2A COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL DECEMBER 27, 2017
I
think one of the greatest lies we can believe is, “It’s too late!”
At some point in our lives, we all feel like we’ve missed our
chance or messed up an important opportunity. We can even
be tempted to believe that we’ve disqualifi ed ourselves from having
a great future...that our best days are behind us.
If this is you—if you feel like you’ve missed your chance or like
your opportunity to have a great life has passed you by—I want
you to know something today: With God on your side, it’s never
too late.
While God Himself never changes, He is a God of change—He
is always doing a new thing and working behind the scenes in our
lives to bring about new beginnings. Where we see failure, God
sees potential for something new. The minute we stumble and come
apart, God is already planning our comeback. When we mess up
“Plan A,” we don’t have to worry—God has a “Plan B!”
I love Isaiah 43:19 (AMP). In this verse, God says, “Listen care-
fully, I am about to do a new thing, now it will spring forth; will you
not be aware of it? I will even put a road in the wilderness, rivers
in the desert.”
Take a moment to really let those words sink in and think about
this: If it really wasn’t “too late,” what are some things you would
do? Would you go back to school to earn your degree? Would you
reconcile with an old friend or attempt to make up for past mis-
takes? Would you follow your passion in life—something you’re
naturally gifted at doing—and try to fulfi ll your goals and dreams?
Whatever it may be, God wants you to know that it’s never too
late to begin again and have a great life. He is on your side and, if
need be, He can even “put a road in the wilderness, rivers in the
desert.”
Determination Is a Must
One of the greatest things we can do to cooperate with God’s
plan for our lives is stay determined. I’ve learned that when you
feel discouraged, when others doubt or criticize you, and when your
dreams seem like they’re just never going to happen, that’s when
you need to keep moving forward!
I’ll never forget, many years ago, when I fi rst started talking about
the call of God on my life. Some of my friends felt that I must be
mistaken, and they actually told me, “Joyce, we really don’t think
you have the right kind of personality to do this kind of ministry.” It
was not very encouraging!
But I knew what God had spoken to my heart, and I knew that I
had a gift and a passion to teach His Word. So I kept moving for-
ward. As a result, I lost some friends and was eventually asked to
leave my church. Even some of my family members turned their
backs on me.
Sure, it was diffi cult in the moment, but I cringe to think where
I would be now if I had given up when I felt that rejection. I know
I certainly wouldn’t be fulfi lling God’s call on my life now...and I
would be miserable because I wouldn’t be following my passion.
I can distinctly remember a particular season during those early
years when the Lord continued to encourage me not to quit. There
was one Scripture in particular that He kept putting in front of me,
and it continues to speak to me today:
“And let us not lose heart and grow weary and faint in acting
nobly and doing right, for in due time and at the appointed season
we shall reap, if we do not loosen and relax our courage and faint”
(Galatians 6:9 AMPC).
Our enemy, Satan, wants us to quit and give up. The Bible says
he is the “father of lies” (see John 8:44). He continually lies to us
and tells us things like, “Who do you think you are? That’s never
going to happen! Do you really believe that God spoke to you? You
are going to do that?”
I believe we’re actually most tempted to quit when our break-
through is right around the corner. But if we’ll just keep moving
forward—if we’ll remain steadfast and refuse to give up—we will
reach our goal and walk in God’s promises.
I’m not sure where you are today. I don’t know what disappoint-
ments or setbacks you’ve endured. But I do know this: It’s not over.
God loves you, He sees you, and He has a plan to help you begin
again. Because with God, it’s never too late. He’s the God of fresh
starts, do-overs, new beginnings, and great fi nishes.
According to 2 Corinthians 5:17, He is the One Who makes all
things new!
For more on this topic, order Joyce’s four-CD series It’s Never
Too Late. You can also contact us to receive our free magazine, En-
joying Everyday Life, by calling (800) 727-9673 or visiting www.
DEATH
NOTICE
IN MEMORIAM
Billy (Hill Billy) Hill 1938-2017
Billy G. (Hill Billy) Hill, 78, of Cottage Grove died on Dec. 16,
2017.
He was born in Peoria, Ill. on Dec. 18, 1938 to Jude and Irene (Fos-
ter) Hill.
After high school, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy.
On Feb. 5, 1958 in Willow Glen, Calif., he and Betty Bauer were
married.
Billy worked as a house mover, baker, butcher, bartender, and con-
struction worker.
He enjoyed hunting, fi shing, golf, and watching all sports on TV.
He had a great sense of humor.
Survivors include his wife, Betty, two sons, Gary of Morgan Hill,
Calif. and Scott (Wendi) of Stevinson, Calif., a daughter, Holly (Jay)
Druen of Manteca, Calif., a brother, Ed Hill of Peoria, Ill., 10 grand-
children and 15 great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother, Donald Hill.
