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Andrea Fortenberry

The Lost Bracelet

January 14, 2013 By admin

14 Jan

“Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Does she not light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

–Luke 15: 8-10

I’ve often heard people say that God doesn’t care about the minutia of our lives because there are much bigger problems in the world. I do understand how it is easy to feel so insignificant and small in this life, that we wonder how or why God would care about us. With so many people and so many problems, it seems silly to ask God for help with a small problem, like losing a bracelet.

But a few weeks ago, I lost the bracelet that my brother had recently given me for my 30th birthday. It was extra special to me because he gave it to me shortly before he left on deployment to Africa with the Navy.

When I discovered that it was missing, I remembered that I had taken the bracelet on one of three trips I had taken in October. I scoured my luggage and purses, opened every pocket and cranny, all to no avail. I searched my makeup bag, hamper and jewelry box and still couldn’t find it. I repeated the process multiple times and nothing. I e-mailed the friend I stayed with on one of my trips to see if she had found it and sadly learned she hadn’t.

I was so upset and bothered that I had been so careless with such an expensive and sentimental treasure. I felt as though I had taken my brother’s money and thrown it out the window! I was anxious and bothered the entire morning and cried and prayed that God would help me find it.

I decided to go back to my closet one last time to search my suitcase. After not finding it, I sat down on the floor and cried. As I sat, I glanced around at the messiness of my closet and saw something purple and shiny out of the corner of my eye. I looked again and saw a purple charm inside one of my dress shoes — I’d found the bracelet! I broke out in praises to God, only He could have allowed me to find it! I never would have thought to look there. I then remembered that I had put it in the shoe while on a trip and had forgotten all about it.

Only a God that completely loves us with an everlasting love, as a dearly-loved child would care about something so small in the grand scheme of the world, as my lost bracelet.

This little event reminds me of these verses:

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

– Luke 11: 9-13


I share this story with you to show how God does care about the details of our lives, no matter how small and insignificant they might seem sometimes. Be bold and ask Him for what you need, even if it’s for help finding your car keys in the morning. You matter to Him!

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Meet Andrea


Hi! I’m Andrea Fortenberry. I write and speak on marriage, motherhood, friendship and faith. I love to help women seek and see God in their everyday life. Being a wife and mother of two gives me lots of material and teaches me oh so many things.

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