God Whispers – An Old Raggedy Ann Doll

And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.  God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.

1 John 4:16 NIV

 I am a very sentimental person. One item that is very dear to me is a Raggedy Ann doll. It was a birthday present from my dad when I turned four. I loved Raggedy Ann as a child. My room even had Raggedy Ann drapes, until I got too cool for the drapes. But not the doll.

Even today she has a place in my bedroom. She has made every move in my career with me and has been a source of comfort when I see her. When I got her, she was as tall as me. My dad bought her while on a last-minute business trip to Memphis, just days before my fourth birthday. He flew in order to make it back in time for my birthday dinner. But a surprise snowstorm hit Memphis, grounding the planes.

When my dad finally boarded the plane, the flight attendant said he would have to check the birthday present because it wouldn’t fit in the overhead bin. Dad told her, “No way!  I missed my daughter’s birthday, and I don’t want the gift to get lost. What if it just sits in my lap?” She agreed. I laugh when I think what the passengers thought seeing my dad sitting in an airplane holding a life-size Raggedy Ann doll in his lap.

I was so excited when my dad came home and I loved my Raggedy Ann doll. She is a constant reminder of the persistence and love dad had for me by making my birthday special.

Jesus loves us and wants us to have the best and he covers each detail. When walking in a crowd of people, Jesus knew someone had touched the hem of his robe and He stopped. Everyone in the crowd had to adapt to the change in plans until Jesus found out who touched His robe.

Jesus pursues a relationship with us and will go to great lengths to make sure our needs are met, even when we don’t know He is working it all out. God’s love is constant, persistent, and forgiving. How awesome is His love for us.

Mitzie Avera