Each month we receive some stuff in the mail from the Willow Creek Association. They are the megachurch guys in Chicago lead by Bill Hybels.
Late last week the pack arrived as per normal and one of the articles they shared I thought would be great to share with you...

So you think you’ve got problems? Consider Brian Hise..

Brian Hise had more than his share of bad luck in July. When his apartment in Provo, Utah became flooded from a broken pipe in the apartment above his, the manager told him to go out and rent a water vacuum. That’s when he discovered that his car had a flat tire.

He changed the tire and went inside again to phone a friend for help. But the electric shock he got from the phone so startled him that he inadvertently ripped the instrument off the wall! Before he could leave his apartment a second time, a neighbor had to kick his door down because by now water damage had jammed it tight.

While all this was going on—someone stole Hise’s car! But it was almost out of gas so he found it just a few blocks away. He then had to push it to a gas station where he filled up the tank.

That evening Hise attended a military ceremony at the university he was attending. He injured himself severely when he somehow sat on his bayonet, which had been tossed in the front seat of his car!

Doctors were able to stitch up Brian’s wound but no one was able to resuscitate four of his canaries who were crushed to death from the wet, falling plaster in his apartment. After arriving home and slipping on the wet carpet where he badly injured his tailbone, Brian said he began to wonder if, (and I quote) “God wanted me dead~ but just kept missing!"

The Bible says “Is your life full of difficulties...? BE HAPPY’ for when the way is rough, your patience has a chance to grow. So let it grow and don’t try to squirm out of your problems. For when your patience is finally in full bloom, then you’ll be ready for anything, strong in character, full and complete.” James 1:2-4 [LB]

Remember Warren’s Laws of Stress Management:

Law #1 Don’t sweat the small stuff’

Law #2 Remember it’s ALL small stuff!

Copyright Rick Warren, Saddleback Church.