Faith

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I have walked down this very same street of my life many times just as I did on that unsuspecting, and very calm day. I was watching all of the scenery that passed by me and was thinking that everything in my life was exactly how I wanted it and how it was supposed to be. I thought to myself that there was nothing that I wanted to change, nor add to my life. I was finally content with where I was and how things were. The farther I went down this street, the more I felt like something was different. I continued along, looking into the windows of the various stores that I have been past more times than I can count. The items in the store windows were still the same and very predictable to me and I could pretty much tell what was in each and every window. I saw things that I have had in my life for many years as well as things that I had recently acquired, things that I never really needed nor wanted, and of course things that I knew that I was about to get in my life. As I went down the street even farther I was still having this weird feeling but I brushed it off and tried to think no more of it. I found things somewhat the same but in a way different just the same. I came to an intersection in the street and was puzzled because I had not remembered that intersection in that street before. As I turned the corner I saw something that really caught my eye, I wanted to get a better look so I went closer to it. The stores that I passed along the way were very familiar to me. I had forgotten all about whatever it was that caught my eye before because I had found what was in those store windows sort of interesting.
When I got farther down the street something caught my eye again. It was a totally new store that I had never seen before and I had not remembered ever passing on my trips down the street. I decided to glance into the windows of the store before I went into it. I could not believe the things that I saw in those windows. I found myself going closer to the doors of the store with every step. When I came to the doors I opened them and went through. I was simply astounded by the wonderful feeling that I got as soon as the doors shut behind me. It was as if I were in a whole new world and everything in that world had been waiting for me to get there and now that I had finally arrived, I would be a whole new person. I had never had that feeling before and I loved feeling that way. I began to walk around the store and see all of the various new things that I had never had the opportunity to see before. I was so very excited and looked forward to finding something that I wanted to buy in the store. Everything that I found that I thought that I wanted was always over shadowed by something that was even much more exciting. It was so very interesting and very intriguing as well to see so many things that were so very different than anything that I had ever saw before in my whole life. It was like a kid in a candy store that had no money and wanted everything that they saw. I went up the escalator to the second floor and found even more magnificent things that truly intrigued me more than the items on the first floor. I was in awe of the many things that were in this store. I knew that my friends would love having gifts from this store as well as my family also. I spent more time in the store than I could have even imagined. It was like I could not pull myself out of the store, nor could I find anything in the store that I already had in my life. I wanted everything that I saw and found myself completely wrapped up in seeing more of everything.
I tried many times to leave the store but every time that I did, I would find something that I had not seen before and wanted. The store had many floors and many different attributes that were fascinating to me. Not only were the items in the store intriguing but also the presentations of those items were simply out of this world to me. I thought to myself that whoever created this store was very alert and knew exactly what to put in it and where to put as well as how to present it to the customers, they did this very well I might add. I could not believe the things that I saw in this store and I simply was ready to buy everything that I possibly could. I began to think about how my family would be affected if I had bought all of the things that I wanted and how much that would upset me. I knew that my family came first and their needs as well as desires were more important than mine in the long run. I found myself refraining from buying the things that I really wanted because of the reactions of my family. I wanted them all to be as happy and excited as I was about finding this now store. I began to think that I should leave the store because if I did not leave it, I knew that I never would be able to leave. I had to be getting back to my family before they began to worry about me. I went to find the down escalator so that I could leave the store. I had a lot of trouble finding the escalator because I continued to see even more fascinating things that I really could not take my eyes off of. It was like I was being drawn to the even more now that I wanted to leave again. I simply made up my mind that no matter what I would see on my way out of the store I was going to leave and that was it. I did not even think of going onto any of the other many floors. I was afraid that I would find even more things that I would have even more trouble pulling myself away from. I finally found the escalator and managed to make it down to the first floor. When I got there, I saw even more things that were very tempting to me and things that seemed like had a magnetic attraction to me for some reason.
