I never do the address in church. I leave that to the more experienced people. You're supposed to say something meaningful to the public, before the medium starts. I can never think of anything to say that would interest anyone. I found this story a while back and kept it just in case I was ever called up onto the rostrum to do an impromptu address. Read it and know, that sometimes everything isn't always as it seems!
A ship was wrecked during a storm at sea and only two of the men
on it were able to swim to a small desert like island. The two
survivors, not knowing what else to do, agreed that they have no
other recourse but to pray to God for help.
However, to find out whose prayer was more powerful, they decided
to divide the territory between them and stay on opposite sides
of the island.
The first thing they prayed for was food. The next morning, the
first man saw a fruit-bearing tree on his side of the island, and
he was able to eat its fruit. The other man's parcel of land
remained barren.
After a week, the first man was lonely and he decided to pray for
a wife. The next day, there was another ship wreck, and the only
survivor was a woman who swam to his side of the island. On the
other side of the island, there still was nothing.
Soon the first man prayed for a house, clothes, and more food.
The next day, like magic, all of these things were given to him.
However, the second man still had nothing.
Finally, the first man prayed for a ship, so that he and his wife
could leave the island. In the morning, he found a ship docked on
his side of the island. The first man boarded the ship with his
wife and decided to leave the second man on the island. He
considered the other man unworthy to receive God's blessings,
since none of his prayers had been answered.
As the ship was about to leave, the first man heard a voice from
heaven boom-out, "Why are you leaving your companion on the
island?"
"My blessings are mine alone, since I was the one who prayed for
them," the first man answered. "His prayers were all unanswered
and so he does not deserve anything."
"You are mistaken!" the voice rebuked him. "He had only one
prayer, which I answered. If not for that, you would not have
received any of my blessings."
"Tell me," the first man asked the voice, "what did he pray for
that I should owe him anything?"
"He prayed that all your prayers would be answered."
