The Necklace

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  “SHE WAS one of those pretty, charming young ladies, born, as if through an error of destiny, into a family of clerks. She had no dowry, no hopes, no means of becoming known, appreciated, loved, and married by a man either rich or distinguished; and she allowed herself to marry a petty clerk in the office of the Board of Education. . . .  She had neither frocks nor jewels, nothing. And she loved only those things. She felt that she was made for them. She had such a desire to please, to be sought after, to be clever, and courted.” —THE NECKLACE Guy de Maupassant    France, 1884 (pic by Grok) Read this short story here:  https://americanliterature.com/author/guy-de-maupassant/short-story/the-necklace

"The Lord is not paying attention to my prayers."

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A dear woman from Nigeria wrote and asked "i have been praying to God for a husband and children but it seems that the Lord is not paying attention to my prayers- what have i done wrong and how do i right the wrong? pls help me as i am very desperate and frustrated".

First, we must remember that God works everything according to His purposes in Christ Jesus. He cannot be moved to work according to our purposes.  There is no power in prayer, as if it were magic.  God is the God of power and He answers according to His glory.

Second, there are three ways God answers prayer: He can say, “Yes,” and grant the request; or He can say, “Wait, not just yet,” or He can say, “No.” It seems right now He is saying “Wait,” but that does not mean He will say, “Yes,” either. God has ways of putting each of us in a place where we must learn to become content in Him, for “godliness with contentment is great gain.” (1 Timothy 6:6)

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