Heart Touchers

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*The Parable of the Stones* 11/6/01

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Michael's long awaited book Straight From the Heart:
"A Celebration of Life," is finally here! Close to 200
pages of true short stories filled with love and laughter
await you! Visit our web site to order the EBook, or
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Michael T. Powers
1918 Liberty Lane
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It is with the utmost pleasure that I bring a story
to you today by one of my favorite authors: Max
Lucado. I don't think I have ever read something
by him that I did not love and today's story is no
exception. May his words touch your heart in a
special way...

Our thanks to Mr. Lucado and his ministry for
graciously sharing his stories with us. Be sure to
send him an e-mail and visit his web site today!

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The Parable of the Stones

By Max Lucado

A wife of noble character who can find?
She is worth far more than rubies.
-- Proverbs 3 1:10 (NW)

I MUST WARN you, reader; before you begin. These
words are ancient jewels mined from the quarry of my
life. Read them only if you dare treasure them. For
it would be better to never know, than to know and not obey.

The hand which writes them is now old, wrinkled from
the sun and labor. But the mind which guides them
is wise --

wise from years
wise from failures
wise from heartache.
I am Asmara, merchant of fine stones.

I am a seller of stones. I travel from city to city. I
buy jewels from the diggers in one land and sell
them to the buyers in another I have weathered
nights on stormy waters. I have walked days through
desert heat. I have dined with kings. I have drunk
with paupers. My hands have held the finest rubies
and stroked the deepest furs. But I would trade it
all for the one jewel I never knew.

It was not for lack of opportunity that I never held it.
There was a chance in Madrid when I was young.
No, it was not for lack of opportunity. It was for lack
of wisdom. The jewel was in my hand, but I
exchanged it for an imitation. And now I fear
my days will end without my ever knowing the
beauty of the precious stone.

I have never known true love.

I have known embraces. I have seen beauty. But
I have never known love.

If only I'd learned to recognize love as I have
learned to recognize stones.

My father taught me about stones. He was a jewel
cutter. He would seat me at a table before a dozen
emeralds. "One is true," he would tell me. "The
others are false. Find the true jewel."

I would ponder-studying one after the other. Finally
I would choose. I was always wrong.

"The secret, "he would say," is not on the surface
of the stone; it is inside the stone. A true jewel has
a glow. Deep within the gem there is a flame. The
surface can always be polished to shine, but with
time the sparkle fades. However, the stone that
shines from within will never fade."

With the years, my eyes learned to spot true stones.
I am never fooled. The stones I purchase are authentic.
The gems I sell are true. I have learned to see the
light within.

If only I'd learned the same about love.

But I've been foolish, dear reader, and I've been fooled.

I've spent my life in places I shouldn't have been,
looking for someone with sparkling eyes, beautiful
hair, a dazzling smile, and fancy clothes. I've
searched for a woman with outer beauty, but
no true value. And now I am left with emptiness.

Once I almost found her. Many years ago in
Madrid, I met the daughter of a farmer. Her
ways were simple. Her love was pure. Her
eyes were honest. But her looks were plain.
She would have loved me. She would have held
me through every season. Within her was a
glow of devotion the like of which I've never
seen since.

But I continued looking for someone whose beauty
would outshine the rest.

How many times since have I longed for that farm
girl's kind heart, her sweet smile, her faithfulness?
If only I'd known that true beauty is found inside,
not outside. If only I'd known, how many tears
would I have saved?

I'd trade in a moment a thousand rare gems for
the true heart of one who would have loved me.

Dear reader, heed my warning. Look closely at the
stones before you open your purse. True love
glows from within and grows stronger with the
passage of time.

Heed my caution. Look for the purest gem. Look
deep within the heart to find the greatest beauty
of all. And when you find that gem, hold onto her
and never let her go.

For in her you have been granted a treasure worth
far more than rubies.

Seek beauty and miss love.

But seek love and find both.

Max Lucado
ministry@maxlucado.com

Send Max an e-mail and let him know what you thought of his story!

From "In the Eye of the Storm," by Max Lucado, Copyright (c) 1991
by Word Publishing (Used by Permission)
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With more than 15 million books in print, Max Lucado has touched millions with his signature storytelling writing style. Awards and accolades follow Max with each book he writes. Max is the first author to win the Gold Medallion Christian Book of the Year three times-1999 for Just Like Jesus, 1997 for In the Grip of Grace and 1995 for When God Whispers Your Name.

In 1994, he became the only author to have 11 of his twelve books in print simultaneously appear on paperback, hardcover and children's CBA bestseller lists. Lucado set a new industry record by concurrently placing seven different Word titles on the CBA Hardcover Bestseller List in both March and April 1997. A Max Lucado title has appeared on the CBA hardcover bestseller list every month for the past seven years. His newest book, He Chose the Nails, was released in August 2000.

Max serves as the pulpit minister of the Oak Hills Church of Christ in San Antonio, Texas. But he says his greatest accomplishment is finding a one-in-a-million wife in Denalyn and having three unbelievable daughters: Jenna, Andrea, and Sara.

You can visit his web site at: http://www.maxlucado.com

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Thought For The Day:

"The future is something which everyone reaches
at the rate of sixty minutes an hour, whatever he
does, whoever he is." -- C.S. Lewis

Verse for the Day:

"For the revelation awaits an appointed time;
it speaks of the end and will not prove false.
Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come
and will not delay."
Habakkuk 2:3

Kid's Thought For The Day:

"It's so hard not to swallow the gum."

Parent's Thought For The Day:

"Why did the turtles on "Teenaged Mutant Ninja Turtles"
have masks? What were they trying to hide? Did
they think they could fool their enemies with their
strategically placed masks?"

Coach's Thought For The Day:

"Ability may get you to the top, but it takes
character to keep you there..." --John Wooden

Deep Thought For The Day:

"Streakers re-pant! Your end is in sight."

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_
/_/\/\    MICHAEL T. POWERS
\_\ /    HeartTouchers@aol.com
/_/ \    "For I have been crucified with Christ and I no
\_\/\ \   longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I
\_\/   live in the body I live for the Son of God, who
   loved me and gave Himself for me."
   Galatians 2:20
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for the video too! Thanks again!"
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