Child-like Faith

I received this via email and was inspired by this little girl's childlike faith and her belief and determination to make a difference! I believe that God puts godly desires in our heart that He wants us to pursue, and people in our paths to bring about those desires when we do. 

Please read it to the end and share it if it inspires you. 

Blessings!

Ronell x



A little girl went to her bedroom and pulled a glass jelly jar from its hiding place in the closet. She poured the change out on the floor and counted it carefully. Three times, even. The total had to be exactly perfect.. No chance here for mistakes. 

Carefully placing the coins back in the jar and twisting on the cap, she slipped out the back door and made her way 6 blocks to Rexall's Drug Store with the big red Indian Chief sign above the door.

She waited patiently for the pharmacist to give her some attention, but he was too busy at this moment. Tess twisted her feet to make a scuffing noise. Nothing. She cleared her throat with the most disgusting sound she could muster. No good. Finally she took a quarter from her jar and banged it on
the glass counter. That did it!'And what do you want?' the pharmacist asked in an annoyed tone of voice.. I'm talking to my brother from Chicago whom I haven't seen in ages,' he said without waiting for a reply to his question.

'Well, I want to talk to you about my brother,' Tess answered back in the same annoyed tone. 'He's really, really sick....and I want to buy a miracle.'

'I beg your pardon?' said the pharmacist.

'His name is Andrew and he has something bad growing inside his head and my Daddy says only a miracle can save him now. So how much does a miracle cost?'

'We don't sell miracles here, little girl. I'm sorry but I can't help you,' the pharmacist said, softening a little.

'Listen, I have the money to pay for it.. If it isn't enough, I will get the rest. Just tell me how much it costs.'

The pharmacist's brother was a well-dressed man. He stooped down and asked the little girl, 'What kind of a miracle does your brother need?' 

'I don't know,' Tess replied with her eyes welling up I just know he's really sick and Mommy says he needs an operation. But my Daddy can't pay for it, so I want to use my money.'

'How much do you have?' asked the man from Chicago.

'One dollar and eleven cents,' Tess answered barely audible.

'And it's all the money I have, but I can get some more if I need to.'

'Well, what a coincidence,' smiled the man. 'A dollar and eleven cents---the exact price of a miracle for little brothers.'

He took her money in one hand and with
the other hand he grasped her mitten and said 'Take me to where you live. I want to see your brother and meet your parents. Let's see if I have the miracle you need.'

That well-dressed man was Dr. Carlton Armstrong, a surgeon, specializing in neuro-surgery. The operation was completed free of charge and it wasn't long until Andrew was home again and doing well.

Mom and Dad were happily talking about the chain of events that had led them to this place.

'That surgery,' her Mom whispered. 'was a real miracle. I wonder how much it would have cost?'

Tess smiled. She knew exactly how much a miracle cost....one dollar and eleven cents...plus the faith of a little child.

In our lives, we never know how many miracles we will need.

A miracle is not the suspension of natural law, but the operation of a higher law. 



{photo credit: http://inspiredwomenmagazine.com/iwmonline/2011/09/in-our-childlike-faith-go-to-god-i-dare-you/}

Forgive.. Forget.. Never Lose Faith!

Live a Life of Faithfulness

Today’s post is from HTB’s Bible in One Year daily devotional by Nicky Gumbel. It is on Faithfulness- a subject that God, my mentor and my close friends have really been prompting me on. I found this passage helpful and thought I would share. To read the full version, click here.

Myra Hindley was one of the most notorious murderers of the twentieth century.  Her crimes were almost unbelievably horrific.  Yet one person took it upon himself to visit her regularly whilst she was in prison.

Lord Longford (Frank Pakenham – 7th Earl of Longford), 1905–2001, was a controversial figure who spent much of his life visiting prisoners, including Myra Hindley.  Yet, no one can doubt his compassion and his faithfulness, both to God and to those he visited.

When he died former prisoners joined hundreds of mourners to say farewell to the man who had spent his life faithfully fighting for society’s outcasts.

He found inspiration in the words of Jesus from today’s passage.  On his deathbed he asked his wife, ‘You know what the most important quotation from the Bible is?’  His answer was: ‘I was in prison and you came to visit me’ (Matthew 25:36).  This quotation from Jesus was to be Lord Longford’s last words.

