Sharon,
It is truly a beautiful story.
Thanks for sharing it with us.
Virgie and Hoshi
----- Original Message -----
From: "Sharon Hooley" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Friday, December 23, 2005 8:02 PM
Subject: A beautiful story
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> charset="iso-8859-1"
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>
> Hi guys!
>
> I got this from a deafblind list that isn't necessarily Christian.
>
> Sharon
>
> Hello list members of the db-goldinlife list . Beyond is an article I =
> wrote and posted it also on the other list. As Christmas is just around =
> the corner
> I thought I would share it so every member would enjoy reading. enjoy =
> reading it.
> Greg
> 15.2.05
>
> THE STORY BEHIND I BELIEVE IN CHRISTMAS
>
> Strange and unusual events take place in our lives every day often =
> leaving you wondering whether there are forces behind those events. This =
> incredible story
> in my life led to the writing of many songs like never in the early =
> nineties. Is there a reason and purpose in life? This thought has =
> crossed my mind many
> times especially concerning one particular song which I have already =
> received success throughout the nineties here in Melbourne Australia.
>
> In 1986 my brother John was tragically killed. Up to that stage I used =
> to play music simply for my enjoyment. Around the time my brother was =
> killed I was
> writing a beautiful melody and my sister wrote a poem in memory of John. =
> It really was amazing, the poem and the music came together in such a =
> beautiful
> way as if they were meant for each other. From there I lost total and =
> complete interest in music and for the next five years I never played =
> music again.
> I never really thought about this event as my life was filled with =
> grieving for my brother.
>
> March 1991, possibly the most successful year in a sport I participated =
> in for 23 years called Blind Cricket. After many problems and many =
> struggles the
> team I played with since their formation in 1979 reached the finals. It =
> wasn't the first time, but there was something different about this =
> particular
> year. At this stage we were living in a little country town called Nyora =
> for a while. One of our neighbours, heavily involved with a church as =
> she expressed
> to us later on whenever she came past our house, would get an incredible =
> feeling that she had to come in and talk to us about the little country =
> church.
> She fought against it time and time again from sheer embarrassment but =
> finally one day it got the better of her. At the time I was extremely =
> stubborn and
> set in my views especially concerning religion. I did not go to the =
> little country church but my wife did. For years my wife had difficulty =
> with her eyes,
> although totally blind, experiencing tremendous pain at times. Only with =
> drops would she find some relief. On her first day at the little country =
> church
> the pastor's wife, who was also a pastor, asked her if she would like =
> her to pray for her. Well, a miracle in many ways, after the prayer the =
> pain left
> completely and never returned again. Has had no need for drops in her =
> eyes since then and it is now 14 years since that event. Regardless of =
> this miracle
> my stubbornness continued refusing to attend the church.
>
> In 1991, the final of the blind cricket and although a hard road, we =
> made it by defeating the team in the semi finals by a single run. In our =
> game when
> you consider you can make 200 or more runs a single run is quite =
> incredible. Let me explain here now how that single run found me in the =
> little country
> church two weeks later experiencing an incredible miracle that really =
> changed my life.
>
> We have made 198 runs which is not a bad score. By tea time on the =
> second and final day the opposition had reached 177 runs and stile with =
> five batsmen
> to go. It really was a matter of time before we lost the game and the =
> chance of the making the finals. During tea time, while on my own, I =
> looked up at
> the sky as if asking God for assistance. I saw a cloud in the shape of a =
> V. Automatically I thought V stands for victory. Not sure what made me =
> do it but
> at that moment I said, "Help us win the game God and I promise you I =
> will come to church". Was that a wish or blackmail to the superior power =
> we know as
> God. Was there someone listening up there for what took place was =
> nothing more than heavenly intervention. One by one the opposition =
> players started going
> out and it came to their last player. He started to slowly reach the =
> amount we had made. He brought the score up to 197, a single run behind =
> us and as
> they finished the season above us it meant equalling our score would =
> automatically see them as victors of the game. The next ball that came =
> down the pitch
> had us all standing in shock for a few seconds. Yes we won the game with =
> that incredible ball that seemed to have more than the human strength =
> behind it.
