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Encourage One AnotherLet us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching. Hebrews 10:25 In 1996, at age 56, with only one year of college to my credit, I answered God’s call to go into the ministry of Marriage and Family counseling. I began a five-year journey of schooling in order to get a Masters degree to satisfy the State of Texas educational requirement. I received my bachelor’s degree in May of 1998 and enrolled at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary to earn my Master of Art degree. It would take three years for that. Near the end of the second year, I hit the wall, similar to what a marathon runner would do in a marathon. I just didn’t feel that I could go on, but knew I must continue. I needed help. I went to my computer and wrote an email to several friends and family that I had email addresses for. I explained what my situation was and that I needed their prayers to continue. Several responded with assurances of prayer support, Scripture, and encouragement. From time to time, when I need new encouragement, I reread them. They are still an encouragement today, and maybe they will help encourage you, also. From friends in Oklahoma: Our prayers are with you, Dwayne. There's not anything like just getting before the Lord and basically telling Him what He already knows is going on in your heart and life. He's the only one who has the answer and is the Strength of your life. One Scripture that really ministered to me during a worn-out, weary time was Isaiah 40:28-31 which says,
I remember it was a Sunday afternoon. I just fell down beside my bed. I was supposed to teach that night, in fact, in less than an hour. I just cried out to God and thanked Him for His Word to my heart in Isaiah, and I asked Him to do for me what those verses said. And I told Him I was going to believe Him, for He is faithful to answer us when we call upon Him. His Spirit absolutely came upon my heart and helped me throughout that whole night and I knew it was Him. I know He will do the same for you, if He hasn't already. We love you both and continue to pray for you and your family.
Yours in Christ, From friends in Illinois: Good to hear from you, but not glad to hear of your present state. I'm sure you have times of discouragement. Remember, if there were no valleys there would be not mountain tops. You must pass through the valleys to reach the mountain tops. We will certainly keep you in our prayers. With God's help you WILL overcome. Read these scriptures:
Keep on trucking, Dwayne.
Our regards to Marlene. We appreciate you and certainly wish for your
success. From a friend from Colorado: He will be faithful to lift you up to THE ONE who can lift you and bless you and get you through this attack. You would seem almost abnormal not to have this happen. Dwayne, in my opinion, you have gone so far, so fast, done so much, and Satan of course wants you to give up. He isn't going to like what you are accomplishing and what GOD is doing and going to do through you. PRAISE JESUS = He has already won the victory for you. You are covered with Jesus' righteousness. Your life and witness has blessed many, many people and me. These last fourteen months should be extraordinary with Jesus writing your papers! Hallelujah! Give up = only to Jesus. He wants your burden. He wants your stress. HE LOVES YOU. HE made you. YOU ARE HIS. HIS purposes cannot be thwarted. PRAISE HIS NAME. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not rely on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge HIM and He will make your paths straight." (Proverbs 3:5). "Cease striving and know that I AM GOD." (Psalm 46:10). Read:
Blessings and love to you
and Marlene, From a friend and former pastor in Texas: Thanks for sharing your heart and letting me pray with you about God's call on your life. I remember the last couple of semesters well. It never got easier, always harder. The pressure was there until the last paper was turned in and the last final examination completed. The picture of the runner you have is exactly the idea I believe God wants in our mind as we "'complete the race." The things that you are learning (study, discipline, broadness of knowledge, etc.) are preparing you to be a good workman for the Lord. I don't know what He has for you and you probably don't either at this point. What God wants from you is obedience and faith. He rewards (blesses) those that diligently and earnestly seek after Him (Heb. 11:6). When you get tired look at Isaiah. 40:31. An eagle soars the furthest and highest of all birds because it spreads its seven foot wings and lets the wind carry him. That is what God wants from you. When you come to "the wall" keep going, don't give up. Soar with the Spirit of God to the end of the race! I love you and thank God for you and Marlene. It is an inspiration to me to see you guys follow God's call (at your age! Just kidding!). He will not disappoint you. Call on me whenever you need a friend to talk to. I'll keep praying for you and Marlene. God's Best, Kenny Galatians 6:9 From a friend and former pastor in Nebraska: I just got your email tonight. I have known you for a long time, and one of your trademarks is staying power. Yes, you could quit. But you would not be done with this phase. I am praying tonight that you will resolve, even though you are at the wall, to take some time to rest and reflect on this choice. Career