Maranatha Stories

Elaine was a busy mom of two. She was married to George. They are a loving couple who are committed to each other and their children.

Elaine had a problem with worrying about the future. She was always thinking about where her family would be in one, two, or three years, who the president was going to be, whether her favorite sports team was going to play well. The list went on and on.

George had the opposite problem. He had a problem worrying about the past. He was always worried that his mistakes would come back to haunt him, whether he had done the right thing, etc.

One day, they both went to church with their kids. The sermon was about the importance of not worrying about the future or the past, and instead focusing on the present moment.They couldn’t believe what they were hearing. It was like God had planned this sermon just for them. When they left, they realized that they had to do something about their worry.

They decided to start praying every time they had a worry. They would say, “Lord, I’m worried about such-and-such. I will release it to you!”

So they started praying every time they worried. Before long, they started to worry less and focus more of their time and energy on their family.

“Don’t worry about tomorrow—Let tomorrow worry about itself. Live for the moment, Live in the moment.”

Matthew 6:34

Lily the librarian loved books. She loved reading them, she loved organizing them, and she loved helping people find the books they were looking for. She was a control freak, and she liked to know where everything was at all times.

One day, Lily noticed that some books were missing from the library. She was determined to find out who was stealing them. She started observing all the students that came into the library and what books they were reading.

One day, Lily got a call from the hospital. Her daughter Sally had been in a car accident and was in critical condition. Lily was devastated. She rushed to the hospital to see her daughter.

When Lily saw Sally in the hospital bed, she was heartbroken. She didn’t know what to do. She prayed to God, “Why have you allowed this to happen? I have no control over this. I don’t understand!”

Lily spent the next week by Sally’s side in the hospital. She prayed for her daughter’s recovery. She read to her from her favorite books. She held her hand and told her that she loved her.

Sally slowly started to improve. She was released from the hospital a few weeks later. Lily was so happy to have her daughter back home.

When Lily went back to work at the library, she realized that something had changed. She didn’t care about the books as much as she used to. She realized that all the books in the world couldn’t replace the love she had for her daughter.

Lily also realized that she had been too controlling. She had been trying to control everything in her life, including her daughter’s accident. She realized that she couldn’t control everything, and that it was okay to let go.

Lily submitted to God and let Him handle her path for her. She knew that He would take care of her and her daughter. She was finally at peace.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways submit to Him and He will make your path straight.”

Proverbs 3:5-6

Jacob’s and Sons, Contractors was a small construction company led by Jacob and his sons Joshua and Zeph. They hired a very meticulous woman as the office manager, Kasey.

One day, they hired a new employee named Heather. After a little while, it became clear that Kasey had a problem working with Heather. She went to see Jacob one day and explained why she had a problem with Heather. Jacob said, “That doesn’t sound like a problem to me. Try to keep working together and we’ll see if you can work it out.”

So Kasey and Heather kept working, and Kasey kept treating Heather like an invalid. Eventually, Heather approached Kasey and calmly said, “Is there something wrong with my performance?” Kasey said nothing but continued to give her the “evil eye.”

So Heather went to Kasey and said to her, “Look, if there is something I’ve done wrong, please let me know and I will fix it.” After that, Kasey said, “I hate you.”

So Heather went to Jacob and explained to him what Kasey had said to her. She offered to resign her position if it was necessary. Jacob called Kasey into his office and asked if this was all true. She admitted she had been hateful. So Jacob said they had one last chance to work things out otherwise Kasey would be fired.

Heather was determined to make things work, so she decided to take a different approach. The next time Kasey was rude to her, Heather simply smiled and said, “I love you.” Kasey was taken aback, but she couldn’t help but smile back.

Over the next few weeks, Heather continued to be kind and loving to Kasey, even when Kasey was not kind in return. Eventually, Kasey’s heart began to soften. She realized that Heather was not a threat to her, and that she actually had a lot to offer.

Kasey and Heather eventually became good friends, and they both learned a lot from each other. Heather learned that it’s important to be kind to everyone, even those who are not kind to you. Kasey learned that it’s important to let go of anger and resentment, and to open your heart to love.

“Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers over all wrongs.”

Proverbs 10:12

Jake worked as a police officer in a small town in Maine. He had the typical patrols and speed traps. He was a good cop, but he was also a bit of a loner. He didn’t have many friends, and he didn’t really care to make any. He was content with his own company, and he liked it that way.

One day, Jake was doing a routine traffic stop when he saw a suspicious vehicle. He told them to pull over and the men got out of the car. Jake immediately shot and hit one of the men. Soon, a barrage of officers showed up on the scene. The other men told the other cops that Jake had fired unwarranted. An ambulance showed up quickly and took him to the hospital.

Jake was shocked. He didn’t know what had happened. He had been in a similar situation before, and he had never fired his gun. He didn’t know why he had done it this time.

