Believe

 Submitted by JL - Thanks

>>THIS WILL TRULY LIFT YOU UP SPIRITUALLY.  ENJOY &
>>>>BELIEVE. 

>>>>                                    
>>>>Isaiah 65:24
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>This is a story written by a doctor who worked in Africa. 
>>>>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 patients, 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 eyes 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)
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>When you receive this, say the prayer. That's all I ask. No strings attached.
>>>>Just send it on to whomever you want - but do send it on. Prayer is one of the
>>>>best free gifts we receive. There is no cost, but a lot of rewards. Let's
>>>>continue praying for one another. 
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>This awesome prayer takes less than a minute.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>Heavenly Father, I ask you to bless my friends reading this. I ask You to
>>>>minister to their spirit. Where there is pain, give them Your peace and mercy.
>>>>Where there is self doubting, release a renewed confidence to work through them
>>>>Where there is tiredness or exhaustion, I ask You to give them understanding,
>>>>guidance, and strength. Where there is fear, reveal our love and release to them
>>>>Your courage.. Bless their finances, give them greater vision, and raise up
>>>>leaders and friends to support and encourage them.  I ask You to do these things
>>>>in Jesus' name. Amen