God's Gift

A Story of Love, Courage, Loss, and Redemption

The dawn stretched across the Montana valley like a golden ribbon, warming the frost‑kissed earth. Micah Hayes tightened the strap of his satchel and breathed in the crisp air. Gideon, his wise shepherd dog, padded beside him with a quiet confidence that always made Micah feel braver than he really was. Life had steadied since Elias’s rescue, yet the ache of constant loss still clung to Micah’s heart — the loss of his father, the loss of peace, the loss of trust stolen again and again. But Micah had grown, shaped by hardship into a boy with exceptional insight and a courage deeper than he understood.

Hazel stepped onto the porch, brushing flour from her apron. Her eyes held both warmth and worry. “Micah,” she said softly, “Elias came by before sunrise. He left this.” She handed him a folded note. Micah read it slowly: Someone is stealing from me. I’m trying to change, but someone wants me to stay broken. Micah felt a tug in his chest. “Mom… he needs help.” Hazel touched his shoulder. “Your father always said, ‘Courage isn’t the absence of fear, but choosing right while afraid.’” Micah swallowed hard. He missed his father’s voice — but he carried his wisdom like a lantern in the dark.

As Micah and Gideon walked toward Elias’s cabin, the wind carried the scent of pine and river stone. Gideon suddenly froze, nose twitching. Then — a sharp bark. Micah knelt beside him. “Tracks?” Gideon nudged the ground. Boot prints. Deep. Rushed. And beside them, long drag marks. “Someone was carrying something heavy,” Micah murmured. Gideon’s ears pricked, and he bounded ahead, tail stiff with purpose.

Elias’s cabin was a wreck — drawers overturned, shelves emptied, the door hanging crooked. Elias sat on the floor, head bowed. “Micah… they took everything. My tools, my food… even the Bible you gave me.” His voice cracked. “I’m trying to change, but it feels like someone wants me chained to who I used to be.” Micah sat beside him. “Elias, you once stole from us. But we didn’t give up on you. And we won’t now.” Gideon pressed his head against Elias’s arm, offering comfort without a single word.

Elias looked up, eyes shining with shame. “Why do you care so much?” Micah hesitated, then spoke with quiet conviction. “Because someone cared for Barabbas too.” Elias blinked. Micah continued, “Barabbas was guilty, but Jesus took his place. ‘For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost’ (Luke 19:10, KJV). If Jesus could love someone like him… then we can love you.” Elias covered his face, overwhelmed by a grace he didn’t know how to receive.

Suddenly Gideon barked — loud, urgent, commanding. He bolted out the door. Micah followed, heart pounding. Down the hill, a figure sprinted through the trees with a bulging sack. “There!” Micah shouted. Elias’s breath caught. “That’s… my brother, Rowan.” His voice trembled. “He thinks if I change, he’ll lose me.” Micah felt a deep ache. He knew what it was to lose someone — even someone still alive.

They chased Rowan to the riverbank. He stumbled, dropping the sack. Gideon circled him with sharp intelligence — not attacking, but cutting off every escape with perfect precision. Rowan glared at Elias. “You think you’re better than us now?” Elias stepped forward, shaking. “No. I think I can be forgiven. And I want you to be free too.” Rowan scoffed, but his voice wavered. “Free? From what?” Elias swallowed. “From the fear that keeps you stealing. From the emptiness that never fills.”

Micah approached gently. “Rowan… stealing won’t heal your hurt. It only spreads it.” Rowan’s shoulders sagged. “I don’t know how to stop.” Micah reached into the sack and pulled out the worn Bible. “Start here. My dad used to say the truth sets you free. Jesus said it too.” Rowan stared at the book as if it weighed more than his guilt. Gideon sat beside him, tail thumping softly — a silent invitation to hope.

They walked back together, slowly, like men learning how to breathe again. Hazel welcomed them with warm bread and warmer grace. As they ate, Elias whispered to Micah, “You gave me something today.” Micah smiled. “What’s that?” Elias looked at Rowan, then at Gideon, then at the peace settling over the room. “A gift. The courage to believe I can be different.” Micah glanced at Gideon. “He has a way of helping people see the truth.”

