Lydie Birai – Denver, Colorado … When I and my husband Daniel, lead pastor at Lifesource Adventist Fellowship, were expecting our first child, we needed a girl’s name. Choosing a child’s name can cause all sorts of worry, and the final decision was important to me. We had already chosen a name, but after praying for wisdom, we agreed on Hadassah, Esther’s original name. Although I had read the Book of Esther multiple times, somehow, I never paid much attention to the symbolic celebration at the end of the story—the Festival of Purim. I continued to pray for confirmation that we choose the right name.

Our Hadassah came to us on March 24, 2016. That year, it was Purim Day. That clinched it—she was special and made for such a time as this. It has not been a surprise that she has blessed our lives in so many ways and stretched our faith in God. I have found her to be a problem solver even when I try to find an excuse for not doing something. She is a child who believes even when my own faith wavers.

As couples do, Daniel and I enjoy discussing future plans. At least, I enjoy it. These discussions included whether we wanted to be homeowners now or wait a couple of years. Hadassah, of course, overheard many of these conversations, as children with little ears do. At the end of last year, we agreed on saving and waiting. But what is that saying? From little things, big things can happen? Again, Hadassah had a part in our plans.

On her way home from a visit, my generous mother-in-law gave our daughter twenty dollars as a parting gift at the airport. The six-year-old stuck the money in her pocket. When we got home, she took the cash and handed it to her father, saying, “Here’s twenty dollars for our house. How much more do we have to go?”

Maybe it was the way she handed the money to Daniel or her tone of voice (full of faith). Or maybe it was her persistence in giving “all” that made such an impact. Or was it simply God’s influence? Daniel and I looked at each other, struck by her affirming faith and acknowledging her small and powerful act of generosity and confidence. A modern-day widow’s mite story, you might say.

I started to “just take a look” at what was out there. Daniel’s view was “why look if we’re not going to do anything?” But for me, looking was the first step to action. Well, as God would have it, before the month was over, we had agreed on a house to purchase. Yes, we were leaping out in faith!

On February 20 of this year, with the spark of a sincere $20 gift from a little girl, we officially became homeowners again. Within a short time, God acted in many ways—through friends and family—to bring us to this point in our lives. We feel extremely blessed and fortunate to know so many helpful friends, and, most importantly, to know and to rely upon our God, our Savior.

God is the inspiration for this story on giving. He used the faith of a child to change to course of our new year. I look forward to seeing how God will continue to use our children to lead the way.

—Lydie Birai is secretary/treasurer of Club Ministries at LifeSource Adventist Fellowship in Denver. Photos provided.