Ultimate Encouragement: I Will Answer You!

There's lots of "pieces" on the internet these days - we receive hundreds of emails with jokes and stories each year, many of them repeats from the years before. Even though I've seen this one before, I thought it appropriate to share since so many are crying out to God for the things they need. Maybe you have a house that's being foreclosed on, or maybe you need enough money to fill your gas tank so you can get to work. Either way, God is the God of miracles. All we need to do is reach out to Him - He's just a prayer away!

Enjoy this story written by a doctor who worked in South Africa,

Cindy D.

"One night I had worked hard to help a mother in the labor ward; but in spite of all we could do, she died, leaving us with a tiny, premature baby and a crying two-year-old daughter. We would have difficulty keeping the baby alive; as we had no incubator (we had no electricity to run an incubator). We also had no special feeding facilities. Although we lived on the equator, nights were often chilly with treacherous drafts.

One student midwife went for the box we had for such babies and the cotton wool that the baby would be wrapped in. Another went to stoke up the fire and fill a hot water bottle. She came back shortly in distress to tell me that in filling the bottle, it had burst (rubber perishes easily in tropical climates). "And it is our last hot water bottle!" she exclaimed. As in the West, it is no good crying over spilled milk, so in Central Africa it might be considered no good crying over burst water bottles. They do not grow on trees, and there are no drugstores down forest pathways.

"All right," I said, "put the baby as near the fire as you safely can, and sleep between the baby and the door to keep it free from drafts Your job is to keep the baby warm."

The following noon, as I did most days, I went to have prayers with any of the orphanage children who chose to gather with me. I gave the youngsters various suggestions of things to pray about and told them about the tiny baby. I explained our problem about keeping the baby warm enough, mentioning the hot water bottle, and that the baby could so easily die if it got chills. I also told them of the two-year-old sister, crying because her mother had died. During prayer time, one ten-year-old girl , Ruth, prayed with the usual blunt conciseness of our African children. 'Please, God' she prayed, 'Send us a hot water bottle today. It'll be no good tomorrow, God, as the baby will be dead, so please send it this afternoon.' While I gasped inwardly at the audacity of the prayer, she added, 'And while You are about it, would You please send a dolly for the little girl so she'll know You really love her?'

As often with children's prayers, I was put on the spot. Could I honestly say 'Amen?' I just did not believe that God could do this. Oh, yes, I know that He can do everything; the Bible says so. But there are limits, aren't there? The only way God could answer this particular prayer would be by sending me a parcel from the homeland. I had been in Africa for almost four years at that time, and I had never, ever, received a parcel from home. Anyway, if anyone did send me a parcel, who would put in a hot water bottle? I lived on the equator!

Halfway through the afternoon, while I was teaching in the nurses' training school, a message was sent that there was a car at my front door. By the time I reached home, the car had gone, but there on the verandah was a large 22-pound parcel. I felt tears pricking my eyes. I could not open the parcel alone, so I sent for the orphanage children. Together we pulled off the string, carefully undoing each knot. We folded the paper, taking care not to tear it unduly Excitement was mounting. Some thirty or forty pairs of eyes were focused on the large cardboard box. From the top, I lifted out brightly-colored, knitted jerseys. Eyes sparkled as I gave them out. Then there were the knitted bandages for the leprosy patien ts, and the children looked a little bored.. Then came a box of mixed raisins and sultanas - that would make a batch of buns for the weekend.

Then, as I put my hand in again, I felt the.....could it really be? I grasped it and pulled it out. Yes, a brand new, rubber hot water bottle. I cried. I had not asked God to send it; I had not truly believed that He could. Ruth was in the front row of the children. She rushed forward, crying out, 'If God has sent the bottle, He must have sent the dolly, too!' Rummaging down to the bottom of the box, she pulled out the small, beautifully-dressed dolly. Her ey es shone! She had never doubted! Looking up at me, she asked, 'Can I go over with you and give this dolly to that little girl, so she'll know that Jesus really loves her?' 'Of course,' I replied!

