The Secret

 

One day, one friend asked another,

"How is it that you are always so happy?

You have so much energy and you never seem to get down."

 

 

With her eyes smiling, she said,"I know the Secret!"

 

"What secret is that?"

 

"I'll tell you all about it,

but you have to promise to  share the Secret with others."

 

"The Secret is this:

I have learned there is little I can do

 in my life that will make me truly happy.

I must depend on God to make me happy and to meet my needs.

When a need arises in my life,

I have to trust God to supply according to HIS riches.

 I have learned most of the time

I don't need half of what I think I do.

He has never let me down.

Since I learned that 'Secret', I am happy."

 

 

The questioner's first thought was,

"That's too simple!"

 But upon reflecting over his own life

he recalled how he thought a bigger house

would make him happy, but it didn't!

He thought a better paying job

 would make him happy, but it hadn't.

When did he realize his greatest happiness?

Sitting on the floor with his grandchildren,

playing games, eating pizza or reading a story,

a simple gift from God.

  

Now you know it too!

We can't depend on people to make us happy.

Only GOD in His infinite wisdom can do that.

Trust HIM!

And now I pass the Secret on to you!

So once you get it, what will you do?

 

 

YOU have to tell someone the Secret, too!

That GOD in His wisdom will take care of YOU!

 

 But it's not really a secret...

We just have to believe it and do it...

Really trust God!

---

A sobbing little girl stood near a small church from which she had been turned away because it was too crowded.  "I can't go to Sunday School," she sobbed to the pastor as he walked by. 

Seeing her shabby, unkempt appearance, the pastor guessed the reason and taking her by the hand, took her inside and found a place for her in the Sunday school class. The child was so touched that she went to bed that night thinking of the children who have no place to worship Jesus. 

Some two years later, this child lay dead in one of the poor tenement buildings and the parents called for the kindhearted pastor, who had befriended their daughter, to handle the final arrangements. As her poor body was being moved, a worn and crumpled purse was found which seemed to have been rummaged from some trash dump. Inside was found 57cents and a note scribbled in childish handwriting, which read, "This is to help build the little church bigger so more children can go to Sunday School". 

For two years she had saved for this offering of love. When the pastor tearfully read that note, he knew instantly what he would do. Carrying this note and the cracked, red pocketbook to the pulpit, he told the story of her unselfish love and devotion. He challenged his deacons to get busy and raise enough money for the larger building. 

But the story does not end there! A newspaper learned of the story and published it. It was read by a realtor who offered them a parcel of land worth many thousands. When told that the church could not pay so much, he offered it for 57 cents. 
Church members made large donations. Checks came from far and wide. Within five years the little girl's gift had increased to $250,000.00--a huge sum for that time (near the turn of the century). Her unselfish love had paid large dividends 

When you are in the city of Philadelphia, look up Temple Baptist Church, with a seating capacity of 3,300 and Temple University, where hundreds of students are trained. Have a look, too, at the Good Samaritan Hospital and at a Sunday school building which houses hundreds of Sunday Scholars, so that no child in the area will ever need to be left outside during Sunday school time. 

In one of the rooms of this building may be seen the picture of the sweet face of the little girl whose 57 cents, so sacrificially saved, made such remarkable history. Alongside of it is a portrait of her kind pastor, Dr. Russell H. Conwell, author of the book, "Acres of Diamonds".  A true story, which goes to show what God can do with 57 cents.