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A Drawing That Changed My Life

Doctor Gary Rosberg is a well-known consultant specializing in marital questions, an author of many books, a happy father of two daughters, and a grandfather to seven grandkids. But he wasn’t always so successful and positive…

I was sitting in my favorite chair, studying for the final stages of my doctoral degree, when Sarah announced herself in my presence with a question: “Daddy, do you want to see my family picture?”

“Sarah, Daddy’s busy. Come back in a little while, honey.”

Good move, right? I was busy. A week’s worth of work to squeeze into a weekend. You’ve been there. Ten minutes later she swept back into the living room. “Daddy, let me show you my picture.”

The heat went up around my collar. “Sarah, I said come back later. This is important.” Three minutes later she stormed into the living room, got three inches from my nose, and barked with all the power a five-year-old could muster: “Do you want to see it or don’t you?” The assertive Christian woman in training.

“No,” I told her, “I don’t.”

With that she zoomed out of the room and left me alone. And somehow, being alone at that moment wasn’t as satisfying as I thought it would be. I felt like a jerk. (Don’t agree so loudly.) I went to the front door.

“Sarah,” I called, “could you come back inside a minute, please? Daddy would like to see your picture.”

She obliged with no recriminations and popped up on my lap. It was a great picture. She’d even given it a title. Across the top, in her best printing, she had inscribed: “OUR FAMILY BEST.”

“Tell me about it,” I said.

“Here is Mommy [a stick figure with long yellow curly hair], here is me standing by Mommy [with a smiley face], here is our dog Katie, and here is Missy [her little sister was a stick figure lying in the street in front of the house, about three times bigger than anyone else].” It was a pretty good insight into how she saw our family.

“I love your picture, honey,” I told her. “I’ll hang it on the dining-room wall, and each night when I come home from work and from class, I’m going to look at it.”

She took me at my word, beamed ear to ear, and went outside to play. I went back to my books. But for some reason I kept reading the same paragraph over and over.

Something was making me uneasy.

Something about Sarah’s picture.

Something was missing.

I went to the front door. “Sarah,” I called, “could you come back inside a minute, please? I want to look at your picture again, honey.”

Sarah crawled back into my lap. I can close my eyes right now and see the way she looked. Cheeks rosy from playing outside. Pigtails. Strawberry Shortcake tennis shoes. A Cabbage Patch doll named Nellie tucked limply under her arm.

I asked my little girl a question, but I wasn’t sure I wanted to hear the answer.

“Honey…there’s Mommy, and Sarah, and Missy. Katie the dog is in the picture, and the sun, and the house, and squirrels, and birdies. But Sarah…where is your Daddy?”

“You’re at the library,” she said.

With that simple statement my little princess stopped time for me. Lifting her gently off my lap, I sent her back to play in the spring sunshine. I slumped back in my chair with a swirling head and blood pumping furiously through my heart. Even as I type these words into the computer, I can feel those sensations all over again. It was a frightening moment. The fog lifted from my preoccupied brain for a moment – and suddenly I could see. But what I saw scared me to death. It was like being in a ship and coming out of the fog in time to see a huge, sharp rock knifing through the surf just off the port bow.

Sarah’s simple pronouncement – “You’re at the library” – got my attention big-time. I resolved right then to change – to be a daddy who was there for his kids, who didn’t spend every moment studying or at the office, who was an active participant in his children’s lives. Sure, it might slow down my career ambitions a bit. But I desperately wanted my daughter to know that she was the pride and joy of my life – and that she could show me her latest drawing anytime.

It was time for this daddy to get back in the picture.

For the next two years I tried to be in the family. I played with my daughters all sorts of games, invited my wife on dates, to sum it up, I tried my best. And only in two years, I received the most precious gift – a drawing of the family. A drawing in which I was in the center. It hangs in my office now. I lived a story of our family’s reconnection thanks to three wonderful women in my life.

You probably all heard the story of the prodigal son who left his father and wandered away in a foreign land but was later on forgiven and accepted back by him. In my case, I wasn’t the lost son, I was the lost father.

Return home fathers. Life is short

“How excellent is Thy lovingkindness, o God! Therefore, the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Thy wings.”

Psalm 36:7

“Family Picture” by Gary Rosberg

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Why Not Destroy All Evil On Earth?

Why Not Destroy All Evil On Earth?

This is one of the first questions which people ask me when they find out that I believe in the loving and almighty God. It would seem that this would be a simple solution – just destroy all evil. Certainly, this idea is not new. It was contemplated and debated by philosophers, scientists, and writers. But they all eventually came to an understanding that this problem was unsolvable.

