Shake if off

**Just for you Eloise**

"Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross"...Hebrews 12:1&2

I read a story one time about a farmer's donkey that fell into a dry well-it has become my favorite story ever since. So this donkey fell into this well and cried pitifully for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do for his poor donkey. Finally, he concluded that the well was too deep, and it really needed to be covered up anyway. Besides, the donkey was old, and it would be a lot of trouble to get him out of the pit. The farmer decided that it was not worth trying to retrieve the animal, so he asked his neighbors to help him fill in the well and bury the donkey.

They all grabbed shovels and began to toss dirt into the well. The donkey immediately realized what was happening, and he began to bray horribly. Crying would be our normal response if somebody was mistreating us this badly, or giving up on us, so this donkey was responding the same way we would at first, but then he got real quiet. A few shovel loads of dirt later, the farmer looked down the well and was astonished at what he saw. With every shovel of dirt that hit the donkey's back, the donkey would shake it off and step on top of it! As the neighbors and the farmer continued to shovel dirt on top of the donkey, he continued to shake it off and take a step up. Pretty soon the donkey shook off the last shovel full of dirt, took a step up and walked right out of the well! I can't even tell you how much this story has impacted me... I know that we can all learn from this... When trouble comes our way, if we can learn to get still and listen to Gods voice, He will tell us what to do.

By the grace and mercy of God, I have been able to shake off a lot of things in my life that have brought me hurt, pain, suffering, tears etc. Before my relationship matured in Christ-I wasn't able to do this. My strength has come from God and Him alone. When I was younger and not as close to God-I'd sit in my saddness, in my troubled situation and feel hopeless-but God time and time again extended His hand, picked me up, set my feet on solid ground and now I'm forever changed. Lord, thank you for the hard times. Thank you for molding me and stretching my faith, I am grateful that with you by my side I can shake off anything that comes my way!! In Jesus powerful, awesome, glorious name-Amen and amen. I love you.