Mathison inspires Female Factor guests

Published 3:00 am Friday, April 13, 2018

The Studio was packed Wednesday for the April meeting of Female Factor. But then it always is when Dr. John Ed Mathison is the guest speaker.

Dianna Lee, Female Factor advisory council member, said everyone looks forward to having Mathison back at Female Factor.

Mathison, who retired as senior minister of Frazer Memorial United Methodist Church after 36 years, always has an entertaining and inspiring message, which factors into the lives of females of all ages, she said.

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Mathison used the phrase “April showers always bring May flowers” as the introduction to his talk with the group of women.

“These ‘April’ showers come, often bringing adversity into our lives,” Mathison said. “We can use these ‘showers’ to grow in a positive way so that the May flowers may come. And, the flowers will come if we have faith that God, the Shepherd, is guiding our lives. We can choose to let these April showers be stumbling blocks in our paths or we can let them be stepping stones to where God wants us to go or what He wants us to be.”

Mathison chose Psalm 23 as the text for his message and used sheep and the Shepherd to assure the audience that God is always present and leads each of us through times of showers and into times of flowers.

“God guides us through the green pastures and by the still waters and along the paths of righteousness,” Mathison said. “God provides what is necessary for us to go through the showers. He knows there will be times when we stray – when we’ll make bad decisions – when we’ll bring on the April showers. But nobody goes beyond the scope of God’s reach. God is with us during the toughest times. He is there so we don’t have to stay in the valley.”

Mathison reminded the ladies that God will prepare a table for each of them in the presence of their “enemies.”

“You don’t have to hold a grudge,” he said. “Grudges move into your mind and stay there, rent free. God will always abide with you, even in the presence of your enemies. He abides with us, always.”

In closing, Mathison reminded the ladies that they determine the kind of day they will have by the way they start each day. Start the day with a happy heart, he said.
“Some people spread happiness wherever they go, for others whenever they go.”

In reassuring his audience, Mathison said God is there for each of us in the April showers. He provides for us. And, if we will only trust Him, in His time, He will bring the May flowers.