Guideposts-A Bit of Inspiration Fills My Mailbox Each Month!

I have been getting Guideposts for a little over a year now. I enjoy this small magazine because it is filled with stories that are although short (each no more than two three pages), provide me with inspiration. True stories of people who overcome obstacles, face physical, and/or psychological hardships and challenges, and survived. Uplifting stories of life events that can and do happen to ordinary people.

There are even short, succinct biographies in this magazine, the latest one on Charles Osgood, Host of CBS News Sunday Morning, focusing on how he had gotten his start in Broadcasting. Majoring in economics at Fordham University, Osgood had planned to spend his working life in the business end of broadcasting, instead ended up in front of the TV cameras.

One recent story I read was of a mother’s nightmare when her grown son, who is autistic is arrested for robbing a bank, a task, his mother tries to explain to the authorities is far too complicated for her son to pull off. Yet, it seems wanting to please the police who had interrogated him, he did confess to the crime, simply because he figures by doing so would be able to go back to work. Here again we are shown through this story that hope and faith will prevail. A man does come forth and confesses to the robbery plus others he had committed in the area, and all charges against Mike (the mother's son) are dismissed.

From these stories we learn for many of us life is really at times steps of small seemingly defeating failures that can eventually lead to success. We learn that at times we simply must let go, and let a Higher Power help us. And what I love most about these stories is how they remind us of what really counts. Despite the never ending bills, or the lack of time to do everything that needs to be done, not to mention the lack of energy at times to do them, what’s really important is helping each other.

In fact to “quote” and I repeat "quote" from a passage from one story, so please no one take this as my own wording “. . . if you give the time to God (or a higher power) he/she gives you the energy to make the most out of it.” (If I get NR's for this quote, well then so be it.)

Regular features, short shorts, found every month in this magazine are:

His Mysterious Ways – Unexplained happening or events that make one wonder if indeed there is such a thing a divine intervention. After reading these one comes away with feeling there certainly is.
What Prayer Can Do –Self-explanatory I think.
Holidays and Holy Days: -- a description of those days for that particular month.
Family Room:. – a brief overview of the people in the stories for that particular month.
The Divine Touch: Again, a story about unexplainable occurrences that often touch the heart.
Pass it On: People helping others.

At 9:45 every morning the staff at Guidepost meets to pray. In fact they even offer to pray for their readers. One can write to Guideposts at Prayer Fellowship, P. O. Box 8001, Pawling, NY 12564 or visit their Web site at www.guideposts.org to post a prayer request.

A subscription for one year is $12.97: For two years $20.97.

I think this magazine would make an ideal gift subscription for anyone, young and old but particularly for shut-ins, older folks, although as I stated, young folks would certainly benefit from these inspirational stories. You can even order a gift subscription in large print for the visually impaired.