changes are never easy. But if you are willing to buy into "delayed reward", then you will see the harvest of happiness on down the road. You are in our thoughts, prayers and hopes in these important days. In every road race I have run, I confess to having to take "walking breaks". So when I cannot run, I just walk. No, I don't come in first; that cannot be my goal. I only want to finish. The wall is no fun; been there (still there). I know you (and God) are able to finish it together. Jim in Nebraska From a cousin in Florida: It has come to my attention that you are going through a hard time. This is a good sign. it shows the position you are in, and Satan would interfere if he could, but he cannot. You are in the hands of our Lord, "PRAISE THE LORD" Now Dwayne, I am limited in how I can be of help, lacking in many ways, but I shall pray for you, and I humbly send these words, hoping they will encourage in some way. Open letter: ENCOURAGEMENT The question is asked, "How should we react to the experiences of life that are often adverse and difficult?" I remember the Apostle Paul's words as dictated to Tertius; "We are to rejoice in our sufferings, afflictions, distresses, the pressures of life." That reminds me of what James had written earlier along the same lines; "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds." James 1:2. I know, I know! It's easier said than done, but God has promised to help us and where we are weak. He is made strong for us. These things bring about a chain-reaction, a method for spiritual growth. That is why we should glory in afflictions; because we have come to know, by instinct, or by learned perception, that the end product of this chain-reaction, (that begins with distress), is hope. Take suffering for instance, it brings about perseverance, steadfastness, ability to remain under difficulties without giving in. Only a believer who has faced distress can develop steadfastness, and it is said, that in turn, it develops character, "a proof" or "proven character." No wonder Paul says to rejoice. Actually, it means "keep on rejoicing." By the way, did you know this word "rejoice" carries with it a connotation of "boasting,” "to exult" in a pure sense? Let's see, where was I? Oh yes, we were thinking about character. As you, a believer, suffer, for it is God's way of developing you, you will develop a character, a tested character, that will result in a deepening hope, a confidence that God will see you through. Someone has said; "that hardships proved the quality of the wise person, who knows better then to be moved by them, the truly wise person should be tranquil in hardships." I guess that let's me out. Haha! Most of us are not that wise. Yet I have hope. (God is still working with me and with you. And He is not done.) So I say to you, rejoice in the Lord. Rest in the All Knowing, the All Powerful, All Caring God, who is our friend, who is polishing us as diamonds. I am praying for you. Your brother in Christ WVB From my brother in Illinois: I have read your letter that you have sent and I have been praying for you in earnest. Actually some of my best times of prayer is when I am at work and I have a long run to do. And wouldn't you know it that all this week I had a lot of time to pray and think. Mostly about you, Dwayne, and about how good is the God that we serve. I realize sometimes that no matter how much we pray or think or say or try it just seems that these brick walls come to us and always at the wrong time. I also know that you already know this but sometimes we just have to say it or hear someone else say it. You know, I started thinking about old times. Do you remember when you had that old two-tone Chevy and you worked at Stipes Publishing. (Before I go any further, I need to say that what I am writing is as I remember it. So it might not be as you remember it but I hope it will mean as much to you as it does to me.) Now back to the old Chevy. The first time I remember it was when you pulled up in the drive at Marigold Lane. You had your usual big smile and your hand had been wrapped up with so much gauze that your hand looked as big as a elephants foot. I guess you had put your hand in the printing press when you should have been taking it out. I got to thinking that God had to have something in that instance because I can't figure you doing any of the things you have accomplished with only one hand. I guess that God really must have had a plan for you Dwayne. But you know what? I think it wasn't too long after that you began looking for something else to do. I sort of remember you talking to mom and dad about the "AIRLINES" and wanting to get in that field. It seemed like you just buzzed through the schooling and did real great in the testing. It seemed the more you got into it the more you beamed with excitement about the new job. I think that God had something to do with that. He must have led you that way for a reason. I would listen to some of the stories that you would tell about how you helped this person or helped that person. You know that is a real gift from God to be excited about helping others. I started thinking of all those people that you must have helped. All those people that had been traveling and just needed that little bit of help to get to a certain place and most likely wouldn't have gotten the extra help that only Dwayne Collins would have given them. I think that God probably led a lot of people to your