Opportunities...You have them, so use them

Every month, at least once a month, I get this hand written letter in my box at work.  It's from a man named Bernie.  He is awaiting deportation to Mexico in prison, and has been for many months now.  His family is in the U.S., and he is seperated from them because of some paperwork mix ups (to the best of my knowledge).  Most people would look at his situation and only see hoplessness.  Bernie however sees something else.  He sees opportunity. For the past month, I keep hearing God speak to me in various ways to use every opportunity He gives me to be a light in this world...to make a difference.  Bernie has learned this lesson well.  In his letter last month he says

"It's easy to complain about my situation, lately the phones don't work, they have changed our schedule, we are locked down more often and longer amounts of time, they've been having plumbing problems so they turn the water off and we never know when it will be turned on again.  I've learned that through everything you have to find the positive in the situation and be patient, patient, patient...If you look hard enough you will find the blessing even in the harshest of times.  Sometimes we don't see them and certainly don't feel blessed, but they are there.  Like after they turn the water off for a couple of days, you sure feel blessed when that water comes on."

Maybe God needs to turn my water off, so that I can appreciate life more, and the opportunities that are right in front of me.  Bernie is leading a bible study that is growing every week.  He wrote once that

"God works in mysterious ways and in mysterious places.  Even in a prison cell or in a make shift chapel in the middle of the desert in a federal prison.  God will manifest himself if you open up your heart and surrender all unto Him."

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