Sojourner Truth: Glimpses for Kids worship bulletin insert

"I'll give you both," replied a popular evangelist of the African Methodist Episcopal Church who saw a gift in Isabella. "I think the Lord has blessed you with a gift of speaking. You must use your gift to help spread the word."

Although Isabella had known about the Lord from a young age, she hadn't accepted him as her Savior until she was 30. Now in her 40s, she was being asked to go forth in ministry. Isabella accepted the call, but before she began, she wanted a new name, to represent her new life. As she told her friend, Harriet Beecher Stowe:

"My name was Isabella, but when I left the house of bondage, I left everything behind. I wa'nt goin' to keep nothin' of Egypt on me, an' so I went to the Lord an' asked Him to give me a new name. And the Lord gave me Sojourner, because I was to travel up an' down the land, showin' the people their sins, an' bein' a sign unto them. Afterwards I told the Lord I wanted another name, 'cause everybody else had two names, and the Lord gave me Truth, because I was to bring the truth to the people."

When they heard her news, Sojourner's children became alarmed. Traveling evangelism was uncertain enough, but it was ten times worse for a poor, uneducated black woman. They shot objections at her:

Sojourner held up a hand. "This is God's doing, and He will protect me like an umbrella protects us from the sun an' the rain."

She began her work speaking in 1843, traveling mostly on foot. She often began her messages by saying, "Children, I talk to God and God talks to me!" She learned to rely on God when trouble broke out, as it did when she attended a revival meeting one day in 1844.

"Break up this here meeting, or we'll set fire to your tents!" The angry mob yelled at the speaker. Shaking with fear, Sojourner slipped away to hide in a corner of a tent. Torches flashed dangerously close, as she listened to her pounding heart.

"Hasn't God always been faithful to me? He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He will be faithful in this as well." With renewed courage, she rose from the ground, straightened her dress and emerged from the tent. Gathering her nerve, Sojourner climbed a hill and began to sing a hymn to her Lord.

Rioters and worshippers stopped to listen. Then Sojourner's worst fears seemed about to come true. The protesters lunged forward, surrounding her with their sticks and clubs. "Why do you come about me with clubs and sticks?" she asked.

"We ain't goin' to hurt you," several men shouted. "We just want to hear you sing!" The rioting ceased as Sojourner lifted her voice in praise of God, who had once again protected her in danger.

Sojourner did not have the benefit of all the Christian education we have today. But, in spite of that, her deep faith led her to trust God in all circumstances.

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Make It Real! Questions to make you dig a little deeper and think a little harder.

Even though they were slaves living in a basement with little food, Isabella's family still thanked God. Can you think of a time when you thanked God, even though things were going badly?
Isabella made a special place where she could pray and listen to God. Have you ever thought of setting aside a special place for prayer? What kind of place would you choose?
"Sojourner" means one who stays in a place for a short time. Why was this a good name for Isabella to choose? If you could choose a new name to represent your Christian life, what would you choose?
Sojourner trusted God through many different trials. Can you think of a time when it was hard for you to trust God?

Sojourner: Witness to Truth, Part 2.