It’s all about making a difference! Not because we have to, but simply because we can. With God’s help, we can! It’s not even all that difficult. Just doing what we can—whatever we can, whenever we can, wherever we go. As we reach out and touch the lives of others, just for that moment, their world may be a little better or, who knows, their lives may be changed forever—and for eternity. Some others may be inspired or encouraged to become more than they ever dreamed possible, even if it’s just for that moment.
If nobody reaches out, nobody gets touched. Embrace the challenge. And, when you accept this challenge, lives will be changed and inspired far beyond anything you could possibly imagine. It will be like a chain reaction. You don’t have to be anyone special or significant or even the least bit “gifted.” Just be the “gift” in the hands of God to the hurting around you. God takes care of the rest and multiplies you. You can become the beginning of a gift that keeps on giving. Look at this example—starting with a young teacher….
Late 1899—Katherine Plantz left her home in Hartford, Wisconsin to help and teach the impoverished people of eastern Tennessee. In January of 1902, she and her new husband, William Nowack of Watertown, Wisconsin, opened the Ebenezer Training School for Boys.
1905—The Nowacks sold Ebenezer to the Society of Soul Winners founded by Dr. Edward O. Guerrant to begin a faith-based mission in China.
1909—Leonora Whitaker, a 19-year-old girl from Dillingham, NC attending a retreat in Montreat, NC, not far from Asheville, listened to Dr. Guerrant as he told of the work at Ebenezer and the great need for teachers. After Christmas of that same year, Leonora arrived at Ebenezer Mission where she met John Wood. They married in May of 1910 and continued at the mission until March of 1912.
1919—Eight-year-old Opal Corn, started attending the mission school and was inspired by another mission worker, Miss Frances Marston, who told all the children over and over again, “you can become anything you want to be if you’re willing to work hard and never quit.”
“Miss Marston was always giving out hope and encouragement. She told us over and over again that we could do anything we wanted to do, be anything we wanted to be. ‘Just because you’re back here in this little community, don’t you ever think you can’t become something special! God has a wonderful purpose for your life and He will put special dreams deep into your heart to help you discover His plan. Your life work is to listen to God and to do what He says. With His help you can become anything He has planned for you to become. There are two very important things for you to always remember. First, even though it is extremely important to always work hard and do your best, you cannot do these things without God’s help because they will be too big for you to accomplish. And second, you must never get ahead of God’s plan for you. If you try to make things happen on your own, you will probably end up sorry you did not wait for God to work it out in His own timing. Even though this all sounds very difficult, it’s much easier if you just remember: Talk to God everyday; listen to God everyday; and everyday do what God tells you to do. It’s all about ‘trusting’ and ‘obeying’, and then He works out all the rest and you needn’t worry about it.’ Miss Marston gave us a lot of mini-sermons like that and it always made us feel like we could accomplish anything.” (Letters to Lori, pgs. 166 & 167)
February 1927—Miss Marston died
1928—Ebenezer Mission closed.
1933—Opal started teaching in the one-room schools of Cocke County, TN, where she taught her students that they could become anything they wanted to be if they were just willing to work hard and never quit.
1933-1991—Opal “became the mission” and for the rest of her life continued to teach both in the county schools and at Ebenezer Church.
1944—Opal purchased the mission property and an adjoining home site.
1959—Catherine Marshall decided to write the novel Christy based upon her parents’ (Leonora and John Wood) experiences at Ebenezer. Opal assisted her with the community history.
1967—Christy was published and soon became a national best seller.
1971—Barbara League read Christy and set out to find Ebenezer Mission’s location. She met Opal Myers and they became friends. Later, she and her husband became ministry workers and in 1990 Barbara began researching and writing the award winning book Letters to Lori: The Family History and Stories of Opal Corn Myers.
1994-1995— Amber watched the Christy TV Series. In 1998, at age 14, she read the book, and then in 2001 attended ChristyFest. Still inspired by Christy, she is now a missionary at McDowell Mission in Welch, VA.
November 2007—Letters to Lori is published
2008—Barbara designates all the profit from Letters to Lori to benefit selected missions and ministries.
Like I said earlier, “You don’t have to be anyone special or significant or even the least bit “gifted.” Just be the “gift” in the hands of God to the hurting around you. God takes care of the rest and multiplies you. You can become the beginning of a gift that keeps on giving”. I’m probably one of the most insignificant people you could ever meet. If you did meet me you would not likely be very impressed. But, because I long ago placed my life in God’s hands, he has allowed me to be a part of some amazing things, one of which was writing the book Letters to Lori. With this book, He has given me another gift to place in his hands so that he can multiply it and others will be helped, blessed and encouraged. I have learned that I don’t have to be “someone special”. I just simply have to “be”—be aware, be willing, be available. Who knows—maybe God will allow Letters to Lori to have a chain reaction like Katherine, Leonora, Frances, Opal, and Amber.