Monday, January 16, 2012

Faith



My niece, Lillie, wrote an essay when she was 11 years old about Faith.  I thought it was a beautiful story about a little girl and her love for God, and I wanted to share it with you.  After reading it, my heart was full of joy, and I remember thinking to myself, "how special it is that she has an understanding of this at such a young age."


Faith is a strong loyalty to God in every situation.  We all have good and bad times in life.  During the good times it's easy for everyone to believe in God.  But, during the bad times it's not that easy for everyone.  During our bad times is when we  need to keep our faith more than ever.

I don't believe that God tests our faith by giving us bad times in life.  The bad things that happen to us are always a learning experience.  It feels that the bad things may never go away, but we must have faith that good things will happen.  During my bad times I do alot of praying, and God always helps me get through it.  Prayer shows my faith and it's a way for me to talk to God.

I have faith that God listens to me no matter how small my prayers are.  During a bad time in my brother's life, my mom told us all to pray for him.  We prayed very hard and God has answered our prayers.  I knew He would.  Through this hard time we learned alot about how great our life really is.  We always knew we loved each other, but now we appreciate our lives together.

Everyone in the world is free to have faith.  No one can take it away from you.  Faith is something in your heart.  It is God speaking to you.  We all need to listen.


Lillie is 23 years old now, and I still have her sweet little letter tucked away in a box that I keep all my treasured keepsakes in.   Thank you, Lillie, for reminding me of the light of Faith, and that all we have to do is be still and hear God whispering in our hearts.


~Sheri

50 comments:

Unknown said...

What a very beautiful soul full of wisdom your niece has for this young age. I'd have tucked this writing away, too. Amazing how He reaches each of us ...

Today I needed this, big time, Sheri. My friend, Kerrie's husband is walking his final journey thru life. Very hard day.

And, with some personal family issues ... it has been a very quiet, tearful day here.

Please pray for Bill & Kerrie. Thank you.
TTFN ~
Hugs of appreciation,
Marydon

Cindy @ Dwellings-The Heart of Your Home said...

So beautiful! Ah, to keep the heart of a child! As adults, we tend to make things so much more difficult and complex than they were ever intended to be. God created us, loves us, sent His son to die for us, He has prepared a place for us, and is coming back for us to bring us to our home in Heaven...Love so Amazing! What a sweet keepsake to treasure for all your days! Thanks for sharing Sheri!

It's me said...

So true and so beautiful post........faith.......live from me...xxx...

It's me said...

i mean love......xxx...

Barbara F. said...

Wow, that is something for a little girl to write. Beautiful. Thanks for sharing it with us. xo

Becky said...

Oh how sweet.I think I have become stronger through life with my faith.Theres no way I would ever loose it...its much to much a part of me.

♥ Miss Tea said...

what a beautiful letter for an 11 year old lilie wrote about faith in GOD! Bless her! x susan

NanaDiana said...

Sheri- What a profound thought process for such a young girl. She was wise way beyond her years, wasn't she? I'll bet she grew into a fine young lady! xo Diana

Cami said...

WOW. That is incredible for a 11 year old girl to have written. There are so many five times her age who haven't realize that yet. SO FANTASTIC. And so special!! Have you showed that to Lillie recently? Bet she'd get a kick out of it ;)

<3-Cami from First Day of My Life

Unknown said...

These are some pretty profound revelations at such a young age. Wow! Talking about her brother, it sounds like she has seen faith in action! Kids just amaze me sometimes. Lillie is a special girl.
xoxo,
Mary

TARYTERRE said...

The young are filled with such wisdom. A precious keepsake, for sure.

Unknown said...

What a beautiful essay from a very heartfelt young girl. She believes in her faith and she loves God. What can be better than that? Lovely words Lillie, may God always be with you..

Anonymous said...

Sheri, thank you for sharing Lillie's letter with us. The heart of a child understands so perfectly.
Faith is my word for 2012, and after so many years on this journey, I have learned that we go from faith to faith--it is always growing--and God is always the same.
Loved this.

Susie Swanson said...

That is awesome for a eleven year old to write.. My grandaughter is eleven and it reminds me of her so much.. what a treasure for you to have and keep..Thank you for sharing with us..Susie

Elaine said...