> Excitement broke out like never before. For me though a beautiful =
> feeling was the realisation that I had to keep my promise to God. It was =
> almost like
> God saying I let you win the game by a single run and don't forget your =
> promise. The following week I could not attend the church as we were =
> playing in
> the final. Not only did we win the final but the highest amount of runs =
> was made by the team, a record that still stands today.
>
> Must keep my promise. The following Sunday as I promised God I attended =
> the little country church. It was much more beautiful than I imagined =
> with wonderful
> music written by a young person. At the end of the service I went to the =
> front like many others as the pastor prayed for us individually. It came =
> to my
> turn and the pastor who I knew said "Would you like to become a new born =
> Christian by prayer Greg?" I knew very little about all this and =
> remember saying
> "No, not yet Pastor Don. I've only just came to the church". "There is =
> no problem" he said "All you need to do is repeat these words after me." =
> This I
> did as he placed one hand on my shoulder. I was a non believer with many =
> doubts and always quick with an answer. I saw people falling around me =
> as the
> pastor prayed for them but the thoughts were that they must be acting. =
> Within half a dozen words in the prayer I could not feel the bottom part =
> of my body.
> It felt as if I was standing in a cloud. I smiled to myself after =
> experiencing such an incredible feeling. Around that time we were =
> returning back to my
> in-laws house where we lived before and attending their house after =
> church I sat at the keyboard for the first time in five years and =
> started playing.
> Was I really playing music again? I wrote my first Christian song which =
> I called 'We can live forever'. It was the start of the two most =
> wonderful years
> in my musical life. I wrote and played a great variety of music like =
> never before. Music and lyrics just simply purred out of me. This led a =
> few months
> later to the writing of that beautiful song 'I believe in Christmas' =
> inspired by that incredible miracle in my wife's life with her eyes.
>
> Life certainly took a dive for the worst for me two years later but =
> those incredible events still linger in my mind and will for the rest of =
> my life.
>
> Greg Athans
>
> To subscribe, send an e-mail to: [log in to unmask]
> To contact listowner/moderator(s), send an e-mail to: =
> [log in to unmask]
>
> YAHOO! GROUPS LINKS
>
> List of 3 items
> . Visit your group "
> DB-GoldinLife"
> on the web.
> . To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> [log in to unmask]
> . Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the
> Yahoo! Terms of Service.
> list end
>
> No virus found in this incoming message.
> Checked by AVG Free Edition.
> Version: 7.1.371 / Virus Database: 267.14.7/214 - Release Date: =
> 12/23/2005
>
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> charset="iso-8859-1"
> Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
>
> <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
> <HTML><HEAD>
> <META http-equiv=3DContent-Type content=3D"text/html; =
> charset=3Diso-8859-1">
> <META content=3D"MSHTML 6.00.2900.2802" name=3DGENERATOR>
> <STYLE></STYLE>
> </HEAD>
> <BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff>
> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Hi guys!</FONT></DIV>
> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I got this from a deafblind list that =
> isn't=20
> necessarily Christian.</FONT></DIV>
> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Sharon</FONT></DIV>
> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Hello list members of the db-goldinlife =
> list .=20
> Beyond is an article I wrote and posted it also on the other list. As =
> Christmas=20
> is just around the corner<BR>I thought I would share it so every member =
> would=20
> enjoy reading. enjoy reading it.<BR>Greg<BR>15.2.05</FONT></DIV>
> <DIV> </DIV>
> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>THE STORY BEHIND I BELIEVE IN=20
> CHRISTMAS</FONT></DIV>
> <DIV> </DIV>
> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Strange and unusual events take place =
> in our lives=20
> every day often leaving you wondering whether there are forces behind =
> those=20
