Article: Quilts on a Thousand Hills

"Aunt Joe! Aunt Joe!" Alice called down the stairs.

(Everyone called Josephine Aunt Joe. But, I call her that for a special reason. After all, she was my step great-aunt in-law.)

"What do you need Alice," Aunt Joe replied.

"You gave away our quilt. Did you forget that we are getting company tonight?"

Aunt Joe and her husband were missionaries in Africa. It was very difficult to get supplies and even harder to get luxuries like quilts. Even though they were in Africa, they lived high in the mountains where it got cold at night and blankets were necessary. Alice
was her housekeeper. There were two very important church leaders coming to inspect their mission and stay the night with them. They would get very cold without a quilt.

"That's right," Aunt Joe said thoughtfully, "We better pray about it. After all, you know the Lord owns the quilts on..."

"Stop right there," said Alice, "I know what you're going to say. You are going to say that the Lord owns the quilts on a thousand hills. But how is he going to get you one here by tonight?"

"Well, lets just pray about it." And that is what they did. When they got off of their knees, they fixed up the guest room the best they could. Then they went downstairs.

When they went into the kitchen, right by the back door there was a barrel. What a surprise! When they had gone upstairs it was not there. As they looked at it they noticed that it had been sent from the United States.

"Look," said Aunt Joe, "It's the mission barrel. My husband must have brought it while we were upstairs and we did not hear it."

They eagerly opened up the barrel and do you know what they saw? ... They saw shirts and pants; blouses and skirts; socks and shoes. They eagerly took the clothes out of the barrel and clear at the bottom there was a quilt. It was a beautiful quilt. It was a thick quilt. It looked like it would keep a bed very warm. They quickly took the quilt upstairs and it just fit the bed. It was even the right size.

"See," said Aunt Joe, "God does own the quilts on a thousand hills and He can get them delivered wherever He needs them."

When they got back downstairs, they looked closer at the barrel. They noticed that it had been shipped over two months earlier from the United States. How did it arrive just in time? You know what I think? I think that God whispered in a ladies ear, "Would
you like to have some fun with me? There is a missionary in Africa that needs a quilt. If you start making it now, we can get it there just in time." And that is what happened. That lady started making that quilt and put it in the mission barrel. That way it could get there just in time to surprise Aunt Joe and Alice.

When you need something, be sure to think of God. He owns everything on the earth and can supply every need that you have. Also, don't forget to listen for His voice. You might be the next one He calls on to share in His fun.

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Illustrated Bible News is published by: http://www.illustratedbible.com
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by Ron McCluskey
copyright 2002 by Larose McCluskey