Giving Children’s Story Bibles

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10 NKJV).

“Under someone’s umbrella, you will give away children’s Bibles.”

This was the message from the “clues” gathered at 3 Best Western Hotels on my trip to Louisville, Kentucky, in January of 2000. Upon arriving in Louisville, I had no idea where I would stay for the 3-night trip. However, God had already arranged that I would stay in 3 Best Western Hotels.

Each hotel had a “clue” to collect that, when combined, would lead me to a purpose in my life.
Ephesians 2:10 tells us that God prepares, beforehand, works for us to do. God was going to reveal one of the works I was to do, through these clues.

The first night, I stayed in Bardstown, Kentucky at a Best Western Hotel. The clue, on a flyer, was an “umbrella”.

The second night, I stayed in another Best Western Hotel that had a revolving book rack in the lobby, filled with children’s story Bibles. Not something I had ever seen before, in a hotel lobby!

The third night, I stayed in yet another Best Western Hotel. As I came down to dinner, the hostess looked at the book in my hand and raved about how she had been looking for it in stores, but couldn’t find it anywhere. Amazingly, it was “The Testament”, by John Grisham. The book was everywhere! She was so ecstatic about it, I decided to give her the book.

The clues at the 3 Best Western Hotels were- an umbrella, children’s Bibles, and “give books away.” God was saying, “Under someone’s umbrella, you will give away children’s Bibles.”

In June of 2006, over 6 years later, the first Bibles were given to 40 children in Ukraine. The following year, in 2007, our church became the “umbrella” under which orphans and missionaries received Bibles.

“Under someone’s umbrella, you will give away children’s Bibles.”
Today, 12 years later, I am so blessed to be able to continue distributing Bibles to children.
God keeps His promises!

Little by little, God keeps revealing His plan for the Bibles. Recently, I reread “The Testament.” At the end of the book, (sorry, spoiler alert!) it details how a trust fund is set up for missionaries, the spread of the Gospel, feeding the hungry, saving the children, etc.

Yesterday, I read the ending again and discovered something I wouldn’t have known earlier.
The person appointed to manage the trust, in the book, was named Nate. Only a few weeks ago, we met with a financial planner named Nate, to get information on how a trust fund works!

Could it be that God will use trust funds to fund Bibles for children around the world? Only He knows, but it is fun thinking about it!

I’ve been a teacher of young children, for most of my life. Teaching reading is my passion, as well as giving. What could be more fun than giving Bibles to young children, so they can read about Jesus!

Is there a work you feel God has uniquely created you to do? If you’re not sure, ask God to reveal the good works He has prepared for you.

Next week, I’ll share how God gave me the next part of the vision for giving Bibles. It included helping seniors organize their homes, collecting their unwanted items for a yard sale and using the money to buy Bibles for orphans and missionaries around the world.

And, God made it simple.

It’s all about Jesus! To God be the glory!
Blessings and love, Gayle

© 2018 Gayle Holcomb