HOW TO LESSEN ANXIETY

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Can you imagine the kind of spiritual strength the Apostle Paul must have had to handle all the anxious moments he endured? When we read of his travels it may be easier to believe that he was a super Christian. You know, like Superman, impervious to all the slings and arrows

thrown at him. But no where in the Bible is he described that way… only that he was a true believer. Wandering and preaching his message - a message sometimes so rejected he was thrown into jail - and yet always trusting in the Lord. Keeping on when most people would have said, "I gave it a good try but enough already."

But loyal Jesus-people do that...find that special spiritual strength and don't become most people.

One of the great anxieties of today is what I call THE ANXIETY OF STUFF. You know, the acquiring of more than we can afford so we can worry about not being able to pay for what we should have known better than to buy in the first place.

A staggering statistic explains why this anxiety is rife in America today. The average American spends 10 percent more than they earn in pursuit of the good life. A staggering statistic!

I love the way one person defined this kind of anxiety - a gap between one's demands and one's resources. We have become too impatient to wait till we can really afford something so we actually choose the problems this “gap” causes.

Robert Kanigel describes it this way, “The right to choose is as American as apple pie (or pumpkin pie or Boston cream pie or pecan pie).”

There used to be such a thing as delayed satisfaction. As a little boy growing up during the depression, I waited through 4 Christmases to get a flying toy I so badly wanted. Don’t misunderstand me, I would have much preferred it that first Christmas, but in those days in my family if you couldn't afford it, you didn't get it. It was that simple. And it was just as good 4 years later as it would have been without the waiting.

I doubt that would happen today. The average 21st century parental response is, my child wants it – I MUST get it for him or her. NOW!

And of course the kids agree with this wholeheartedly – only perpetuating the Anxiety of Stuff.

“For every thing there is a season,” says the writer of Ecclesiastes.

A time to weep, and a time to laugh

A time to mourn, and a time to dance;

A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

A time to keep, and a time to cast away;

A time to break down, and a time to build up.

(Ecc. 3:2-7 rearranged)

And perhaps that is a good place to begin when we are overwhelmed with the anxiety of loss...

be it personal loss or financial loss or the loss of health...or... Get on with it, with whatever is left. Study the speed of the season in which we find ourselves and adjust to that speed. Find a rhythm that works and adapt to that rhythm.

I've done that with my accidents and illnesses, slowed down and adapted and not fussed about it when I couldn't speed up as soon as I wanted. Affirmed that God is in charge and that my time is overlaid with the timelessness of eternity.

So cool it. You know anxiety has not so much to do with what is happening to us as our response to what is happening to us.

It is our choice as to whether we apply the anxiety multiplication table or develop inner spiritual strengths that stabilize our emotions.

Develop inner spiritual strengths? Are you asking, How do I do that? By prayer and Bible reading? Of course, but another very practical way to lower your anxiety level is to think less of yourself and more of others.

Being selfish and self-centered can only make you more anxious; but if you give more than you want to get, help more than you want to be helped, you will be so over-whelmed with others you will have little time or energy left to be so anxious about yourself.

This is over simplification, I know, but it has worked for others, so try it.

ARE YOU AS CLOSE TO GOD AS YOU WANT TO BE?

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Matthew 5:6
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled.

This morning I want to introduce you to two people…and both of them are you – but the choice of which you are, God has left up to you.

To begin this introduction, I want you to imagine that it is tomorrow morning and YOU #1 has been away from home no more than five minutes when another one of those road hogs with piggish precision almost takes off your front bumper.

Of course, you lay on your horn.  And you honk again, but longer and louder this second time.  At the next traffic light you pull up beside his car and let him know, by all the unacceptable ways you know that you are angry with him.  That at that moment, a hanging or guillotine would be too good for him.

At work, still carrying this hot-under-the-collar mood, you are rude to customers or other office staff, or anyone who comes in contact with you.  The me-first, brutish behavior of the man in that car has ruined your day and you just can’t, or won’t, let go of it.

