COME SIT BY THE FIRE
The fire is burning... the lantern is glowing... and a cozy chair awaits you.
I'm so glad you have come to the Fireside.
Life can be busy, and sometimes our hearts simply need a quiet place to rest. My prayer is that the gentle
warmth of this corner will be just that—a place where you can pause for a few moments,
enjoy a warm cup of tea or coffee,
reflect on God's goodness,
and leave encouraged.
So linger for a little while, make yourself comfortable, and enjoy your time here by the Fireside.
Let's Think On These Things
Our thoughts quietly shape our lives
We Are Scripturally Reminded To Guard Our Hearts
Keep thy heart with all diligence;
for out of it are the issues of life.
Proverbs 4:23
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
Philippians 4:8
A Quiet Moment of Reflection
If our thoughts become our companions throughtout the
day, then choosing them wisely becomes one of the
greatest acts of stewardship.
Is there one promise from God's Word
you need to hold onto?
Journaling from the Heart
One of the sweetest ways to hide God's Word in our hearts is to write what He is teaching us.
Whether it's one sentence....
a prayer....
a thanksgiving....
or a Scripture....
writing slows our hearts enough to listen.
Take a moment to write something in your own
journal today, something that touches your heart.
AND WHEN YOU ARE READY,
MAY YOU LEAVE THE FIRESIDE WITH A
LIGHTER HEART THAN WHEN YOU CAME.
The Lantern Still Glows ~ The Fire Still Burns
My inspiration comes from the way Jesus often taught through simple stories
to reach hungry hearts and draw them into a closer relationship with God.
The fire crackles softly. Our hearts grow still. The tea is warm.
The journal has been gently closed,
and it's time for a timeless Fireside Story.
Below you'll soon discover a growing collection of timeless Fireside Stories,
each thoughtfully written to encourage faith, hope, and love.
For now, settle in by the Fireside and enjoy our featured story
while the lantern still glows and the fire still burns.
A Gift of a Friend
Evening in the Valley
"A friend loveth at all times..."
Proverbs 17:17
Long ago, in a peaceful farming valley, lived two lifelong friends named Nathan and Elias. Their families worked hard, worshipped the Lord together, and thanked Him for His daily blessings.
The autumn harvest had come to an end, and peace settled gently over the little valley. As warm lanterns began to glow in farmhouse windows, Nathan stood quietly outside his barn, looking across the fields toward Elias's home.
"The Lord has been good to us once again," he said quietly. "I wonder if there is some small way I could bless my friend before winter comes." .
The Quiet Gift
That evening, after the chores were finished and the stars began to fill the sky, Nathan quietly gathered a few simple gifts. His wife, Hannah, tucked a warm loaf of fresh bread into a basket, added a jar of honey from their hives, and wrapped a pair of wool mittens she had lovingly knitted.
"May these be a blessing," she whispered with a smile.
When the valley had grown still, Nathan carried the basket across the fields and gently placed it on Elias's porch before slipping quietly back home beneath the moonlit sky.
An Unexpected Blessing
A few mornings later, Nathan's own family discovered a thoughtful gift waiting at their door. They looked at one another with surprise, wondering who had shown them such unexpected kindness.
Together they thanked the Lord, never knowing who had quietly left it there.
As they carried the basket inside, Nathan smiled, grateful that simple acts of love have a way of blessing more hearts than we can imagine.
Kindeness Shared
As the weeks passed, quiet gifts continued to appear at both homes.
Neither family sought to discover the giver, and no one expected anything in return. Instead, each simply looked for another opportunity to bless someone else.
Before long, simple acts of kindness became a quiet part of everyday life, filling both homes with gratitude and joy.
Though no words were spoken, each thoughtful gift reminded them that God often works through loving hearts and willing hands.
A Joyful Discovery
One snowy evening, the two friends met on the winding path, each carrying a basket for the other.
They stopped in surprise, then smiled as they realized that God had been using each of them to answer the other's prayers.
Setting their baskets down, they embraced with grateful hearts, thanking God for the friendship He had given them.
In that simple moment, they discovered that kindness shared in love has a beautiful way of finding its way home.
Love Finds Its Way Home
From that day forward, their kindness spread beyond the two families.
Their children learned to serve with joyful hearts, their neighbors were encouraged by their example, and the little valley became a place where Christ's love was seen in simple acts of generosity.
Love shared in His name continued to shine from one home... to another... and then another.
A Thought to Carry Home
Scripture to Treasure
"Let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not."
Galatians 6:9 (KJV)
A Gentle Question:
Before you leave the fireside...
