Introduction and Acknowledgements:
This book is for so many different types of people: maybe not everything applies to you, but some will. Probably a lot will, because you will find someone you can help with it. As a parent, young person, friend, sibling, or anything else, you can make a difference in someone's life.
You may have heard people say that a family must have a strong father figure. It’s true that the man is supposed to act Godly. He should be an authority figure you can look to for guidance and direction, and who will always put God first in his decisions and in the way he treats others. He should be a great example of Jesus.
But, what if he isn’t there, mentally or physically – or both? Is hope lost? No!
A Shunammite woman who lived over 2500 years ago can teach us some valuable lessons about how to overcome things when the family unit is not what it should be. In the book of Second Kings, chapter 4, verses 8-37, we see a woman who was on fire for God, despite her husband’s lack of interest.
God, through the Holy Spirit, calls this woman great. And, you can be, too.
You say you’re not a single mom reading this? You’re a teen? A child? I have news for you. You don't have to be a parent. You might be a teen, you might even be a timid, shy child of nine or ten, and you can still take charge. David wasn’t much older when he killed Goliath.
“Wait,” you say, “I don’t even know who David is!” That’s okay. As we explore God’s Word, and you apply it to your life, you will learn all you need to make a difference, to feel more confident because the God of the Universe is with you, guiding and helping you, no matter how hard things have been.
Do you want to be great, like the Shunammite? Read on.
First, I want to thank the Lord for giving me this opportunity to write and to help others. It is only because of His free gift I can do that. That gift was given 2,000 years ago, when He gave His only begotten Son; that means God in the flesh came to this world to suffer and die for my sins, and to rise from the dead.
Yes, He proclaimed Himself equal with God many times; and the leaders wanted to kill Him. When His time was come, though, they didn’t take His life – he gave it, and took the punishment for my sins – freely, fully, forever. He took the punishment for my sins, and He took it for yours, the reader. If you’d been the only one ever on this earth, He still would have died for you, and risen from the dead, so you could get to Heaven. Heaven is an indredible place, where nobody can imagine the wonders that await us.
It is through Him I can study His Word and write this. It is through Him you, the reader, can be great for God.
As a side note, all verses in this book will be from the Authorized, King James Version. This book is not about Bible versions, so I won’t get into the differences. However, I heartily encourage you to get one, and delve into it. God rewards the sincere study of His Word. Sometimes, He even lets people write about it, like I have.
