. They are not a group that, “the rest of us are on the outside, looking in”. They never have been. As much as our dear pioneers do do, it would be a sad congregation without the rest of us, and yes, the support and encouragement they give us, individually. I’m one of those that, private functions are fine. But, let’s keep the tone down. We all need to be upbuilt. And to see the elders included in these, “get-to-gathers”, is wonderful. Yes, i had a really traumatic experience with this particular sister, and it looks like i still need to pray to get over it. Compłetly. In the meantime, i know itʼs is all wonderful, (spiritually, and otherwise) and Iʼm not trying to fault anyone, Just my sad experience, and how it affected me.

It was shared with me yesterday.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cg525q2ggl4o How quickly the Palisades fire spread on Wednesday afternoon. Comparison for size with New York and London.

I’ve put quite a few letter writing templates from various brother and sisters in my congregation together in 1 google doc if anyone wants them. Here’s the link: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-32HmJ4kjwJ5gLlAgddrXQAhmUQLgWc8bhvhTXc5gTY/edit

A very encouraging fact to think about is the number of congregations in countries under ban: it went up by 81 congregations! An increase in publishers of 1.4%... Around 48.000 pioneers serve there... Of course, the majority of these friends are in Russia. But let's not forget the ones in the other 32 countries where they serve under ban. Their example of endurance makes a deep impression on all of us[emoji3590] Verstuurd vanaf mijn SM-S911B met Tapatalk

A young man went to the foreman of a group of lumberjacks and asked if he could work for him. “That depends,” said the foreman. “Let me see you cut down this tree.” The young man felled the tree very skillfully. The foreman was very impressed and said to the young man, “You can start on Monday.” Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday went by and on Thursday afternoon the foreman came and said to the young man “ You can pick up your pay slip on your way home today” The young man was startled and said “ I thought I get paid on Fridays.” “Normally yes, but I have to let you go because you can't keep up with the others. My daily reports show that you've been in last place from Monday to today.” “But I'm a hard worker,” the young man replied. “I'm the first man here in the morning, the last man to go home and I even work when I'm supposed to be on a coffee break.” Feeling his integrity to his job, the foreman thought for a minute and asked the young man: “Tell me, have you sharpened your axe every day?” The young man replied “ No, I was so focused on the job that I totally forgot.” THE APPLICATION? It's the same in our daily lives. Sometimes we are so busy that we totally forget to sharpen our axe. Nowadays we are much busier, but we are not happy. Why is that? Could it be that we forget to stay sharp? It's not wrong in itself to be busy and work hard. But God doesn't want us to be so busy and neglect our really important things. So we should take time to pray and read and study the Bible and not close our ears to the voice of God. We all need time to relax, think, reflect and study in order to progress spiritually. If we don't take the time to sharpen our axe, we will become dull and lose our talents as God's instruments. Author unknown