I don’t know about you, but I can honestly say along with David, “…. my cup runneth over….”
I was in my late teens when I became a welder like my father, who was a Navy ship welder in the Seattle Shipyards during the Second World War.
Doing my own book research on metallurgy and welding, I excelled and became a First-Class Welder, then a Certified Welder. From there, I went to Pipe Welder Certification, Nuclear Tig Welding, and ended as a First-Class Ship Fitter in the Root and Brown shipyards of Louisiana.
Although I’ve always been an inquisitive achiever, only after receiving Christ have I lived life to the full.
I’ve been on an archaeological dig, traveled and explored ancient life in the Western hemisphere, and discovered the landing place of Cortez and the conquistadors, discovering the first fort they built that was overgrown with weeds.
After receiving Christ, He took my life in another direction, and I became a highly trained professional actor. I’ve been in movies, television shows, T.V. commercials – and sang a spotlight number on stage to close the show (I had portrayed Fagan in the Musical “Oliver” and know many other show tunes word for word.)
I’ve sold artwork for big bucks and once won the four top prizes at the Pensacola State Fair: Blue ribbon, Best of Show, People’s Choice, and Judges Choice, plus the money prize, and it’s just a hobby for me.
Today, after having written a blockbuster (with five subsequent sequels), movie plagiarized, I write screenplays and write articles for two wonderful Christian websites from which I receive letters from all over the world. I’ve rubbed shoulders with some of the most interesting people in the world: movie stars Paul Newman, Michelle Pfeiffer, Jim Carrey, Jennifer Lopez, Johnny Depp, and Chuck Norris, among many other less notable actors and celebrities. I rode in a white limo to the premiere of the movie, “The Truman Show,” in which I portrayed a harried bus conductor. I was a tuxedo-wearing chaperone at the inaugural ball for then Governor of Florida George Romney back in the day.
I’ve written close to a dozen songs (music and lyrics) and produced and directed the recordings in a professional recording studio. (Tom Jones almost recorded one of them but already had a song about walking in the rain on the album.)
Years ago, I wrote, produced, and directed an updated version of “Woman at the Well,” and today, I have a half dozen screenplays on file, hoping to produce and direct one having to do with the Biblical End Times.
Whew! Truly the Lord has been gracious to me, but I know that “To whom much is given, much is required.”
This all goes to show what a person is capable of with God on your side. Admittedly, I haven’t always been the man of God I aspired to be, and it took me a long time to accept my frailties. But I always repent, dust off and keep going.
As you can well imagine, I never have time to party, get drunk, or use drugs and have no desire to do so. I get my high from serving God. The benefits of living such a life are life-affirming and beneficial. I would encourage you to do the same.
However, this isn’t to say that living such a life isn’t without its trials and tribulations. There have been times when I nearly despaired – but by leaning on God’s word, I was always able to rebound. If there were any residual effects, it was always to my benefit. “Trust in the Lord… and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him….” (Proverbs 3:5-6). This is followed by, “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31).
All of these happenings are written about in my 240-page manuscript for which I’m seeking a publisher.
What an exciting life to be God’s emissary!
Today, as I pulled into a side street that connects to the main drag to take me to the pier, I saw a young man in the middle of the road picking up a bunch of photographs from off the pavement. His overloaded bike lay in the street with a small suitcase lying nearby. The contents of the bike basket were also lying nearby. I stopped the car about thirty feet away, put the emergency blinkers on, and got out of the car to help the young man. With the wind blowing slightly, the photos were hard for him to pick up. I set the bicycle back up and put the other spilled contents into the basket while he continued to pick up the photos of his son. The suitcase was heavy, and I could see where he had lost his balance with it in hand and fallen over into the middle of the street.
“Thanks,” he said as he picked up the last of the photos and straightened up. “These are photos of my boy. My wife just divorced me and threw me out of the house. Those packages are for my son’s birthday. I slept behind that store last night.” I asked how I could help and said, “Maybe I can run the suitcase over to that store for you.” I made a U-turn and drove into the store parking lot.
It was there that Dwight introduced himself and showed me the photos of his eight-year-old son. Then he began to tell me his story and ended by telling me that he had been robbed while sleeping behind the store the night before. Pulling out my wallet, I fished out my only cash of eight dollars to give to him for breakfast and asked if he needed prayer. He answered in the affirmative, and I prayed for the poor desolate man, “Father in heaven, help Dwight in his present difficulties, and may he seek your face in all circumstances; In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.” Dwight responded with his own “Amen.”
Yes, what a privilege to be an emissary for God and Christ Jesus. As I go through life and embrace that way of life, I continue to grow in faith and confidence and in the knowledge of knowing how to help others without appearing to be holier than thou or condescending. As the old adage says, “There but for the grace of God – go I.”
YBIC
Jim Towers
You can write me at jt.filmmaker@yahoo.com or visit me at www.dropzonedelta.com or visit my website, www.propheticsignsandwonders@yahoo.com.