Sally Kennedy - 52 Little Parables From Ireland

52 LITTLE PARABLES FROM IRELAND by Sally I. Kennedy
Published by Creation House
A Charisma Media Company
600 Rinehart Road
Lake Mary, Florida 32746
www.charismamedia.com

This book or parts thereof may not be reproduced in any form, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording or otherwisewithout prior written permission of the publisher except as provided by United States of America copyright law.

All Scripture references, unless otherwise indicated, are from are from the Holy Bible, New International Version. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, International Bible Society. Used by permission.

Cover and interior design by Debbie Lewis

Copyright 2002 by Sally I. Kennedy
All rights reserved

Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 2002103145
13-digit ISBN: 978-0-88419-892-5
International Standard Book Number: 0-88419-892-8
E-book ISBN: 978-1-61638-740-2

02 03 04 05 87654321
Printed in the United States of America

To Contact the Author:

Sally I. Kennedy
P.O. Box 1648
Boca Raton, FL 33429
Phone: (561) 912-9906
Fax: (561) 912-9306
Email: SallyIKennedy@aol.com

For Ben

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to thank first of all my husband. I love you, Ben.

Thank you to my precious grandchildren Taylor, McCallen and Jackson Kennedy, Ryan and Tommy Haag and Courtney, Benjamin and Michael Kennedy, who let me be a kid with them. To their moms and dads, Lisa and Todd, Adrienne and David and Teri and Benjie, thank you! I love you.

Thank you to my sister and best critic, Marion Smith. Thanks to my reunion groupBev Abt, Mary Jasco, Jeanne Scott and Joy Thibodeaufor all their support. Thank you to my balcony friend Cathy Coney, to Justin Steurer for spiritual direction, and to Cathy Karpinen for her kindness and prayers. Thank you to Warren Kramer at Gospel Com., who first posted my writings, and to Jim Croft, who encouraged me to publish.

Most of all, thanks to my truest friend, Jesus, for being with me through this whole adventure, to my wonderful heavenly Father who so kindly allows me to see the moments, and to the Holy Spirit who gives me inspirationand perseveranceto write.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

There are a myriad of tiny moments in our lives when God breaks through and reveals His presence to us, sometimes with a whisper, sometimes with a shout.

This collection of inspirational writings comes from some of these times in my life during the last couple of years.

Be blessed as you read, and as you become continually more aware of His reality in the ordinaryevery day.

SALLY IRELAND KENNEDY

I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
Your old men will dream dreams,
your young men will see visions.

JOEL 2:28

A bout night on Saturday, October 6, I dreamed that as dawn was just beginning here, across the world in Afghanistan it was just starting to get dark. In my dream the United States was starting to bomb Afghanistan. It was dark and fuzzy, with bright lights streaking the sky from time to time, and it resembled the live TV images from Desert Storm.

I woke up and could not go back to sleep until about 4 A.M., which is weird because I sleep like a rock. While I was awake, I prayed for each of my family members by name. When I ran out of things to think and pray about, I asked God if maybe I was awake for some reason. Did He want me to be praying about something? I didnt get any answer, so I just prayed for our country, for wisdom for the President and our leaders, and for protection for them and their families and so on.

The next day around noon I saw on television that we had started bombing Afghanistan. It was just getting dark there, and the live pictures looked like what I had seen in my dream. I believe God did wake me in the night to have me intercede in prayer for our nation.

When you cant get to sleep at night, maybe it is for a higher purpose. Just ask the Lord to show you if there is somethingor somebodythat needs prayer, and you will be blessed to intercede. It beats counting sheep!

PRAYER: Father, when I am tossing and turning at night, and sleep is just not coming, set off a little bell in my brain to remind me to use this time to talk to You, and to lift up people and situations that You bring to my mind and heart. Thank You, Lord, for this privilege. In Jesus name, amen.

But the Lord is faithful,
and he will strengthen and protect you
from the evil one.

2 THESSALONIANS 3:3

T hree doves were scurrying around on the wooden deck outside my study window. Doves are ground feeders, and this morning they were vying for the seeds tossed out of the feeder by other birds.

I never knew that dovesor birdsare territorial, but apparently they are. One continued to bully the other two. The pecking order worked, and the two backed off.

While the bully enjoyed the pickings that remained, a large brown sea grape leaf blew across the deck. About 5 or 6 inches across, it tumbled right up behind the bully. That startled the bird, who then left the place he had claimed for his own.

Theres an enemy who tries to bully me. At times Satan attempts to intimidate me while he stakes a momentary or temporary claim in a situation. A chicken is the kind of bird that he is. But Satan will quickly retreat when frightened by the presence of the King.

It is reassuring to remember that whenever I am bothered and hassled with doubts and fears from the enemy, I can resist him in Jesus name, and he will flee (James 4:7). Thats good news!

PRAYER: Father, please help me remember today that, in the war with Satan, the battlefield is my mind. I pray the blood of Jesus over my mind, and put on all of the armor of God (Eph. 6). Then I will stand and know that the battle ultimately belongs to the Lord. Thank You, Lord! Amen.

God did not give us a spirit of timidity,
but a spirit of power, of love
and of self-discipline.

2 TIMOTHY 1:7

D uring a holiday weekend, I took a walk to a church in our neighborhood. There had been several holiday services, with more to come; many people were in and out of the place in just a few days.

Yet there was order. Everything was clean and neat and straightened up. One man was quietly and methodically going about cleaning the pews, straightening books and discarding old bulletins. Here was this gentleman, cleaning Gods house in a calm, disciplined manner.

Am I not called to do the same with meGods temple or house?

PRAYER: Father, I praise You that Jesus lives in my heart and that the Holy Spirit dwells in me. Please help me to regularly weed out, clean out and straighten out my life. In Jesus name, amen.

Do not be anxious about anything,
but in everything, by prayer and petition, with
thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

PHILIPPIANS 4:6