A Few Stories For God's Children

By John N DeFoore Sr.

Stories told from the imagined perspective of various biblical characters, offering insight into what they might have felt and thought deep within their heart of hearts.

Take this beautiful journey with an author who has spent his lifetime of 100 years studying and teaching the bible to thousands of people from many cultures around the world.

You will experience the inside story of the healing experienced by the blind man, the man possessed, the leper, and more. You will discover how it felt to Lazarus to be raised from the dead, how it was for the prostitute to be forgiven, and for the disciples as they watched Jesus walk on water.

You will venture into the inner world of Mary, Peter, Cain, Noah, and more.

This is a priceless opportunity to discover the miracles of the bible from a true biblical scholar.

• Language: English
• Publisher: John N DeFoore Sr.
• Release date: May 27, 2019
• ISBN: 9781393780328

John N DeFoore Sr.

John DeFoore was born in a small town in Mississippi.  He grew up surrounded by cotton fields and dense forests.  He left home at age 17 and went to work with a highway construction group.  He finished high school, started college, and entered the Army when WWII began.  He served seven years: enlisting as a private first class and being discharged as a major. He was in the infantry and saw service in New Guinea, the Netherlands East Indies, and the Philippines.  He was awarded the Bronze Star during an amphibious landing on Morotai Island.  After the war, John was ordained as a Baptist minister and graduated from Mississippi College with a Bachelor of Science degree, and Southern Baptist Theological Seminary with a Master of Theology degree.  He did further study at New College in Edinburgh, Scotland, Princeton, Harvard, and the Jungian Institute in Zurich, Switzerland.  He served as a missionary in Alaska for 5 years, then pastored in Mississippi, Alabama, and Texas for more than 30 years.  He began his second career as a counselor and international business consultant and retired from this practice at 98 years of age. He and his wife Marion Sue live in Boerne, Texas. He is the father of four sons.  At 104 years old, John spends his days writing and reading. Since retiring, he has written more than a dozen books. 

Book preview

I. Arrival and Presence

Mary

It was so strange that this was happening to me.

And yet I somehow knew this was as it should be.

I had even begun to understand this visitor who had come to me in the night with this strange message so shocking that it left me reeling and searching for understanding when I heard the words, Mary, the Lord is with thee.

I felt terror followed quickly by a peace I had never tasted when I heard, And thou shalt bear a son. I had never known a man-only the friendship of Joseph- whom I planned to marry. But this new message brought tears to my heart and in a new and different way I waited for the next event to come from God.

AND I WONDERED—GOD? Why had God come to me? Who in the world was I?

Why would God come to me? Of all the people in the world why me?

Why would God—?

IT HAD TO BE GOD. IT could not be me. I seemed to be a vessel, a container for something or someone or some event that was bigger than I and larger than my world. Yet there was a silence as we made the journey and a gentle assurance permeated my being. So I followed as I did with Joseph, and the security that came when I felt he knew where we were going.

But it was even more than Joseph as we journeyed through the darkness. I knew with silent certainty that our destination was sure and I was safe.

When we arrived I waited outside. I listened to the muffled voices inside and heard the words, No room. I did not panic because there was an assurance in my heart that things were as they should be and that this night-this night-this night would be—

AND IT WAS.

I held this child in my arms.

I held my promised child.

In the sacred security of the stable darkness—

I held my child.

Someone said that angels sang. I do not know for sure. It could have been the echo of my heart’s Hallelujahs that my lips could not phrase. Or maybe I was only dreaming of the child I held who would change the world.

And Joseph stood there and we both voiced the word Jesus.

Joseph

He tied himself to the wagon with a long leather strap. Having lost his sight a few years ago he was always afraid of being lost. This kept him in control of the cart and the burro.

The burro knew the way to town and the man had trained himself to know generally where he was by the smells, sounds, the texture of the soil and other ways.

He traded his vegetables and other things to get what he needed. His friends were kind. They even laughed and joked as they traded from one hand to another. It was always good to visit old friends.

The trading was finished and he could tell by the slight chill in the air that the day was ending. He started home. The burro plodded slowly along the road and the man’s mind drifted from one thought to another. He had lived a full life. The loss of his wife had been a big tragedy but he knew he had to keep living.

HE RECOGNIZED THE PATH to his home by the turn in the road and the sounds of silence. He loosed the burro in his pen and turned to go to the house.

She was there—this beautiful wonderful daughter who had tried so hard to fill the huge emptiness left with the death of his wife. She had died oh so soon. She had died oh so young. Then this beautiful young lady-daughter had become the woman of the house and the best friend he could hope for.

She could not take the place of her mother. She did not try. But she filled the needs of the house and brought life and beauty to every single moment.

Conversation was casual. It was easy and comfortable. She said: There was a young man in the market today and kept looking at me. I felt a little awkward but he smiled and put me at ease. Finally he came over and introduced himself.

What was his name? the father asked. The daughter sighed and said, "I think he said his name was Joseph.

His Father’s Business

He was lost. The words screamed down the corridors of Joseph’s brain. His son-this precious boy was missing.

Joseph had talked with all the relatives. They had talked with their friends. The entire caravan knew Joseph and Mary’s child was lost. 

Mary sobbed uncontrollably and would not be comforted. Joseph was torn between comforting her and continuing to search for his child. 

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME he had seen him? Oh yes, he was not there when they stopped for evening meal. Joseph had wanted him to distribute bread. Carelessly he had done it himself without searching for the lad. 

Oh my God, he thought. The robber bands were always looking for children to be found and sold. The thought seared his brain and spurred his steps as he raced from place to place, looking everywhere.

Lost...incredible, preposterous—it could not be true, and yet it was. My child, my child, my son, my only son is lost.

The elders urged him to rest and promised to continue the search, but Joseph could not stop. Mary offered him bread dipped in honey, which he refused. How could he possibly eat when his son was still missing?

What did they say? Who? Where? When? Someone said they had seen him the day before. He was in the temple talking to the Pharisees. 

JOSEPH RAN AS FAST as he could all the way back to the temple they had visited the day before. He burst into the room without recognizing he was breaking the tithe law.

And there he was...seated, composed, relaxed and talking with a small group of elderly men. 

Joseph walked straight to his son, took him by the hand and led him out of