That parcel had been on the way for five whole months, packed up by my former Sunday school class, whose leader had heard and obeyed God's prompting to send a hot water bottle, even to the equator.' And one of the girls had put in a dolly for an African child - five months before, in answer to the believing prayer of a ten-year-old to bring it that afternoon."

'Before they call, I will answer.' (Isaiah 65:24)

- contributed by, Andrea Green

Riding the Roller Coaster Called Encouragement

Dear Friend in Christ -

What brings tears to your eyes? What makes your heart sing? What makes you laugh hysterically or weep uncontrollably? There are things in all of our lives that take us on the 'roller coaster of emotions ride', aren't there? I'm so glad that I'm finally mature enough to realize that life isn't going to be as I planned it today, or want it to be, but it will be as my Heavenly Father planned it in His great wisdom!

There's a contemporary song entitled You Give and Take Away, written by Matt Redman, inspired by Job 1:21, "And Job said, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, And naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord." Here are the words of the song:

You Give and Take Away by Matt Redman
“Blessed be your name
When the sun’s shining down on me
When the world’s all as it should be
Blessed be your name
Blessed be your name
On the road marked with suffering
Though there’s pain in the offering
Blessed be your name

You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord, Blessed be your name.”

Everyday we encounter people in our church, neighborhoods, schools and workplaces who are constantly getting on and off the roller coaster of emotions. Sometimes we get on as they are leaving the ride; sometimes we find ourselves sitting next to them, sharing in the same seat of laughter or pain; sometimes they get on the ride just as we've finished ours.

Do you think about those around you who might be experiencing great pain or great joy, or are you currently stuck in the "Valley of Me?" Ask yourself this question, "Where would you be if no one had ever encouraged you on or off of the roller coaster of life, or held your hand when you thought you couldn't take the ride one more time?"

Today my daughter made me aware of a young boy and girl who are riding the roller coaster of sickness and pain - not only them, but their family as well. Their parents have asked Christians everywhere to join them as they sit beside their children in the seat of cancer, praying for a miracle. You will find their story @ http://tammynischan.blogspot.com/2008/08/jericho-march-for-nick-and-natalie.html

Their Jericho march begins Monday, August 18. The concept may sound unusual or even corny at first, I know it did to me, but as I looked deeper and deeper into the idea of such a march, I became aware of things in my own life and family that would benefit greatly from such a focused time of prayer and concentration on God's Word.

As I think about Nick and Natalie's struggle, I'm reminded of a song our kids sang during vacation Bible school this year, called, You Never Let Go:

You Never Let Go by Matt Redman
Even though I walk through the valley
Of the shadow of death,
Your perfect love is casting out fear.
And even when I´m caught in the middle
Of the storms of this life,
I won´t turn back;
I know You are near.

And I will fear no evil,
For my God is with me.
And if my God is with me,
Whom then shall I fear?
Whom then shall I fear?

O no, You never let go,
Through the calm and through the storm
O no, You never let go,
In every high and every low
O no, You never let go,
Lord You never let go of me.

And I can see a light that is coming
for the heart that holds on
A glorious light beyond all compare.
And there will be an end to these troubles,
But until that day comes,
We´ll live to know

You here on the earth.
Yes, I can see a light that is coming
For the heart that holds on,
And there will be an end To these troubles,
But until that day comes,
Still I will praise You,
Still I will praise You. "

In closing, I turned back to the last verse of Job chapter one, which reads: "In all of this, Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong." I'm not really sure what the plot is to all of my ramblings, the scriptures or songs I've chosen to include here, only God, the Son and the Holy Spirit knows who these words are meant for. God is the giver and taker of life. He is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. He gives us grace for our days and strength for our nights. I guess what I'm really trying to say is, "Isn't it time we believe what He says and let him have his way in our lives even if it means riding a roller coaster of emotions today?"

- author, Cindy Daniels