Mark's Remarks 1/18/09

This piece, by Richard Culp, was on-line. See the credits below.

Two weeks after the farm credit company took our farm, I lost my job as ranch foreman. Our family moved into a compact rental unit, and [my wife] Geneva and I began working a series of minor jobs, including a stint at a fast-food restaurant. It was difficult to pay down the $100,000 debt that was left after the farm credit company seized all of our assets - our land, our equipment, our home, and our bank notes. There were many times that we didn't have money for groceries and living expenses, but God provided for us through our family, our friends and our church.

A year and a half later, God gave us our new direction. Geneva and I were offered a management position at an exclusive 2,600-acre waterfowl hunting club between Gridley and Colusa in northern California. Our clients were powerful and wealthy. As we served at the club in numerous ways, our situation witnessed to the fact that money and possessions cannot bring happiness. We had lost everything, yet we had joy in our lives.

After we had been at the club for about a year, I received a call from the head of the credit company that had taken our farm. He needed to talk with me. Geneva and I offered to drive to town, but he insisted on making the hour's drive out to the hunting club. As we sat together at a table, he leaned across and said, "I want to ask you something personal. A friend of mine recently lost everything he owned. His wife just committed suicide. We at the office have noticed that you two are handling this crisis differently than most people do. Can you tell me what your secret is?"

I was happy to witness to my faith. "We believe in the God of the Bible. He is sovereign over our lives, and he is in control. Even though the pain is very real, we are confident of this fact: God has proven sufficient and able to take care of us."Geneva added, "God's Word promises, 'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you' (Hebrews 13:5, NIV). We have never felt alone for a single moment."

Later, as the head of the credit company rose to leave, he thanked us. "You've given me a lot to think about," he said quietly.

-Richard L. Culp, "We lost everything: A farmer clings to his spiritual roots," Amy Writing Awards, www.amyfound.org/awaart6.html.



In this time of economic difficulty, this note from William Jewell college is creative and relevant!

Have you heard about the North Star Job Club? Channel 9 News ran several announcements for it so perhaps that is where you heard about it. The meetings are held the first and third Mondays of every month from 6:30 -8:30 pm in Gano Chapel Assembly room on the college campus. Signs are posted on campus to direct the public to the building, but it’s right under the clock tower on the main campus. All who are interested in assistance with a job search are welcome.
Our meetings are casual, and no cost - even the parking is FREE. North Star Job Club is sponsored by our SIFE (Students in Free Enterprise) team, and the goal is to expand personal networks to help those in career transition with successful outcomes.

Additional questions should be directed to 816.522.1294.