In a devotional on April 16, 2024, I told the story of my own conversion through picking up a tract in a mud puddle. It was entitled, "The Power Of A Tract", of which I am totally convinced. The following is a poem that I wrote to express how the gift of salvation can come to us on any given day, even the day after Christmas.

'Twas the morning after Christmas
And all through the house
Not a creature was stirring
Not even my spouse

Stockings once hung
By the chimney with care
Now lay on the floor
Candy strewn everywhere

On a table nearby
I noticed a tract
Left there last night
By my uncle Jack

I picked up the tract
Began reading the words
They were the sweetest
That I'd ever heard

A story about Jesus
God the Son and His birth
How He came as a baby
From heaven to earth

My eyes popped wide open
I just had to read more
I was understanding now better
Than ever before

Jesus God's Son
Came down to this earth
Our sinless Redeemer
Born to bring us new birth

The tract's end had a prayer
I was invited to pray
To have Jesus forgive me
Wash my sins all away

Oh Lord, I'm a sinner
I heard myself say
Please wash me in
Your blood I now pray

You were crucified, buried
And then rose again
All this, Lord, You did
Because of my sin

Christmas is special
The morning after is, too
For that was the day
Jesus made me brand new

Prayer: Lord, Your mercies are new every morning. Amen.

Recently, as my husband and I drove by a local cancer and blood centre, I glanced at it, and the Holy Spirit softly whispered, "I want you to go there once a week, sit quietly, and pray for the patients."

I silently asked the Holy Spirit, "Would You confirm this to me?"

Our destination that morning was the bank. From past visits, we knew the bank officer. He loves the Lord, is married, and has two young girls. Seated in his office, I blurted out the first question that came to mind: "How is your son doing?"

He was shocked and asked, "How did you know that my wife and I are having another baby?"

I said, "I didn't know." He went on to explain that his wife was eighteen weeks pregnant, and an ultrasound had shown that the baby was a boy!

We all realized that the Holy Spirit had given me that information. The three of us rejoiced and thanked God for the new bundle of joy soon to be expected. I was prompted to share with him what I believed that God had spoken to me about the cancer centre.

The officer pointed to a picture in his office of a dear friend of his, an army veteran who lived nearby and was waiting to hear the results from his cancer tests. He added, "If the results are positive, he just might be one of the patients at the centre for whom you would be praying."

Right then and there, Marcelo, the bank officer, and I brought that young man before the Lord in prayer, and I realized that I had received from God the confirmation that I had asked for.

The word "cancer" has the ability to strike fear into our hearts and minds like nothing else can. But God is concerned not only with cancer; He is concerned with every type of circumstance and situation that we might be going through.

Philippians 4:6-7 – Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (NKJV)

Perhaps you have felt a tug from the Holy Spirit that God wants you to step out to fulfill a desire that He has in His heart for you to undertake. God has His ways of confirming it so that you can have peace, knowing that you have heard from Him.

God desires to use His children as He wills. Wherever He leads us, He provides and enables us to be extensions of His loving care.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, help us to discern Your leading and to delight in doing Your will. "Speak, for Your servant hears." Amen.

Some 21 years ago now, the deadline for income tax returns to be postmarked was just a few days away. On this particular evening, my husband Marcelo decided that it would be best to drive to the post office and drop the return into the drive-through mailbox so that it would be postmarked first thing in the morning. At the time, our granddaughter Sha, then aged 13, was visiting. Marcelo offered to treat us to an ice cream cone on the way home if we wanted to go with him to the post office.

Just as we were about to get into the car, an extremely uneasy feeling came over me. I told Marcelo, "Something is wrong, I don't feel safe. We need to pray!"

Psalm 91 came to mind, and though I couldn't remember all of it, I prayed what I could remember.

Psalm 91:1-2,11-12 – He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. (KJV)

We made it safely to the post office, but on the way to get the ice cream, we were hit by a speeding van that had run a red light. The van slammed into the driver's side of our car, pinning Marcelo behind the steering wheel.

We were taken by ambulance to the hospital. Several of Marcelo's ribs were broken, Sha had back and neck injuries, and I was very badly bruised from the seat belt, and shattered window glass had cut my hand.

We never met the driver of the van, but we were told that he was not hurt physically and that he had been driving under the influence of alcohol. Apparently, he desperately needed Jesus, and we prayed that he would be saved, healed, and delivered.

