First-Day Faith

A six-year-old prays for ice cream and changes the mood of an entire restaurant. What starts as a light moment on the first day of school turns into a lesson about humility, kindness, and the kind of faith that cuts through our adult overthinking. We unpack Mandy’s prayer, the critical comment that follows, and the unexpected grace that answers it—a quiet act of generosity that reframes what “good” looks like when tensions rise.
We talk about childlike faith through the lens of Matthew 18, where Jesus points to a child as the model of real spiritual greatness. That vision is not about blind naivety; it is about clear trust, honest prayer, and a humble posture that does what is right without getting tangled in endless debate.  This story becomes a practical pathway: bless the people in front of you, keep your prayers simple and sincere, and hand off the burdens that drain your joy.
If you’re feeling stretched—by schedules, expectations, or the quiet pressure to have perfect answers—this reflection offers a reset. You’ll hear how small, brave kindness can soften hard edges, why uncomplicated faith brings real peace, and how a treat as small as a sundae can become a bridge instead of a wedge. As we step into a new week, join us for five minutes that center your heart, lift your outlook, and nudge you toward simple acts that make a big difference.
If this resonates, follow the show, share it with a friend who needs a hopeful start, and leave a quick review telling us where you’ve seen childlike courage make a room brighter. Your stories help others find a lighter way to begin the day.

Chapters

• 0:05 Welcome And Daily Format
• 0:23 First Day Of School Context
• 0:47 Mandy’s Prayer At The Restaurant
• 2:35 The Sundae And A Surprising Kindness
• 2:45 Lesson Of Childlike Faith
• 4:21 Blessing And Back-To-School Prayer

Transcript

SPEAKER_00: 0:05

Good morning and welcome to Starting Right with Danny Mack. I'm going to be here every Monday to Friday to help you get a great five-minute start to your day. So grab your cup of coffee, sit back, relax, and let me help you start your day right. Good morning, everybody. It is Tuesday, September the 3rd, 2024. That date is important because today is the first day of school here in my part of the world. Over a million kids are headed back to school in our province, and there are thousands of them that are going into grade one, their very first year of school. And that can be both a challenging and an exciting time. So in honor of the kids going back to school today, I want to tell you this fun story about a young girl named Mandy, as told by her mother Candace. Listen to it, I think you'll enjoy it. Last week I took my children to a restaurant. My six year old daughter Mandy asked if she could say grace. We all bowed our heads, and Mandy said God is great, God is good. Thank you for the food, and I would thank you even more if Mom gets us ice cream for dessert, and liberty and justice for all. Amen. Along with the laughter from the other customers nearby, I heard one woman remark, That's what's wrong with this country. Kids today don't even know how to pray. Asking God for ice cream? Why I never. Hearing this, my daughter burst into tears and asked me, did I do it wrong? Is God mad at me? Kennis assured Mandy that she had done a terrific job, and the gods certainly was not mad at her. A moment later an elderly gentleman approached the table. He winked at Mandy and said, I happen to know that God thought that was a great prayer. Really? said Mandy. Cross my heart, said the man. And then in a theatrical whisper he added, indicating the woman whose remark had started this whole thing. Too bad she never asked God for ice cream. A little ice cream is good for the soul sometimes. Well naturally Candace bought ice cream for the kids at the end of the meal. Mandy stared at hers for a moment and then did something that Candace said she would remember for the rest of her life. Mandy picked up her Sunday and without a word, walked over and placed it in front of the woman who'd made the comment about her prayer. With a big smile, Mandy said to her Here, this is for you. Ice cream is pretty good for the soul sometimes. My soul is pretty good already. Isn't that a great story? But here's the thing about the story that I like even more. It reminds us that children have an ability to teach us a lesson, to amaze us with their grasp of some things that are very important and very eternal. And what Mandy did was absolutely beautiful. I think this is part of what Jesus meant in Matthew chapter 18. When it says of Jesus, he called a little child to him and placed the child among them, and said, Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Children have an ability to see right and wrong very clearly, to understand concepts that as adults we sometimes want to debate over and think on. And the challenge Jesus gave to those he was speaking to and to us today is very simple. Be like a child, believe what God says, and do what is right. Simple and easy, right? But as adults, we have a real difficulty living our lives that way. We tend to overthink things. We tend to make the very simple truths complicated. And that's not what God wants for us. He wants us simply to have faith, to believe and do what he says. And when we can do that, Jesus has promised that all of our burdens will go from us to him, and he will help us to live with joy and with peace in our lives, no matter what we are facing. Have a great day, my friends. Say a prayer for those kids you know who are headed back to school today, that God will be with them to protect them. And we will talk again tomorrow. Thank you for joining us today, and I invite you to join us every Monday to Friday, right here at Starting Right with Danny Mack.