Out of the mouths of the young come some remarlable words. Makes us see things in a different perception.. Thank you for sharing this lovely letter.. It is a treasure.

Donna said...

Hi, Sherri,
Nice to meet you, and thanks for stopping by and leaving such a nice comment.
I'm very impressed that she was able to write that at only 11 years old. And it's all so true.

Ana said...

Oh Sherri,
Thank you for sharing such a sweet little treasure with us. Your niece's wisdom was truly beyond her years. Wishing you a wonderful new week.

Hugs and Kisses,
Ana

magie said...

What a truly inspiring essay..wise words indeed! Thanks so much for sharing.

Castles Crowns and Cottages said...

WOW. Out of the mouth of babes.....and as a TEACHER, I see this as an outstanding depth of wisdom, beautifully written and most definitely a piece to be proud of. But most of all, she captured the core of faith. How marvelous Sheri dearest. Thank you as well for coming to visit me, and for liking my golden hearts! I went out yesterday to look for more of this paint, and was UNABLE TO FIND IT!!!!! I love it too for it has a sheen to it that is like no other gold. I hope you enjoyed viewing my shop!

Like always, you send such sweet vibes of sincere friendship; may GOD BLESS YOU SHERI DARLING!!!! Anita

Brenda said...

Awesome wisdom for such a little one. This will be something that will carry her through for the rest of her life. It's wonderful that you have kept this. It's great teaching material for the rest of us.
Your post is truly delightful today.
May your day be filled with lots of hugs and kisses!
Brenda

Ricki Treleaven said...

How precious, Sheri. What spiritual maturity at such a tender age! Thanks so much for sharing this essay with us.

Daniella said...

That is such a lovely piece she wrote! And she really understands what is going on, and her love for the Lord! Good for her!
xxDaniella

Loraine Living said...

You're absolutely right ... beautifull words Sheri and bless Lillie. Have a wonderful week, greetings Diana

Teresa said...

Haven't we heard, last Sunday in Church, of God Speaking to Samuel?
And how he would get up and run to Eli, only to be taught to listen and answer "Speak, Lord, for your Servant is Listening"?!

Your sweet Lillie was blessed in recognising Him in Her Faith and His Power in her ten-year-old life and ways.And for defending her right to have Her Faith (God, I Love that last paragraph).

May we all tonight be more like Lillie and Eli and open our hearts and lives for Him to Speak with us.

Blessings and Thank you for The Sharing,
Teresa

Teresa said...

"We always knew we loved each other, but now we appreciate our lives together."

This touched me immensely. I taught Cathechesis for years and the other day a mother of a (today) man was telling me, after Mass, how her son says the best thing he remembered from all his years, in Cathechesis, was when I asked them to pray for someone and how he - in those occasions - felt powerful. He's going through a rough path now and his mother was saying that he told her he never felt so alive and so valious like when I gave them that mission and returned saying it worked.
I remember when I was a child walking through the streets of the vilage I lived in (coming from a visit or something) and how you could listen to people praying the rosary in family inside their homes and how it echoed - as a strong and lovely bond and comfort - enveloping the all world in warmth and faith.

Myric said...

I wish I know God like this when I was 11 years old. What a precious thought from a very young age.

xoxo
Myric

andrea@townandprairie said...

Kids always say it best...so sincerely and honestly. If only everyone could see God through the eyes of a child. andrea@townandprairie

Chatty Crone said...

I don't know what you call this - I call it a miracle at age 11 - my grandson is 10 - so wow! What a beautiful young woman she must be. sandie

karen - Simply Inspired said...

dear sheri,
how precious and true...lillie's kind and grateful heart must make the angels smile (I know I did). faith...such a beautiful word...such a beautiful way of living...
thank you kindly for sharing.
-xok
[thank you for your dear thoughts over at my place!}

Unknown said...

It is amazing how much our kids can teach us! What a beautiful take on faith.
Thanks for your kind comment on my blog - looking forward to following your blog for lovely doses of inspiration! Bx

Thuis Thuis said...

