There was a king in Africa who had a close friend that he grew up with.
The friend had a habit of looking at every situation that ever occurred
in his life (positive or negative) and remarking, “This is
good!”

One day the king and his friend were out on a hunting expedition.  The
friend would load and prepare the guns for the king. The friend had
apparently done something wrong in preparing one of the guns,
for after taking the gun from his friend, the king fired it and his thumb
was blown off.

Examining the situation the friend remarked as usual, “This is good!”

To which the king replied, “No this is NOT good!” and proceeded to send
his friend to jail.

About a year later, the king was hunting in an area that he should have
known to stay clear of. Cannibals captured him and took him to their
village. They tied him to a stake surrounded by wood.

As they came near to set fire to the wood, they noticed that the king had
but one thumb. Being superstitious, they never ate anyone that was less
than whole. They untied the king and sent him away.

As he returned home, he was reminded of the event that had taken his
thumb and felt so very badly about his treatment of his friend. He went
immediately to the jail to speak with his friend. “You were right”  he
said, “it was good that my thumb was blown off.” And he proceeded to tell
the friend all that had just happened. “And so I am very sorry for
sending you to jail for so long.  It was bad for me to do
this.”

“No,” his friend replied,  “this is good!”

“What do you mean, ‘this is good’! How could it be good that I sent you,
my good friend, to jail for all this time?”

“If I had not been in jail, I would have been with you – and eaten!”

Gladys Aylward, missionary to China more than 50 years ago, was forced to flee when the Japanese invaded Yangcheng. But she couldn’t leave her work behind. With only one assistant, she led a hundred-plus orphans over the mountains toward Free China.

During Glaydy’s harrowing journey our of war-torn Yangcheng … she  grappled with despair as never before. Ater passing a sleepless night, she faced the morning with no hope of reaching safety. A thirteen-year-old girl in the group reminded her of their much-loved story of Moses and the Israelites  crossing the Red Sea.

“But I am not Moses,” Gladys cried in desparation.
“Of course you aren’t,” the girl said, “but Jehovah is still God!”

I refuse to be discouraged, To be sad, or to cry;
I refuse to be downhearted, and here’s the reason why…

I have a God who’s mighty, Who’s sovereign and supreme;
I have a God who loves me, and I am on His team.

He is all wise and powerful, Jesus is His name;
Though everything is changeable, My God remains the same.

My God knows all that’s happening; Beginning to the end,
His presence is my comfort, He is my dearest friend.

When sickness comes to weaken me, To bring my head down low,
I call upon my mighty God; Into His arms I go.

When circumstances threaten to rob me from my peace;
He draws me close unto His breast, Where all my strivings cease.

And when my heart melts within me, and weakness takes control;
He gathers me into His arms, He soothes my heart and soul.

The great “I AM” is with me, My life is in His hand,
The “Son of the Lord” is my hope, It’s in His strength I stand.

I refuse to be defeated, My eyes are on my God;
He has promised to be with me, as through this life I trod.

I’m looking past all my circumstances, To Heaven’s throne above;
My prayers have reached the heart of God, I’m resting in His love.

I give God thanks in everything, My eyes are on His face;
The battle’s His, the victory is mine; He’ll help me win the race.