P.O Box 1540, Albany Western Australia 6331
Phone/Fax: (08) 98 418 418
E-mail: abl-alb@omninet.net.au

What a lucky Break!
In 2004 Sally Hampton really got a break. The amazing thing is that it didn't look like such a good thing at first. But you need more information to really understand how lucky Sally was. Most of us are prone to envy the woman who wins the lottery with a ticket somebody threw away. The homeless person who finds out he or she is the sole surviving heir of a millionaire who just died. The person selected for one of those "makeover" jobs and gets straight teeth, a nose job, and a new wardrobe - maybe a new car too. But such people are a tiny, tiny percentage of the population. Most of us are likely to start out as Sally Hampton did. Something happens to you that doesn't look very promising. As a matter of fact, what happened to her appeared to be an absolute disaster. Appearances sometimes deceive us. Sally was drinking at a bar in a small country town last July. The bartender called closing time, but one of the younger patrons didn't want to leave. Sally is in her sixties and looks rather grandmotherly. So she put her hand on the young man's shoulder, told him it was time to go, and started walking him toward the door. That's when Sally got her, uh, "break." The young man wheeled on her and smashed her head with his beer bottle! When she fell to the ground, he kicked her in the head! He was arrested. Sally was transported to hospital. As doctors put her through a series of tests, they found that her wounds were not serious. But a tumour they found growing in her brain definitely was! It was a life-threatening tumour that had produced no symptoms yet. As a result of the assault, though, it had been discovered in time. Sally has had surgery and she is recovering well. Early in February she testified in court against her attacker - who is now serving twelve and one half years in prison. Sally Hampton's story reminds the rest of us that our own good fortune often comes in disguise. Have you ever heard a recovering alcoholic tell you that hitting rock bottom from his drinking was the best thing that ever happened to him? Perhaps you have even discovered yourself, that losing a job pushed you to learn skills that you needed in order to do something more significant with your life? You may even be able to look back to see that a failed relationship actually set you free from a destructive and unhealthy dependence? Sally reflects on her experience and says that God's ways are mysterious. "But he could have let me know a little softer," she says. "That was horrible!" Friend, if you've taken a tough blow, don't despair. Your life story is still unfolding. And as unlikely as it sounds, you may look back someday and see it as your big break. Many of the troubles we face in life turn out, in the long run, to be assets. In fact, by confronting them with faith and resourcefulness rather than doubt and resentment we are strengthened. If you would like me to send you a small booklet titled "WHERE TROUBLE CAN'T HURT YOU", I'd be pleased to do so. My address is: P.O. Box 1540, Albany, WA 6331. You can also Phone/Fax your request on: (08) 98 418 418 or Email me at: abl-alb@omninet.net.au I look forward to sharing more thoughts with you next week. Have a great day!

What a lucky Break!

In 2004 Sally Hampton really got a break. The amazing thing is that it didn't look like such a good thing at first. But you need more information to really understand how lucky Sally was.

Most of us are prone to envy the woman who wins the lottery with a ticket somebody threw away. The homeless person who finds out he or she is the sole surviving heir of a millionaire who just died. The person selected for one of those "makeover" jobs and gets straight teeth, a nose job, and a new wardrobe - maybe a new car too. But such people are a tiny, tiny percentage of the population.

Most of us are likely to start out as Sally Hampton did. Something happens to you that doesn't look very promising. As a matter of fact, what happened to her appeared to be an absolute disaster. Appearances sometimes deceive us. Sally was drinking at a bar in a small country town last July. The bartender called closing time, but one of the younger patrons didn't want to leave. Sally is in her sixties and looks rather grandmotherly. So she put her hand on the young man's shoulder, told him it was time to go, and started walking him toward the door. That's when Sally got her, uh, "break." The young man wheeled on her and smashed her head with his beer bottle! When she fell to the ground, he kicked her in the head! He was arrested. Sally was transported to hospital.

As doctors put her through a series of tests, they found that her wounds were not serious. But a tumour they found growing in her brain definitely was! It was a life-threatening tumour that had produced no symptoms yet. As a result of the assault, though, it had been discovered in time. Sally has had surgery and she is recovering well. Early in February she testified in court against her attacker - who is now serving twelve and one half years in prison.

Sally Hampton's story reminds the rest of us that our own good fortune often comes in disguise. Have you ever heard a recovering alcoholic tell you that hitting rock bottom from his drinking was the best thing that ever happened to him? Perhaps you have even discovered yourself, that losing a job pushed you to learn skills that you needed in order to do something more significant with your life? You may even be able to look back to see that a failed relationship actually set you free from a destructive and unhealthy dependence?

Sally reflects on her experience and says that God's ways are mysterious. "But he could have let me know a little softer," she says. "That was horrible!"

Friend, if you've taken a tough blow, don't despair. Your life story is still unfolding. And as unlikely as it sounds, you may look back someday and see it as your big break. Many of the troubles we face in life turn out, in the long run, to be assets. In fact, by confronting them with faith and resourcefulness rather than doubt and resentment we are strengthened. If you would like me to send you a small booklet titled "WHERE TROUBLE CAN'T HURT YOU", I'd be pleased to do so. My address is: P.O. Box 1540, Albany, WA 6331. You can also Phone/Fax your request on: (08) 98 418 418 or Email me at: abl-alb@omninet.net.au

I look forward to sharing more thoughts with you next week. Have a great day!