2 Corinthians 4:6-8

6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;

For over 26 years I have dedicated my life to Jesus.  In 1997, I found my life was at a stand still. I was, not known to me at that time, six years from retirement.  My parents were deceased, my brothers and children busy with their own lives, very few friends and my wife of 33 years moved out.  As the Bible verse above states and it also relates to me, for I was troubled and perplexed for sure.  So I said with a very humble and truthful heart, “Lord, please take control of my life, for what I am doing is not working!” I felt a sensation go from the top of my head to the bottom of my feet. I sat weeping saying over and over, “Thank You, Jesus!”

Now one thing that I know for sure through my almost 80 years on this earth is, “it is all in God’s timing”!  See, even before 1997, in the early 1990’s I was being inspired with poetry and He brought me back to church.  God was working behind the scenes of my life, preparing me for the work He had for me to do.  Seven years, after I asked Him to take control, I started an outreach ministry for nursing homes and assisted living facilities.  Using computer knowledge, that helped me retire at the age of 60 years, I created musical one hour programs.  I would show the program through a projector connected to my laptop.  Oh, by the way, I would sing to the songs shown on a large screen.  Amazing for I am not a singer. See, God does not call the qualified, He qualifies the called! As of January 1st, 2023, I have presented 1864 one hour programs to 75 different facilities.  Due to the pandemic, this part of the outreach ministry has stopped, for the time being.

My friends, God does not stop.  He has blessed me with (4) self published poetry books (From God’s Heart, to Mine, to Yours). I have an active website (www.glowny.org) God’s Love Outreach Western New York.  I also have created over 100 plus song video’s and also “many” poem and inspirational videos.  Ok, now here’s the kicker as they say, “It all started when I said, Lord, use me!”

Now we never know what God has planned for us.  Our job is to be faithful and obedient as He directs our lives.  This for sure I understand when I met a woman named Dorothy. I finished a program at an assisted living home where she was living.  When I met her at the end of the program she was crying, very distraught and told me, “I don’t want to go to Hell”! I prayed with Dorothy and each month I would do a program there I would see her.  Her face changed and she always had a beautiful smile.  About 10 months passed and Dorothy told me she had an aggressive cancer and was not given many months to live.  She looked me in the eyes and said, “It doesn’t matter!”

My friends, it could be Dorothy was the reason why the good Lord has me doing this outreach ministry.  Our ways are not His ways. You can read more about Dorothy and others by clicking here https://www.glowny.org/testimonies. You can hear the song I wrote for her by clicking here https://www.glowny.org/copy-of-god-s-message-for-you-1 and selecting song #41 titled “It Doesn’t Matter”.

My friends, it is not about me.  I found that out in 1997.  Oh, I gave my heart to Jesus at the age of 15 years but I did not let Him become Lord until I asked!

I pray that somehow, somewhere He can reach out to so many other lost, hurting and in need of God’s love, like Dorothy because that is “why I do what I do!”

Ed Shagott

Child of God