by Colleen Ranney

Created on: July 22, 2008

Life is the Meaning

"When a soul sees it is enough, it isn't the meaning of life that becomes dear to heart instead life becomes the meaning."

The greatest day in all my life I knew I was enough and it all came from shoes. It was an empowering moment in every way and changed the course of my life forever. This just happened two days ago so the emotions are raw and still very overwhelming however it has already strengthened my cause.

In 2006 I had a dream while asleep that I went to Africa. On my visit I met many children who had enormous wounds on their feet. Perhaps I should call this more of a nightmare than a dream for even though a sleep my heart broke into two watching one mother hold her child to her chest and scream out! I awoke from my dream moved deeply. After a lengthy Google search, the need for shoes in Africa for children became very evident and instantly a burden upon my soul. I thought of my own children and the safety they had just by simply being born in the country they were born. So this is what I did, I said a prayer to ask God to please fulfill this One Prayer for these children. Please help me to find a way to get them shoes.

I shared my idea with my partner and his reaction was very negative. I shared my idea with my friends and they seemed to think it was a great idea but offered me no assistance. Each day I held onto this prayer and continued to direct my energies towards one day having the resources to get shoes to them. At times over the course of two years we would receive thunderstorms and my thoughts would always return to that haunting dream of children who died from no shoes on their precious feet. I would say again this one prayer. "Please God help me find a way to bring these children shoes"

Two days ago I received the answer to this prayer and it is the single event in my life this far that outshines all others in my life. Before I share the note I received I want to say I believe one of the greatest meanings in life we can ever be touched by is to know the part we play in life is enough. There have been so many reasons this world has pointed out to me that I wasn't enough. The poverty of my spirit was so vast I barely had faith that life had any kind of meaning. Now I know that Life is the Meaning. I held this one prayer inside of me and thought on it daily. I shared it with very few people. My prayer was answered in a manner that could not be denied or easily dismissed. It has full filled my soul and spirit has everlasting effects in my life. It is one of those RARE events that awaken Life. I close with the note I received but before I want to say everyone deserves a good pare of shoes to wear as they travel through life. I found Life in a simple pair of shoes and they were enough.

Remember-
Wherever your journey may take you in time
Wear shoes that best suit you
The rarest of men whoever prevailed
Knew it came in the truth of their shoe

I wonder if heaven is really a place
Where our personals journeys complete
And the shoes we wore here suddenly become
The truth that shines on our feet

Here is the note sent from a stranger on a chat application of face book.

I have sent an email to Shoes for Africa to ask them if they would like to pick up some shoes. They are in for a surprise as I have $2,000:00 worth. My double garage and loft are pretty full. It's a business that didn't take off. So my loss, but rather than burn them It will give me pleasure to help the poor in Africa. Hope this puts a smile on your face.
I know we live in a wicked world but there are still some good people about. Most of the shoes are young children's and ladies, but it makes me feel good enough.

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