> events. This incredible story<BR>in my life led to the writing of many =
> songs=20
> like never in the early nineties. Is there a reason and purpose in life? =
> This=20
> thought has crossed my mind many<BR>times especially concerning one =
> particular=20
> song which I have already received success throughout the nineties here =
> in=20
> Melbourne Australia.</FONT></DIV>
> <DIV> </DIV>
> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>In 1986 my brother John was tragically =
> killed. Up=20
> to that stage I used to play music simply for my enjoyment. Around the =
> time my=20
> brother was killed I was<BR>writing a beautiful melody and my sister =
> wrote a=20
> poem in memory of John. It really was amazing, the poem and the music =
> came=20
> together in such a beautiful<BR>way as if they were meant for each =
> other. From=20
> there I lost total and complete interest in music and for the next five =
> years I=20
> never played music again.<BR>I never really thought about this event as =
> my life=20
> was filled with grieving for my brother.</FONT></DIV>
> <DIV> </DIV>
> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>March 1991, possibly the most =
> successful year in a=20
> sport I participated in for 23 years called Blind Cricket. After many =
> problems=20
> and many struggles the<BR>team I played with since their formation in =
> 1979=20
> reached the finals. It wasn=92t the first time, but there was something =
> different=20
> about this particular<BR>year. At this stage we were living in a little =
> country=20
> town called Nyora for a while. One of our neighbours, heavily involved =
> with a=20
> church as she expressed<BR>to us later on whenever she came past our =
> house,=20
> would get an incredible feeling that she had to come in and talk to us =
> about the=20
> little country church.<BR>She fought against it time and time again from =
> sheer=20
> embarrassment but finally one day it got the better of her. At the time =
> I was=20
> extremely stubborn and<BR>set in my views especially concerning =
> religion. I did=20
> not go to the little country church but my wife did. For years my wife =
> had=20
> difficulty with her eyes,<BR>although totally blind, experiencing =
> tremendous=20
> pain at times. Only with drops would she find some relief. On her first =
> day at=20
> the little country church<BR>the pastor=92s wife, who was also a pastor, =
> asked her=20
> if she would like her to pray for her. Well, a miracle in many ways, =
> after the=20
> prayer the pain left<BR>completely and never returned again. Has had no =
> need for=20
> drops in her eyes since then and it is now 14 years since that event. =
> Regardless=20
> of this miracle<BR>my stubbornness continued refusing to attend the=20
> church.</FONT></DIV>
> <DIV> </DIV>
> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>In 1991, the final of the blind cricket =
> and=20
> although a hard road, we made it by defeating the team in the semi =
> finals by a=20
> single run. In our game when<BR>you consider you can make 200 or more =
> runs a=20
> single run is quite incredible. Let me explain here now how that single =
> run=20
> found me in the little country<BR>church two weeks later experiencing an =
>
> incredible miracle that really changed my life.</FONT></DIV>
> <DIV> </DIV>
> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>We have made 198 runs which is not a =
> bad score. By=20
> tea time on the second and final day the opposition had reached 177 runs =
> and=20
> stile with five batsmen<BR>to go. It really was a matter of time before =
> we lost=20
> the game and the chance of the making the finals. During tea time, while =
> on my=20
> own, I looked up at<BR>the sky as if asking God for assistance. I saw a =
> cloud in=20
> the shape of a V. Automatically I thought V stands for victory. Not sure =
> what=20
> made me do it but<BR>at that moment I said, =93Help us win the game God =
> and I=20
> promise you I will come to church=94. Was that a wish or blackmail to =
> the superior=20
> power we know as<BR>God. Was there someone listening up there for what =
> took=20
> place was nothing more than heavenly intervention. One by one the =
> opposition=20
> players started going<BR>out and it came to their last player. He =
> started to=20
> slowly reach the amount we had made. He brought the score up to 197, a =
> single=20
> run behind us and as<BR>they finished the season above us it meant =
