The beauty of friendship!!

Homage To The Mistery Of Friendship.

King David had a true friend named Nathan the Prophet.

Gerry Gutierrez has a true friend in the Honorable US Congressman Stan Holmes.

Many years ago, while I was working in Washington DC Stan was the Chairman of the Presidential National Prayer Breakfast. He stole my heart by extending an invitation to my best and lifelong friend of 70 years Jose Ovidio Coronel Aguirre from the Andes Mountains of Peru. The invitation was to the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington DC of President George Bush.

Today is My 76 Birthday and with the permission of my brother and friend Stan I want to celebrate my birthday by sharing this letter which is to me like a confession from a personal prophet.

I write because I have a Pen but my brother Stan writes because he knows how to write.

Please welcome this letter in your hearts as faithful and true brcauset in my limitations I cannot express it as beautifully as Stan Holmes writes.

Gerry Gutierrez.

(My friend Jose just called for my birthday. It was so fun to hear his voice.)

Yesterday morning I gave up on sleep and came downstairs for my first cup of coffee at 3:45am. I had and have many things on my mind and as I lay there, I became more and more agitated about some of them.

I was dealing with agitation about the world, my work, some of the people I work with, the global issues affecting all of us, the lack of healthy leadership on much of the world stage… I was thinking about so many people dying in so many places due to the bad decisions of a few people who are in positions of power either by election or force of arms. I was asking God why He doesn’t “take some of them out”.

The thought that kept (and keeps) coming to my mind and spirit is, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” (Proverbs 14:11)

The problem with our world today is the same problem that has been with us since the beginning of time- we are selfish and blind and ignorant and full of our own selfish desires and disdain for the desires and ideas of others. (Ouch!)

I am ok thinking that about you, but it hurts when I have to admit that I am guilty of every sin that I accuse others of having. When Jesus came into my life, I was almost totally ignorant of God’s plan for me and His expectations and dreams for me. I thought it was all about me and doing what I thought was best. Now, after 55 years of following Jesus pretty radically, I find I still have much of that same attitude. I think I deserve to not have co-workers do things to undermine my efforts or do things to promote themselves at the expense of some of my friends. I think that others should think and act the way that (I believe) I think and act. In other words, I think more highly of myself than I ought! It is not about me. It is about Jesus. There needs to be less of me and more of me getting out of the way, surrendering ownership and letting Jesus do what He intends to do and what we need Him to do.

“Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’” (John 14:6)

What is keeping you awake at night or waking you up in the morning? Is it something you can change or fix or clean up? Is it something you should take action on? If so, then do it. If not, then let it go. Leave it in Jesus’ hands and walk by faith in the freedom-giving light and life of Jesus!

“Lord Jesus, help me, help us be all that you intend us to be. You designed us and shaped us and molded us into a unique and special person. We are your workmanship! Help us to be who You designed us to be- more today than ever before and more tomorrow than today.

Thank You, Jesus!”

Stan.