Encouragement

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Recently, as yet another Sun Studios singing icon died, it was repeated that Sun's founder, Sam Phillips, was the one who made them famous. It was Sam's style to "give shy people . . . a voice."

Sam Phillips took the likes of people who were shy, insecure nobodies with a talent and made them big names like Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison, and that special kid from the housing project, Elvis Presley. Sam saw their gift, made them see it, believe in it and, as the late Johnny Cash put it, "taught me the importance of being an individual."

Wow! All those people were talented individuals, and in to their lives came someone who got to know them, saw their gift and encouraged them to develop it. He insisted on the vision he saw for them. When Johnny Cash lost a record of one of his songs, he went back to Sam, hoping to get another copy. Sam had a box with 24 other copies of that song. The copies were to be sent to radio stations all over the Southern US. Johnny told Sam "I won't be singing in all those cities". Sam told Johnny "Yes, you will". Johnny did sing in all those places, and more besides. Now he sings in Heaven.

We all need a Sam Phillips in our lives, someone who sees in us a glimmer of hope, a vision for how beautiful our lives can be. We can actually have that in a relationship with the Son of God. He knows us better than we know ourselves, won't sell us short and won't let us sell ourselves short, either. He can be truly the "friend who sticks closer than a brother".

Everybody needs a Sam, 'cause everybody needs a Savior!

Tell me what you think, I'm just thinkin' out loud.

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