At the end of the day you slam the front door as you walk into your home and wearing a scowl fit for a King who has been crossed by another kingdom, you take out your lingering anger on your poor unsuspecting spouse.

That was the first you of the two of you.

Now, let me introduce YOU #2.

Again imagine that it is tomorrow morning and you have been away from home no more than five minutes when another one of those road hogs with piggish precision almost takes off your front bumper.

Momentarily you start to lay on your horn but instead, you lay down a prayer, “Lord, save me from meeting brutish behavior with more of the same.” 

You’ve held your anger in check and you feel good about it.  This is who you are and who you have become. 

So you continue to pray for that individual in the other car: 

“Dear Lord, perhaps he’s just had an argument with his spouse.  Or maybe he’s always like this; rude and thoughtless and wearing a “me-first attitude” as if it were a crown and he were King of the Road.  Whatever is his problem, Lord, I pray for the both of us for life is too short for two angry individuals to act like fools.

And as a strange, wonderful kind of peace descends, you continue: “Thank you, Lord, for the privilege of my Christianity and my ability to sometimes act like that is what and who I am.”

For yes, you can remember the times when you did not pray.  Instead met anger with anger that did not help the day, nor help the night when you angrily crossed your own threshold hours later.

And having prayed to Christ and acted a little more Christ-like, the confidence you have in your God, has grown by leaps and bounds for you have prayed to be a better person, a Christian person, and He has answered your prayer.

Part of the peace you feel is caused by the fact that you are not surprised for He has promised, “I am come that you might have life and that you mighty have it more abundantly.”

       My first pastorate was a rural community in Virginia.  When I arrived there in 1954, I learned that the area had actually only had electricity for six years.  Because I was a city boy, it seemed incredible that they had only enjoyed this modern convenience since 1948.

       However, I was told a story that seemed even more incredible, but the teller of the story assured me it was true.  

A woman had had electricity installed in her house at great expense but the power company noticed that her meter showed she was using almost no electricity at all.  Fearing that there was a problem she had not reported, they sent a meter reader to check on the matter. 

He saw that the power was indeed working properly and so asked the woman, “Do you use the electricity?” 

She replied, “Of course we do.  We turn it on every night so we can more easily see to light our gas lights and then we turn it off.”

Ridiculous?  Yes.  Having all that power and not using it.

But some do that with God, don’t they?  Saving real prayer power for only really big problems.  Someone is sick and dying, a major decision needs to be made and prayer time is then ratcheted up to full force.

Understandable?  Unfortunately, yes. 

But why not place this confidence in God for minor moments and decisions, as well?  For there is a real danger here, this lack of confidence in and prayer toward the living God.  If we are not careful, one day those ever-so-occasional prayers will become so seldom a truck could be driven through the space left since last a real deep confidence-in-God prayer was lifted up.  And then Bible readings stretch weeks and months apart. 

As I said in the beginning – God has left the choices up to each of us.  So consider where you put God in your daily life and the results of that assignment.

       If you seldom think of God in your busy days, your confidence in Him will be at low ebb because the best way to weaken a relationship is to fail to relate.

All that power and peace available, and passed by.  Sad…truly sad.

It’s not what God has in mind when he made us

“The Lord said, ‘Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.’ So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” (Gen. 1:26,27)

Our God gave us a mind (spirit), so that we could know Him.

Our God gave us a heart (emotions), so that we could love Him.

Our God gave us a will (freedom of choice), so that we could decide to obey Him.

Believe it...act on it.

(to be continued)

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          "Positive, powerful utterances...skillfully enhancing our understaning and appreciation of Lincoln...(Lt. Colonel C.A.Olsen (Ret.) Asbury College (Professor Ret.)

