The little girl trudged slowly along the narrow road, occasionally scuffling her bare toes in the soft ruts made by the few cars that managed to make their way up the long rural road that ran in front of the one-room school house.

She was only six years old, and all the older children had long since left her behind. She felt very small and frightened. She thought of how far she was from home, and of all the dangers that might be lurking behind the thick bushes that lined the sides of the road.

It had not been a good day.

Since she was such a tiny little thing, and very sensitive, the bigger boys and girls thought it a great sport to tease her by pulling her hair and taking away her pencil or crayons when the teacher’s back was turned.

She was an only child, and even though Mama and Papa loved her dearly, she was often lonely, with only her cat and a few toys to fill the long evenings until it was time for bed.

As she walked on glancing from side to side, her heart beating louder with each step, her mind began to search for some comfort or reassurance that she would reach home safely. Thoughts of God and things she had heard about how he protects people popped into her head.

“That’s it”!, she said cheerfully, “I’ll ask God to protect me.”

Immediately she felt much better.

Heartened by the relief, she decided to go a little bit farther and ask for more… reasoning to herself that “If God were really hearing her then maybe…. just maybe… it might work!”

The only playmates she had were two cousins who lived at the next house up the road from hers. She loved playing with them. Being boys they could think of exciting, wondrous things to do that she would never attempt by herself.She was always allowed to go play at their house when Mama or Papa was visiting. The youngsters spent hours climbing trees, wading the creek and rolling down the grassy hills.

Scrunching her eyes up tight and clasping her hands, she prayed earnestly, “God, please when I get home let my Mama or Papa be visiting my Aunt and Uncle so I can go to play”!

There! She had asked!

Now her journey was much more pleasant and she soon reached home.

Running up the path she burst noisily in the door.Her Papa was sitting quitely on the couch reading his Bible.

“Papa, where is Mama? she asked breathlessly.

Looking up at his excited , disheveled daughter he said , matter-of -factly, “Why I do believe she went up the road to your Aunt Bonnie’s.”

“Ohhhh! Papa may I go up there too?”

“Of course you may. I am sure your Mama won’t mind.”

The little girl ran out the door and with wings on her feet she flew the half mile to her Aunt’s house, her Spirit soaring and her Faith in God established forever.