As I felt the pull of the things in the store I had real trouble pulling myself away from them. I wanted the new things in my life more than I ever dreamed. I also knew that if I were to buy them, my life would never be the same as it was before I bought them. I was not real sure that I wanted that much change in my life at that time in my life. Everything called out my name like I had never heard before and I was very stunned at the glistening of all of the beautiful things that I came into sight as I went towards the front door. It was just then that something very rare and quite unique as well came into my view. I was so very surprised at what I had found that I simply had to buy it. It was something that I had never even dreamed of having in my life before that day. I could not believe that it was actually coming home with me and it was going to improve my life. I had made the purchase and was very excited about going home with my new item. When I was examining the new item that I had bought I noticed that it was very different from anything that I had had at home. It was something that I wanted and I knew that I could use in my home as well as my life very often. My new gift to myself was very intriguing and interesting it had the brilliance of the sun and the wisdom of the ages, as well as the rarity of our ancestors. It was something that I knew that I could never get rid of once I acquired it. I had longed for the excellence of this gift in my life and was always very open to the feeling of honor that it bestowed to all who owned it. I knew that my family would truly benefit from this purchase and I was looking forward to seeing just how they would react to know that I had this gift in my life now. I finally realized that it was about time for the store to be closing for the day, and I knew that I would really have to be going now that I had gotten this initial desire of buying something out of my system. I put the newly acquired gift away and was about to proceed to the front door yet once again. I lingered with leaving because I knew that I really did no want to go and leave the fabulous store that I had found just yet. I feel in love with the great feeling and the wonderful things that I was seeing here that I was not really sure that I wanted to go and not have that in my life again anytime soon. I had this overwhelming feeling that if I left this store that for some reason that I did not know, this store would not be in existence ever again to anyone not even me. I have no idea of why I was feeling this way but it was like I could not get rid of those feelings no matter what I did. I tried everything that I could to get those thoughts out of my mind as walked toward the doors but they seemed to stay with me.
I knew in my mind and my heart that I could leave and the store would be here when and if I wanted to come back to it. As much as I tried to leave and as much as I wanted to leave, the more the feeling of the store not existing when I came back was there and the stronger it was as well. I also knew that if I did not leave the store employees would lock me in the store and I would never get out. I finally got to the point that I was going to step outside of the door, as I knew that I should and not look back no matter how I felt about the store or what I found inside of it. I came to the door and I had one foot on the outside of the doorway and one foot on the inside. As I felt the pull of the gifts and items in the store continuously pulling to stay I knew that the right thing was to leave and go back to my life, as I knew it and not try to change it nor add to it until God told me to do so. I looked back one last time into the store as if it would help me remember the fascination and brilliance of all the things inside of it. As I did this I saw what I thought was something shining just for me and it was so very bright that I could hardly look at it. It was as if this item was saying to me “do not leave me here” or “come back and take me home with you.” I wanted to go and at least look at the gift that was calling to me, but I also knew that if I did it would not be a good thing to do because I would be locked in the store. I toiled with what to do and as I did the employees were coming toward me to lock the door. I fought within myself, but I managed to look up to heaven and call out to God and ask Him to help me find the strength to pull my other foot out of the doors. I saw God’s hand reach down toward me, lovingly without any questions. I reached for His hand and he pulled me through the door. I had a feeling of release afterwards but I also had a feeling of regret that I did not go back for at least one more look at things in the store. As I turned to walk away, I thought that I would glance in the windows again before going home, but when I turned back, the store was indeed gone. I was simply stunned that the feelings that I had were indeed right. I thought that it was just me so I tried blinking my eyes and looking all around to try and find the store once again, but it was to no avail. I wanted to explore the store even more now that I could not find it, and I knew that it was there somewhere. After I tired of searching for the store, I looked toward heaven again and prayed to my God that I would always remember the items in the store and that I would go home with a peace after having seen them. I asked Him to restore my life as it was before I had found the store and that he would give me a peace in my life because I could not find the store again to finish exploring it. I thanked Him for letting me see the things in the store and even for buying a gift for myself. I knew that my life would never be the same because I had this new addition to my life that I was looking forward to keeping a long time. I asked God to allow me to go home and that when I came back another day that He would make the store appear there again just for me. I knew that in my heart that asking God for this was really not something that I should do but I felt that I at least needed one more chance to explore the store before turning away from it forever.