Jake was suspended from his job pending an investigation. He was also facing criminal charges. He didn’t know what to do. He felt like his life was falling apart.

Jake started to pray. He prayed for forgiveness. He prayed for guidance. He prayed for strength.

One day, Jake was reading the Bible when he came across a passage that spoke to him. It was from the book of Psalm 51:10:

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.”

Jake realized that he needed to change. He needed to let go of his anger and his bitterness. He needed to forgive himself and move on.

Jake started going to church. He started reading the Bible more often. He started praying more regularly.

Slowly but surely, Jake started to change. He became more patient. He became more understanding. He became more compassionate.

One day, Jake was called back to work. He was reinstated as a police officer. He was also cleared of all criminal charges.

Jake was grateful for a second chance. He knew that he had to make the most of it. He vowed to never take his job for granted again. He vowed to always be kind and compassionate to others. He vowed to always live his life for God.

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.”

Psalm 51:10

Anna was a typical girl in her 20s. She went to work during the week and partied on the weekends. She lived for the weekend and excitement: drinking, drugs, bars, and concerts.

One weekend, she noticed that her hearing was strange. There was a loud ringing in her ears. She went to the doctor, who told her that she was going to lose her hearing. Devastated, Anna realized that this would change her life forever. No more living for the weekends or even working as she knew it.

She slowly began to take charge of her affliction. She learned sign language and quit her job. She started teaching sign language to those who wanted to learn. Her deafness also forced her to retreat into the Bible. She scoured the Bible looking for verses on affliction.

One day, she was reading the Psalms when she came upon a verse that hit her in the heart:

“Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey your word. You are good and what you do is good.”

She finally realized that God had been working in her life all along. She had been too busy partying and working to hear God’s voice. Now she hears clearly, even though she is deaf.

Anna started to go to church regularly and pray more often. She also started volunteering at a local deaf center. She found that she loved helping others who were deaf, and she felt like she was finally making a difference in the world.

Anna’s story is a reminder that God can use even our afflictions to bring us closer to Him. When we are going through difficult times, it is important to remember that God is with us and He will never leave us. We can also find comfort in knowing that God is working in our lives, even when we can’t see it.

“Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey your word. You are good and what you do is good.“

Psalms 119:67-68

A contractor was assigned to build a new bridge for the state. It took almost 6 months to plan the bridge and create blueprints. Everything seemed to be moving along on schedule.

However, the first week of construction, it started to rain, causing them to delay construction for a week. Once the rain subsided, there was a shortage of concrete, which delayed construction again.

Once concrete was available, they lost a significant number of hired hands, making it hard to get things done. After the first month of construction, they were already almost a month behind schedule.

The contractor was worried about the delays, but he knew that he had to keep working hard. He prayed to God for guidance and strength. He also prayed for the safety of his workers.

After some serious hard work, the project finally got on line. The contractor was grateful for the help of his workers and for the guidance of God. He knew that he could not have done it without them.

The contractor gave thanks to God for establishing his steps. He knew that God had been with him every step of the way.

The bridge was a success, and it was a testament to the contractor’s hard work and dedication. It was also a reminder that God is always with us, even when things are tough.

“In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.

Proverbs 16:9

Jason was excited to start his new job as a programmer in the big city. He had always dreamed of working in a high-rise, and now his dream was coming true. He worked hard Monday through Friday, and he was quickly making a name for himself.

One day, one of his coworkers asked him, “Jason, what is your vision?” Jason had never really thought about it before, but he took some time to think about it. He realized that his vision was to become an international programming superstar.

However, Jason’s dream soon turned into a nightmare. He began to have manic episodes, and he lost touch with reality. He wandered around the city, and he was eventually picked up by the police and taken to the hospital.

Jason was devastated. He had to give up his dream of becoming a superstar, and he had to move back home. He was ashamed of what had happened, and he didn’t know what to do with his life.

One day, Jason was talking to his pastor about what had happened. His pastor told him that God had a different plan for him. He told Jason that he was meant to use his talents to help others, and that he would never be happy if he was only focused on himself.

Jason took his pastor’s words to heart. He started volunteering at a local soup kitchen, and he began to mentor young people who were interested in programming. He found that he was much happier when he was helping others, and he realized that God had been working in his life all along.

Jason’s story is a reminder that we should never be too proud of ourselves. We should always remember that God has a plan for us, and that we are meant to use our talents to help others.

“Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.”

Proverbs 16:18

MetaDyn and Sylus were two rival corporations that hated each other. One day, the news broke that MetaDyn had misfiled their taxes. They fired their CFO and hired someone new. Not long after, a woman came forward with allegations of sexual harassment against some of MetaDyn’s employees.