> equalling our=20
> score would automatically see them as victors of the game. The next ball =
> that=20
> came down the pitch<BR>had us all standing in shock for a few seconds. =
> Yes we=20
> won the game with that incredible ball that seemed to have more than the =
> human=20
> strength behind it.<BR>Excitement broke out like never before. For me =
> though a=20
> beautiful feeling was the realisation that I had to keep my promise to =
> God. It=20
> was almost like<BR>God saying I let you win the game by a single run and =
> don=92t=20
> forget your promise. The following week I could not attend the church as =
> we were=20
> playing in<BR>the final. Not only did we win the final but the highest =
> amount of=20
> runs was made by the team, a record that still stands =
> today.</FONT></DIV>
> <DIV> </DIV>
> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Must keep my promise. The following =
> Sunday as I=20
> promised God I attended the little country church. It was much more =
> beautiful=20
> than I imagined with wonderful<BR>music written by a young person. At =
> the end of=20
> the service I went to the front like many others as the pastor prayed =
> for us=20
> individually. It came to my<BR>turn and the pastor who I knew said =
> =93Would you=20
> like to become a new born Christian by prayer Greg?=94 I knew very =
> little about=20
> all this and remember saying<BR>=93No, not yet Pastor Don. I=92ve only =
> just came to=20
> the church=94. =93There is no problem=94 he said =93All you need to do =
> is repeat these=20
> words after me.=94 This I<BR>did as he placed one hand on my shoulder. I =
> was a non=20
> believer with many doubts and always quick with an answer. I saw people =
> falling=20
> around me as the<BR>pastor prayed for them but the thoughts were that =
> they must=20
> be acting. Within half a dozen words in the prayer I could not feel the =
> bottom=20
> part of my body.<BR>It felt as if I was standing in a cloud. I smiled to =
> myself=20
> after experiencing such an incredible feeling. Around that time we were=20
> returning back to my<BR>in-laws house where we lived before and =
> attending their=20
> house after church I sat at the keyboard for the first time in five =
> years and=20
> started playing.<BR>Was I really playing music again? I wrote my first =
> Christian=20
> song which I called =91We can live forever=92. It was the start of the =
> two most=20
> wonderful years<BR>in my musical life. I wrote and played a great =
> variety of=20
> music like never before. Music and lyrics just simply purred out of me. =
> This led=20
> a few months<BR>later to the writing of that beautiful song =91I believe =
> in=20
> Christmas=92 inspired by that incredible miracle in my wife=92s life =
> with her=20
> eyes.</FONT></DIV>
> <DIV> </DIV>
> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Life certainly took a dive for the =
> worst for me two=20
> years later but those incredible events still linger in my mind and will =
> for the=20
> rest of my life.</FONT></DIV>
> <DIV> </DIV>
> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Greg Athans</FONT></DIV>
> <DIV> </DIV>
> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>To subscribe, send an e-mail to: <A=20
> href=3D"mailto:[log in to unmask]">DB-GoldinLife-sub=
> [log in to unmask]</A><BR>To=20
> contact listowner/moderator(s), send an e-mail to: <A=20
> href=3D"mailto:[log in to unmask]">DB-GoldinLife-owner@y=
> ahoogroups.com</A></FONT></DIV>
> <DIV> </DIV>
> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>YAHOO! GROUPS LINKS</FONT></DIV>
> <DIV> </DIV>
> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>List of 3 items<BR>=95 Visit your =
> group=20
> "<BR>DB-GoldinLife"<BR>on the web.<BR>=95 To unsubscribe from this =
> group,=20
> send an email to:<BR><A=20
> href=3D"mailto:[log in to unmask]">DB-GoldinLife-u=
> [log in to unmask]</A><BR>=95 =20
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the<BR>Yahoo! Terms of =
> Service.<BR>list=20
> end</FONT></DIV>
> <DIV> </DIV>
> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>No virus found in this incoming =
> message.<BR>Checked=20
> by AVG Free Edition.<BR>Version: 7.1.371 / Virus Database: 267.14.7/214 =
> -=20
> Release Date: 12/23/2005<BR></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>
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