A funeral will be held at 10 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 29 at Smith-Lund-Mills Funeral Chapel in Cottage
Grove. Interment at Roseburg National Cemetery, Roseburg, Oregon.
Beatrice (Bea)
Dougherty
1924-2017
z
å
Jimmie Wayne “Jim”
Young, 70, of Cottage
Grove, Oregon, died Dec.
18. A celebration of life
will be at 3 p.m. Saturday,
Jan. 27, at the El Tapatio
Mexican Restaurant, 725
E. Gibbs Ave. in Cottage
Grove, OR. Arrangements
by Smith-Lund-Mills
Funeral Chapel in Cottage
Grove.
joycemeyer.org.
Joyce Meyer is a New York Times bestselling author and founder
of Joyce Meyer Ministries, Inc. She has authored more than 100
books, including Battlefi eld of the Mind and Unshakeable Trust:
Find the Joy of Trusting God at All Times (Hachette). She hosts
the Enjoying Everyday Life radio and TV programs, which air on
hundreds of stations worldwide. For more information, visit www.
joycemeyer.org.
Please note: The views and opinions expressed throughout this
publication and/or website are those of the respective authors and
do not necessarily refl ect those of Joyce Meyer Ministries
Audrey Meurer
1925-2017
Former Cottage Grove res-
ident, Audrey Meurer, passed
away peacefully in her sleep
November 22, 2017 at Mee Me-
morial Hospital in King City,
Ca. Audrey was born to Frank
T. and Mary Tunzi on December
5, 1925 in a little house on the
family farm that is now the King
City Park, Golf Course and Fair
Grounds. She attended Kinder-
garten through eighth grade at
San Lorenzo School and gradu-
ated from King City High School.
She met Joe Meurer, in her early twenties. After a short court-
ship the couple married on January 3, 1949. They were married for
63 years until Joe’s death in 2012.
Audrey and Joe loved to travel. They liked nothing better than
to climb into their R.V. and go off on a grand adventure. On one of
their trips they fell in love with the state of Oregon. They sold their
house, packed up their belongings and moved to Cottage Grove.
Audrey was very active in the King City community and she
continued her volunteer work when they moved to Oregon. They
were very active in the their church, Our Lady of Perpetual Help,
and with the Moose Lodge.
She enjoyed fl owers and gardening. She discovered that the
Oregon climate was conducive to Hydrangeas and Rhododendrons.
It was not uncommon for strangers to ask if they could take a pic-
ture in her front yard. Her house was once featured as Garden of
the Week on the local news.
In 2015 she returned to California. First she lived in a res-
idential center managed by her granddaughter, Denise. Later as
her health declined she moved to Salinas to Brookdale’s Assisted
living facility.
On November 1 st , a mild heart attack caused Audrey to enter
Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital, she was later transferred to Mee
Memorial. Although her spirit was fi ghting to continue to live, her
body was just too tired.
She was preceded in death by her parents Frank T. and Mary
and, her husband, Joe Meurer, her brother, Frank M. Tunzi, sister,
Evelyn, and stepson Joe Meurer Jr. She is survived by her sister,
Margaret Jacobsen, of San Jose, her son, Gary (Jerry) Meurer of
Redding, daughter, Karen (David) Park of King City, Grandsons,
Nicholas (Janet) Park of Santa Clara, Michael (Amanda) Park of
North Hollywood, granddaughter, Denise Park of Colorado, and
her great-granddaughter, Valentina Park, of Santa Clara.
She will be greatly missed by her family and friends. Edding-
ton Funeral Services in King City, California handled the arrange-
ments. Internment will be held at Cottage Grove at a later date.
ore
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Beatrice (Bea) Dougherty, 93,
passed away on Nov. 15 at her
home in Cottage Grove at Mid-
dlefi eld Oaks Assisted Living.
Bea lived in Cottage Grove
with her husband Bill, a school
teacher, for about 40 years,
during which time she raised
her family - daughter Denise
and son Craig.
Upon retirement Bea and
Bill moved to Enterprise, Ore.
where they could enjoy a drier
climate. They lived there for
about 20 years.
Bea was born in Sacramento,
Calif. in 1924. Besides raising
her family, she managed restau-
rants in Waldport and the Port-
land area, and ran an antique
and collectible business from
her home in Cottage Grove.
She is remembered for her
patience and kindness. She is
proceeded in death by both her
husband and son.
She is survived by her daugh-
ter, Denise Meek, and her
daughter-in-law, Cindy Dough-
erty. She also has three grand-
children and seven great grand-
children.
Please Celebrate the 4th of July Safely!
123 South 7th,
Cottage Grove, Oregon
th
123
South
7
,
Cottage
Grove, Oregon
541-942-0185 •www.smithlundmills.com
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www.smithlundmills.com
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