Where Does Evil Attend?

That which we identify as evil, is not only a war, somewhere far away from home, or an epidemic in Africa, not only hunger, or the problem of orphaned children – it is much closer. It’s a husband who beats up his wife, and a mother who degrades her daughter, it’s a son who humiliates his parents, and a friend betraying his friend in the most crucial moment. It’s a bride, cheating on her groom, and the sales-clerk who sliced off more than it cost. This cruelty is depressing, and we would really like to live in a more pleasant environment.

But if we measure ourselves by God’s measurements, it would be quite easy to notice an unpleasant picture – there is plenty evil inside us. Though we think of ourselves as “not so bad”, upon further inspection we’ll discover many sins that are evil. In the depths of memory, hidden far behind secrecy, lays reminiscence covered by dust. Reminiscence that you are ashamed of. Dostoevsky claimed that the more decent a person looks, the more unpleasant memories he has which he would like to forget. There was a time when we all stole, lied, insulted, or were a reason for someone’s tears…

And yet, every person considers himself better than others. Once, a journal published these driver polls: it turned out that most of them (80%) considered their driving skills above average. But even without statistic numbers, it’s quite clear that most auto drivers don’t deserve such a grade. The questions of morality look similar. As a rule, a person thinks that he is no worse than others and maybe even a little better. It is so firmly engraved in his way of thinking that he’s not capable of giving himself a true assessment. You tell a person of his sinful nature, and he starts defending himself, “I am not worse than others. I drink only on holidays, and almost never cheat on my wife.” He perceives himself pretty decent which gives him the right to judge the whole world. But practice shows that unfortunately, even with minimal power, (at home or work) a person in not able to fully get rid of his egoism. Therefore, if gained all the power, he would most likely have created a planet for himself as a resort, rather than engaged in solving the problem of evil on it.

The Extent of Evil

The problem of the extent of evil was brought up by many philosophers, writers, (both classics and contemporaries) and while they all enclosed their own meaning – still defined it differently. For example, an entrepreneur considers taxes evil, but for government workers, it is a benefit because they get their salary out of the tax budget. For a farmer, drought is evil, but for the grain merchant, it is great, because he makes more profit. Another example; stealing is considered evil, but if we remember how back in the days of extreme poverty and hunger a mother of many children stole grain from occupants to feed her family, it is no longer classified as evil. Fighting is considered evil, but what if you do it in self defense? Even human laws are not able to fully determine the degree of evil since they themselves are constantly being amended.

A question occurs from all this; which evil is subject to be eliminated first? Of course, mentally we all dart off to destroy murderers. And then who? Thieves, adulterers, drug dealers, liars?… This list can go on and on, and the priority will always be the evil that we point on.

Maybe we should only destroy the worst evil, like murderers and burglars. The problem is that by removing the worst evil, we will continue to destroy the worst of the remaining “lesser” evil with the same enthusiasm.

But our happiness will not last long. Of-course, compared to murder and burglary, lying seems as a very small problem, but after the elimination of these, liars will become the next worse evil. And eventually all will return to its places. Time will pass, and new burglars and murderers will appear, and again, someone will want to cash in on someone’s grief. Some will realize their desire, perverted by sin, while still others will want bloody fights. It is even possible that the situation will become worse than it first was.

Evil Is Impossible to Destroy

As we said before, every person considers himself better than the other and justifies himself with the fact that there are people much worse than him. While suggesting to God to destroy all evil, people themselves, for thousands of years cannot eliminate the corruption in them. If embarking on the journey to eliminate evil, then we all are subject to be destroyed.

Let’s look at simple and logical reasons about eliminating evil once and for all.

For example, what if we block the entry to bad thoughts? Science fiction writers have repeatedly come to the utopianism of such ideas. By limiting himself in evil, a person loses his free will, and that means death to personality.

Understandably, it’s not an escape. It’s not just impossible to forget how to think thanks to some block in the brains, but also a crime against freedom of choice. God wasn’t the One who came up with murder and drugs. It was people who Apostle Paul characterized as inventors of evil things. God gave us freedom of choice, and this makes us individual personalities and not puppets.

“Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.” Romans 14:22

Evil lives in a person as though an iceberg under water. The attempts to destroy it are equivalent to the removal of just the top of a gigantic iceberg because after it’s liquidation, the bottom part moves up and everything returns to its ordinary cycle.

Is There A Way Out?

People haven’t found a solution to this problem, but there is one in the Bible.