Life is not a competition which we have to win.  It is not supposed to be a rat race.  Life is a huge privilege and an opportunity.  God has trusted us with gifts and abilities, which he wants us to use.  He is faithful to us and he expects us to be faithful to him.

1.  Thank God for his faithfulness

Psalm 18:43-50

‘Be kind,’ said the philosopher Plato, ‘for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.’  The Bible gives us an even stronger reason always to be kind.  God is always kind to us.  In his faithfulness, he shows us ‘unfailing kindness’…

2.  Live a life of faithfulness

Matthew 25:14-46

We need to be faithful with whatever we have been given. It is no good wishing that we had been given more.  We are simply called to do the best we can with what we have.  As Mother Teresa said, ‘I can do things you cannot, you can do things I cannot; together we can do great things.’  To be faithful means to use the gifts and abilities that God has given us…

Jesus said, ‘Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me’ (v.40).  He tells us that faithfulness to him is shown in what we do for the most vulnerable and most needy in our world (vv.35–36,42–43). Jesus says, ‘Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me’ (v.40).  How we respond to Jesus has eternal consequences (vv.30, 46).

3.  Imitate Job’s faithfulness

Job 40:3-42:17

God has had a good plan for you from the moment you were conceived.  He also had a good plan for Job.  Right from the start he had planned Job’s restoration and blessing.

Job is remembered throughout history for his faithfulness.  The apostle James says, ‘You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about’ (James 5:11).

God does not give is trouble free lives.  He does not answer all our questions.  But he does reassure us that he is with us in our troubles.

Joyce Meyer writes, ‘If you do things God’s way, he will give you double for your trouble.’  ‘The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the first’ (v.12).  As with David, God showed his kindness to him and his descendants (v.16).

Job is commended for his perseverance in the face of suffering (James 5:10–11).  Satan believed that suffering would cause Job to turn away from God.  Job’s perseverance demonstrated that Satan was wrong.  With brutal honesty at times, Job was nonetheless able to maintain his worship of God in good times and times of great trial.

His perseverance is an example to us of how to respond to suffering.  When we respond with faithful perseverance, Satan is defeated.  Job is a ‘type’ of Christ.  Through Jesus’ faithful perseverance in response to his suffering on the cross, Satan has been totally defeated, once and for all.

I hope this passage from the full devotional has blessed and encouraged you as much as it has for me.

Blessings!

Ronell x

Not Ashamed

More and more people are being asked not to share or overtly display symbols (such as wearing a cross) that indicate their faith or religious preferences. This is a troubling trend of taking away people’s freedom of speech and expression of beliefs! It is an issue that Not Ashamed aims to tackle head on.

More than any other person, Jesus Christ has shaped our society, for the good of all. The values and freedoms that flow from Him have been embedded in our culture and laws, bringing great benefit to our nation. Our literature, our art and our architecture have all been influenced by Him whilst the Christian framework has given rise to scientific endeavour, economic enterprise and social institutions such as schools, hospitals and welfare organisations. Today Christians remain heavily involved in society, fuelled by their faith in Jesus Christ and knowing that only He can provide a solid foundation for our communities and nation.

Yet the truths, values and behaviour consistent with that foundation are under attack, to the detriment of the whole of society. There is mounting pressure to exclude Jesus Christ from public life, consigning Him instead to the realm of the ‘private and personal’. Increasingly, Christians are encountering attempts to restrict their freedom to speak and live in accordance with biblical teaching in the workplace and in public life (you can read more about some of those affected here).

The Not Ashamed campaign is about standing together and speaking up for the value of that Christian framework and the place of Jesus Christ in the face of apathy, attack and uncertainty about the Christian message. In the midst of the big challenges that our country currently faces, 'Not Ashamed' provides an opportunity to be visible and vocal for Jesus Christ in public life, explaining how He is good news for our communities and how He is the only one who can provide a robust framework for our life together.

Watch Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali explain the need for Not Ashamed here. Watch other Christians speak about Not Ashamed here.

To support the Not Ashamed campaign, you can WEAR, DECLARE, SHARE. You can also shop in their online shop, or sign a declaration of your commitment to and faith in Christ.

Blessings!

Ronell x

“I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.” {Romans 1v16}