Welcome to my blog.
I love sharing my all day things with you.
Just read the essay from your niec.
Your niece must have a old soul to learn us how we can deal with our struggles in live.
Thanksfor sharing.
Love Annette

Kat Ibáñez said...

Dear Sheri,

So many beautiful thoughts, faith is what keep us going in bad times and the words of your niece are extraordinary.

Thank you for sharing such an amazing inspiration.

Kat (El Jardin de los Muffins)

Barefoot in Blue Jeans said...

Sheri, Thanks for stopping by my blog and thank you so much for mentioning this story to me. Her writing are so simple and so very true. I love the first line...Faith is a strong loyalty to God. I've never heard it put that way. Oh the things we learn from little ones. She must be a beautiful, precious young lady now. I hope you have a great evening.

Lavender and Linen said...

It was so sweet of you to keep it all of these years!

Draffin Bears said...

Hi Sheri,

What a beautiful post and poem from your sweet niece at such a tender age.
Thanks for sharing.
Hope that your year is starting well and best wishes to you and your family.

Hugs
Carolyn

Betsy said...

What wisdom for an 11 year old. Sometimes I think children have the truest and deepest faith of all.

Betsy

Pauline said...

Hi, Sheri - Thanks for stopping by my blog and letting me know about this post - it is wonderful!! She certainly had a lot of wisdom when she wrote it - so glad you shared it with us - it really is a treasure!

forgetmenot said...

How wise Lillie was at 11 - lovely story. Beautiful stained glass window. Mickie ;)

RobinfromCA said...

Hi, thanks for stopping by to visit me today at Miscellaneous Thoughts! Glad you enjoyed your stay and please come back again! We California Girls have got to stick together - although, I'm from the north so, during baseball season I'm all about our Giants. ;-)

What a wonderful keepsake written by a very wise 11 year old. Thank you for sharing. I'm a new follower so I'll be back!

Robin

Cottage and Broome said...

A wise little soul! Thanks for sharing such a lovely story. Laura

A Cozy Cottage in the City said...

What a sweet & wonderful letter! This little note is truly inspiring, and so precious that your dear daughter wrote about it. It's the little things like this that help to remind us that God is always here for us no matter how big or trivial the issue is. Thank you so much for sharing! Have a wonderful weekend!


Hugs,
Jessie

Alena: Oh, Its Just Perfect! said...

What a sweet and wise letter for a young girl to write! I love that you've held on to it too :)

Red Rose Alley said...

Thank you, Jessie, for your lovely comment. I just wanted to tell you that the letter was written by my brother and his wife's daughter. Have a fun weekend, my friend.
~Sheri

Dolly Daydreams said...

What an amazing piece of writing from one so young, just beautiful

Marie

Terra said...

Hi Sheri, I love your niece's letter and it is truly a "keeper". Thanks for your comment on my blog today, and let's follow each other's blogs.

Diana said...

I haven't had a lot of time to read blogs lately, but when I do I go right to yours! Every post is inspiring! Thank you for that! I really enjoy following your family's blog!

Dawne Boynton Polis said...

What a precious young lady, and her words seem to come straight from the heart of God. How I wish we all could face life with this child's innocence and clarity.
God Bless her and your whole family.
dawne

Cindy Adkins said...

Sheri,
What wise words to come from an 11 year old! Thank you so much for sharing with us - it's so beautiful! So are the photos - especially that window. Oh my gosh - gorgeous!
Hugs to you, Cindy

Deborah said...

This is precious Sheri!
What a treasure that you saved this, and shared it with us here.
Thank you and thank you Lillie!
Love your photos!

Deborah xoxo

daysease said...

While I am sorry that I was not able to pop in as soon as I got your message about this post, God knows the perfect time for everything, and... this was that perfect time. The simple faith of a child reminds me of this... that even Christ said that we must come to Him with just that, the faith of a child... Open, trusting, knowing even without seeing... just able to be and let be knowing that He is in control... sigh... thanks, friend. I appreciate that.

Happy almost Valentine's Day... Hope you have an especially lovely day.. (I should ask you how your holidays went while I am at it... been too long since I stopped by... still having a hard time managing to do all I need to do in life, much less on the blogs. Have all kinds of things lined up to share. Just have to get there. ) :-) Hope you are well! Hugs!