May 1st blog post is by one of my writing critique partners Stephanie Goddard. Enjoy her wonderful writing!.

From a local publication dated February 15, 1904:

Egg stories seem to be the prevailing fad just now. Hens lay golden eggs this time of year.

As an egg farmer, I could relate to this in February this year. During the short, cold months of winter, the hens like to take a little break, using their energy to keep warm. So the eggs are not as plentiful as in the summer. Hence the ‘golden eggs’ in February.

Every Easter, our family pulls out the box of plastic eggs. The parents and grandparents fill them with candy to hide in the now snow-free yard. It’s fun to watch the young ones rush out the door and scatter around, searching for the eggs. Among all the pinks, blues, greens, and yellows of our egg collection, sometime along the way we gained a golden egg. What joy when one child finds the golden egg!

Jesus is in the business of finding lost things. He told a story once about a shepherd who had a hundred sheep. As a good, caring shepherd, he carefully counted them each day as they settled down for the night. One night, he was upset to discover one of the sheep missing. Though the shepherd might have been tired from a long day of work out in the pastures, he left the ninety-nine in the open country and went out after the missing one. It may have been getting dark, and he knew the poor defenseless creature was at risk of becoming prey to a wild beast. The shepherd searched and hunted until finally he found the lost sheep. Imagine his joy at finding it! He put the lamb on his shoulders, tenderly carrying it to safety with the flock. When his shift with the sheep was over, he went home and called his friends and neighbors together. “Rejoice with me, I have found my lost sheep!” Again, Jesus says there is even more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents.

Another story he told, about a woman who had ten shiny silver coins. It is said that they were worth ten days’ wages. It could have been the family’s savings. Another possibility was that the coins were the woman’s dowry, worn as an ornament, like a wedding ring. In the course of her day, she lost one of the ten coins. She stopped everything she was doing and searched everywhere for it. She turned on the lights, swept the floors, checked under every piece of furniture. I can relate to this. Once, I lost the diamond out of my engagement ring. I was frantic, distressed. And overjoyed when my husband spotted it on the bathroom floor!

The woman in the story must have been pretty desperate to find that missing coin. When she finally found it, she was so overjoyed, she even called her friends and neighbors together to celebrate. “Rejoice with me, I have found my lost coin!” Jesus said the rejoicing is like that in the presence of the angels of God when one sinner repents.

People search for God. But did you ever think about our Lord searching for us? He calls for us, and when we turn to him, like that little lost lamb turned to the voice of the shepherd, He is overjoyed. You are precious to him, even more than a silver coin or a diamond.

The eggs my chickens lay in February are special because they are rare. The golden egg in my Easter egg collection is special because it is unique. You are like that special golden egg, unique, valued and treasured by the One who finds you. The God who made you uniquely you treasures you. He calls to you and rejoices over you by singing as you respond to his call.

Be the golden egg!

Stephanie Goddard is a wife, mom, grammie, and Christian author from Sandwich, New Hampshire where she operates a small vegetable farm. She writes Christ-centered contemporary women’s fiction and romance. She is an active member of ACFW (Association of Christian Fiction Writers) as well as being a member of two ACFW critique groups. Her story, Rocky Haven, was the winner of the 2020 ACFW First Impressions Contest in the Short Novel category. Stephanie also won the 2018 First Impressions Contest Short Novel category for her story, Sleighbell Inn. Additionally, in 2021 Stephanie was a finalist in the Genesis Contest. She has completed three full-length novels and two novellas. She is a contributing author to the devotional book, The Courage to Write, (2021) and writes a weekly column in a local newspaper, The Meredith News. Her passion for writing is birthed from her desire to show—through story—the mighty, redemptive, and healing power of Christ.

To reach Stephanie Goddard simply click on her name in the orange box below.