FEBRUARY 28

Psalm 9:1
             
I WILL PRAISE YOU!
Betty had been very sad ever since the doctor said her little brother’s allergies were caused by her kitten. Now they needed to find a new home for Betty’s pet, and she and her family prayed about it often. "I’m worried about Shadow," Betty told her friends one day. "If we don’t find a home for her soon, Dad says he’ll have to take her to the SPCA and let them look for a home for her."

That evening, however, the elderly woman living 2 floors below Betty informed Betty’s family that she had decided she would like to take Betty’s kitten! "What an answer to prayer!" exclaimed Mother. Together they thanked God for providing a home for Shadow – one where Betty could probably see the kitten every day!

The next day, Betty eagerly told her friends that the kitten had a new home and wouldn’t be going to the SPCA. "I think they were almost as glad as I was," she happily told her mother that evening. "Did you tell them it was an answer to prayer?" asked Mother. "Well... not really," said Betty.

"Do you remember the testimony Mr. Tan gave at church last Sunday night?" asked Mother thoughtfully.

"Sure," said Betty. "It was interesting. He talked about how he did a lot of very bad things for many years before accepting Jesus as Savior. He told us how God had really changed his life and turned it around."

"Right," said Mother, "and I was blessed and encouraged by that, weren’t you?" Betty nodded. "I believe the entire congregation was blessed by his testimony," continued Mother. " That’s an example of why it’s good to share the things God does for us. Christians are encouraged when they hear how God works, and it’s a testimony to unbelievers. God is glori ed when we tell others how He has answered prayer."

"Even about little things, like a home for a kitten?" asked Betty.
"Maybe especially about those kinds of things," replied Mother, "because those are the kinds of things we all deal with every day. Let’s be sure to thank God for what He does for us, and ask Him to help us share those blessings with others."

Thought: Do you tell others when God answers your prayers or uses His Word to strengthen your life?
Prayer: Heavenly Father, help me to know that You answer prayers, and that I must learn to praise You by sharing Your goodness with others around me! at way, they get encouraged, and when they share with me answers to prayers, I can get encouraged! In Jesus’ name – amen.