Who might God be placing upon your heart to encourage this week?
Fireside collection of another story
The Bride Hath Made Herself Ready
Are you willing to take the way, make yourself ready for the Coming of the Lord? If you have…If you do, you’ll be waiting for Him to come. You’ll joy at His Coming. It won’t be a dreadful thing. It’ll be the most gracious moment that you can think of, the Coming of the Lord. “All those that love His appearing.”
58-1012 — The Sudden, Secret Going Away Of The Church
Rev. William Marrion Branham
The Bride Hath Made Herself Ready
This beautiful, but simply written story was told in
his own words by a humble prophet minister,
servant of God namely
Rev William Marrion Branham.
William Branham (we call him Brother Branham) began his life in the Spring of 1909. He was born into the poorest of families, deep in the hills of southern Kentucky.
Brother Branham grew up to be a mighty man of God. His ministry had no equal. He proved that Jesus Christ is as alive today as He was when He walked the shores of Galilee.
And as you will see, he also loved nature and the west.
There was a great rancher. and he owned a mammoth big
ranch, way in the northern part of Colorado near the
mountain section.
And on this certain ranch, the owner, or the caretaker, what we call there "the top, the foreman," he had about five daughters. They were all beautiful women, young, single.
And there was a little lady there, which was a cousin to these girls, that her father and mother had both deceased. And she was brought over there to be...to live with her---her uncle. And those girls, that they was in those fancy type of frilly frocks, you know, and--and--and they just took this poor little girl and just treated her like she was some animal. All the hard work poured right on her. She washed the dishes. She cleaned up. She fixed the bunks. She--she had to do it all. And they just stayed around with polished finger nails and manicure, the stuff on their lips, and all fixed up, you know, just prissy.
And especially did they do this when they heard that from Chicago, the big packing company who owned the outfit, his young, single son was coming to visit the ranch. Oh did they dike out in good clothes! Ah! And did they dress and make ready for his coming! And each night the conversation would be, they were going to vamp this young man and marry him. Who would...Then they would fall heir to all. So they made themselves ready.
These girls thought they would make themselves ready for the coming of this young man. Course, that poor little cousin, that reminds me of an off-cast somewhere. You could appreciate her. She was a beautiful woman. She was a nice little girl but she was not even considered among them, not as a relative. Not even considered.
So the poor little fellow just went ahead, working. And when the young man arrived...
They didn't know it, but he come looking for a wife.
And as he, looked upon them, he was disheartened.
And that night they were having something on the order...In them days, it's been long ago, they called the "Charleston," which is just like a rock-and-roll. And they were going to throw one of those big parties. Many of you people remember that old Charleston dance they did, back when I was a kid, when I was out there.
And, but, this boy was sick of that stuff. He was hunting for a real girl, so he slipped out of their party.
He looked around, after while, he was so discouraged. He walked out the door.
And going back, walking in the moonlight, towards the bunk house, he heard somebody kind of humming. And he looked around. And here went this little girl with a great big pan of dish water, way in the night, barefooted, to throw the dish water out. And as soon as he saw her, something another said, "That's her. That's the one." So he put hisself in the way. And when she...That's when she come back along the corral fence, why, he was standing there. And she almost fainted.
And he walked up to her, said, “Don’t be afraid of me.” Said, “I want to tell you something.”
He said "How do you do?" And he said,"What is your name?" And she told him her name, and it was the same name of the boss of the ranch. Said, "Then I can't understand how that this...Is that your father?"
Said, "No. I'm just a cousin, you see. My father and he were brothers. I've got the same name. But I...That, that's the boss."
She was so gotten that--that he would speak to her, even. And she hung her little head down, and she ran into the house.
He was there for a week or two, and he looked all around, everywhere. And he never said no more, but he kept watching her. And the night before he left...He was to leave the next morning. They was throwing another big party. And he watched for her. He couldn't find her. He knowed she'd had to do the dishes and so forth, so, the dirty work and all could be throwed off.
And this boy caught the little lady that night coming out. He said, "I've watched you. No one knows it but myself." He said, "I've come out here looking for a wife. And all that I have ever seen, you meet the requirements." How did she feel? The big man's son asking her now if she would be his wife.
And he said, "Will you marry me?"
"Oh," she said, "sir, I'm not worthy."
148 That’s the way the real Church feels about it, “I’m not worthy. I can…If I could just wash Your dishes, it’ll be all right.” Are you willing to take that place? Could you wash the dishes from the Supper? Would you be willing to be called fanatic? Or, would you be willing to be take the way with the Lord’s despised few? Are you willing?