station that needed that loving care that you would give them. Then I started to think about Mom and Dad. Do you realize as poor as my Mom and Dad (also your Mom and Dad) was that they got to go to a lot of places that even people with money didn't get to go just because my brother wanted to be in the airlines. I guess that was one way my Mom and Dad got blessed for free. I think that God had to be in that. You know what I mean. He got you interested in the airlines so that my Mom and Dad could get a lot of stuff others didn't get. They deserved it too. Every time they came back from one of those flights they just beamed about the fun they had. No other people with my Mom and Dad's income got to do some of the stuff they did. WOW God sure did know what he was doing. You know Dwayne when I am driving I can think of at least ten other times likes these that God sure had a reason and a special plan for doing or leading you in certain ways. I am not trying to make light of your situation because when you are at that brick wall it is the same as being in a cement well. Can't go up, down or right or left. You are just stuck. I realize that no one answer will get you out of the well either. But you can start building some steps out of the well by just sitting down and trying to remember just how God has gotten you to the place you are. It hasn't always been easy but God has been with you the whole time. Now you are really up against it but I have confidence in you that you will come out of it and not too long from now. God has you right where he wants you for now. I don't know if this letter will help you or make you feel worse. But I am praying for you and know that later it will be real clear. I love you and look up to you and all you have done.
You are a great brother. I am so sorry. I did not realize you were feeling so down. You are always so concerned with how things are going with me I sometimes forget to ask you, obviously they aren't so well. You can't quit. it is not in you to quit. Satan would definitely win if you decided to give up. As you said, "[you] know it is in God's will for you to be doing this.” I know that God gave you the strength to reach out to everyone on your e-mail, to admit to being at a quitting point, and to ask for prayers and support. I know that all will respond positively to you and give you those words of encouragement that you are looking for. I feel prayer is something I seem to be getting pretty good at, so you know that you are top of my list. I will bring your request along with me to my prayer group on Friday. Hang in there, Dad. I know you can do it!
I love you. More from my friends in Colorado: How are you? You have been on my heart a lot since I got your email. I just wanted you to know I am still praying for you. Don't give up! Then the enemy would be happy and win and everyone else on earth would lose out on what God has planned for you to do. We love you and Marlene, Susan and Gary J From a nephew in Florida: I can appreciate where you are coming from. Brenda and I have been going through some tough times lately and have really been tested. In my devotional reading of Oswald Chambers a few weeks ago, it said "crisis reveals character". Crisis comes in different forms and we have to be able to withstand the pressure. People will be watching us to see how we handle these situations and that is where Christ is seen through us.
We'll be praying for you,
take care. From friends from Illinois: Just got your email, and I know the feeling. . . . I think we've all been there at one time or another. I'd like to encourage you to keep on keeping on . . . perhaps a short break is coming up? With summer coming, could you take a month or two off to recharge and refresh your batteries? Sometimes a short break to catch your breath will do wonders! You're so close to the end of this particular race, but sometimes THAT is the hardest . . . keep visualizing that goal. We'll pray for you to have refreshment of your body and mind. . . . God didn't bring you this far just to leave you, as the song says . . . "He'll carry you through" (that means He'll supply the strength, but at last scripture reading, I didn't see any mention of His doing term papers!) But He can supply the ideas! God knows exactly what you need, and some times that can include a detour! You'll be in our thoughts and prayers. Love, Diane and Terry From my first professor at Dallas Baptist University:
DON'T QUIT Barbara Sleeper I realized something very important during that time in my life, something that still applies today. When I need help, I just need to ask. I am a part of the body of Christ. As part of the body, I am supported by the rest of the body. I did not need someone to do my school work for me. I did not need someone to pay my bills. I simply needed someone to care. Although they already cared, I would not have received the encouragement I needed without asking. Do you need encouragement? It is essential to ask. When we open our hearts and our lives to the body of Christ, we allow ourselves to be encouraged. Furthermore, we allow others the opportunity to fulfill their Christian responsibility. That is, to encourage one another. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching. Hebrews 10:25 Dwayne Collins, MA, LPC |
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Email: Heart Change Counseling or Phone: 469-261-5123 |
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