Friday, December 24, 2010

Sally Lloyd-Jones

Sally is my mentor. Her life is a very big adventure. She found the courage to stand up and write children's stories when her nephew was born, realizing that getting the right words is less important, than making a special story for a special person. Through The Jesus Storybook Bible, Sally has helped me and thousands of others understand that the story of Jesus' birth was in the heart of God from the very beginning. In honor of her, I have paraphrased Isaiah 9, which gives a glimpse of the wonderful things God always had in mind.

Fear melts into courage.
Hopeless lands fill with life.
Riches grow and joy becomes bigger than a child's imagination.
Like people who have discovered free treasures, the nations leap with joy.
No worry is left to weigh the people down. They are free.
Blood and fear will be burned up.
Look! There's a child. A son.
He is in charge of the world,
his council is too much, his might is too great.
He is a Father from now until death and beyond;
he is the Prince of Peace;
his kingdom is great, and there will be no war or sadness in it.
God will continue the promise he gave to David in this child:
from the day he is born, until the end (though there is no end),
his realm will be full of good things, right things, and perfected people.
God, the mighty, has seen it. God has declared it.
It must be so.