          "Wyrick has authored a wonderful examination of the spirituality of one of American history's most devoutly religious leaders...a pleasant and readable book that has a rich depth of information.  (Maynard Pittendreigh, Presbyterian Minister)

          "THE SPIRITUAL ABRAHAM LINCOLN is an extremely well written book...it is both scholarly and very readable.  I came away impressed at Mr. Wyrick's portrayal of that President with an altered and enlarged vision of the man. (William Hoffman, Award winning fiction writer, author of Blood and Guile, and Wild Thorn.)  

                          

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        V. Neil Wyrick’s ninth book THE SPIRITUAL ABRAHAM LINCOLN and is available at

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CHRISTIAN CHARACTER (A Continuation)

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John Wesley, the 18th century English evangelist who is credited with starting the Methodist Church, traveled an average of 20 miles a day for 40 years.

He got up every morning at 4:00.

He preached 40,000 sermons.

He produced 400 books and knew 10 languages.

At the age of 83, he was annoyed because he couldn’t write more than 15 hours a day without hurting his eyes, and at the age of 86, he was ashamed that he couldn’t preach more than twice a day.  He complained in his diary that he had an increasing tendency to lay in bed until 5:30 in the morning.

       According to the Book of Numbers, 600,000 men were led out of slavery in Egypt that they might be led to the Promised Land.  Including women and children, the total number of Israelites was around 2 million.  But, how many “finished the race and claimed the prize?” How many adults actually entered into and reaped God’s blessings in the Promised Land? 

Two! - Joshua and Caleb.
What happened to the rest?  The Bible tells us they were disqualified due to their sins – choosing to follow ways other than God’s ways, to rely on powers other than His Might, to worship idols rather than the Holy One.

What happened to those who were disqualified?  They all died, never seeing or tasting God's greatest blessings!

       It still happens all the time...and we are a long ways removed from Moses time.

Disqualification from the peace and power of the Lord because of no self discipline.

       If someone were to ask us to think of some men and women who practiced the characteristics of Christian character it is quite likely we would simultaneously think of some of the same people.

The honesty of George Washington who it is claimed confessed to the chopping down of a cherry tree. And young Abraham Lincoln who once walked miles to return a few pennies to a woman he had mistakenly overcharged.

The compassion of Jane Addams, the founder of Hull House.

The courage of Nathan Hale, who regretted he had but one life to give for his country.

Did any of us think of each other?  Is the Christian character of any of us so strong that our name automatically shot to the top of the list?

       A little girl overheard her wealthy father praying for a destitute neighbor.  When the prayer was over the daughter asked, "Daddy, why trouble God with that?

You can give our neighbor what he needs."

Prayer is certainly important, but think how often we are so busy praying for our neighbor we don't take the time to do something about our neighbors problem ourselves. 

People of Christian character DO GOOD things.  They do it when it is convenient.  They do it when it is inconvenient.  They do it when they want to do it.  They do it when it is the last thing they want to do.

When it comes to having a moral, Christian code and living by it, do you want to be just average?  Do you want your guiding word to be "sometimes?"

Don't do that to yourself.  Instead create a person of spiritual and moral discipline.  Live tall and sun crowned above the crowd. Allow Christian character to be your new middle name

(to be continued).

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Click on the URL below to WATCH NEIL IN HIS WORLD FAMOUS ONE MAN DRAMATIZATIONS OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN, BEN FRANKLIN, CHARLES WESLEY AND MARTIN LUTHER

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        DO YOU HAVE A HISTORY BUFF IN YOUR FAMILY?...Why not give THIS HIGHLY ACCLAIMED  BOOK

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       AVAILABLE ON AMAZON.COM and amazon.com Kindle

OTHER BOOKS BY REV. WYRICK

Poor Richard's Almanack for the 20th Century

Sixty Plus and Not Holding

Boundaries Unlimited

I Am

The ABC"s of Parenting and Grandparenting

Letters to America

http://www.magnuspress.com/OurProducts2.html 

       25% off all books, buy 4 get 1 free and free shipping

       Phone Orders:  800-463-7818

HOW TO LESSEN ANXIETY

If you want to share this blog with a friend go to the bottom of day’s content and click on TELL A FRIEND
       There are over 900 stories and commentaries on Neil’s other blog One A Day, Your Spiritual Vitamins that began on Nov 24, 2009. It is added to daily.
       TO GO TO NEIL’S OTHER BLOG ONE A DAY, YOUR SPIRITUAL VITAMINS click on the following URL
       http://oneadayyourspiritualvitamins.blogspot.com/
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"No man can serve two masters." (Matthew 6:24) I’m sure you've heard that scripture often enough.  Perhaps so often, it has become one of those truths that has lost a lot of its ability to start you in the right direction.