The people at Sylus were laughing at MetaDyn, talking about it on news shows, and gloating. Meanwhile, MetaDyn was contrite and did everything they could to repair their reputation. However, the scandals lingered and they were having trouble restoring their standing.

One day, a story broke that Sylus had been running a Ponzi scheme. They had done everything they could to cover it up, but it was uncovered nonetheless. This was crippling Sylus’ business.

MetaDyn had learned from their own scandals. They didn’t say a word when Sylus fell. In fact, they sent financial officers to Sylus to help them repair their business. After the two companies worked together to help each other, they became allies and the best of friends.

As the proverb says, “Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when they stumble, do not let your heart rejoice, or the Lord will see and disapprove.”

MetaDyn and Sylus’ story is a reminder that we should never gloat when someone else is down. We should always remember that we are all human and that we all make mistakes. We should also remember that we are all capable of change.

“Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when they stumble, do not let your heart rejoice, or the Lord will see and disapprove.”

Proverbs 24:17-18

“Whoever gloats over disaster will not go unpunished.”

Proverbs 17:5

Once, there was a man named Seth who worked as a project manager at a digital agency. He was a hard worker and was always willing to go the extra mile. His boss, Christoph, was a different story. He was lazy and often took credit for Seth’s work. He also had a bad habit of partying after work and on the weekends.

Seth had a dream of becoming a published composer. He would often work on his music after work and on the weekends. Christoph would often ask Seth to go out with him after work, but Seth would always decline, saying that he had work to do. Christoph would laugh and say, “Of course you do. You always do.”

Seth continued to work hard on his music. He knew that God saw him and all the work he was doing. He knew that even if his music came to nothing, he had still done it for the Lord. He slowly built a portfolio of his work and eventually submitted it to a publishing company. He was thrilled when he was offered a contract. He gave his two weeks notice at work and started working on his music full-time.

Christoph was shocked when Seth told him that he was leaving. He said, “I thought you loved working here.” Seth replied, “I did, but I love my music more. I’m finally going to be able to pursue my dream.” Christoph wished Seth luck and said, “I certainly hope you succeed.”

Seth threw a party at his apartment to celebrate his new job. He invited his friends and family, and they all had a great time. Seth was so happy to finally be able to pursue his dream. He knew that he would face challenges along the way, but he was determined to succeed.

As the proverb says, “Sow your seed in the morning, and at evening let your hands not be idle, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or whether both will do equally well.”

Seth’s story is a reminder that we should never give up on our dreams. If we work hard and never give up, we can achieve anything we set our minds to.

“Sow your seed in the morning, and at evening let your hands not be idle, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or whether both will do equally well.”

Ecclesiastes 11:6

Jully was a young woman who had been diagnosed with schizophrenia a few years ago. Her battle with her mind began as a child. She was saved at the age of 15. Soon after, she started hearing voices and the voices in her head never went away.

The voices were always there, taunting her, telling her she was worthless and that she should just give up. They would wake her up in the middle of the night, screaming at her. She tried to ignore them, but it was impossible. They were always there, always tormenting her.

The only thing that could console Jully was sleep. When she was asleep, the voices were gone. She could finally be at peace. But sleep was a precious commodity, and it was hard to come by. The voices would often keep her awake for days on end.

Jully was exhausted. She was tired of fighting. She was tired of the voices. She was tired of being afraid. She just wanted to be normal.

But she knew that would never happen. She had schizophrenia, and it was a part of her now. She would have to learn to live with it, and she would have to find a way to cope with the voices.

One day, Jully was talking to her therapist about the voices. She told him how they were always there, and how they were making her life a living hell. The therapist listened patiently, and then he said, “Jully, you have to understand that the voices are not real. They are just a product of your illness. They can’t hurt you.”

Jully didn’t believe him at first. She had been hearing the voices for so long, and they had hurt her so much. But the therapist was patient, and he kept talking to her. He told her about other people with schizophrenia, and how they had learned to cope with the voices.

Slowly but surely, Jully started to believe the therapist. She started to realize that the voices were not real, and that they couldn’t hurt her. She started to feel a little bit better.

It wasn’t easy, but Jully eventually learned to live with her schizophrenia. She learned to ignore the voices, and she learned to focus on the positive things in her life. She got a job, she made friends, and she started to feel like herself again.

Jully’s story is a reminder that people with mental illness can live full and productive lives. With the right support, people with schizophrenia can achieve their goals and dreams.

One day, Jully was reading the Bible and she came across this passage:

“And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”

And suddenly, Jully was filled with hope and joy about her future. She knew that God wouldn’t give up on her and that she was safe.

Jully continued to struggle with her schizophrenia, but she never gave up hope. She knew that God was with her, and that He would help her through whatever she faced.

Jully’s story is a reminder that God is always with us, even in the darkest of times. He will never give up on us, and He will always help us to overcome our challenges.

“And I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”

Philippians 1:6