Testimony Of A Turtle

                                   BY

                              PHIL SCOVELL





                          Copyright (C) 1997/2003

                            By Phil Scovell

                          All Rights Reserved



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          Phil Scovell, if such reproduction is done in the spirit in which
          it was given.   It may not  be reproduced and sold  for financial
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          Scovell.  Electronic  formats may be distributed  freely but this
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          Phil Scovell
          840 South Sheridan Boulevard
          Denver, Colorado  80226-8017
          Toll Free:  888-936-0001
          Voice:  303-936-2188
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                         TESTIMONY OF A TURTLE



                                   BY

                              PHIL SCOVELL




               I was  eating lunch with my family and listening to the kids
          discuss  my  eleven  year old  daughter's  newly  acquired turtle
          Herman.  My  eight year old  son, his voice  muffled as he  spoke
          around  a sandwich said,  "Yea, Herman  has a  bent shell."   His
          sister immediately  shot back,  "Oh, right!   God made  a mistake
          when he made Herman!"
               I had been facing  depression for many months following  the
          folding of  my first  church after  only eleven  months.   I felt
          worthless and valueless.  I had no  job, my wife was working, and
          I found  it difficult to  be thankful.   Although I  kept telling
          myself  I wasn't  a failure,  somehow  I found  it impossible  to
          believe.   Upon  hearing my  children  talk about  the turtle,  I
          suddenly realized that God in fact makes no mistakes.  I had just
          read the  day before how  God created  all the stars,  knew their
          number, and even personally named them all (Psalm  147:4).  I had
          been quoting the  words of our  Lord to myself  for several  days
          concerning the  fact that He knew the number  of the hairs on our
          head  (Matt. 10:29-31).   It  seems  trivial, I  know,   but  the
          awareness of  God's creation perfection  encouraged me.   It  was
          time  to thank God He had created me  and that He still cared for
          me (I Peter 5:7).  Paul likewise confirmed that we are created in
          His image and for His glory  (I Cor. 11:7).  Furthermore, no  one
          can acuse us  any longer since we  have confessed Him as  Lord of
          our lives.   We have  been reconciled  in the body  of His  flesh
          through His resurrection and He presence us holy, unblamable, and
          unreproveable (Col. 1:21-22).  In  short, no one can lay anything
          to our  charge since the Saviour paid  the eternal price for sin;
          be  they recent  or past;  even sins future.   Perhaps  we should
          listen to the testimony of  the turtle - God makes no mistakes!"


                            End Of Document