That night, Micah sat on the porch with Gideon curled at his feet. The stars shimmered like promises across the sky. Micah held his father’s old pocketknife — the one symbol he kept close — and whispered, “Dad… I’m trying to be the man you hoped I’d be.” A warm breeze brushed his cheek, gentle as a father’s hand. Micah opened his Bible and read aloud, “Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21, KJV). Gideon lifted his head, eyes wise and steady. And Micah understood: Gideon’s gift wasn’t just courage — it was the way he helped people see the truth, the way he guarded hearts as faithfully as he guarded their home. In a world full of loss, love had won again.

Susan Barker Nikitenko 2026© MBANNABENKRBPBNMRMPM 5454332 #665

Parallel Bible Lesson: Barabbas — Mercy Offered, Choice Unknown

Theme: Salvation was offered, but we don’t know if he accepted it.

Opening Thought

Barabbas was a man guilty of serious crimes. He was set free while Jesus — innocent and holy — was condemned. This moment is one of the clearest pictures of grace in the Bible.

“Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.” — Matthew 27:26 (KJV)

Key Truth

Barabbas didn’t earn his freedom. He didn’t deserve it. But he received it. Salvation was offered to him — but the Bible never tells us if he accepted it.

Parallel to Today

Many people hear about Jesus. They hear that He died for them. They are offered forgiveness, just like Barabbas. But some walk away. Some never choose. Some never say yes.

Discussion Questions

• What do you think Barabbas felt when he saw Jesus on the cross?

• Do you think he ever wondered, “That should’ve been me”?

• Why do you think the Bible doesn’t tell us what happened to him?

Spiritual Application

We don’t know if Barabbas got saved. But we do know this: Jesus took his place. And Jesus took your place too — Will you accept Him today?

Memory Verse

“For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” — Luke 19:10 (KJV)

Closing Thought

Barabbas was given a second chance. You are too. Don’t let your story end with a question mark. Let it end with a YES to Jesus.

The Coupon of Salvation

Jesus died for all. He took our place. The gift is offered — but will they accept it? That’s the question.

It’s like a coupon. You can hold it in your hand. You can know it’s valuable. You can even tell others about it. But unless you apply it, it doesn’t change anything.

“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” — Romans 6:23 (KJV)

Barabbas was handed freedom. Jesus took his punishment. But the Bible never tells us if Barabbas accepted the deeper gift — salvation.

Many people today are just like him. They’ve been offered grace. They’ve been handed the truth. But they haven’t applied it.

Teaching Prompt for Kids or Adults

Hold up a real coupon. Ask:

• “What does this coupon promise?”

• “What happens if I never use it?”

• “What if I say I believe in it, but never turn it in?”

Then say: “Jesus is the gift. But you have to say yes. You have to apply it to your own life.”

MBANNABENKRBPBNMRMPM 5454332 #667

Poetry And Other Materials On This Site Can Be Freely Used For Christian Bible Centered Non-Profit Ministries And must Remain Unchanged In Any Way. All Other Purposes Are With Permission Only. You May Make Requests At treasurebox18@yahoo.com - All my poems with stories are both real and fictional designed to illustrate a biblical truth. All Rights Reserved. Please Include the Site Name And Proper Credit Back To This Blog. Thank-You.

The Dog Who Knew the Truth

🌄 The Dog Who Knew the Truth

Silver Ridge, Montana

 

In 1954, in the little mountain town of Silver Ridge, twelve‑year‑old Micah Hayes lived with his mother in a tiny cabin that always felt too empty. Life had been hard since his father passed away, and harder still because someone had been stealing from them—small things at first, then bigger ones. Tools disappeared. Firewood vanished. Even the money Micah earned from odd jobs slipped away from the jar on the shelf. Each loss felt like a fresh bruise on their already‑tired hearts. Their only comfort was Gideon, Micah’s unusually smart shepherd dog, who seemed to understand every word spoken and every tear shed.

 

Micah tried to stay hopeful, but the constant theft wore him down. “Mama,” he whispered one night, “why would someone keep taking from people who already have so little?” She brushed his hair back gently. “Because sin blinds the heart, son. But honesty—truth—always finds a way to shine.” She quoted softly from the KJV, “Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:32). Micah wanted to believe that, but freedom felt far away.

 

One cold morning, Micah discovered footprints in the snow leading away from their shed. Gideon sniffed them, ears alert, tail stiff. “You want to follow, boy?” Micah asked. Gideon barked once—sharp, certain. And so began an unexpected adventure through the frosted woods, where the trees whispered secrets and the wind carried hints of something Micah couldn’t yet name.

