Blue Knitting Needles

There was once a woman who loved to hear the stories of missionaries. She would read their newsletters, praying faithfully for their requests. She hung a world map in her dining room, taught her children geography as they prayed for the missionaries who ate with them when on furlough, and prayed for the missionaries God would raise up someday in the future. 

As her children grew up, left home, married, and started families, her faithful prayers continued. She gave generously to the work of her Savior without fanfare, and desired to see the good news of Jesus' love spread throughout the world. 

One day she traveled to visit with her daughter and her family who lived far from her. She brought her knitting with her, as her hands were seldom without something to keep them busy. The extra pair of knitting needles (blue, size 10) were for her granddaughter who was 6. She taught her granddaughter to knit during that visit. 

Year after year, this woman prayed for the kingdom of God to grow. Her children all loved the Lord, and the legacy of faith continued to her grandchildren. As they grew in faith, their hearts for sharing the love of Jesus grew. And one day the granddaughter with the blue knitting needles heard God's call to become a missionary. By this time the woman had already gone Home to be with her Lord. Yet her prayers continue to be answered! 

Who knows if this woman knew that those blue knitting needles would one day be in a far-off land. Could she have imagined that the skill she taught her granddaughter would one day be a way for spreading the gospel through intentional time spent in a knitting group—an evangelical outreach of a baby church? How is it that such a small thing could one day be a way to share the love of Jesus? Our God works in marvelous ways!

Be encouraged that as you live by faith, even in the small, seemingly insignificant things, the lives of those around you will be affected by the love of Christ!