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"A Friend"

One day when I was a freshman in high school, I saw a kid from my class was walking home from school. His name was Kyle. It looked like he was carrying all of his books. I thought to myself, "Why would anyone bring home all of his books on a Friday? He must really be a nerd."

I had quite a weekend planned (parties and a football game with my friends tomorrow afternoon), so shrugged my shoulders and went on. As I was walking, I saw a bunch of kids running toward him. They ran at him, knocking all his books out of his arms and tripping him so that he landed in the dirt. His glasses went flying, and I saw them land in the grass about ten feet from him. He looked up and I saw this terrible sadness in his eyes.

My heart went out to him. So, I jogged over to him and as he crawled around looking for his glasses and I saw a tear in his eye. As I handed him his glasses, I said "Those guys are jerks. They really should get lives." He looked at me and said, "Hey, thanks!" There was a big smile on his face. It was one of those smiles that showed real gratitude.

I helped him pick up his books and asked him where he lived. As it turned out, he lived near me, so I asked him why I had never seen him before. He said he had gone to private school before now. I would never have hung out with a private school kid before. We talked all the way home, and I carried some of his books. He turned out to be a pretty cool kid. I asked him if he wanted to play a little football with my friends. He said yes. We hung out all weekend and the more I got to know Kyle, the more I liked him, and my friends thought the same of him.

Monday morning came, and there was Kyle with the huge stack of books again. I stopped him and said, "Boy, you are really gonna build some serious muscles with this pile of books everyday!" He just laughed and handed me half the books.

Over the next four years, Kyle and I became best friends. When we were seniors, we began to think about college. Kyle decided on Georgetown, and I was going to Duke. I knew that we would always be friends, that the miles would never be a problem. He was going to be a doctor, and I was going for business on a football scholarship.

Kyle was Valedictorian of our class. I teased him all the time about being a nerd. He had to prepare a speech for graduation. I was so glad it wasn't me having to get up there and speak. Graduation day, I saw Kyle. He looked great. He was one of those guys that really found himself during high school. He filled out and actually looked good in glasses. He had more dates than I had and all the girls loved him. Boy, sometimes I was jealous.

Today was one of those days. I could see that he was nervous about his speech. So, I smacked him on the back and said, "Hey, big guy, you'll be great!" He looked at me with one of those looks (the really grateful one) and smiled. "Thanks," he said.

As he started his speech, he cleared his throat, and began. "Graduation is a time to thank those who helped you make it through those tough years. Your parents, your teachers, your siblings, maybe a coach…but mostly your friends. I am here to tell all of you that being a friend to someone is the best gift you can give them. I am going to tell you a story."

I just looked at my friend with disbelief as he told the story of the first day we met. He had planned to kill himself over the weekend. He talked of how he had cleaned out his locker so his Mom wouldn't have to do it later and was carrying his stuff home. He looked hard at me and gave me a little smile. "Thankfully, I was saved. My friend saved me from doing the unspeakable."

I heard the gasp go through the crowd as this handsome, popular boy told us all about his weakest moment. I saw his Mom and Dad looking at me and smiling that same grateful smile. Not until that moment did I realize its depth.

Never underestimate the power of your actions. With one small gesture you can change a person's life. For better or for worse. We are here in each other's lives to impact one another in some way.
   
 

I'm report'n you to the moderator, Bronzesnake.  That's just too good to be true.

(http://www.beautifulclipart.com/clipart/flowers/flower.gif)

(Thanks, bronzesnake, that's really nice...)

 ;D ;D ;D
     Bronze Snake,,, great story!!! Thanks,  Joy

No...thank you two!
Now I'll bring you down to a sad truth.
That story didn't happen to me personally.
What did happen to me was this...

 About 20 years ago I met a guy named Danny.
I was a man of great sin back then...drinking (a lot) drugs, etc. and so was Dan.
 I found out that Dan had three other brothers, one of them had commited suicide before I met Dan.
I never really got to know Dan real well, but we would speak to each other at parties and bars, and when ever we ran into each other. There did come a time when Dan and I started to get to know each other a little better.
 One day the phone ran, and my sister in law told me it was Dan. I was hung over, so I told her to tell Dan that I was sleeping. I called Dan the next day and a police officer answered the phone and he told me that Dan had shot himself the night before. I have often wondered what would have become of Dan if I had taken that call...was he reaching out for help? I'll never know.
Back then, I was useless, not much good to anyone. Always stoned or drunk. Jesus picked me up and set me free, and now I try my best to help whenever I can. Finding that story touched something inside, and I remembered Dan.

Boy, we never know when we're being called on to really help someone out, do we?

If we're daily walking in the Spirit, we have no regrets, b/c we're where we should be.

