Tender Mercy 1: Finding Anastasia

The frantic sound of small, running footsteps down the stairs interrupted the rare quiet of the house. My curls bouncing with every anxious step, I rushed from room to room, my six-year-old face contorted with distress.

"Mommy! MOMMY!"

"What's wrong?" she said, emerging from the study. Her tone was ever patient, and filled with motherly concern for the woes of her child.

Tears began to stream down my face. "I can't find it!"

"You can't find what, Tiffany?"

"My blue dress Anastasia!"

With those words, she knew this was truly an emergency. I had begged and begged for the blue dress Anastasia Barbie doll for Christmas, but Santa was only able to get me the yellow dress Anastasia. A little after Christmas, though, I got the best surprise of my life when another present showed up from Santa with the Barbie I'd wanted all along.

And now, she was missing.

My dear mother knelt on the ground next to her crying child. "All right, when was the last time you saw her?"

"I don't know!" I wailed, about ready to give up. "I've looked everywhere!"

"Have you said a prayer?"

My crying stopped as I looked at her, her question sinking in a little. "No ..."

"Well, I don't know where she is, but Heavenly Father does," she said, brushing my hair back and giving me and encouraging smile. "Let's say a prayer."

I nodded and knelt down next to my mother, mumbling out a simple prayer asking Heavenly Father to help me find this doll that was so precious to me. When I opened my eyes, I looked over at our blanket basket, and suddenly remembered. Rushing over, I threw all the blankets out, and there between them was my blue dress Anastasia.

Quickly, I snatched her up and held her tightly to my chest, relief filling my small frame. "Thank you, Heavenly Father!" I squealed, then rushed back upstairs, smiling from ear to ear.