THE LITTLE WOMAN
" I WASN'T GOD'S FIRST CHOICE FOR WHAT I'VE DONE FOR CHRIST...I DON'T KNOW WHO IT WAS...IT MUST HAVE BEEN A MAN...A WELL-EDUCATED MAN. I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED. PERHAPS HE DIED. PERHAPS HE WASNT WILLING...AND GOD LOOKED DOWN...AND SAW GLADYS AYLWARD...AND GOD SAID, WELL SHE WAS WILLING.
Gladys Aylward
"Put the thought of China out of your head."
"Continue with the work you are doing."
"You are not qualified. You can not do this."
Gladys went back on the train to her home, depressed and dejected. She pulled out her bible.
She read the story of Moses, Abraham and Nehemiah. She heard God say
"Gladys Aylward, is Nehemiah's God your God?"
"Yes, of course!" she answered
"Oh God, here's my bible, here's me.
Use me, Use me God."
This was the prayer of a young woman of 28. She held up her bible and what amounted to two pennies in her hand and lifted them up to God. She had read about Abraham and Moses and Nehemiah. She said she was not strong like them.
God told her "I am the same God who sent them and I can send you."
Gladys's story is in the book 'The Little Woman' written by Gladys and Christine Hunter.
**
I have more questions than answers
I am just the storyteller
**
JUST A GIRL - Outside the Gate
One morning, Ms. Julie from the orphanage nudged me gently on the shoulder and took my hand. we went upstairs and sat in front of the bay window at the end of the hall.
The sun lit up the room. There was a a small sofa under the window and an easy chair setup for the intimacy of soft conversations.
We sat down under the window and the sunlight lit up Ms. Julie's hair which she wore down that day. Her lovely eyes were filled with sadness, and I could see tears forming.
My heart sank.
The noise outside and around us left. Tears started flowing down Ms. Julie's face.
I was drowning in them and stopped breathing. In those tears, all my dreams and hopes faded and retreated and fell with them.
I had been certain that I was going to be part of a family.
"How could I have been so wrong?"
"I am sorry," Ms. Julie managed to say through her tears.
"They wanted a boy."
So there we sat, both of us weeping in that silent place.
****
THE SPRING OF THE CALLER
"Samson was now thirsty, and he cried out to the Lord, "You have accomplished this great victory by the strength of your servant. Must I now die of thirst and fall?"
So, God caused water to gush out of the hollow in the ground and Samson was revived as he drank. Then he named the place.
"The spring of the caller." (Judges 15:18)
**
Never too small
Never too weak
Jesus restores
Those who seek
Take my life
Use it up
Let me drink
From your glory cup
Eternal Spring of the Caller
Strengthens me
So I can follow
Weakened from the war within
Release in me
The Eternal Spring
Samson was the strongest of men
Weak and small
In his own strength
He cried out
"Lord I thirst!"
The eternal spring
Within him burst
This is the spring of the caller
Eternal spring of Living Waters
Still I live
Still I rise
You heard my voice
You heard my cry
Never too small
Never to weak
Jesus restores
Those who seek
Living Waters, eternal spring
All my strength is found in Him
Take my life
Use it up
Let me drink
From your glory cup....../j.smith