A Special Set of Dishes, by Sally

In my last blog, "Yes, Jesus Loves Me", I told the story of my friend Peggy, and how God really does love us. One of the reasons this is important to me, is because after being on three missionary adventures, it amazes me that women all over the world struggle with the fact that Jesus really does love them.

During all of my missionary endeavors, I met the most lovely, intelligent, godly women. And yet, they still struggled with this issue. They get it that Jesus loves Susan or Barbara, but not themselves. I guess we see all that is within us, and still struggle with realizing that God sees that too, and yet He still does love us. Truth is, yes He does. He even loves us in the little things.

One of the times that God really did show that to me was when we were on deputation for our assignment to Micronesia with the Liebenzell Mission. We planned a speaking engagement at my home church, First Baptist, in Flushing, Michigan. I had accepted the Lord there and had been taught Christian principles there in church and in their Sunday School program. I had accepted Jesus as my Savior during a Sunday School lesson one Sunday morning.

This was a special speaking engagement for us. At that time our sons had also decided that they wanted to be baptized, and they had chosen to be baptized in that church that same Sunday. At the end of the morning service they had gone forward to publicly acknowledge that they desired to be baptized. That evening, after our presentation for our work in Micronesia, they were baptized. It was a special night. But I did not know yet just how special.

Earlier the church had asked for a list of what we would need on the field. They shared that list with their parishioners. People gave gifts that were on that list at a lovely Missionary Shower after the service that night.

This was not an easy task to think of what you would need in the next several years. I had to figure out sizes for all three boys and just what would be sensible to ship overseas. On that list I had put a set of stoneware dishes. Earlier I had seen a set at a Montgomery Wards store that I had liked. It was blue, and I liked the color of the ecru with the pretty country blue. However, I didn’t tell anyone of that color combination that I had liked.

That Sunday evening, after our presentation, and the boys baptism, we walked back to the room where the Missionary Shower was, and I was shocked when I saw several tables laden with all kinds of goodies for us. But what shocked me most was there in the middle of a table was a set of stoneware that was very close to the one I had admired so much before. It had a lovely design of blue tulips on the dishes. I was overwhelmed by God’s love for me. Only He had known my color preference and taste. This set was perfect. They even had given us a double set.

I am amazed by God’s love and care even though I had not particularly prayed for these dishes, let alone prayed “specifically”. It made me so aware of His love for me even in the little parts of my life.

How about you? Do you have a "story" of how God has answered some little prayer that no one knew but you? Want to share?

Sometime it takes a life time to get that truth of His love seeped into all of our being. Keep at it. Keep believing that He especially does love you.

Blessings.