14/03/2025
**The Strength to Keep Going**
There was a young man named Thomas who lived in a small village by the sea. Thomas had always been a dreamer. He dreamed of becoming a skilled carpenter and building beautiful homes for people. However, he didn’t have the tools or resources to pursue his passion. His family was poor, and his village was small, with little opportunity for someone like him.
Despite the challenges, Thomas decided to work with what he had. He started by repairing small wooden items for his neighbors—fixing chairs, tables, and doors. As time went on, he grew more skilled, but the dream of building homes still lingered in his heart. Every time he looked at the sea, he thought about the future he longed for, but the journey felt impossible. He would often find himself discouraged, wondering how he would ever succeed.
One day, as Thomas was walking through the village, he met an elderly man sitting near the church. The man was holding a small piece of wood and carving it with careful, deliberate strokes. His hands were old and weathered, but his movements were steady and precise.
"Why do you carve so slowly?" Thomas asked.
The man looked up and smiled. "I’ve learned that in life, we often want to rush ahead, but the most important things are made slowly, with patience and care. The journey is long, but if we keep at it, we will reach our destination. Just as this small piece of wood will one day become something beautiful, so too will your dreams come to life with time and effort."
Thomas was inspired by the man's words, but as he walked away, doubt still clung to him. What if he wasn’t good enough? What if he failed?
That night, as Thomas sat by the fire, he prayed. He prayed for strength, for guidance, and for the courage to continue even when the path seemed too hard. As he closed his eyes, he remembered something his mother had once said: "With God, all things are possible."
The next morning, Thomas went to the local church to pray. There, an old wooden cross stood tall in the center of the chapel. As he knelt before it, he felt a sense of peace wash over him. He realized that his dream wasn’t just about building homes—it was about serving others, using the skills God had given him to make the world a better place.
In that moment, Thomas understood. He didn’t need to be the best carpenter in the world. He only needed to do his work with faith, love, and perseverance, trusting that God would guide him.
Years passed, and Thomas’s skills grew. He built houses for families in need, creating not just structures, but homes filled with warmth and love. And as he worked, he never forgot the lesson that had shaped his journey.
One day, when he had completed a particularly beautiful house, an elderly woman came to visit. She looked at Thomas and said, "You’ve built more than a house, young man. You’ve built a place where love lives."
Thomas smiled, realizing that his success didn’t come from the size of his achievements, but from the heart behind his work.
Moral of the Story:
Thomas’s journey reminds us that with faith in Jesus Christ, no dream is too impossible, no challenge too great. Just as Jesus taught us to trust in God’s plan, we must believe that He will guide us and give us the strength we need. With patience, perseverance, and faith, all things are possible. Just as the carpenter builds his creations one piece at a time, so too must we build our lives with trust in God's timing and guidance.