Later, when the three of us shared what we had felt upon the impact of the crash, we each described a gentle, back-and-forth, slow-motion swish, then an abrupt thud when the impact of the crash was over. I think that the gentle, slow-motion, swish sensation resulted from angels taking the actual hard blows for us.

That evening, I learned the importance of knowing and memorizing Scripture. I thanked God for the warning and for the covering of Psalm 91.

We can liken Scripture memorization to depositing money in a savings account. If we never make any deposits, there is nothing that we can withdraw when we need it.

We need to take time to read, learn, and memorize God's Word, hiding it in our hearts so that it is readily available to help us to pray effectively.

Prayer: Lord, we thank You for Your precious Word. It truly is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path. Amen.

The rain was still pouring when I finished shopping, and as I was running to the car, I stepped in a puddle. Lying in the puddle was a cartoon booklet. I picked it up and took it home.

The booklet dried overnight, and the next morning, I read it. It was a Christian tract entitled, This Was Your Life, a very effective witnessing tool. Though I did not get saved after reading the tract, it definitely created within me a hunger and thirst to learn more about God and His plan of salvation.

1 Corinthians 3:6 – I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. (NKJV)

After my salvation four years later, I joined the publisher's tract club and purchased 100 tracts each month. I would then drive to various neighbourhoods and walk around distributing a tract to each home. I would knock and if someone answered the door, I would introduce myself and ask if I could leave the booklet with them. Most of the time, no one answered, so I would simply leave the tract fastened to their doorknob with an elastic band. I did this for a year and loved it! When I ran out of tracts and was headed back home, I was always saddened that I would have to wait until I could afford to purchase more tracts the following month, and that there was such a vast number of homes where I was not able to leave a tract. I rejoiced when I recently re-read the tract online from cover to cover, and it felt like the Spirit reminded me that more souls than I could imagine would be drawn to Christ because of the link to that tract.

When we witness to others about our personal salvation experience with Jesus Christ and share Scriptures on how they, too, can be saved and forgiven of their sins, whoever we are witnessing to may or may not choose at that particular time to receive Jesus Christ as their Saviour, but we can rest knowing that we have planted a seed.

We should also be prepared for hostility and rejection when we witness. Jesus said, "If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you." (John 15:18 NKJV)

Having a part in seeing others come to know Jesus as their personal Saviour is an inexplicable joy! How exciting it is for us to know that even today, we might have a new opportunity to witness!

Prayer: Father God, we, Your children, thank You for allowing us to be used as witnesses of Your wonderful, amazing grace here on earth. Amen.

I had made a doctor's appointment, and at the doctor's office, the nurse took my vitals and gave them to my doctor, who then came rushing into the examination room, saying, "I have got to call the paramedics to take you to the hospital. Your heart is beating way too fast!" I assured her that I would be fine and that this wasn't the first time that this had happened. At her insistence, I finally gave in, and the paramedics arrived. The chief paramedic said that my heartbeat was over 200 pulses per minute and that they would have to lower it before transporting me to the hospital. He explained that they would do that with two injections: one to stop my heart and the other to restart it.

I carry an orange "Do Not Resuscitate" paper, and it was very important to me that if the procedure were unsuccessful, I did not want to be resuscitated.

Wanting to pray beforehand, I asked if any of them knew Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour. The chief paramedic boldly spoke up and said, "I do." Hallelujah! Was I ever blessed to hear that!

Many paramedics were in the room, and they all respectfully removed their hats and bowed their heads as I prayed, "Dear Lord, they are talking about stopping and restarting my heart, and that is Your department. If what they do doesn't work, I've asked that they do not resuscitate me. Whatever happens, Lord, I want You to know that I am Yours, and that my heart belongs to You."

The procedure that they performed successfully lowered my heartbeat and returned it to normal.

At the hospital, I was diagnosed with adult supraventricular tachycardia. I was placed under the care of a cardiologist, who prescribed me medication and released me that same day.

Months later, further testing revealed that I had a genetic disorder that didn't show up until later in life. To fix the problem, I had a heart ablation procedure, and I have not had the problem since.

I realize that we all respond differently to different situations, but with the paramedics, what gave me strength and courage was knowing that Jesus was raised in victory over death at His glorious resurrection, and He has promised the same thing to me and to all who believe in Him.

