</EMBED>Are You Looking for Something to Lean On? by Kevin Miller
Profile on: Lavonne Kruse, determined to be successful.
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Can you imagine spending the first decade of your life thinking the woman who raised you was your mother, only to discover she was actually your grandmother? Perhaps the only thing that might shock you more would be discovering that your real mother was someone you had grown up believing to be your older sister.
Yes, It's the Truth
That's exactly the situation Lavonne Kruse found herself in when, as a young girl, someone in her small Iowa community accidentally let the truth slip about her family. She had never suspected a thing because her grandmother had a child nine months before Lavonne was born. The two girls were raised as twins, along with her grandmother's six other children and everything seemed perfectly normal. As it turns out, Lavonne's mother was raped and became pregnant. Times being what they were, Lavonne's family decided to withhold the truth from her, lest she think anything less of herself because of her illegitimate conception.
But they underestimated Lavonne's ability to deal with this information. Rather than allow it to discourage her, Lavonne determined to be successful at whatever she put her hand to.
“I think things like that push you to be more successful,�?she says. Pursuing a career in education, Lavonne attended teacher’s college. Along the way, she met her husband, Tom Kruse. Today, he is President of Iowa Veterinary Supply, one of the largest distributors of veterinary supplies in America. Back then, however, he was an up and coming accountant. After completing her degree, Lavonne taught school for three years. After that, she devoted her time to raising three children and helping Tom build his business.
Women's Club
Around this time, Lavonne also started to get more involved in her local church. Having grown up in the church, she had always believed in God in a general sense, but she had never made a serious commitment to God. When someone suggested starting a women’s club in the church, Lavonne was quick to get involved. She started out as a pianist and went on to lead a Bible study in her home.
It was during one of these Bible studies - the fifth one, to be exact - that she felt something strange happen. As Lavonne looked at that week’s lesson, from the Gospel of Mark, which discussed how Jesus died for our sins on the cross, she felt God speak to her, saying, �?FONT color=#993333>I did this for you. I love you, and I want you to be my child.�?/FONT> Lavonne didn’t say anything to her group at the time. But she knew from that moment onward, her life would be different.
“It was nothing dramatic,�?Lavonne says, almost apologetically. “It’s not like I came from a life of drugs or alcohol. I wasn’t even asking God for anything at the time, wasn’t even aware I was in need of Him. I guess it just goes to show that Christ comes to us in many different ways.�?/FONT>
Renewed Marriage and Tremendous Success
Lavonne’s “faith awakening�?had an immediate effect on her life, particularly her marriage to Tom. “Our marriage was never going to fall apart, but I could have let him go a few times,�?she says, laughing. “I just knew Jesus was in my heart and I really started living for Him.�?Tom, who had also grown up as a Christian, was inspired by Lavonne’s new enthusiasm about God. Together, they began striving to integrate their beliefs with their family, work and social activities.
That was twenty-five years ago. Today, Lavonne and Tom’s lives are founded on the belief that serving God is their single greatest priority. “Put God first and the rest of life, including business, will fall in line,�?Lavonne says. Together, the Kruses have experienced tremendous success - far more than she ever imagined as a child. But Lavonne is careful not to let it go to her head. “Money, nice homes, that sort of thing doesn’t mean anything to me, because without God, we wouldn’t have anything.�?/FONT>
Respect Among Employees
Although the Kruses are not shy about proclaiming their faith to their employees, they don’t preach about it. This has earned them a lot of respect. It has also created opportunities for them to share about their beliefs on a personal level. “Our employees see us go through good times as well as bad. When bad times come, sometimes they ask us why God would allow such things to happen to us, seeing as we’re Christians. I tell them that God doesn’t cause these things to happen. They happen because we live in a fallen world. What God does is provide us with the strength to get through. He gives us something to hold on to, to lean on. If it weren’t for God’s strength, I don’t know what I’d do.�?/FONT>
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Are you looking for something to lean on? Have you ever considered talking to Jesus about it? If you don’t know Jesus, we encourage you to pray the following prayer:
Lord Jesus, I want to know You personally. Thank You for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life and receive You as my Savior and Lord. Thank You for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Take control of my life. Make me be the person You want me to be.
Saying this prayer is the first step toward a personal relationship with Jesus, who will guide and encourage you every step of the way. We would love to pray for you
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