In short, divided loyalty doesn't produce stabilized sanity.  You see, if an individual sings, "What a friend we have in Jesus" and his or her best friend is a bank account, or political or corporate or family power, or some particular sin addicted to, then this is more than trying to serve two masters, this is putting one's faith second or third in line.  And that spells Trouble with a capital T.  The kind of Trouble that can only come from turning to a shaky faith when we are in deed in trouble.

So let's get our priorities straight:  money is for our wallet; power is for our ego, the Holy Spirit is for our soul. Get that proportion and destination mixed up and you are in for a lot of inner conflict. 

Anxiety out of proportion makes us become like a centipede trying to put his best foot forward.

Consider the first commandment God gave to Moses: "You shall have no other gods before Me" (Exodus 20:3, Deut. 5:7).  In other words, we should trust God alone.  And certainly not fall victim to claiming we are the Master of our fate or the Captain of our Soul.

Let me paint a mental picture for you of the kind of fidelity I am really talking about; a mental picture that hopefully will make you really stop and think.

The fidelity you feel toward your Lord, does it equal that of a dog toward his Master? That's right.  Unwavering.  Steady as a rock.  Unbounded enthusiasm and faith.  An ongoing commitment to a fidelity of head and heart.

Indeed, imagine your life being one so dedicated to God that when you die there is engraved on your gravestone:

Here lies a Christian who never wavered in his faithfulness to God

       A realization that one may stumble and even fall, but this only for a brief moment as one rises to continue on.

The Bible says in Proverbs 3:5-6,

Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight.

There is the beginning, the bedrock basis, of being better able to handle your anxieties.  Lean on the Lord as you work and pray toward not walking crooked paths.

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          "Positive, powerful utterances...skillfully enhancing our understaning and appreciation of Lincoln...(Lt. Colonel C.A.Olsen (Ret.) Asbury College (Professor Ret.)

          "Wyrick has authored a wonderful examination of the spirituality of one of American history's most devoutly religious leaders...a pleasant and readable book that has a rich depth of information.  (Maynard Pittendreigh, Presbyterian Minister)

          "THE SPIRITUAL ABRAHAM LINCOLN is an extremely well written book...it is both scholarly and very readable.  I came away impressed at Mr. Wyrick's portrayal of that President with an altered and enlarged vision of the man. (William Hoffman, Award winning fiction writer, author of Blood and Guile, and Wild Thorn.)                                              

GO TO SPEAKER.NEIL TO SEE NEIL'S ONE MAN AWARD WINNING DRAMATIZATION OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN

. CLICK ON THE FOLLOWING

http://www.speakerneil.com/

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BELOW...ON... ONE A DAY, YOUR SPIRITUAL VITAMINS BLOG....RECENT POSTINGS

“WHICH IS BETTER TO BE?  A WINDOW OR A DOOR” ” “BE A RAINBOW SEARCHER AND FINDER” “IS YOUR SENSE OF HUMOR STILL UNDER CONSTRUCTION?

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TO WATCH NEIL WYRICK IN HIS ONE MAN DRAMAS (Presented to millions all around the world) (Ben Franiklin, Martin Luther, Charles Wesley and Abraham Lincoln (this Lincoln film takes 11 seconds to download but is worth the wait)

CLICK ON THE FOLLOWING

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          V. Neil Wyrick’s ninth book THE SPIRITUAL ABRAHAM LINCOLN and is available at

MAGNUS PRESS

          AVAILABLE ON AMAZON.COM’S Kindle

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25% Phone Orders:  800-463-7818

ACCOUNTABILITY (Continuation of Series)

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At what age did we become accountable?  How many years have we had to work on it? 

