I believe that every person, at one time or another, has had a burning desire to be successful. Success to me meant being happy, accumulating material worth and living comfortably.  

After a hitch in the Navy, I worked in industry, the insurance business, and served as an elected public official. I also enjoyed my years in the banking industry and held a position with the South Louisiana Port Commission.  

I remember reading that unhappiness is not knowing what you want and killing yourself to get it. My plan for success brought me only frustration and a feeling of unworthiness.  

After a struggle with alcohol addiction and no direction in life, God revealed to me that His plan for my success was to be in His will for my life. The year was 1980, and it was then that Get High on Life was birthed. I must always remember that it’s God’s ministry, and Jeanne and I are but trusted servants.

I never knew I could enjoy life so much with so little. I wake up early every morning looking forward to what God had in store for me that day. He never fails to put people in my path that just need someone to talk to. He has opened more doors for Jeanne and I to minister to His people that many times I get overwhelmed because there is so much to be done. It’s easy to lose heart and have a tendency to do nothing. So many to reach, we forget that God’s desire for each of us is to make a difference in one person at a time.  

When I feel like that, I think of the following story about a businessman needing a break from the rat race in the world:  

He and his wife escaped to an oceanfront hotel for some rest and relaxation. One morning after a violent storm, he walked on the beach to see the beach covered with starfish that had been thrown ashore and helplessly stranded  and would surely dry out and die when the sun came out.  

As the man walked on the beach, he noticed a young boy walking ahead picking up one starfish at a time and flinging it back into the ocean.    

“Why are you doing that?” the man asked the lad as he got close enough to be heard. “Can’t you see that one person will never make a difference – you’ll never be able to get all those starfish back into the water. There are just too many.”

“Yes, that’s true,” the boy sighed as he bent over and picked up another and tossed it into the water. Then as he watched it sink, he looked at the man, smiled, and said, “But I sure made a difference to that one.”

The moral of the story is: You can make a difference!

If you have any questions or comments, please write to Get High on Life, P.O. Drawer U, Reserve, LA 70084, call 985-652-8477, or email hkeller@comcast.net.