Miriam Clifford's Pages
The Dove
By Miriam Clifford

God was sitting up on His throne one day, when one of His
angels came to Him and said, “Lord, we understand from
your Holiness what You look for in your creation. Yet I would
like to know more about this particular situation. The Lord
responded, “What, my dear Angel, would you like to know
further about?” The Angel responded, “Why do You try some
people so harshly and yet give others few, if any, trials? You
have created man with free will and a little lower than us
angels here in heaven, yet man does not have available to him
on earth all the heavenly resources that we do here in
paradise. It breaks my little angel heart when I watch one of
your servants down below going through such trials and
suffering tremendously. It seems that You sit and watch while
some suffer, and yet You allow others to enjoy every waking
moment of their existence: You bless them with beauty, with
riches, with wealth—with everything their little hearts desire.
Yet some souls go through fire and have to toil through such
hardships.”

The Lord responded affectionately to the angel, “Angel, I love
all my creatures. I know every one of them intimately. Indeed,
I know the number of hairs on their heads. Yet some, I
created with weaker constitutions. It would be cruel of me to
send trials to those who could never bear them as this would
not be in accordance with God’s workings. The ones to whom
I have sent trials are very special to me and those whom I
want to conform more to my image. These same servants will
see and feel the power of God in their trials—something the
others, of the lesser constitutions, will never experience. I am
always with those in the midst of trials. I am closest then, for I
Am the Lord.”

The angel, listening attentively to God, compassionately
added, “Your servant, Miri—her trials have been continuing
for a long time now. She is weak and faint. She believes in
You and loves You and knows that You are faithful, but she is
frightened nonetheless. Indeed her faith has grown
tremendously these past years. All the angels and I were
talking the other day and we are very proud of her even
though she has stumbled and dropped her cross several times.”

The Lord responded, “Yes, my daughter Miri. She has been
faithful. Look how she’s grown these past years. Her faith has
been remarkable. She is very special to me and I am pleased
with her. Who would believe that she was an agnostic only
thirty years ago?”

The angel, somewhat incredulous, responded, “Lord
Almighty, we did not know that. We have only been following
her case these past eighteen years and cannot believe her
struggles since then. All her dreams, wishes, and aspirations
have been crushed, her hopes smothered, and her will
crushed. And yet she goes on and holds tenaciously to you.”

The Lord, smiling, responded, “Ah, yes. I have let her become
blinded by the world so that her eyes would become focused
on Me. She has walked the walk of faith and has gained
everything beside. She does not have to be tried anymore. You
can go now, little Angel, and whisper in her ear that her
refinement has ended, that the Lord is well pleased with her.”

The angel was so happy that she could bring the good tidings
to Miri that she rushed down from heaven to Miri’s desk
where she found Miri in meditation and prayer. Before the
angel was to whisper in Miri’s ear that her trials were now
over and that the Lord had great things in store for her, the
angel overheard Miri’s prayers: “Father, forgive my
trespasses during these difficult times and forgive all and any
that have trespassed against me. I know that you have sent
these trials of refinement to conform me to Your most holy
image. Because, I was creatd in Your image, in Your likeness.
I have accepted, and received your wisdom and knowledge. I
thank You for that. I know that You are with me and that You
have been closest to me during these trials.Your promise of
YOU will never leave me, nor forsake me until the end of
time, has been true and tested.  For that I sing Your praises,
Your glory, Your honor. I pray for the weak in faith, who
know neither You nor Your glorious ways. May they come to
know You without having to writhe in trials as I have. Spare
them by letting me serve as their example. Bless the good
earth, father, and bless all your creatures therein. In Jesus
Name Amen.”

The angel was so moved by Miri’s prayers that she sat there
and just looked gleefully upon Miri’s exalted countenance.
The angel, realizing that there was no need now to whisper in
Miri’s ear (as Miri had already grasped the mystery of the
Father in Heaven), instead summoned a beautiful dove to sit
outside Miri’s living room window. As it was a beautiful
winter morning, the sun shining effulgently through the early
morning atmosphere, Miri could see clearly through her
window pane to one of the main branches of the oak tree
across from her window. Suddenly, Miri saw the beautiful
dove.

Her heart pounded gleefully as she now knew he had
confirmed empirically what her faith had known all along
theoretically. For many years, Miri read the story of  Job who
had gone through some severe trials,stripped from everything
but never relinquished his faith. When Miri read that story
she finally understood that Job was not a loser in life, but
actually a winner and revelation knowledge touched her
spirit.  

She identified so well with the character that she said in her
contemplation, “Lord, thank you for bringing double back to
me, that was stolen, taken and destroyed. For this is the year
of restoration, reformation. For your Spirit has filled me with
this unsurpassing peace, unconditional love, everlasting hope
and ever revolving faith. For You are for me and not against
me. No weapon formed against me shall ever prosper. For I
am a new creation in You. For surely I will forget the troubles,
recalling it only as waters  gone by. Life will be brighter than
noonday. For Your love is higher than the heavens, deeper
than the depths of the grave, longer than the earth and wider
than the sea. For I am watching to see your word fulfilled. In
Jesus Name. Amen"

I came a long way from being crushed, but for whom much is
given, much is expected. Many are called but only few are
chosen. Never give up. Keep on giving. It is the trials and
tribulations in our life that make life an adventure. Without
them we would not have the challenges to grow, rise above
and fulfill our own quest in life. It is time to put away with the
finger pointing. It is time to count our blessings daily. Change
your thinking to change your life. While others analyze L-I-F-
E, live life, love love, be life, be love. Be all that you can be.
Remember every test and trial, is bringing you closer to your
own promotion in life. Learn to smell, drink, taste, become
LIFE and LOVE.

In all your getting, get understanding. Peace, Love and Hope.

Shalom

Miriam
Agape Project copyright 2007

"Be daring, be different, be impractical; be anything that will
assert integrity of purpose and imaginative vision against the
play-it-safers, the creatures of the commonplace, the slaves of
the ordinary." - Cecil Beaton