Jesus was 12 when we stood in the temple at Passover time and began to ask accountability questions.  So most of us here this morning have had a lot of opportunities to live responsible lives.

Speaking of accountability, did you know that Teddy Kollek, the mayor of Jerusalem has his home phone number is listed in the telephone directory so that any one in the city can call him at any time.

“It gives the people a good feeling to know that when they can’t get through to the bureaucracy they can call me.”  The temperamental Kollek has been known to slam down the telephone when in his office but he never hangs up when someone calls him at his home.

A case in point.  A young man had hit a pot hole and the accident injured both the young man and his motor scooter.  When he called it was quite late and the young man apologized for calling so late but as he said, “If I didn’t call you now when I’m angry, I know I won’t call tomorrow.  And if I did I wouldn’t get you in your office.”

Kollek good-naturedly took down the location of the pothole and, the next morning, ordered the highway department to fix it.

Not many mayors have done this or will do this.  Few of us, mayor or not, are willing to take accountability this far.  But think what kind of a world it would be if we did.

There are certain things we must do to reach a point where we accept the fact we are accountable to our God and our fellowman for our actions.

We must become vulnerable, that is to say we must forgo excuses and face facts whether they are good, bad or indifferent.

We have to become teachable, whether it is from the Bible, from a friend, from our own conscience, from an answer to a prayer, “Lord, guide me in the right paths.”

We must work toward being available for change at all times.  We can’t just become better when the mood strikes us.

We must be honest with ourselves even if the truth hurts.

What will stop us from doing this?

Proverbs gives an answer,  Prov 13:10) “Pride only breeds quarrels, but wisdom is found in those who take advice.”

(Prov 13:18) He who ignores discipline comes to poverty and shame, but whoever heeds correction is honored.

Prov 13:20) He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.

So to you and to me I say do it.  Buy into the truth that we are all accountable to each other and to our God to be the best kind of person we can.

Because…

When I know I can count on you, in our relationship, can trust you and know that we are truly brothers and sisters in Christ, then I have a gift beyond compare.

 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

          GO TO AMAZON.COM TO PURCHASE Neil's best selling book"THE SPIRITUAL ABRAHAM LINCOLN" that is still receiving rave reviews 8 years after it's publication.

          "Positive, powerful utterances...skillfully enhancing our understaning and appreciation of Lincoln...(Lt. Colonel C.A.Olsen (Ret.) Asbury College (Professor Ret.)

          "Wyrick has authored a wonderful examination of the spirituality of one of American history's most devoutly religious leaders...a pleasant and readable book that has a rich depth of information.  (Maynard Pittendreigh, Presbyterian Minister)

          "THE SPIRITUAL ABRAHAM LINCOLN is an extremely well written book...it is both scholarly and very readable.  I came away impressed at Mr. Wyrick's portrayal of that President with an altered and enlarged vision of the man. (William Hoffman, Award winning fiction writer, author of Blood and Guile, and Wild Thorn.)  

                    

GO TO SPEAKER.NEIL TO SEE NEIL'S ONE MAN AWARD WINNING DRAMATIZATION OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN

                  &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

            Click on the URL below to WATCH NEIL IN HIS WORLD FAMOUS ONE MAN DRAMATIZATIONS OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN, BEN FRANKLIN, CHARLES WESLEY AND MARTIN LUTHER

        CLICK ON THE FOLLOWING

       http://www.speakerneil.com/

        V. Neil Wyrick’s ninth book THE SPIRITUAL ABRAHAM LINCOLN and is available at

MAGNUS PRESS

        AVAILABLE ON AMAZON.COM’S Kindle

http://www.magnuspress.com/OurProducts2.html 

          25% off all books, buy 4 get 1 free and free shipping

        Phone Orders:  800-463-7818

CHRISTIAN CHARACTER

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEND THIS BLOG TO A FRIEND GO TO THE BOTTOM OF these comments AND CLICK ON THE ENVELOPE.
          There are over 900 stories and commentaries on this blog that began Nov 24, 2009. It is added to daily.
          To Visit neil's other blog One A Day Your Spiritual Vitamins click on the following  
 http://oneadayyourspiritualvitamins.blogspot.com/
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Tomorrow will you be the same person of character at work as you were when you went to church?