 

As they followed the trail deeper into the woods, Micah felt a knot tightening in his chest. Every crunch of snow beneath his boots reminded him of the things they had lost—not just tools and money, but peace, safety, and trust. The cold air stung his cheeks, but it was nothing compared to the sting of being wronged again and again. “Lord,” he whispered into the wind, “help me do what’s right, even if I’m angry.” Gideon glanced back at him, as if understanding the prayer, and pressed his shoulder gently against Micah’s leg before continuing forward.

 

Gideon suddenly stopped, ears pricked, nose lifted to the air. He circled once, then trotted toward a narrow path Micah hadn’t noticed before, hidden beneath a fallen pine branch. Micah blinked. “How did you find that, boy?” Gideon barked softly, then nudged the branch aside with his paw, revealing fresh footprints beneath. It was as if the dog could read the forest like a book. Micah felt a mix of fear and determination rise within him. Whoever had been stealing from them was close—closer than he had imagined.

 

Micah paused for a moment, leaning against a tree as memories washed over him—his father’s steady voice teaching him that honesty was the backbone of a man, his mother’s quiet prayers whispered late at night when she thought he was asleep. The losses they had suffered weren’t just things; they were reminders of how fragile life had become. Yet even in the ache, Micah felt a small spark of hope. “Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good,” he murmured, recalling the verse his mother loved. Gideon wagged his tail, as if agreeing with Scripture itself.

 

The deeper they went, the more the forest seemed to hold its breath. The tall pines stood like silent witnesses, their branches heavy with snow. Micah’s heart pounded—not just from fear, but from the weight of what he might find. Was the thief dangerous? Desperate? Lost? Gideon stayed close, brushing against Micah’s side every few steps, grounding him. “Whatever we find,” Micah whispered, “we’ll face it together.” Gideon gave a soft, reassuring whine, his eyes bright with loyalty.

 

The trail led Micah and Gideon to an abandoned mining shack. Snow clung to the roof, and the wind whispered through broken boards. Gideon growled low—not in anger, but in warning. Something was wrong.

Micah stepped toward the shack, but Gideon suddenly darted past him, nose to the ground. He barked sharply, then again, more urgently. Micah followed—and gasped.

Just a few yards from the shack, beside the old mine shaft, a man lay half‑buried in snow. His foot was wedged tightly between two splintered boards, twisted painfully. He was wrapped in a ragged blanket, shivering so hard his teeth chattered. His face was thin, his eyes hollow with fear.

The man looked up, startled and ashamed. “I—I didn’t mean harm,” he whispered. “I just… I had nowhere else to turn. I tried to run, but I slipped. I’ve been stuck here for hours. I thought I was going to freeze to death.”

Before Micah could respond, Gideon climbed down into the narrow shaft with steady confidence. He braced himself, nudging and pulling at the trapped boot. Inch by inch, he worked the man’s foot free.

When it finally came loose, the man cried out in relief and slumped back into the snow.

Micah knelt beside Gideon and stroked his fur. “Good boy,” he whispered. Gideon barked once—bright and proud.

The man wiped his eyes. “Thank you… thank you, Gideon,” he said weakly. “You saved my life.”

Micah helped him stand and guided him toward the shack for shelter. When they stepped inside, the man froze. Scattered across the dusty floor were the stolen items—Micah’s tools, his mother’s lantern, even the jar that once held their savings.

The man lowered his head. “I wasn’t trying to hurt anyone,” he murmured. “I was just desperate.”

Micah looked at him—not with anger, but with compassion. “Let’s get you warm first,” he said gently. “Then we’ll talk.”

Gideon sat beside them, tail sweeping the floor, the quiet hero who had brought truth into the light.

 Micah’s heart pounded. He wanted to shout, to demand answers, to take everything back. But something in the man’s trembling hands stopped him. Gideon stepped forward, sniffed the man gently, then sat beside him as if guarding—not against him, but for him. Micah swallowed hard. “Why did you steal from us?” The man’s voice cracked. “Because I was like Barabbas—choosing the wrong path, hurting people who didn’t deserve it. I thought I had no way back.”

 

Micah remembered the story of Barabbas—the guilty man set free while Jesus took his place. He whispered, almost to himself, “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” (Luke 19:10). The man bowed his head. “I’ve been lost a long time, son.” His honesty—raw, painful—hung in the cold air like a confession waiting for grace.

