The only survivor of a shipwreck up on a small, uninhabited island,
prayed feverishly for God to rescue him,
Day after day he would scan the horizon for an answer.
Day after day he still prayed, but still no ship.

Exhausted, he eventually gave up and managed to build a small hut.
He could store all of his possessions and would protect him from the elements.
One day after savaging for food, he arrived back
only to find everything going up in flames!
The smoke filled the sky and he was stunned with grief and anger.
"God, how could you let this happen to me!
Haven't I been through enough?
What have I done to deserve this?"

Early the next day, he was awakened by the sound of a ship
that was approaching the island.
The weary man asked the rescuers, "How did you find me?"
The men replied,"We saw your smoke signal."

It is so easy to get discouraged and lose hope when things go bad.
We sometimes think God isn't listening to our prayers.
We often wonder why things are happening to us.
Don't lose hope because God is listening.
Even in our pain and suffering, He hears us.
Remember, the next time your hut is burning to the ground,
it may be God sending a smoke signal for your rescue.
Don't give up, because you might be on a brink of a miracle!

When we are at our lowest,
God is still there watching over us!

© 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006