Motivational Stories for Speeches

This is one of the stories in our collection of motivational stories for speeches. The Quilters came from the book entitled, "It's Your Time" by Pastor Joel Osteen.

I choose this story because I feel it is important to always stay open to something new and always know that everything you need is provided for you. You just need to open your heart enough to receive it.

Enjoy.

The Story

Mary Lee Bendolph grew up picking cotton. She lived in one of the poorest parts of the country. She and her neighbors often struggled to survive, yet even in the worst of times, Mary Lee and her friends made quilts. They stitched together patches from old pants, shirts, sheets, and towels to keep their loved ones warm.

While they stitched, the quilters sang gospel songs, read the bible and prayed for God’s blessing. The quilts were a big part of life in their little Alabama town. So Mary Lee and the other quilters were understandably wary when an art collector showed up one day asking about them. He praised their quilts and offered to buy them.

Some of the quilters refused, even though the collector offered hundreds of dollars. Mary Lee was among those who decided to trust him. You see she was open to something new.

“I always prayed for the Lord to make a better way for me, and He did,” she said later.

The art collector bought Mary Lee’s quilts and others from the women of Gees Bend, Alabama. He exhibited and sold them around the world. To the amazement of the quilters, their creations were praised as “works of genius”. One New York art critic called their quilts, “the most miraculous works of modern art America has produced.”

Today, quilts from Gee’s Bend sell for thousands and thousands of dollars each. Mary Lee and her fellow quilters are regarded as great artist. Their experiences show that successful people know how to change with the times. They don’t get stuck in a rut doing the same thing, the same way year after year. They make adjustments so they can improve.

Stay open to something new.

-- Motivational Stories for Speeches Collection

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For more motivational stories for speeches, check out Joel's Book