Stitches ’N’ Stories
According to His Will
Illustrated by Jessica Dorfsmith
“Cock-a-doodle-doo!” crowed the Wilbery’s big, red rooster, early one April morning in 1754. A yellow-haired, thirteen-year-old girl opened her blue eyes and smiled. Morning was Beth’s favorite time of day.
She heard chattering in the kitchen and knew Mother was starting the fire, so she straightened her coverlet and dressed. She was fixing her mobcap when she heard, “Sarah! Elizabeth!” She met her fifteen-year-old sister on the stairs as they responded to Mother’s call.
Beth, Sarah, and six-year-old Nan helped prepare breakfast as the boys and Father fed the animals. Father was going to town that day, so Sarah packed him a dinner.
That evening, when Father came home, he had news. “I’ve decided we are going to move. This farm is old and the ground if overworked, so we must sell it.”
“Where are we going?” five-year-old Caleb wanted to know.
“Ohio.” As he said this, Beth gasped. “We’ll grow flax, oats, wheat, and corn, plus a vegetable garden. We’ll raise sheep later and start a weaving business, since cloth is scarce there. We might buy cotton after a while, too.”
Beth listened mutely as the rest of the family discussed the move around the supper table for over an hour, then cleared the table as they continued talking. She had washed, dried, and put away all the dishes for her nine-member family before they stopped. Many thoughts went through Beth’s mind as she worked. Moving to Ohio! Why, God, why?! We can’t move! It just isn’t fair! I’d never see Rebekah again!
Father glanced at the sun, then opened the bible and started to read Matthew 7. “…Ask, and it shall be given you… For every one that asketh receiveth….” (Luke 11:9-10)
That’s my answer, Beth thought. I’ll just ask God, then we won’t move to Ohio! She was happy. So Beth asked God everyday to prevent her family from going to Ohio. As the day of departure neared, Beth noticed God has not done anything to answer her prayers. But maybe He’s waiting to answer at the last moment, she reasoned.
A few weeks later, the Wilbery family climbed into three farm wagons loaded with food, supplies, and weaving equipment. “I’m glad we’re bringing the loom and spindle,” Sarah said.
“Yes, it will give us something to do on the long evenings,” replied Mother. Beth was silent. She was unhappy. She felt that God had let her down. He hadn’t done what He had promised He would do.
The wagons started with a lurch. Beth waved to Rebekah, whose family had come to see them off.
“Goodbye!”
“Goodbye!”
At first they traveled over smooth, level roads, but as the days passed, the trail became more rocky and steep. Beth also grumbled and complained more and more each day. She had a little hope that something would happen so they could move back to Philadelphia, but that hope diminished day by day. She began to doubt if the Bible was true. If this isn’t true, then the whole Bible might not be true, she reasoned, as she lay one night thinking about Rebekah.
Finally they reached a small valley. It had a creek running through it and a grove of trees about a five-minute walk from a rise of land in the center of the valley. “That’s where we’ll build our house,” said Father, pointing to the rise.
The next day, Father, eleven-year-old Peter, and sixteen-year-old David started cutting logs for their cabin. Three weeks later, the family was ready to move into the finished house. Father gathered the family for a special devotion, once everything was inside. “We will read the entire book of First John. I will read the first chapter, your mother will read the next, then David, Sarah, and Beth can read. First John, chapter one: ‘That which was from the beginning….’ ”
Beth stopped listening, as she often did now. She had no desire to listen to something she thought was false. She started thinking about Rebekah, the fun times they had together, the stories they told each other, the times they got into trouble….
A gentle bump interrupted her train of thoughts. “It’s your turn to read, Beth,” her sister Sarah said, handing her the Bible.
She cleared her throat, then began: “Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ….” I wish I didn’t have to read this. “…He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life….” Do I have the Son? Do I have life? “…And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him….” That’s it! I didn’t ask according to His will! God wanted us to move to Ohio! “…And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding….” Now I have understanding! “…Amen.” (1 John 5)
Beth handed the Bible back to Father.
That night Beth was lying in bed and thinking about what had happened. All that time, when she had been complaining and believing God had not done what He had promised her, her family was really following God’s will. God had planned for them to move here. The only reason she had wanted to stay was because of Rebekah.
During the next few weeks, the rest of the family noticed a change in Beth’s attitude. She was more cheerful and willing to help, and she barely complained anymore. She listened closely during devotions and began to love Sundays, as the family studied the Bible most of the day. Father and Mother asked Beth about it. She told them everything.
“Why didn’t you tell us about this? We had no idea that you were so sad about leaving Pennsylvania. I thought you were happy here,” Mother said in response to Beth’s story.
“I thought you would be disappointed in me,” whispered Beth.
“Well, you’d better get to bed, young lady,” smiled Father.
“Okay, I will. Goodnight.”
The next day the Wilbeiys were surprised to hear the sounds of horses, oxen pulling wagons, and people talking. “Who’s there?” asked eight-year-old Samuel.
“It’s Rebekah and her family!” Beth shouted joyfully.
“Really?” asked Mother.
“Yes,” answered Beth, “and they’re right in the front of our house now!”
A few minutes later, the two friends were sitting down together and talking without ceasing. “Guess what?” said Rebekah, “we are planning on building a house within walking distance of yours.”
“That is wonderful! I’m so glad we’ll be neighbors again,” said Beth.
“Me, too,” said Rebekah. “I’ve missed you so much!”
“So have I,” said Beth. Thank you, God, for answering my prayer!
