Day 8—Thursday, February 26

Psalm 100:3-4

Know ye that the Lord is God; it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are this people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise; be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

I know the Lord is God, he made me, and I am one of his sheep. I live within his realm with thankfulness and in awe of his works. My life is so blessed with my past, my present, and yes...my future. Knowing that God has prepared my way, I feel confident about my future too! He is my shepherd.

In recent days, I have read a book by Mitch Albom, Finding Chika. Chika was a Haitian child, a product of an earthquake in Haiti, and left to an orphanage by her living parents, who no longer could take care of her. Albom's interest in the orphanage inspired him to make many trips there with his wife. They provided things they needed, helped when staff was scarce, and nurtured the children in many ways. In a sense, they shepherded the children. Throughout the book, his work with the orphanage became widely known, and was a display of God's unconditional love.

Albom and his wife continued their work there over the years, and to this day, run the orphanage. While visiting there after some time, three-year-old, Chika, pulled on Mitch's heartstrings. Her playful spirit and loving heart struck a chord with him. He soon took her back to the states to live with him and his wife. They had no children, so this was a new venture for them in faithfulness to God. Why shouldn't they raise/shepherd this child? Well, of course the story doesn't end here. But, I won't ruin it for you.

There are a couple of quotes from Albom's book that I want to share with you, however. The first, "A child is both an anchor and a set of wings." I thought this was so beautiful and really made me think … Children keep us grounded, real, and in the moment. They have no filter and don't understand (yet) the ways of the world. How wonderful to be able to be expressive, fully alive, with no barriers or stops, when learning new things in harmony with their small world. As they grow, and sprout their wings, so to speak, the world becomes larger, their realm grander … And, the sheep wander from their shepherd, but knowing all along where they can find him again. The one who made us and always loves us. Always there.

Another quote from Albom's book struck me as well. "What we carry defines who we are. And, the effort we make is our legacy." Mitch and his wife carried Chika through her short-lived life, as she was only seven when she died. Although so young, she brought a richness to their lives and a naiveté which only a child can bestow. Through their faith, Mitch and his wife carried Chika, and she became their legacy. They shepherded a lost lamb, a child of God, a mustard seed in this vast Kingdom of God. During the Youth Service on February 8, 2026, one of the young people said, "God's kingdom is ordinary." I love this! To me it says, God's kingdom includes everyone. God is our shepherd, and we are ALL his sheep. He has made us all, and each one of us has a place in his kingdom. We are all welcome.

Dear God,

May we, the ordinary-the sheep of your flock- follow you, our shepherd, in this extraordinary world. Let us remember that you are our anchor in turbulent times, our hope for the future, and our legacy in the kingdom of God to come. Amen

-Beth Snead