When I think of God, and what he means to me, I think of a little girl that was very small, only a toddler. I think of her world and how she was so very oppressed. The family around her was always arguing and her siblings were abusing her. She was the youngest of three.

I remember the church and hearing the songs and this little girl would sing a babbling song. How much she loved the church, it was safe and warm, no screaming, sunlight streaming in and beautiful stained glass images with people showing love. No one was mean there, smiling faces a feeling that no one would hurt her. She felt so much joy and stood in the isle and babbled her little songs. Others would look down at her and smile, the smiles she wished that were at home.

So many times she would return to this place of warmth and understanding, all throughout her life. Whenever she ran away from others she kept those warm thoughts in her heart and prayed that god would show her safety.

She ran fast one day and saw a tree with many limbs that were her ladder to safety. As she sat in the tree so very high off the ground, she shook in fear and prayed. The wind was wispering in this tree and the tree began to sway. The tree cradled the little girl as she heard the scary voice below, searching for her, calling for her. And then she looked up and saw the sky with puffy clouds of hope.

Somewhere along the way she heard someone say, God is everywhere, he is in you. That is when she began to see that god was there to help her. And she would need that many times, to many times to mention.
But even though she saw so much bad god would carry her heart with hope.

The little girl still prays.....