“Jesus said unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life.” John 14:6

Only He is able to show people the real core of evil. The Bible says,

“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked…” Jeremiah 17:9; “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, authorities, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: all these evil things come from within, and defile the man.” Mark 7:21–23

Each person is extremely corrupt and is not capable of eliminating evil without outside help, just like a person who is drowning in mire will not be able to get out of there by himself. If the one who realizes his sad state cries out for salvation, God will be the One Who helps him, He will resolve the problem with evil by changing the heart. And He talks about it in His Word.

“A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh.” Ezekiel 26:26

This is how God shows His powerful almighty hand, He found a way out of a hopeless situation.

Yes, a person will continue living in a world full of evil, but the only difference is that now he can become a source of good and light. And what is most important, in His heavenly kingdom, God will forever take care of the problem with evil – sin and evil will no longer be there!

When it seems hardest to pray, we need to pray the hardest.

V.N.

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God Hears My Prayers

Barry was young, but he could already read and write quite fluently. He was especially happy reading Christian books. He read from the Gospel every day and knew many Bible stories. His dream was to travel to foreign countries, climb high mountains, and hunt tigers or bears.

Once, his father’s friend who was a missionary came to visit them. For many years, he had lived in Greenland among Eskimos, often spending the night in igloos. The missionary told them about Jesus Christ and read the Word of God. This was the reason he went there in the first place.

Barry found the missionary’s stories quite interesting and didn’t miss a word about the far north. His stories were so captivating that Barry would completely forget to eat his food during dinner. Oh, how many hardships this missionary went through!

At first, Barry hesitated to ask questions, but listening to the guest, he moved closer and closer to him. Finally, Barry gathered up courage and asked, “Have you ever seen a real tiger, elephant, or lion?”

“No,” the missionary chuckled, “these animals live only in countries where it’s hot. But I often saw white polar bears. They are wild and dangerous animals.”

“Aren’t you afraid of them?”

“I was,” the missionary replied. “Every time I met them, I was frightened. But the God I serve is strong enough to protect me from all animals.”

“I want to become a missionary also,” Barry burst out. “I want to go with you and tell the Eskimos about Jesus.”

This time, the missionary didn’t smile. He answered seriously, “You need to grow up a bit before going with me. But you can help missionaries, and me also, even now. Do you know how?”

Barry shook his head. He had no idea how he could be useful to missionaries from his home.

“You can pray for all those who preach the Gospel. And not only those who work in the far north. Many missionaries work in Africa, in wild jungles. The dangers and hardships they encounter are plentiful. There are many poisonous snakes, tigers, and lions. Also, tribes of cannibals live there.”

Barry listened to the missionary intently. “To save people from hell, to tell them about Jesus and eternal life, you need to leave everything and forget about yourself. Your prayer can be very helpful to those who preach the Gospel. God, hearing your prayers, will bless and protect His missionaries.” Barry really liked this idea. “I’ll be praying for all missionaries, and when I grow up, I will become one myself,” he decided.

The missionary left and much time went by. Barry never forgot to pray for him. One day, his father received a long letter. It came from the cold, far north. At the end, the missionary wrote several lines for Barry. The boy was very happy and listened intently to what his father read.

His beloved friend wrote that a few days ago, he had had a very close encounter with a polar bear. He was paddling his boat in a narrow strip of water between icebergs. Suddenly, he saw a big polar bear in front of him. The animal stood still, waiting for his victim. There was no way out, and all attempts to escape would have been useless.

The missionary wrote that at first, he had been scared. He thought of the strong claws and the big teeth. But all of a sudden, the fear went away. The missionary remembered his small friend Barry, who promised to always pray for him. “God, please save me. Hear Barry’s prayer!” he called out in his mind.

The bear stood a bit longer, growled loudly, and then slowly turned around and waddled off.

“God hears my prayers!” Barry jumped up and down excitedly as his father finished reading the letter.

Children, do you hear this? God hears Barry’s prayers! What about yours? Yes, if you pray, He hears you too!

“Delight thyself also in the Lord; and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart.”

Psalm 37, 4
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See The Invisible Behind The Visible

We live in a very stressful time. Constantly on the run, we tear around between hundreds of errands and things that we need to do right now, this very instant. And sometimes in this haste, we rush past life itself, not noticing its beauty. Stop and look back- if just for a second!

Stunning mountain peaks, the splendor of an autumn forest, the mirror-water in lakes that reflect the blue sky above and the shining stars. The birds circling above, the travel of fish on their way to spawning. The earth is full of beauty. Even in the indents of a bluebonnet growing under our feet… All we need to do is to pay a little attention when looking around. And listen – not all of the beauty is visible.