After Martha's brother Lazarus died, Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies, and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" (John 11:25-26 NIV)

Let us praise our Saviour today that His tomb is empty! Jesus was buried in a borrowed tomb because He knew that it would be used only temporarily. Let us praise Him for His resurrection, "because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him." (Acts 2:24b NIV)

Prayer: Jesus, thank You that we find such peace, comfort, and assurance, knowing the power of Your resurrection. Death could not keep You in the grave, and death cannot keep those who know You there, either! Amen.

During quiet time with the Lord, I pictured in my mind the crown of thorns on Jesus' head, and heard in my spirit the words, "The day creation rejoiced."

Genesis 3:17b-18a – Cursed is the ground for your sake; In toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life. Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you. (NKJV)

I began to wonder, if it were possible, how the thorns might possibly have rejoiced, knowing that they were not originally created as thorns. I thought of how devastating it would have been for them when they were twisted into Jesus' crown of thorns. With those thoughts in mind, I wrote, "If Thorns Could Speak".

When Adam and Eve sinned
Creation fell under sin's curse
And the thorns said to the thistles
Can things get any worse?

On Crucifixion Day
They faced even more dread
Being twisted into a crown
To be worn on Jesus' head

The crown of thorns on Jesus' head
Added to His suffering and pain
He was mocked, struck
Humiliated, and shamed

With compassion Jesus said
As blood flowed from His brow
God is allowing these things
To be so for now

I did not create you to be a thorn
You were created perfectly, beautifully
Perfect and beautiful you will
Once again be for all eternity

I came down from heaven
To earth below to destroy
The power of sin and death
Your sorrow and dread
Will be turned to great joy
After I AM crucified
Buried and risen
From the dead

The thorns rejoiced to hear this
Brothers and sisters so do we
For like Jesus we will have
A glorified body for all eternity

1 Corinthians 15:54 – So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory." (NKJV)

One day, like the thorns, all creation will rejoice, for we will be restored to the original, perfect, incorruptible state that we had before the curse of sin.

When we were in Adam, we wore the crown of sin. On the cross, Jesus wore our crown so that we would be able to wear His crown of righteousness when we receive Him as Saviour from our sins.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we are so grateful for all that You went through at Calvary to purchase our salvation. You willingly chose to die for us, and it is our prayer and desire that we would willingly choose to live for You. We thank You that the day is coming when the lion will lie down with the lamb, creation will be restored to its original state, sickness, disease, sorrow, and death will be no more, and those of us who have received You as Saviour will be with You throughout all eternity. Thank You, Jesus! Amen.

One of my windows faced the main street, and I could see the foot traffic that passed by. Parents waited with their children for the school bus, and apartment residents waited for a taxi, Uber, or the city bus.

A very thin young man with blonde hair captured my attention. He was small of stature and very frail looking, in his late twenties, I would think. His face looked worn and tired, and from the sound of his cough, he didn't appear to be in the best of health. He wore a pair of shiny, white patent leather shoes that stood out, because one doesn't normally see that kind of shoe worn. That's how I began to refer to him by the name, "Tiny Shoes".

Seeing him broke my heart, and that day, I began interceding for him. I saw him only a few times after that. I wish that I could have met him personally. I have cried countless tears over Tiny Shoes. He touched my heart so deeply! I prayed with my whole heart that Tiny Shoes would be in heaven.

John 17:20 – I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word. (NKJV)

In this verse Jesus says that He is interceding for His disciples and for people of all generations who would come to put their faith in Him. If there is someone you are interceding for, this is a very comforting verse.

We intercessors know how humbling, important, and serious it is to intercede on behalf of someone, whether or not we know them personally, for it is God's love within us that draws, compels, and enables us to pray.

If we are not sure that the person we are interceding for is saved, we can pray for their salvation, for God "desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth" (1 Timothy 2:4 NKJV), and we know that He hears our prayers.

1 John 5:14-15 – Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him. (NKJV)

I continue to pray that one day, I will see Tiny Shoes in heaven. If you are interceding for someone, please do not stop. Jesus knows their whereabouts and their spiritual condition, and He is able to reach out and touch them wherever they may be, in His perfect way and in His time.

Prayer: Dear heavenly Father, with joy and hope, we look forward to seeing in heaven those for whom we have interceded. Lord, we thank You also for all the intercessors who prayed for us, because of Your love poured out in their hearts by the Holy Spirit, and now, by Your divine grace, we lovingly call You Father God. Amen.