Chicken Soup for The Soul

Not too long ago, I wondered to myself whether the fact that I wasn't doing anything to spread my faith had anything to do with my gradual loss of faith in God.

I recently purchased a Chicken Soup For the Soul : 101 Stories to Open The Heart And Rekindle The Spirit for the low low price of RM15. =))

This book features the most touching, hair-raising, goosebump-ing real life stories that will change your life in some way or the other.

So, recently a programme was started in St. Joseph's church. It is a programme that encourages us, the congregation, to read the Bible more. I didn't manage to get myself a pamphlet but I did, however, catch what Father Joe had said. According to him, the programme goes like this-- we choose a chapter or a passage from the Bible to read and afterwards reflect on what it is we have just read. That's about all I managed to catch.

I decided then on to read the Bible every morning instead of just on the rare occassion that I have nothing to do. Let me tell you, it does wonders. I'm not sure why but the more I read, the more I feel a part of this religion, feel closer to Him personally.

But I could not seem to find anything to reflect upon in the chapter of Acts as it is mainly about how the apostles had travelled around, spreading God's word and standing as living proof of God's love and power. I decided that I would only carry out the second part of this programme once I've moved onto the next chapter.

Not too long after that, I came across this particularly touching story in my new Chicken Soup for The Soul book, entitle 'A Brother Like That'. It started off with how Paul had received a brand new sports car as a Christmas present from his brother. So one day, he saw a street urchin admiring his shiny new car. The boy asked Paul about the car and he told him that his brother had given it to him as a Christmas present. Then the boy began, 'Boy, I wish..'

Paul, of course, knew that the boy was going to wish that he has a brother like that but instead the boy said, 'I wish.. that I could be a brother like that.' Paul, astonished, offered to give the boy a ride in his car.

After a while the boy turned to Paul and asked if he would mind driving in front of the boy's house. Paul smiled, he knew that the boy wanted to show his neighbours that he could ride home in a big automobile. But Paul was wrong again.

'Will you stop where those two steps are?', the boy requested. He ran upstairs and a little while later returned, but he was not coming fast. He was carrying his little crippled brother. He sat him down on the bottom step, squeezed up against him and pointed at the car. 'There she is, Buddy, just like I told you upstairs. His brother gave it to him for Christmas and it didn't cost him a cent. And some day I'm gonna give you one just like it.. then you can see for yourself all the pretty things in Christmas windows that I've been trying to tell you about.'

Paul picked the boy's brother up and and sat him onto the front seat. The boy climbed in beside his little brother and the three of them began a memorable holiday ride.

"That Christmas Eve, Paul learned what Jesus meant when he had said: 'It is more blessed to give...'"

It just so happened that on that very same day, right before I had read that story, I had been reading on Acts and came across the exact same line, "Jesus said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'", written in red.

It was then on that I realised something. Everything had fallen into place. I did have something to reflect upon. Acts speaks of how the disciples travel around spreading God's word and standing as living proof of His love and power. They do it selflessly. They do it without bondages to hold them back. They do it for God. And to add even more to that, it just so happened that the passage that I had been reading speaks of Paul's preaching to the Ephesians and how he tells them of his journey and sacrifices for God. (Acts 20: 17- 24)

A friend of mine deduced that maybe this is a message from God. Maybe He is trying to show me the next step to take in my spiritual journey with Him. One thing's for sure though, I have never felt closer to Him. My faith has been renewed and a great peace has fallen upon me.

Great is our God who knows no boundaries. Great is our God who can do anything.

So, go out and spread your faith. Stand proud and do not be afraid to proclaim what you are-- a child of God. Never let rough patches in your faith hold you back and keep you from experiencing His love. Just keep seeking. When you truly want and strive and fight for it, you will get it. He knows when you really want it and He will definitely give it to you. =))