Inspirational Christian Stories

Monday, July 24, 2006

Keep Your Fork

There was a young woman who had been diagnosed with
a terminal illness and had been given three months
to live. So as she was getting her things "in order,"
she contacted her pastor and had him come to her house
to discuss certain aspects of her final wishes. She told
him which songs she wanted sung at the service, what
scriptures she would like read, and what outfit
she wanted to be buried in.

Everything was in order and the pastor was preparing
to leave when the young woman suddenly remembered
something very important to her. "There's one more
thing," she said excitedly.

"What's that?" came the pastor's reply.

"This is very important," the young woman continued.
"I want to be buried with a fork in my right hand."

The pastor stood looking at the young woman, not knowing
quite what to say. "That surprises you, doesn't it?"
the young woman asked. "Well, to be honest, I'm
puzzled by the request" said the pastor.

The young woman explained. "My grandmother once told me
this story, and from there on out, I have always tried to
pass along its message to those I love and those who are
in need of encouragement.

'In all my years of attending church socials and potluck
dinners, I always remember that when the dishes of the
main course were being cleared, someone would inevitably
lean over and say, 'Keep your fork.' It was my favorite
part because I knew that something better was coming...
like velvety chocolate cake or deep-dish apple pie.
Something wonderful, and with substance!' So, I just want
people to see me there in that casket with a fork in my
hand and I want them to wonder "What's with the fork?".
Then I want you to tell them: "Keep your fork ... the
best is yet to come."

The pastor's eyes welled up with tears of joy as he
hugged the young woman good-bye.

He knew this would be one of the last times he would
see her before her death. But he also knew that the
young woman had a better grasp of heaven than he did.
She had a better grasp of what heaven would be like
than many people twice her age, with twice as much
experience and knowledge. She Knew that something
better was coming.

At the funeral people were walking by the young woman's
casket and they saw the pretty dress she was wearing
and the fork placed in her right hand.

Over and over, the pastor heard the question,
"What's with the fork?" And over and over he smiled.

During his message, the pastor told the people of
the conversation he had with the young woman shortly
before she died. He also told them about the fork
and about what it symbolized to her.

The pastor told the people how he could not stop
thinking about the fork and told them that they probably
would not be able to stop thinking about it either.

He was right.

So the next time you reach down for your fork,
let it remind you ever so gently,
that the best is yet to come.

Author Unknown

You Are Still Priceless

A well known speaker started off his seminar by holding up a $20 bill. In the room of 200, he asked, Who would like this $20 bill?

Hands started going up. He said, I am going
to give this $20 to one of you but first, let me do this.
He proceeded to crumple the dollar bill up.
He then asked, Who still wants it?
Still the hands were up in the air.

Well, he replied, what if I do this?
And he dropped it on the ground and started to
grind it into the floor with his shoe.
He picked it up, now all crumpled and dirty.
Now who still wants it?
Still the hands went into the air.
My friends, you have all learned a very valuable lesson.
No matter what I did to the money, you still
wanted it because it did not decrease in value.
It was still worth $20.

Many times in our lives, we are dropped,
crumpled, and ground into the dirt by the decisions we
make and the circumstances that come our way.
We feel as though we are worthless.
But no matter what has happened or what will happen,
you will never lose your value.
Dirty or clean, crumpled or finely creased,
you are still priceless.

Author Unknown

The Son's Friend

After a few of the usual Sunday evening hymns, the church's pastor once again slowly stood up, walked over to the pulpit, and gave a very brief introduction of his childhood friend. With that, an elderly man stepped up to the pulpit to speak. "A father, his son, and a friend of his son were sailing off the Pacific Coast," he began, "when a fast approaching storm blocked any attempt to get back to shore. The waves were so high, that even though the father was an experienced sailor, he could not keep the boat upright, and the three were swept into the ocean."

The old man hesitated for a moment, making eye contact with two teenagers who were, for the first time since the service began, looking somewhat interested in his story. He continued, "Grabbing a rescue line, the father had to make the most excruciating decision of his life....to which boy he would throw the other end of the line. He only had seconds to make the decision. The father knew that his son was a Christian, and he also knew that his son's friend was not. The agony of his decision could not be matched by the torrent of waves. As the father yelled out, 'I love you, son!' he threw the line to his son's friend. By the time he pulled the friend back to the capsized boat, his son had disappeared beyond the raging swells into the black of night. His body was never recovered."

By this time, the two teenagers were sitting
straighter in the pew, waiting for the next words to come out of the old man's mouth. "The father," he continued, "knew his son would step into eternity with Jesus, and he could not bear the thought of his son's friend stepping into an eternity without Jesus. Therefore, he sacrificed his son. How great is the love of God that He should do the same for us."

With that, the old man turned and sat back down in his chair as silence filled the room. Within minutes after the service ended, the two teenagers were at the old man's side. "That was a nice story," politely started one of the boys, "but I don't think it was very realistic for a father to give up his son's life in hopes that the other boy would become a Christian."

"Well, you've got a point there," the old man replied, glancing down at his worn Bible. A big smile broadened his narrow face, and he once again looked up at the boys and said, "It sure isn't very realistic, is it? But I'm standing here today to tell you that THAT story gives me a glimpse of what it must have been like for God to give up His Son for me.

You see.... I was the son's friend."

Author Unknown

Footprints in the Sand

One night a man had a dream. He dreamed
he was walking along the beach with the Lord.
Across the sky flashed scenes from his life.
For each scene he noticed two sets of
footprints in the sand: one belonging
to him, and the other to the Lord.

When the last scene of his life flashed before him,
he looked back at the footprints in the sand.

He noticed that many times along the path of
his life there was only one set of footprints.

He also noticed that it happened at the very
lowest and saddest times in his life.

This really bothered him and he
questioned the Lord about it: "Lord,
you said that once I decided to follow
you, you'd walk with me all the way".

But I have noticed that during the most
troublesome times in my life,
there is only one set of footprints.
I don't understand why when
I needed you most you would leave me."

The Lord replied: "My son, my precious child,
I love you and I would never leave you.
During your times of trial and suffering,
when you see only one set of footprints,
it was then that I carried you."

written by Mary Stevenson