Griselda's Turbulent Life
Children's Story
Griselda had a turbulent life. She always blamed her name. For as long as she could remember, Griselda had been called Grizzy. Griselda wasn't sure whether this sounded like a bear or just a really miserable person, so she was generally a cross between the two. Sometimes she was angry for no particular reason, so she snarled and roared like a bear. At other times she felt so miserable her mouth would drag down at the corners, and she felt like crying for no particular reason. Whichever it was, everybody kept their distance. Some of them were rather afraid of Griselda, and others thought they would be dragged into her heavy cloud if they went near her, so they all kept away.
Griselda had no idea why people kept away from her, and she reacted by sometimes feeling furiously angry (like a bear), and at other times feeling desperately sad (kind of Grizzy). So people stayed away even more, and Griselda grew more and more lonely.
It felt like living in a roaring sea, with waves which were too high to handle. So Griselda kept her head down, hoping the waves would go over her without knocking her completely flat.
Because she was so angry inside, Griselda behaved really badly at school. She was rude to the teachers, and she never bothered with her homework because deep down she expected to get it wrong so she felt it was never worth trying. Some of her teachers were concerned about her and tried to get near, but although she longed for someone to come near her, Griselda was so certain no-one could possibly like her that she snarled and roared and pushed them away.
Then one day she met Jesus. It was utterly unexpected, and Griselda had no idea how to react. She happened to see a large fluorescent poster outside a Church which said, "Jesus wants to meet YOU." For some reason, Griselda knew immediately that it meant her, so she went into the Church. The man inside the Church had his collar on back to front, so Griselda thought it must be Jesus.
"I've come," she said and sat down.
The man looked at her curiously, then sat down beside her. "What do you want me to do for you?" he asked.
"I want to stop being Grizzy, and become Griselda," she replied. The man nodded, and began to chat to her. Griselda decided she liked Jesus, and started to talk to him all about herself. But as she talked, all her misery and her anger rose up to the surface and began to overwhelm her. The man just listened. Then he started to tell her about the real Jesus, and said that Jesus could calm any storms, even the storms of life. And he told her story about Jesus walking on the sea and calming it down as he walked.
"Could Jesus walk on the sea of my life?" asked Griselda.
"Of course he could," said the man. "If you like, I'll help you to ask him right now."
Griselda did like, so she knelt down and the man put his hands on her head and prayed a lovely prayer just for her. Griselda felt amazing warmth spreading through her, and suddenly her heart was full of joy. She found herself smiling and laughing.
Everybody noticed the difference, and they stopped calling her Grizzy because it no longer seemed appropriate. Her life got better and better, and as she became happier so other people were drawn to her and she began to make friends.
She became a regular churchgoer, and learned all she could about Jesus. And the people in the church were really nice and warm and welcoming to her. Griselda continued to have problems in her life from time to time, but they never again overwhelmed her because after that, Jesus was always there to walk on the water and calm the storm.
Griselda had no idea why people kept away from her, and she reacted by sometimes feeling furiously angry (like a bear), and at other times feeling desperately sad (kind of Grizzy). So people stayed away even more, and Griselda grew more and more lonely.
It felt like living in a roaring sea, with waves which were too high to handle. So Griselda kept her head down, hoping the waves would go over her without knocking her completely flat.
Because she was so angry inside, Griselda behaved really badly at school. She was rude to the teachers, and she never bothered with her homework because deep down she expected to get it wrong so she felt it was never worth trying. Some of her teachers were concerned about her and tried to get near, but although she longed for someone to come near her, Griselda was so certain no-one could possibly like her that she snarled and roared and pushed them away.
Then one day she met Jesus. It was utterly unexpected, and Griselda had no idea how to react. She happened to see a large fluorescent poster outside a Church which said, "Jesus wants to meet YOU." For some reason, Griselda knew immediately that it meant her, so she went into the Church. The man inside the Church had his collar on back to front, so Griselda thought it must be Jesus.
"I've come," she said and sat down.
The man looked at her curiously, then sat down beside her. "What do you want me to do for you?" he asked.
"I want to stop being Grizzy, and become Griselda," she replied. The man nodded, and began to chat to her. Griselda decided she liked Jesus, and started to talk to him all about herself. But as she talked, all her misery and her anger rose up to the surface and began to overwhelm her. The man just listened. Then he started to tell her about the real Jesus, and said that Jesus could calm any storms, even the storms of life. And he told her story about Jesus walking on the sea and calming it down as he walked.
"Could Jesus walk on the sea of my life?" asked Griselda.
"Of course he could," said the man. "If you like, I'll help you to ask him right now."
Griselda did like, so she knelt down and the man put his hands on her head and prayed a lovely prayer just for her. Griselda felt amazing warmth spreading through her, and suddenly her heart was full of joy. She found herself smiling and laughing.
Everybody noticed the difference, and they stopped calling her Grizzy because it no longer seemed appropriate. Her life got better and better, and as she became happier so other people were drawn to her and she began to make friends.
She became a regular churchgoer, and learned all she could about Jesus. And the people in the church were really nice and warm and welcoming to her. Griselda continued to have problems in her life from time to time, but they never again overwhelmed her because after that, Jesus was always there to walk on the water and calm the storm.
