“It seemed to her that the waves nodded strangely. She took her red shoes, her dearest possession, and threw them both into the river; but they fell close to the shore, and the little wavelets brought them back to the land to her. It seemed as if the river would not take from her the things she treasured most, because it had not her little Kay; but she thought she had not thrown the shoes out far enough; so she crept into a boat that lay among the reeds, went to the farthest end, and threw the shoes out into the water. The boat was not tied, and the movement she made caused it to glide away from the shore. She noticed this, and hurried to get back; but before she reached the other end, the boat was a yard from the bank and was drifting fast.

Little Gerda was very much frightened and began to cry; but no one heard her except the sparrows, and they could not carry her to land; but they flew along the the shore, and sang, as if to console her, “Here we are! Here we are!” The boat drifted on with the stream and little Gerda, in her stocking feet, sat quite still. Her little red shoes floated along behind, but they could not come up with the boat, which made more headway.

It was very pretty along both shores. There were beautiful flowers, old trees, and slopes with sheep and cows; but not a human being was to be seen.” –Excerpt from The Snow Queen

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“Say this: ‘God, you’re my refuge. I trust in you and I’m safe!’

That’s right–he rescues you from hidden traps, shields you from deadly hazards.

His huge outstretched arms protect you–under them you’re perfectly safe; his arms fend off all harm.

Fear nothing–not wild wolves in the night, not flying arrows in the day,

Not disease that prowls through the darkness, not disaster that erupts at high noon.

Even though others succumb all around, drop like flies right and left, no harm will even gaze you.

You’ll stand untouched, watch it all from a distance, watch the wicked turn into corpses.

Yes, because God’s your refuge, the High God your very own home,

Evil can’t get close to you, harm can’t get through the door.

He ordered his angels to guard you wherever you go.

If you stumble, they’ll catch you; their job is to keep you from falling.”–Psalm 91:2-12, The Message translation

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See more prayer starters with the works of Hans Christian Andersen and Scripture in Hans Christian Andersen Illuminated by The Message.

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