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Motivational
Message
Issue 29
Week of June 9-13, 2003
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Hope
and Restoration in the Valley
By
Audrina Jones Bunton
The
bible tells a story about the prophet Ezekiel who
envisioned a valley full of dry bones. God led
Ezekiel back and forth in the midst of this
valley, surrounded by dry bones. God asked
Ezekiel "Can these bones live?" Ezekiel
replied, "God, only you can answer
that." God commanded Ezekiel to speak life
into the many dry bones. Ezekiel prophesied to
the bones as God commanded, and before he
finished speaking, he heard a rattling noise as
the bones came together, bone to bone. As he
looked, muscle and skin covered the bones, but
the bones still had no life. Then God commanded
him to speak life into the bones, and as he spoke
the words, an amazingly great host came back to
life and stood upon their feet.
The
bones in Ezekiel's vision symbolized the people
of Israel, whose lives seemed as hopeless as dry
bones coming to life. Humanly speaking, their
future seemed as hopeless as that of a skeleton
regaining flesh and coming back to life. Oh how
hopeless the situations in their lives seemed.
During
this time of economic hardship and distress, you
too, may find yourself in the midst of a valley.
In the midst of a valley that seems hopeless.
Your valley may be a life of loneliness or
sorrow. Your valley may be a life of struggling
with finances, ill health, or tarnished
relationships. Your valley may be a life of
indecision, of not knowing which way to turn.
Whatever that valley may be, know that just as
Ezekiel witnessed -- there is hope in your
valley.
Don't
lose hope -- because if you lose hope, your
become lifeless spiritually, mentally and
physically. Make the decision today, that you
will speak life into your situation with positive
words. Then take the necessary actions today, to
regain that hope into your situation.
Free
yourself from the valley of fear and hopelessness
that captivates you from making that
change--because only you can.
There
is hope in the valley -- there is hope in YOUR
valley.
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Copyright 2003 by Audrina Jones
Bunton. REPRINTING THIS ARTICLE: Permission is
granted to reproduce or distribute this article
only in its entirety and provided copyright is
acknowledged. You can find other articles to
choose from at http://www.purposefully-living.com/mailing%20list.htm
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Think
About It!!
"Freedom is not something that
anybody can be given. Freedom is something people
take, and people are as free as they want to
be." -- James Baldwin
"Freedom lies in being
bold." -- Robert Frost
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Electronic mail address
ajbunton@purposefully-living.com
Web address
http://www.purposefully-living.com
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