A question?  How many followed the crowd to Golgotha only because that is where the crowd was going?  I guess what I am saying is your character more than cosmetics.

          As I drove up through a five story parking garage this last week, I looked at all the tonnage parked there: one heavy car after the other, and considered the integrity of the building. Was it safe?  Why?  Well, though it looked good on the outside, the architectural steel that held it together could not be seen, so how was I to know that it is actually safe? 

I had to rely on the integrity of the construction company, and the inspectors, and all the rest of the people responsible for the building’s integrity...

But some buildings in this world are poorly built and the infrastructure cannot be trusted.  There is no integrity in the building or the builders and the inspectors are bribed.  And one day, for little or no reason, such buildings begin to disintegrate.  Or in case of earthquakes and such, they totally crumble. 

          So what does this have to do with your Christian character?  Well, how is your emotional and spiritual infrastructure?  That which cannot be seen from the outside?  Has your integrity been compromised for a dozen different reasons?

You look good on the outside and I hope and pray you are largely good on the inside, too (no one is perfect) and therefore with no fear of collapse.  But what if the crowd around you keeps saying "Don’t be a sucker?  Everyone does it."...whatever "it" is?  How strong are your hidden heart attitudes?  What does your spiritual architectural blue print look like?

          John Wooden, former basketball coach for the UCLA Bruins often said, "Be more concerned with your character than with your reputation.  Your character is what you really are while your reputation is merely what others think you are."

As you consider with me this morn the subject of Christian character, just remember

Fame is a vapor,
Popularity an accident.
Riches take wings.
Only one thing endures,
Character.

          Benjamin Franklin was committed to making himself a better person, so much so that he carried around a little book with a list of 13 virtues that he wanted to incorporate into his life.  And each day he would concentrate on a different virtue.

          Willie Nelson apparently at one time owned a golf course.  He said the great thing about owning a golf course was that he could decide what was par for each hole.  He pointed at one hole and said, "See that hole there? It’s a par 47.  Yesterday I birdied it."

 

          A question?  If life were a golf course are you busy turning bogies into birdies; poor games into championship games by just rewriting how you keep the score rather than reworking how you are really playing the game?

          "Only the disciplined ever get really good at anything."  And certainly that is true of the game of life.  A case in point.  One man said to another man seated by him in church, "I’d give my life to know the Bible as well as you do."  To which the other man replied, "That’s what it has taken."

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Click on the URL below to WATCH NEIL IN HIS WORLD FAMOUS ONE MAN DRAMATIZATIONS OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN, BEN FRANKLIN, CHARLES WESLEY AND MARTIN LUTHER

       http://www.speakerneil.com/

        DO YOU HAVE A HISTORY BUFF IN YOUR FAMILY?...Why not give THIS HIGHLY ACCLAIMED  BOOK

        To buy Neil's 9th book THE SPIRITUAL ABRAHAM LINCOLN or other of his books click on the following

http://www.magnuspress.com/

OR GO TO AMAZON.COM

 

       AVAILABLE ON AMAZON.COM and amazon.com Kindle

OTHER BOOKS BY REV. WYRICK

Poor Richard's Almanack for the 20th Century

Sixty Plus and Not Holding

Boundaries Unlimited

I Am

The ABC"s of Parenting and Grandparenting

Letters to America

http://www.magnuspress.com/OurProducts2.html 

       25% off all books, buy 4 get 1 free and free shipping

       Phone Orders:  800-463-7818

(to be continued)