Supposedly, Peter, a follower of Jesus was nailed to a cross upside down. Paul was stoned so hard that everyone in the crowed considered their life sucking hands filled beyond measure. Paul lived on to preach the gospel and somehow eventually died doing so. The only person who really enjoyed the "old age" years was John the apostle and even he died. Also, Mathew was a dirty tax collector and Paul was apparently short, stout, and ugly and had a "thorn in the flesh" that God politely refused to remove. Was this a bad case of hemorrhoids, blindness, an awful wife (as one lady from Focus on the family suggested), or hoof-to-mouth disease? I don't know, but it was unpleasant.

            We've got "thorns" we'd like to have removed-a big honking yellow tooth in the front, awkward limbs, a stutter, hearing problems, or conjunctivitis; you name it. Where would we be in this world of sin and brokenness if it weren't for these limitations? I can tell you, with our fierce Western individualism-cowboy-I-can-do-it-myself mindset, we would not look to anything, would not depend on anything for help in our day. Paul boasted about his limitations. God created his stout little legs because he knew Paul's fiber; He knew that if he were a pinch more attractive pride would swallow his ministry and he would be as good as a stump in God's Kingdom.

            Over the last year and a half God has blessed me by lifting part of his protective hands and allowed marauders to storm my temple. Metaphorically speaking, I've been stoned, spit on, slapped, tripped, insulted, whipped with fiberglass and see many others including you reading who may have been blessed with similar blows. Every time I set out to spread the hope of Jesus Christ, several men take bats to my stomach and scream to me that I am ugly and a dirty sinner. Do you know this voice? Good thing I am a wild man for Jesus, created in his image and an heir to the throne of the God who created Vermont's mountains. Really, I hurt and want to quit, to choose to lust and be down and crumble like Allen Iverson's career as of late. Trust me, I've gandered that course and run those steep hills.

      It has only convinced me of our desperate need of the grace, love, and truth of our Lord Jesus Christ.

            In Judges 1:19 we read the words of a clever author, "but they were unable to drive the people from the

plains, because they had iron chariots." The men of God could not defeat their enemies because of their limitations. It makes sense to us doesn't it? The enemy is just too strong for God, or God's chosen people just didn't have iron chariots? Did God use Gideon and three hundred men to drive out and terrorize thousands of trained soldiers with pots and pans mothers once used to cook little steaks for children in? Did Joshua fail in his pursuit of the heads of Jerichonians because Jericho had a massive wall around the city? The author of Judges is testing us. Why do you think the men of Judah failed in Judges 1:19? Please read Judges 2:1-3.

            Disobedience! God doesn't hold us accountable for our limitations but for what our actions are and where our hearts are. If we love him we will obey his commands right? If God tells us to love our neighbor and he happens to be homosexual, will you disobey God??

            I write to encourage you that through my limitations, God has been able to use me in mighty ways! Last night I found myself at a bar in Burlington playing pool and telling an old friend from high school with a drug problem (that I might have if I were in his shoes) that I will be praying for him every day and I got to witness to three people my age, one was homeless and was able to speak the wonders of God to my best friend in an Indian tea restaurant with Pagan statues and prayer circles all around us. I had a blast!

            I say this to brag about the faithfulness of Jesus, who said, "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full"-John 10:10. Trust me, at different times during the night, men threw bricks at my heart and I thought I would curl up and die, but through it I was able to listen to God's voice, "I am right here with you."

So tell God when you feel weak and ask Him to use you because when there is less of our Big Head, there is more room for Jesus to shine through us to pour himself over

his precious creation.

            Find life today through

the mercy of Jesus Christ.

I love and praise Jesus,

Love- Joe Cartier