FRIENDSHIP MINISTRIES FOUNDATION
	MONTHLY NEWSLETTER July, 2008 Recently I was having breakfast with Russ Cadle and, as is the case so often, he told a story that is so profound I will not soon forget it.  A friend of his was telling Russ “I have lost my enthusiasm for my faith.  When I read my bible I don’t get anything out of it.  When I pray, I might as well be talking to the trees.”  Then he asked the question that pulled him from the depths of despair to new excitement.  He asked, “What can I do to get back my enthusiasm for God?” Good question, huh?  It’s a question we all might have been well served to ask a time or two in our Christian walk. Russ didn’t give the advice so many others might have given like “try harder” or “you just have to discipline yourself more.”  Instead, as he always seems to do in such times of our lives, Russ gave the simple (but not easy) advice we have become accustomed to hearing from him.  “Take a piece of paper and write the names of ten people you need to love and then go love them.  It may be family, friends, or maybe even someone you don’t like,” he said. “What should I do to love them?” the friend asked. “I can’t tell you that.  You have to figure that out for yourself,” Russ replied. A couple weeks later he met with the friend who had taken Russ’ advice to heart and put into action.  “I can not thank you enough, Russ,” he said.  “I had been feuding with a man for forty years, put his name on my list and went to see him.  I apologized to him and he apologized to me.  We spent four hours together and” with tears running down his face he said, “We are now friends and are sorry for all the lost years of friendship we missed.”  He couldn’t thank Russ enough for being there for him. I can think of several similar such occasions in my life where he snatched victory out of the jaws of despair for me with just such simple (but not easy) advice.  Perhaps you can as well.  It is those times that we are fortunate to have so huge a resource to steer our spiritual compasses back to “true north.” Even the best of us need to have our spiritual compasses looked at now and then, if necessary, to be steered back on course.  Even Russ needs to know that the course he is heading with us will get us to our destination without too many storms.  That’s where we come in.  We can let him know how he is doing by praying regularly for him and Friendship Ministries Foundation, giving him a telephone call or e-mail once and a while and by supporting his ministry with our financial gifts. We all know that giving falls off precipitously during the summer months and that can be expected.  But, let us not become so busy with our summer activities that we take a vacation from our support of so meaningful a resource.  I can assure you, he will never take a vacation from our spiritual needs. Men, you have been nothing short of spectacular in your financial support for as many years as I can remember.  Russ and I thank you from hearts of gratitude.  Please remember Russ between your back yard cook outs, fishing trips (that’s my downfall), travels and naps in the hammock.  Have a great summer! Your Friend in Christ, Bob Nickle Robert Nickle, Board Member     THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THIS MINISTRY TO MEN SO THEY CAN HEAR THE "GOOD NEWS" AND HAVE HOPE!