 

Micah took a deep breath. “Stealing is wrong. You hurt us. But… you told the truth. And that matters.” The man’s eyes filled with tears. “I’ll return everything. I’ll work to repay what I took. I just—” His voice broke. “I just need a chance.” Gideon nudged Micah’s hand, as if urging him toward mercy. Micah nodded slowly. “Come home with us. Mama will know what to do.”

 

When they returned, Micah’s mother listened quietly. She didn’t scold or shout. Instead, she said softly, “Honesty is the first step toward healing. We forgive you.” The man wept openly. It was the first time in years someone had spoken to him with kindness. Over the next weeks, he worked hard—chopping wood, repairing fences, helping neighbors. The town, once wary, began to see the change in him.

 

As spring warmed the valley, the man—whose name was Elias—became part of their lives. He attended church with them, sitting in the back at first, then closer each week. One Sunday, he stood and shared his testimony. “I was a thief,” he said, “but their honesty, their forgiveness, and that dog’s strange wisdom showed me a better way.” The congregation listened, moved. Gideon barked once, as if approving the message.

 

By summer, Elias had saved enough to rent a small cabin. He started a woodworking shop, using the very tools he once stole—now returned, restored, and redeemed. Business flourished. Micah and his mother no longer lived in fear, and their home felt full again—full of hope, laughter, and the warmth of a story that proved honesty can heal, forgiveness can transform, and love can rebuild what loss tried to destroy. And Gideon, the dog who knew the truth, remained the quiet hero of Silver Ridge.

 

Susan Barker Nikitenko 2026©

🕊️ The Two Thieves — A Devotional of Choice and Grace

By Susan Barker Nikitenko ©2026 — All Rights Reserved

1. The Cross Was Not the End

Jesus was crucified between two thieves — one mocking, one repenting.

But He is no longer on the cross.

He is risen.

And He lives in every believing heart.

Romans 6:9 (KJV)

“Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.”

2. Two Men, Two Responses

One thief hurled insults.

The other humbled himself.

Luke 23:39–40 (KJV)

“And one of the malefactors… railed on him… But the other answering rebuked him…”

They were both guilty.

They were both dying.

But only one chose truth.

3. The Repentant Thief’s Prayer

He didn’t know theology.

He didn’t quote scripture.

He simply said:

Luke 23:42 (KJV)

“Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.”

And Jesus answered:

Luke 23:43 (KJV)

“Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.”

4. The Gospel in One Breath

That thief had no time to earn salvation.

No chance to prove himself.

He was saved by grace — through faith — in a moment.

5. Jonah’s Echo — A Modern Parallel

In Gideon’s Gift, Jonah confesses: “I took things.”

He doesn’t bargain. He doesn’t justify.

He simply tells the truth.

Elias forgives him before he asks.

Gideon stands between them — like Jesus between the thieves — offering quiet grace.

6. The ABCs of Salvation — Simple, True, Eternal

A — Admit you are a sinner.

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” — Romans 3:23 (KJV)

B — Believe on Jesus Christ.

“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.” — Acts 16:31 (KJV)

C — Confess Him as Lord.

“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus… thou shalt be saved.” — Romans 10:9 (KJV)

7. No One Is Too Broken for Grace

Barabbas was a murderer.

The thief was a criminal.

Jonah was a liar.

But Jesus died for each of them.

Luke 19:10 (KJV)

“For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

8. Your Crossroad Moment

You stand between two choices:

• Pride or repentance.

• Mockery or mercy.

• Escape or eternal life.

Jesus is still offering paradise — to the one who asks.

9. A Prayer of Repentance

If your heart is ready, pray this aloud:

“Lord Jesus, I admit I am a sinner.

I believe You died for me and rose again.

I confess You as my Savior.

Please forgive me and remember me.

I want to be Yours — today and forever.”

10. The Invitation

You are not too far gone.

You are not too broken.

You are not too late.

Jesus is no longer on the cross.

He is risen — and He is ready to live in your heart.

Susan Barker Nikitenko 2026©

Poetry And Other Materials On This Site Can Be Freely Used For Christian Bible Centered Non-Profit Ministries And must Remain Unchanged In Any Way. All Other Purposes Are With Permission Only. You May Make Requests At treasurebox18@yahoo.com - All my poems with stories are both real and fictional designed to illustrate a biblical truth. All Rights Reserved. Please Include the Site Name And Proper Credit Back To This Blog. Thank-You.