Has is been that long?

Over 3 months and no blog, FB is killing the blog world! (I am not cursing Grandma, FB is short for Face Book)

It is late and I am tired but feel moved to share a story which was told to me by a friend who at the time had no idea I needed to hear it. It goes like this...

The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small, uninhabited island. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him, and every day he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming.

Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect him from the weather, and to store his few possessions.

But then one day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, the smoke rolling up to the sky. The worst had happened; everything was lost. He was stunned with grief and anger. "God, how could you do this to me!" he cried.

Early the next day, however, he was awakened by the sound of a ship that was approaching the island. It had come to rescue him. "How did you know I was here?" asked the weary man of his rescuers. "We saw your smoke signal," they replied. It is easy to get discouraged when things are going badly. But we shouldn't lose heart, because God is at work in our lives, even in the midst of pain and suffering.

Remember, next time your little hut is burning to the ground---it just may be a smoke signal that summons the grace of God.

This story was told at our MOPS meeting last January. Our "Prayer and Care" leader Deana shared this with our group. We didn't even know each other really. She had no idea how badly I needed to hear this story for my hut was burning! Jason had been let go from his job in December and we just found out our baby girl was going to have open heart surgery to repair the hole in her heart.

If we're hoping to see a miracle, then we better really believe one is possible: Matthew 13:58 "And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith." With Gods grace our baby was healed and my husband was blessed with a new job.

~Shea