So important to be in continual communion with God and His Holy Spirit, alll of the time.

Thank you, bronzesnake.

Amen to that Symphony.

Bronze Snake,  Your story touched me even more than the first..... the lessons we learn (and a lot of us have to learn the hard way),,,, God had a reason for letting this happen...
       Did this event in some way begin your search for Jesus? or in any way attribute to it?  I am interested because of the things in my past.
       I was a week-end warrior of a sort ,,,,, we got together every week-end with friends and drank ourselves stupid a lot of times... thinking it was fun, but I feel now, that we were both searching for something to fill our lives and were totally lost on how to go about it... not happy with our lives the way they were, we just go into the habit of going out and letting loose, (no excuses, just explaining), thinking that we were having a blast and we were hurting no one but ourselves.....
        I look back now and I am ashamed, our children have no backround in the foundation of having Christ in their lives from childhood,,,, we went to church for a while, but slid quick and fast away from it and it was years before we came back to Him.... Now, neither one of my sons are saved,,,, neither one know very much about Him, except what we witness to them and neither one of them go to church.....
      I pray for them daily, and my husband and I witness when there is an opprotunity, praying that seeing how God has changed our lives is the greatest witness of all!
        I know when they drink etc, they know how I feel now, but they always bring my past up and I have to come back with, Yes, I did it, I'm ashamed of it now, and just because I did it, I know the consequences.... and they could have been sooooo much worse........ God uses our lives to witness to others,,,, our now, and our past!!!
       You witness may be moving someone who reads or hears it to truly think twice, or maybe there is something to this Jesus thing!!!!! You never know what kind of impact your life has on someone else....
        I do notice that when there is some tragedy, or illness, etc, my youngest (31) always calls to ask me to get the prayer chain started for whoever is in distress,  and Praise God, each time so far, prayer has been answered positively!
   Both boys do go to church for special occassions and my Grand son goes with us to Sunday School and Vacation Bible School,,, the little one (18 months) will be going with us when he gets old enough.!!!!    So there is light at the end of the tunnel!!!!!!!       . God bless,   Joy
     

wow bronzesnake, the first story was so touching but your own personal was so much more Thanks so much for sharing that with us.i dont personally have any stories exactly like that but there have been times in my life that i have been let known that people were watching my life...and one thing you can be sure of, the people that watch the closest are those that are not saved, they watch and know when you do something they know that maybe you shouldnt be.. i agree blue, a person needs to keep thier lives in order at all times..
again thanks BS for sharing!

TL

To answer your question Joy...

 Yes, that was a definite changing point in my life.
Just before that happened, I was constantly coming home late at night and drunk. Our oldest son, Michael was about a year old at the time, and quite often after I got home from partying I would look at him sleeping in his crib as quiet tears would fall down my cheek. I knew that what I was doing was wrong, and harmful to my family especially considering my wife didn't drink or do drugs, she would be alone at home while I was out being an idiot.

 A few weeks after Dan shot himself, I remember coming home late one night, drunk as usual, my wife and son were visiting her sister, so I was alone. I sat on the edge of my bed with my head in my hands and I was lamenting...why do I do this to myself? why do I do this to my family? why can't I stop? what am I going to do?...God? are you here? and suddenly I heard a clear, strong, assuring voice...Jesus spoke to me, He simply said..."John, don't worry, everything is going to be all right." I was filled with an undescribable feeling, I was confident that I would be OK. I began to change after that, it wasn't an instant healing, I quit drugs immediately, but I continued to drink for a couple of years afterward although no where near as much.
 Today we have three great sons, 17, 15, and 11 years old as well as a 9 year old foster daughter. I have a daughter from an ex common-law relationship, she is 19 and she has a two year old son, so I'm a Grandpa. I haven't had a drink for about fifteen years, I don't miss it in the least. I am happier than I have ever been, I have a strong faith and a great relationship with Jesus. I can't explain why, but my wife stayed with me, and she seems to like me! ;)
I wouldn't have any of this if it wasn't for Jesus and that is the Truth.

Thank you Joy and Tigerlily.

Bronze Snake:  What a wonderful testimony!  It is a joy to see what God can do in someones life.... turn it completely around....
     I, like you, didn't have a lightning bolt experience, I found God, who , of course, was there all along, waiting for me to see Him, and I started going to church on my own.  My hubby started going about 1 year later, and we have been going ever since.  My life has done a 360 and we are sooooo happy and excited about our life in Him now.
     I have become a certified lay speaker for our church, I am Christian Education Director for our church and I just started a Bible study this past Sunday evening.
      My lifes desire is to see my sons and my siblings including in laws come to Christ.... I pray every day, and I know that He will answer this prayer. I might not live to see it, but I know that He will!!!!!!
        Thanks for your testimony..... Joy