I went back down that very same street a few weeks later and as I got to the place where the store was I began to feel very different than I had before. I continued to walk along the street as I had before and then came the intersection just like before. I turned the corner and still I was feeling very strange but I continued along the street looking into the windows as I usually did. I finally came to where the store was the last time and to my surprise the store was there again just as I had asked God to make happen for me. I was simply shocked as well as overjoyed that I would have the chance yet once again to explore the store like I had wanted to the first time. I immediately went inside the store and to my surprise yet again I saw some very different and even more beautiful things there. I saw so many things that I could not find the same things that I did the last time that I was in the store. It was like there were all new things in there and they were even more magnificent than the things that were there before. I was kind of thrown at first and as I went from the first floor to the second floor like I did before I noticed something that was very interesting indeed. I noticed that the employees were all different as well as the way that the store looked and was laid out. I began to wonder if this was the same store that I was in before. As I was about to go back downstairs and leave because of the confusion, I saw something that made me stay. I saw angels all around that were the employees and then I saw God as well. I went over to Him and listened to what He was saying to me as I continued to glance around the store. He told me that the reason that I was allowed to come back to this store was because it was under new management and that He owned the store now instead of Satan. He said that He wanted me to simply explore the store and not worry about the reactions of anyone because I would be in His will this time and nothing would be more than He knew that I could handle in my life nor more than He wanted in my life. I was in a state of shock because I had no idea that Satan was neither owner nor operator of the store the first time. When I thought for a minute though I finally realized that it would have had to be Satan in control of the store the last time because of the pull that everything had on me. I had a very hard time pulling away and He knew exactly what to put where so that I would see it and want it that much more. Just like God, Satan knows my every wish and desire and he knows exactly what my every weakness is as well. By this time I was very excited, and even more willing to explore the store. I knew that God was watching out for me and that all was going to be just as He wanted it to be. I could not ask for much more than that in my life. As I went around the store and looked at all of the magnificent things that God had put in there for me to see and to buy, I saw things that I had always wanted in my life and now I knew that I could have them whenever I wanted them. I knew that I could stay forever if I liked. I finally realized that God is so very good to me and that He will always be there for me no matter how far away I stray from Him, and no matter what things I find to entice me from Him, He will always reach out to me and still love me. I loved exploring the things in that store the first time but I had no idea where they were from nor did I realize that they could have taken everything that God had given to me away forever. The things in that store the first time made me see things very differently in my life and they made me see that what I had in my life already was only a part of what God had really and truly wanted me to have in my life. I felt that it was time for me to go and leave the store but I knew that I could come back at anytime I wanted to because God and his angels were there waiting for me to help me find anything that I wanted. I knew that I could come at anytime and explore the fabulous gifts that were there waiting for me, without any inhibitions or fears of any kind. I left with a feeling of relief and contentment and I knew that God was with me with every step. After I got home I went to pray and thank God for what he had done and for answering my prayers.
I discovered through the experience with that store, to not always jump into things that look good and that feel good to me. I am to be content with the way that my life is until God tells me that I need more and that I need to stop expecting things to always be what I really need in my life. God has already given me exactly what I need in my life and He will always be there for me whenever I feel that I am lacking something, to fulfill that void for me. I am not to look at things with a feeling of envy. He has not created me that way nor does He expect me to make myself that way. I think of that store very often and I wonder if the things in that store are still there and if they are, are they being admired by others like I had once admired them. I also wonder if they are gone, if they are being appreciated like they should be. The things in the store were very special to me because they were so very unique and stunning in beauty as well as brilliance and I would never want any harm or destruction of any kind to come to them for any reason. I know that God will give me the desires of my heart in His own time and if I am willing to wait on Him everything will come unto me, just as He said that it would, if I keep His word in my heart!! I am trusting and waiting on my God. And He said in His word,” delight thyself also in the Lord, and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.” This is how I will always live my life from now on, we all should!!

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