“…even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.”
City Sparrows
Hey everyone!
Welcome back to Character in Crisis. Today we’ll be hearing from our office administrator, Sarah Prenevost! Keeping the office running, heading up tours, writing prayer letters, and leading Sunday night worship are just a few of the things Sarah does here at Lamplighter. Gifted with a head for spreadsheets and a heart for music, she blesses each of us with her organizational skills, original worship music, and love for Jesus! While Sarah is passionate about the Lamplighter mission, you might be surprised to hear that she didn’t grow up reading our books! Read below to hear about one of her favorite books, and what it has meant to her over the years!
Hello,
Six and a half years ago I started reading Lamplighter books. Fast forward to today, and I am a living testament to the saying, “You’ll be the same five years from now as you are today except for the people you meet and the books you read,” (Charlie T. Jones). Lamplighter books have made a noticeable difference in my life and have played an integral part in helping me “renew my mind...” (Romans 12:2).
Of course, it’s not the stories themselves that are life-changing, but the Biblical truths within them. This is what sets Lamplighter books apart from most literature available today, even so-called “Christian” literature. Each story emphasizes the worldview that:
1. God is good.
2. God works all things together for good.
3. God keeps His promises.
4. God allows suffering to grow our character so we can experience His overflowing love in our lives.
I love these truths, and when I saw them lived out in City Sparrows, I knew I had found a treasure! The story is full of Scripture, but not in a “preachy” sense. The characters, through conversation, prayer, and words of encouragement/admonition, speak Scripture from the natural overflow of their hearts, and it is in this way that the Word of God permeates the story. After reading this, I desired to speak that way. I wanted to know Scripture so intimately that it would just roll from my lips without even realizing I was doing it.
The story focuses on a young girl named Zetta and her crippled brother, Harry. Starving, cold, and bitterly poor, the little duo is overlooked by most people—but Margaret is touched by their plight. The daughter of a poor pastor, Margaret is still grieving the loss of her mother and is caring for her young sister Nelly who is deathly ill. Even so, she is willing to see beyond her own hurts and struggles in order to help those around her.
While she knows that God works all things together for good, she must determine whether or not she will cling to this promise. The day-to-day struggles, grief, and time spent worrying are all very real to Margaret; just as real as the pain, cold, and hunger that Zetta and Harry experience. In spite of their hardships, they all learn this simple truth: since God sees and cares for the little sparrow, how much more will he care for us? Matthew 10:29-31. How much more indeed!
May you be encouraged, as I was, by this heartwarming story of hope.
In His Service,
Sarah Prenevost
Office Administrator
More favorites from Sarah:
· Snowdrop Story and Other Tales for the Young (6+)
· Little Miss Moth (6+)
· Charlie’s Choice book/audio (9+)
· Chateau by the Lake (12+)
· That Printer of Udell’s (12+)
Read the book for yourself!
Join Zetta and her brother Harry in a cold, drafty garret as they learn that not even a sparrow falls to the ground without God seeing. Follow burdened Margaret as she learns that suffering produces patience, patience produces endurance, and endurance produces hope. Watch as they discover together that “all things work together for good to those who love God.”