To Walk Through Life You Need To Take Two Successful Steps

“The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.”  Mark Twain

Because I wholeheartedly believe in those words, I must conclude that once you have discovered why you were born there are three aspects of your life that dramatically change.

First, you are noticing a great many more signs.  Have you ever bought a new car and after you are driving the car around some you begin to notice how many people like yourself now are driving the same type of car? The same goes here and to test this out I would like to ask you to do a little experiment for me.  I would like for you to read this passage and pick out the 16 Books of the Bible that are mentioned in the passage.

16 Books of the Bible

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CAN YOU FIND THE 16 BOOKS OF THE BIBLE?

I once made a remark about the hidden books of the BIBLE.  It was a lulu. Kept people looking so hard for facts and for others, it was a revelation.  Some were in a jam, especially since the names of the books were not capitalized. But the truth finally struck home to a number of readers.  To others, it was a real job.  We want it to be a most fascinating few moments for you.  YES, THERE WILL BE SOME REALLY EASY ONES TO SPOT.  Others may require judges to help them.  I will quickly admit it usually takes a Der Hayr to find one of them, and there will be loud lamentations when it is found.  A little lady says she brews a cup of tea, so she can concentrate better.  See how well you can compete.  Relax now for there are actually sixteen names of books of the Bible in this story for you to find.

Are you good at recognizing facts?  Can you remember names, birthdays, and other things? The problem is that maybe we are just like this passage.  We have the answers in front of us and we are failing to recognize what we have.  I received this passage from a man who I hold in very high esteem, Father Tatoes Abdalian.  This man motivated me to take a vocation in the Church and I would very much like to take this time to publicly thank him for all that he has meant to me over the last decade or so.

The interesting part about it is that this was not always the case.  I first met him at the airport here in Austin and I picked him up.  I believe I shocked him somewhat because I was not the person he was looking for-in fact I believe he said something to the effect that I did not look Armenian.  Well, that was then and this is now.  Now, this man of God who recently retired will be serving God in many different ways.  God bless you for your years of service and dedication and God bless you for many more years to come.  Your inspiration has been truly noted.  Your deep voice, your commanding language, your thought-provoking sermons, all stay in my head and as I write this, I am struck at exactly what you have done for me.  Thank you and because of you, I can now safely say that I found the reason why I was born.  God bless you so very much.

Second, after you recognize why you were born you need to act upon that.  You can not be a spectator or ride the bench when you are on God’s team.  To this end, we must look at our skills and use them every minute of the day we are on this earth.  Do not ever quit on yourself before the time is up.  Fight on, fight on, fight on as your life depended on it because your eternal life does.  God exists, and he expects that love, obey and serve Him. 

Third, many of the problems that we face on this earth have one simple cause- it is us or actually our inability to recognize why we are here.  This leads to misery, misunderstanding, and despair.  When you had a problem fifty years ago you would go to confession, or you go to the doctor and when you get their high bill you become depressed again.  Wait, the people who left fifty years ago from the confessional box, felt better didn’t they?  It did not cost them hundreds of dollars to have someone listen to their problems.  They had a priest and they had God- what more could they want or need.  

Brothers and sisters, God is still here.  God's not dead.  God did not retire.  He is with us just like Jesus is with us always and forever until the end of time.  Now, I challenge you to answer this question.  I know why I am here on this earth, do you?  God bless Father Tatoes Abdalian and please take time to thank the clergy in your life who have made the difference- now and forever.  Amen.