Heavens to

Betsy! (Boy, am I dating myself with that one...but sort

of appropriate for the religion editor's column, huh?) So

glad to see so many of you read the Religion section of

the paper each week. Your response to my first (and sort

of different for me) column in several years was

terrific.

Wednesday

morning, I was sitting at home, drinking my coffee,

messing around on my trusty Mac and holding conversations

with friends in far off places, when that unmistakable

AOL voice informed me, "You've got mail!"

"Hang

on," I typed to my friend waiting in the Instant

Message box, and clicked on the little mailbox in the

upper left hand corner of my screen. What I saw took me

totally by surprise. It was only about 8:30 a.m., the

paper had barely hit the driveways around Fayette County,

but there it was... "Re: Column in the

Citizen." It wasn't 15 minutes before I got

another...and another. Some from folks I knew, some from

folks I had never heard of...but all thanking me for the

column and wishing me well in my endeavor. You guys are

terrific. Really made my week. Thank you all for taking

the time out from your busy days to let me know you

appreciated my "Precious Gems." Here we go with

the second installment.

The

following fax appeared in my mailbox here at the office.

I have no idea where it came from, therefore I can give

no one credit. If you faxed it to me, please let me know

so I can give credit where credit is due. It is

definitely a "Precious Gem."

GOD'S

EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS

When in

sorrow, call John 14

When men

fail you, call Psalm 27

If you want

to be fruitful, call John 15

When you

have sinned, call Psalm 51

When you

worry, call Matthew 6:19-34

When you

are in danger, call Psalm 91

When God

seems far away, call Psalm 139

When your

faith needs stirring, call Hebrews 11

When you

are lonely and fearful, call Psalm 23

When you

grow bitter and critical, call 1 Cor. 13

For Paul's

secret to happiness, call Col. 3:12-17

For idea of

Christianity, call 1 Cor. 5:15-19

When you

feel down and out, call Romans 8:31-39

When you

want peace and rest, call Matthew 11:25-30

When the

world seems bigger than God, call Psalm 90

When you

want Christian assurance, call Romans 8:1-30

When you

leave home for labor or travel, call Psalm 121

When your

prayers grow narrow or selfish, call Psalm 67

For a great

invention/opportunity, call Isaiah 55

When you

want courage for a task, call Joshua 1

For how to

get along with your fellow man, call Romans 12

When you

think of investments/returns, call Mark 10

If you are

depressed, call Psalm 27

If your

pocketbook is empty, call Psalm 37

If you are

losing confidence in people, call 1 Cor. 13

If people

seem unkind, call John 15

If you are

discouraged about your work, call Psalm 126

If the

world is growing small and yourself great, call Psalm 19

Emergency

numbers may be dialed direct. No operator assistance is

necessary, All lines are open to Heaven 24 hours a day!

Feed your faith and starve your doubt to death!

Whoever

sent that, I thank you. Until next week, keep the

faith...

Bible

verse for the week...

"Seek

ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while

he is near:" Isaiah 55:6

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