Tim Redmond shared the story of his friend, a pastor, who wanted to help his village in a period of hunger and difficulty in the world: businesses running at a slow pace, job loss everywhere with nothing in sight but a bleak future.

The pastor said, if I really believe God’s word that all things are possible to him who believes, then together, God and I can work to turn things around in my village and spark lasting change.


He planned to use the message of the talents to motivate his congregation to think and dig deep, to find their unique gifts within, and to put them to creative use. After teaching the topic; he did something unusual, he walked towards where some of the members were seated, took some money out of his pocket and gave them out of it.

He said, “use your gift to double this little money.” He got to a young mother and said the same thing to her.

She stepped back in fear and said, “why are you pressuring me this way? I don’t have a talent and I don’t want your money or its responsibility.”

He moved closer and insisted, “You do have a gift, and God has given you the ability to serve other people in significant ways. Take this money and use your gift to double it.”

She continued, “You know my situation, I am struggling to feed my three children; we rarely ever have enough, I am in dire need with little hope that we will survive let alone trying to serve others, pick someone else, please leave me alone!”

However the man refused to back down, he knew that very few things change in the state of comfort especially people.

So he said, “there has to be some talent or skill that you have developed, think. I want to help you release your gift within so you will have more than enough for your children.”

She insisted, “I don’t have anything worthwhile that I know how to do; I don’t have any gift or talent, the only thing I know how to do is make pancakes for my children.”

The pastor responded, “you know how to make pancakes?”

She said, “yes, but everybody knows how to make pancakes, What’s so special about that?”

He pressed on as if she had said nothing, “take this little money and buy the pancake ingredients that you need; then get up early and start cooking, after feeding your kids, take the rest of the pancake that you make down to the center of town where all the shops are, many of the shop keepers come to work hungry they will buy your pancakes.”

“Hmm! this will never work, nobody will buy my pancakes,” She complained.
 
However, despite her doubt she followed his instructions. The next afternoon, she joyfully entered his office and exclaimed, “It worked! It worked! They bought all of my pancakes!”

He replied, “good! reinvest the money and buy more ingredients, keep making pancakes.

She continued making pancakes, sometimes burning them or running into other challenges that she didn’t know how to handle at the moment, but she never gave up, she stayed in the game and focused on making improvements with each step she took. She kept learning, improving, and adjusting the value of her product to better serve the customers. As a result, the shopkeepers were happy and kept buying her pancakes, overtime she added more items to her menu and gained new customers in her village. Her persistence paid off, her business grew with the little steps she took each day, which led to a big step.

She opened a catering service that grew to be the most successful catering company in that region. Her small seemingly insignificant step and simple task set in motion an expanding future for her, her children, and a fledgling business. As her business grew, so did her generosity, she transitioned from being one of the neediest people to one of the biggest givers.

Her influence grew beyond her church, people were saying, is this the lady with three kids, who struggled to feed?

What is she doing that is causing her to prosper in such a significant way?

If she can do it, we can do it too.

As others began to follow her example, they experienced an increase in customers as well as profits.

Gradually the entire city started to turn around economically.

Those who want to change embrace responsibility

Hopelessness blinds you from seeing the value, you are capable of creating.

People’s stories can encourage and boost your confidence. Have you read my book, Where are you, a woman’s guide to finding self or my(Memoirs) journal for women? get a copy for yourself or a friend.

This year, your story too can count.