A faith boosting read

Don't you love reading an autobiography once an awhile? Especially one that is full of stories of the faithfulness of God! We are enjoying one like that now, in The Autobiography of George Muller.

Hearing his name made me think of
England, hungry orphans and the Veggie Tales video and the scene with the broken milk truck. : )
If his name isn't ringing a bell, George Muller was a man who did a tremendous work for God in Bristol, England. He's best known for the orphanages he established and for the fact that he never raised funds or requested money to support them. The only one he ever asked for money was God and so the daily needs of hundreds of children, in three orphanages, were completely supported by God, through daily prayer and the offerings He led people to give.
I was surprised to find out that George Muller did not start the "orphan house" for the sake of the orphans but for the sake of his fellow Christians and the building up of their faith. He said:

  "I know that the Word of God ought to be enough but by giving my brothers visible proof of the unchangeable faithfulness of the Lord, I might strengthen their faith...this seems to me best done by establishing an orphan house -something which could be seen by the natural eye. If I, a poor man, simply by prayer and faith obtained, without asking any individual, the finances for establishing and carrying on an orphan house, this might strengthen the faith of the children of God. It would also be a testimony to the unconverted of the reality of the things of God."

And:

"This is the primary reason for establishing the orphan house. I certainly desire to be used by God to help the poor children and train them in the ways of God. But the primary object of the work is that God would be magnified because the orphans under my care will be provided with all they need through prayer and faith. Everyone will see that God is faithful and hears prayer." 

Awesome, huh?

I think George would be blessed to know that 176 years later, his testimony of 'the orphan houses' is still encouraging believers that God is faithful and hears prayer. I know it has been encouraging one of our boys, who has been seen praying out loud in the back yard and spending his lunch time reading the Word because of this book! : ) How awesome is that!?!!?

~Becky