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Topic: Failure (03/01/04)
TITLE: Sheep Don't Fail By Rebecca Daniels 03/03/04 |
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High school was no different. She didn’t know how to fix her hair and she had no one to show her how to dress. There were no dates, no dances. Her grades were barely passing. She considered herself a failure as a teenager, just as she had herself a child.
She went to work at a local market right after graduation. She was fired within two weeks for being rude to the customers. She was also fired at the next three jobs she got.
Her next job was at the local farmers cooperative where she was put in charge of ordering the feed supplies and didn’t have to deal with the public much. She made friends with one of the girls who worked there and they usually had lunch together. Melissa finally had a friend.
When one of the local farmer’s came by to pick up feed and asked her for a date she said yes. Nancy, her friend at work, had been helping her with her appearance and social manners. But what she didn’t know was that he was Nancy’s boyfriend. When she found this out she decided she would rather have the boyfriend. Dating was more fun that eating lunch.
The next week Keith, the boy in demand, broke up with Nancy. When Nancy found out Melissa was seeing Keith she confronted her. Melissa had no reply. Her first friend and Melissa had failed.
After two months Keith and Melissa were married. She became pregnant immediately. Keith was very upset. They couldn’t afford children yet. Melissa had quit her job. Her mother had never worked so she thought wives didn’t work. Keith was working on the farm day and night trying to make a go of it with no help from Melissa. When Melissa was seven months pregnant Keith asked for a divorce. Melissa had failed as a wife.
Keith showed up when the baby was born, and two weeks later Melissa received a subpoena to show in court. Keith was going to take her son away from her. Melissa had no character witnesses. She had no friends. Her family never showed. They didn’t even know she had a son. She had not visited them since she married.
The court proceedings were short. Keith won custody and they gave Melissa no visitation rights. Melissa had failed as a mother.
Keith kicked her out of the house and Melissa was forced to live on the street. It was then one night Melissa was sitting in a cardboard box thinking of how she had failed at life when a stranger came by gave her a card. After reading it, she followed its directions to the shelter. She was greeted with smiles and hugs, given a hot meal, clean dry clothes and a bed for the night.
The next morning the pastor came by to talk. He asked her if she knew Jesus. She said no. Melissa told him how she had failed at life. He told her the story of Jesus and how He loves everyone. He then asked her to pray to God.
On her knees, Melissa started praying; “God, I know I’m a failure. Nobody likes me and they shouldn’t, I’m not a good person. But this preacher says You love me and will forgive me. I beg You to God and help me not to be a failure anymore”.
Melissa felt instant peace; her heart light as a feather. She had a lot of making up to do. When she asked the pastor who the man with the card was he wasn’t sure what she was talking about. They had no cards to pass out, never did have. When she reached to find the card it wasn’t there; only a white feather in its place.
Melissa left the shelter two weeks later. She had found a job and Keith was letting her live in a cottage on the farm where she could be near their son. One evening after her nightly prayer she heard a voice speak to her. “There are no failures in My eyes Melissa. Only lost sheep needing a Shepherd”.