No Longer Susie Nobody

The young girl clad in dirty,tattered rags stood before the huge, mysterious door. She knew it was a special door because of its shape. She had never seen a cross shaped door before. And the light, she had never seen light as white, as pure, and as brilliant as what shined out from under the door and spread across the floor all the way to her muddy feet.

Did she dare? Did she dare peek into the room behind the door? Did she, in her filth, even dare step into the light-filled room she was curious about? Did she dare?

No, she didn't dare, but she did it anyway. Her dirty fingers gripped the edge of the massive door as she pulled with all her might. She knew the door was going to be heavy, maybe too heavy for such a dirty, little girl to budge, but, with a pounding heart, she pulled anyway.

KERPLOP! Down she fell as the door swung open so easily, and a blinding light flooded her entire being.

"My sweet princess," she heard a voice call out, "come here and let me look at you."

The  little girl jumped at the sound of the voice. Spinning around and around, she stared into the brilliance trying to see who was speaking. She also wanted to see the princess.

She heard the voice speak again.This time it said, "Susie, my little princess, come here." As her vision slowly cleared, she beheld a magnificent king with outstretched arms sitting on a beautiful throne. A king! A real, live king who knew her name was calling to her. She glanced down to smooth out her filthy dress, but what she saw took her breath away. She, Susie Nobody, was now wearing a beautiful white dress. She had never seen anything so beautiful in her whole life.

Since her dress was no longer dirty and tattered, she reached up to smooth down her unruly hair. What in the world? There on her head was a crown. At least it felt like a crown. Dazed, she slowly raised her head and looked toward the throne. The King, with tear filled eyes and still outstretched arms, was running toward her--her, Miss Susie Nobody.

Before she could catch her breath, she found herself being swept off her feet and clasped to the chest of the Almighty King. She could hear the beat of his heart in her ear, feel the warmth of his breath on her cheek, and hear the love in his voice as he whispered, "Susie, my daughter, my princess, my love."

Tears now filled her eyes as her dad, The King, sang over her and danced with her. Then he gently set her down, washed the mud from her feet, placed a royal robe around her tiny shoulders, straightened the crown on her unruly hair and said, "Put these sandasl on your beautiful feet and go into the world my precious princess. Do the work I have for you to do."

No longer dirty little, tattered little, Susie Nobody, but Princess Susie instead,  walked, with her head held high, back through the cross shaped door desiring one thing only, to do her Father's will.

She did just that, and wore her royal crown and garments well..

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

During our church's Women's Retreat this weekend, this story kept racing around in my mind. It was triggered by our theme, Daughters of the King, So, during the final session this morning I sat and wrote it out. Please enjoy.

Princess Jan, Daughter of the King