Inspirational and Evangelical Short Stories of Faith for Adults: Analogies for the Word of God

By Christian Stahl

This collection of 30 inspirational short stories from around the world show everyday folk in the past and present, discovering unexpected sweetness in the midst of sour circumstances when faith prevails. These stories are funny, others sobering, and more than a few will bring tears of amazement. While most

• Language: English
• Publisher: Midealuck Publishing
• Release date: Aug 13, 2020
• ISBN: 9781838148201

Christian Stahl

www.shortstoriesforbeginners.com

Book preview

Contents

Foreword

The Busy CEO

The Girl and the Note

The Man of My Dreams

Living Alone in Modern Times

Almost in Paradise

The Law Instructor of Jericho

Living in Nature

The Incredulous Psychiatrist

The Girl from the Salvation Army

The Loving Husband

The Evil Double Life

The Dying Veteran

The Old Bridge

The True Story of Friar Max Kolbe

The Emperor's Gifts

Puppies for Sale

The Future Kingdom of Peace

The Horseman

The Major

A Strange Dream

The Boulder

The Preacher and the Atheist

Our Old Town When Times Were Bad and Money Scarce

God's Wonderful Way

The True Story of the Evangelist Richard Baxter

I Met Her in the Opera

The Painter

Cafe Lisbon

The London Marathon

Endless Love on a Dream Vacation

My Name is Lazarus - A Classic Tale

Different Heavens According to Peter

30 Inspirational and Evangelical

Short Stories of Faith for Adults

Foreword

This book is devoted to all who appreciate Christian stories and faith narrative. This collection of 35 short stories includes modern as well as classical tales, all written to inspire and give hope to those who are suffering. The spirit of help, hope and faith can be found everywhere and can be instilled in anyone throughout their life. Learning about faith is the first step towards using it as guidance in all real-life circumstances. Jesus shows himself to those who are seeking his guidance, spirit and manifestation in their own way; it is the stories that have been accumulated for 2000 years that help people achieve this spirit.

Mostly humour centered, some with historical backgrounds related to classic tales, and a few based on real historical events, this international collection of short stories will leave the reader entertained and inspired. The collection also contains a selection of true short stories, like the retelling of friar Max Kolbe and the old tale of Lazarus. The collection is also an attempt to take inspiration from classic Christian events, resulting in an execution of biblical approaches in modern stories adapted to the current times. As a whole the book provides a teaching of faith that is informative while also remaining light-hearted with the use of comedic elements.

The Busy CEO

A young and successful manager drove his Jaguar a little too fast through a suburban street. He was on the watch out for children who might run into the street between the cars parked along the side of the road. He reduced his speed when he thought he noticed movement. However, when his car passed the spot in question, no child appeared. Instead, a brick crashed into the Jaguar's driver's door! He screeched to a stop and reversed the Jaguar to where the brick had been thrown.

The angry driver jumped out of the car, grabbed the first child he saw there, pushed him against a parked car and yelled, What were you thinking and who are you? What on earth is this? This is a brand new car and that brick you just threw there will cost you a lot of money. Why did you do that?

The little boy said apologetically, Please, Mr... please, I'm sorry, but I didn't know what else to do. I threw the stone because nobody else would stop...

As tears ran down his face and dripped from his chin, the boy pointed to a spot behind a parked car. That's my brother, he said. He rolled over the curb and fell out of his wheelchair, and I can't pick him up on my own. Meanwhile, the boy, sobbing heavily, asked the astonished manager, Could you please help me put him back in his wheelchair? He’s injured, and he’s too heavy for me to carry.

Deeply moved, the driver tried to swallow the lump that was rapidly rising in his throat. He immediately lifted the disabled boy back into his wheelchair and then pulled out a linen handkerchief to dab off the fresh scratches and cuts. A quick glance told him that everything would soon be fine.

Thank you, and God bless you, said the grateful child to the stranger.

Too shaken for words, the man simply watched as the boy pushed his wheelchair-bound brother down the sidewalk.

It was a long, slow walk back to his Jaguar. The damage was clearly visible. However, the driver never had the dented side door repaired. He left the dent there as a constant reminder of its message.

Don't rush through life so fast that someone has to throw a brick at you to get your attention!

God whispers to our soul and speaks to our heart. Sometimes, when we don't have time to listen, he has to throw a brick at us. It's our choice whether we listen or not.

The Girl and the Note

I feel the wind brushing past the tip of my nose and try to concentrate on my breathing. A few seconds later, I feel better and even a bit cooler. The breathing exercise has, it seems, also reduced my sweating, and now I can enjoy my surroundings even more. I sit on the park bench under a big, shady chestnut tree and enjoy every little breeze that blows around my ears on this warm summery day.

Our village is located in a rural Christian community where there are still old statues in parks and occasional crosses in front of the church and a few houses.

What a different environment this is from my workplace in the nearby town where I work part-time in a cubic office as a customer service representative.

It feels great sitting under the trees, the birds are singing, and I have traded headphones and long pants for a t-shirt and Bermuda shorts... I deserve time out to relax in nature.

While my gaze wanders, I notice a little girl on the other side of the park path. She looks sad and is wearing strange, old-fashioned braids. The two braids hang heavily over her shoulders.

She comes closer and seems not to notice anyone around her.

As she passes me, I hear a whisper, but can hardly understand what she is saying. It sounds like she's practising an apology under her breath.

I wonder if she had trouble at school and is now dragging herself grudgingly home. Or maybe she had a fight with a schoolmate... and now she's sorry.

My gaze follows the girl, and suddenly I notice that an old man has sat down on the bench next to me.

Good afternoon, he greets me in a friendly way. His face is very appealing.

He leans his walking stick against the trash can next to the bench and folds his rough hands without adding another word.

For minutes, only the rustling leaves of the gnarled tree can be heard, accompanied by the chirping of the birds.

Strange, the little girl kneels to pray before an old wooden cross which I had never noticed before in this park,... and the man next to me is praying as if the world around him did not exist.

The silence is eerie, as is the situation, and I’m sitting right in the middle of it.

Her name's Barbara, my bench mate says in a croaky voice.

Do you know that girl?

Yes and no, but if you wish, I'd be happy to tell you our story. However, now I have to go over there and do my job.

With a smile, the old man leans on the stick and shuffles, step by step over to the inconspicuous wooden cross. No doubt people no longer notice it except the man and the girl, although hundreds of people pass by every day.

The girl, Barbara, has already left when the old man bends to the ground in pain and seems to pick up something.

How weird.

Curiosity gets the better of me, and I want to hear the old man's reasons. He turns around and is approaching me again.

With a groan of exhaustion, he sits down and is holding a handful of colorful pieces of paper.

Again his shaky fingers fold up tightly after reading the child's handwriting. While he prays, he presses the little pieces of paper