58-1012 — The Sudden, Secret Going Away Of The Church
Rev. William Marrion Branham
He said, “But you are my choice.”
76 And wasn’t it nice when Jesus told you that…? You knowed you wasn’t worthy to be a Christian. You, there wasn’t nothing you could ever do, but He…It’s nothing…He—He just chose you. See? He…It’s His goodness, His mercy that He chose you. You didn’t choose Him, you know, He chose you. That’s right.
60-1231 — Revelation, Chapter Four Part I
Rev. William Marrion Branham
So, when he left, he told her he would be back at a certain time. Said, “When you begin to see…” It was the winter. Said, “When you begin to see those trees begin to bud, yonder, that mesquite and stuff begin to take on new life,” said, “then I’ll be back about spring time.”
I understand, I couldn’t say it was true, but the girl only got about a dollar and seventy-five cents a week for her labor. But she saved every penny of it. Why? She was getting ready for the wedding that was to be. She was saving her money for her wedding gown. For he said, “We’ll be married right here at the ranch when I come again.” She saved her money all year. She was happy. She didn’t mind washing the dishes. She didn’t mind ironing the clothes, or sweeping out the bunk house, or what-more. She was engaged to the boss of the ranch.
Finally, when the hour come, she begin to see this, the buds begin to come on the trees. She knew he would be there at anytime. And he said, “I’ll try to make it just at sundown, so we can be married and hurry off.” And every evening, at sundown, when she—she would go and get, make herself all ready, get her little wedding garment on, and wait at the gate.
And these little cousins come and laugh at her, and make fun of her, and said, “You poor, silly, ignorant child. To think that the—the man who owns…He’s the President, rather, of the company, that his boy would marry a dishwasher!”
And so, finally, one evening, while she was standing there, and they were laughing and making fun of her, and telling her she was silly. All at once, they heard some hoofs a prancing. What happened? Across the hill come a buckboard.
Now, a buckboard is a little wagon, open top, very popular in the West. And the horses all jingled and everything, coming. Across the hill, come this carriage, and it stopped in front of the gate. And she run. She said, “I knew you would come.”
She threw herself in his arms, and he said, “Darling, I have had a man stationed on this ranch since I left here last year, that’s brought me a report of everything that you’ve done.”
He said, “And he has told me that you’ve waited, and you’ve worked, and you’ve labored patiently, waiting for me to come. Now, you been a slave for a long time, but now your slave days are over. I have brought along the minister, right under this rose trellis, you become my wife.” He kissed her, put the wedding ring on her finger, and picked her up and set her in the buckboard, with his arm around her.
And drove off, to find this new big palace on Outer Drive in Chicago, the selected of the nation, where she could live as his bride.
What a thing it was to see that little bride that made herself ready, jump out of the door, and around through the rose-covered trellis out there, to fly into the arms of the man that she loved, and to be her husband, to pick her up in like that, and be married and ride away.
60-1231 — Revelation, Chapter Four Part I
Rev. William Marrion Branham
164 Why? She was ready. She had lived and been the kind of a woman that he wanted. It happened just at the spare of the moment.
58-1012 — The Sudden, Secret Going Away Of The Church
Rev. William Marrion Branham
Are you willing to take the way, make yourself ready for the Coming of the Lord? If you have…If you do, you’ll be waiting for Him to come. You’ll joy at His Coming. It won’t be a dreadful thing. It’ll be the most gracious moment that you can think of, the Coming of the Lord. “All those that love His appearing.”
58-1012 — The Sudden, Secret Going Away Of The Church
Rev. William Marrion Branham
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Brother Branham passed away as a result of a tragic car crash in December, 1965. God took His servant home, but He left us with those precious recordings that we hold so dear to our hearts.
The bride story above is told in each of his
two sermons titled below:
58-1012 — The Sudden, Secret Going Away Of The Church
Rev. William Marrion Branham
60-1231 — Revelation, Chapter Four Part I
Rev. William Marrion Branham
For those interested in reading the complete sermons,
it is available through Voice of God Recordings.
You can learn more about this faithful man of God on Branham.org, and you can even personally listen to the sermons containing this story, each told slightly differently, yet beautifully
You can also learn more of his Biblical teachings on themessage.com for a deeper study of the Word of God.
May The LORD richly bless you in your everyday life and
as you continue your visit here on Thy Lantern Light.
The Next Fireside Story
Another Fireside Story is gently simmering on the hearth. We look forward to sharing it with you soon. Meanwhile, come visit the Lantern's Treasury