Letter Sent to a Pastor from a Sharpener

I wanted to share a letter that was emailed to me by Greg M. a new sharpener. I asked him if we could share it and he replied:



I'm glad my letter touched you. Feel free to share it with others as a testiment to the power of God and how he is willing to move heaven and earth when we follow his plan for us. In this case it seems the blessing was spread across three states. MI, GA, and CO. How great it is that your business brought all of us together across so many miles. Thank you, Greg



Here is Greg's letter to Pastor Charles Stanley of First Baptist Church here in Atlanta:

Dear Pastor Stanley,

I want to thank you and to share Gods works through your ministry, in my life.I recently rededicated my life to God, as a result of things going so wrong and coming to the realization at the advice of my family doctor to turn it over to God. I live in Michigan and was desperate for a job. The stress was overwhelming at times. I had lost my job as a Sheriff’s Deputy (That I loved). I have 3 little children and needed something to support them, and supplement my wife's income. I was looking through a dog grooming magazine, and saw an ad for scissor sharpening as a home based business. Now I have never given any thought to this as a career, hobby, or anything else. I had even seen that add a couple of times as I flipped through that magazine at different times over the last couple of months since getting it. (This time was different. I had recently rededicated my life to the God, and was gaining strength in him through your on line ministry.) I called the number on the ad, and found that this person was not someone I wanted to invest money with. Further research led me to a company called Bonika Shears from Duluth, GA. They are a Christian family that make shears and equipment to sharpen them. I felt God was leading me to them. We spoke several times on the phone about the prospect of me starting a business as a sharpener and taking training with them. But how would I raise the almost $5000.00 I needed. Well I left it to God and drew patients from Mathew 6:25 - 34, and Mathew 7:7. As it turned out our tax refund worked out to be enough to cover the expense, Praise God! Well we finally received my W-2 from the Sheriff’s Department, and we went up a tax bracket once again putting the goal out of reach. I continued to pray, and give thanks to God for his continued grace and giving me peace, as I knew he would provide a lamb, if I was truly following his will for me. Would you know that around a week later I got a call from a Police Officer in Colorado who was running a sharpening business, because he could no longer be an officer due to the fact that he had been shot in the line of duty and was paralyzed from the chest down. Toby (the officer) had the machine and equipment I needed to start my business, and needed to sell it because his hands are getting bad from wheeling himself in his wheel chair. Here is where the true Grace of God comes into play. The price for this used equipment was exactly what I needed for me to faithfully pursue my goal of starting a business. The cost of the used equipment, the trip to Duluth, Ga, the training, and the start up inventory all equaled exactly what I had to invest through that now lower tax refund. Praise God! I was getting a new start, and giving Toby a break at the same time. God blessed both of us at once, and allowed us to come together through Bonika Shears.I went to GA, and took my training with that wonderful family and had hoped to come to see you preach while I was down there. As it turned out, I did not make it to your church as a matter of timing and expense of the extra night in a motel, but I did ask God to continue to bless you as you continue in your wonderful life changing work. I feel so blessed as a result of your ministry and that great advice from my doctor to give it all to the lord. We have a truly wonderful Lord.My business is growing slowly, but has been a very positive experience. I am excitedly looking forward to my future being led by God.Incidentally I listened to your sermon about your grandfather today. The part about seeing the falling stars as a sign from God to lead him and yourself, prompted me to want to share my story too. Your preaching has been a major contributing factor to saving me, and helping me to deliver myself to God.Thank you,Your friend and brother in Christ,Greg M.