I look at Anais now utterly startled at how she has grown. She was just a little more than a baby when we left for Africa, actually not much older that Gabriel is now. Today she is the age Hannah was when we left for Africa. She has grown into a young lady somehow without us fully noticing. Her heart is still in Africa as is mine.

For about four years now Anais has been delighted with fairy tale writings. She is a huge fan of C. S. Lewis and is presently reading through a collection of George MacDonald’s fairy tales. (MacDonald was an early mentor of Lewis.) Earlier this month she was interested in Revelation, so she consumed it in fascination although she does not like the thoughts of the end times.

I marvel at the way God puts us each individually together to draw us to Him and His word. Hannah loves good true stories, Anais loves fairy tales, Gabe loves stories of valiancy or war or anything pertaining to it (David, Samson, Elijah, John the Baptist). You might wonder how fairy tales and the Bible relate at all. Well, let me first preface that I believe the word of God is without error and is a literal account of history or HIS STORY, not fairy tale or make believe. I believe God, Elohim, created the world in seven days. I believe Noah spent a chunk of time making an ark which he and his family escaped from the flood in for an entire year, which still possibly rests on Mount Ararat today and that the flood actually took place, destroying the world as it was known at that time. During the Babylonian reign, there were four valiant, faithful men that refused to bow to the kings or their idols. Three of whom were tied and thrown in a searing fire and one who was thrown into the den of hungry lions, all of whom God saved by His mighty righteous right hand! I believe there was a huge fish, whale that swallowed a disobedient prophet of God up, held him in his stomach for three days, after in which he spat him up on dry ground, affording him to go preach in Nineveh. God called a man forth that ate wild honey and locusts and wore camel skin as his clothing. He must have been a rough looking man, but one who trusted the Lord and gave his life for his King for righteousness sake and to prepare the way for the One to come. I believe Jesus was one day thousands of years before seated at the right hand of the Father as the Godhead conversed through the creation of this universe, the angels, the sky, the earth and its’ vegetation and all the inhabitants therein. I believe He was with Abraham at his tent when Sarah laughed. I believe He was the Shekinah glory that passed before Moses and He was that protector for those four valiant Jews in Babylon. I also believe He was miraculously placed in the womb of a young virgin girl named Mary. The Bible says Jesus was without sin, Hebrews 4:15. That means He never sinned-He is perfect, therefore he was a perfect sacrifice for the sin of mankind. He lived a perfect life and died a horrid death that I, a chief sinner, might be saved from sin, death, and everlasting separation from God. Not only that, but Jesus was raised to life on the third day. Hallelujah! This is the truth that I believe as written down in the Holy Scriptures that we call the Bible. “For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” 2 Peter 1:21

I think Daniel’s and John’s writings can interest one who is interested in fairy tales. I also believe the story narrated in the Bible is the most romantic story ever told, yet not merely romantic, it is truth that has captured my every longing and my hopes rest securely in its promises. It is one in great brevity told time and time again in numerous other stories. One of a great and mighty King who wishes to save his people that he loves so much. He sent many messengers, but His people did not accept them, some they kicked out, some they stoned, others they killed. So this Great King sent His own Son, yet the people had no more respect for Him than the messengers, so they killed Him too. As this seems like a violent end, it was actually the means for the salvation for this King’s people, for He has said that anyone who believes on His Son shall not die, but have everlasting life. One day this King promises to bring all His people home with Him to live forever in the city with streets of gold illuminated by the King’s glory where we will all be made perfect by HIS own goodness and grace. The beauty of this story is that it is not a mere fable, but literal truth from your own Creator’s lips.