An encouragement to my heart

The kids and I just finished reading the biography of George Muller in our homeschool. I knew briefly about him and his wonderful work he did with orphans, but I had never read his life story quite like this. I always assumed, given his strong faith in the Lord, that he had always been a strong believer. That couldn't be further from the truth! As a matter of fact, he started out as a rebellious, thieving, lying young man who was only interested in himself. Even while attending college to become a pastor, his mind was only on making a good salary and taking advantage of the gullible people in the congregation. In fact, he didn't even own a Bible and had to go purchase one for himself so people would believe he would be a good candidate for pastor. Doesn't sound like the George Muller I imagined! Once God got a hold of his heart, though, things changed dramatically. From becoming a missionary, to feeding the hungry, to opening several orphanages, George Muller truly had a heart to serve God. Not only did he serve God, he trusted Him with all his heart. Every need, big or small, was met by God. He vowed only to trust in God to supply his needs, nothing else. Because of that, God did some amazing things. At times in reading the story, I'd get goosebumps. I wish I could have just one-tenth of the faith that George had! What encouraged me so much, though, was the realization that God can change anyone's heart, no matter where they are in life. I often get discouraged when I see my child following down the wrong path, choosing not to follow God. In my shallow thinking, it can feel like nothing will ever change! Sadly, I underestimate what God can do. If he can change George Muller's heart-why would I ever believe he couldn't do the same in my child? I feel like He put this book in our school at this particular time for a reason-it gave me hope at a time when I needed it. That being said, if you're not familiar with the life of George Muller, you can visit this website to read more about him. Amazingly, more than 100+ years after his death, his work is still going on. What an inspiring story.