The trill of a nightingale, the mewing of a kitten, the rippling creek… How often do we pay attention to all this? The world is full of pleasing sounds. We hear them, and these sounds complement the glory and harmony of the surrounding world. But often, we rush past it without noticing. We are not taken by what is going on around us; our eye is preoccupied with the electronic world.

The flickering phone screens keep us informed of the latest news. We browse through social media and other portals, as well as waste time playing games. And in the evening, tired and weary, we hurry to relax in front of our big home TV screen. Yes, the modern world offers us its own ways. But we shouldn’t stop noticing that which calms and relaxes us best, that which brings us peace and inner clarity. The starry skies, gray clouds bringing thunder, the gentleness of a flower which mysteriously grew through the asphalt, and a uniquely designed snowflake.

Where does this beauty come from? From whence is its strength, its source? What is it for?

Let’s imagine that we suddenly received an amazing gift; for instance, a bouquet of flowers. We don’t know who it’s from, no one saw who brought it, but nonetheless we are very pleased and still want to find out who was the one who gifted it. The bouquet is so beautiful that we are sure this person feels affection toward us, maybe even loves us. That person spent time and money to make us happy. Nothing is too hard for a loved one. The beauty that surrounds us is a remarkable gift from a loving God. Because of it, we can see His amazing qualities. God is invisible, but all that is visible to us tells us about Him.

God is the Creator and the expert in all that is perfect. He placed this desire for all that’s beautiful in humans. The world around us- nature, is truly breathtaking, and it speaks to us about its Creator, and all we need to do is keep our eyes and ears open. People have also created. Architectural buildings and art creations summon feelings of awe and admiration. By looking at them we notice the signature of the author.

It’s especially helpful if we know something about him, like to which era belongs this or that creation. We want to know in what historical times and based on which personal experiences this masterpiece was made. People have created much more than masterpieces; they created an organized way of life. We have shopping plazas, entertainment centers, businesses, and companies. But sadly, not all of this is safe and beautiful. Some cause significant damage to nature, while others damage a person’s body and soul.

“And God saw everything that He had made, and, behold, it was very good.” Genesis 1:31

This is what the pages of the Bible tell us. The holy Word of God also tells us that “God is love.” 1 John 4:8

This invisible but very loving God created the world around us in just six days and has not stopped taking care of it ever since. God continues existing, living in everything that He created. The world exists not because God loved it one day, but because He continues loving it. And the fact that everything, from the atoms to the galaxies, continues to run smoothly is praise to the One Who “hath made the earth by His power. He hath established the world by His wisdom, and hath stretched out the heaven by His understanding.” Jeremiah 51:15

The whole universe consists of the visible and the invisible, from the material to the spiritual. People mostly notice and value that which is visible. However, more often that which is invisible is of much higher value. For example, a person. What is more important in him: his body or his soul? Every one of us surely has visible beauty. It could be our figure, some individual feature that makes us special. For one, it’s his sparkling eyes, the other – a pleasant smile. The beauty trends change with every century and are different in every culture. They also change in the process of life.

A newborn baby, beautiful in its own way; a young girl stunning with her youthful looks; a young mother holding a child; or an elderly lady with silvering hair all have a certain appeal about them. Our bodies, and every carefully designed detail in them, speak about the Creator’s great plan in regard to a person. Even the fact that we age and are prone to sicknesses and diseases tells us a lot. Our soul lets us know about the Creator also, especially when a person dies and leaves this earth to go to a place he can no longer come back from. Who ever saw a soul? No one. But how great is the importance for it to be truly beautiful! It’s so important to have beautiful thoughts, intentions, deeds, actions, and high spiritual qualities.

These things are invisible to the eye, but this important, noticeable beauty of the heart has the ability to change everything surrounding us. It is so significant. The invisible God takes care of His creation. The Lord tells us, “Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin. And yet I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.” And another verse, “Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than them?” Mathew 6:26

God created everything surrounding us with great love, and He really wants us to notice His love toward us. His gentle care was seen throughout history. It became visible when the invisible God, through the birth of Jesus Christ, became seen and available to all people. Jesus said to His disciples, “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.” John 14:1–4

Through the cost of His crucifixion, death, and glorious resurrection, people now have access to Heaven. God’s creation is not yet done. “For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.” Isaiah 65:17

Looking up at the visible heavens, we know that there is an invisible heavenly kingdom of which the pages of the Holy Bible tell us. Jesus Christ told us about it. Many people think of it as unreal and irrelevant, they are too busy with all that is visible. However, apostle Paul said these words: “for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:18

When you are at your weakest, God is at His strongest.

A. V. Smirnova