A Special Gift

 

 

I received the following text the other day from an amazing friend.....

 

"Need to thank you for something. Watching you weather this storm in your life is teaching me a lot about reliance on God in times of trouble.  Sure, you break down....but then you get back up and smile again.  You are helping me learn what it is to have faith in the storms.  I think you are doing amazing. So thank you."

 

I'm so incredibly humbled and honestly blown away!  Y'all.....I feel like a big 'ole hot mess lately.  I certainly wouldn't pick myself as a prize winning package on how to deal with huge life struggles.  But from the very beginning of the storm our family has been facing, I have cried out to God in the lowest of times and begged that if nothing else that He would somehow be glorified in all of this.  That He could somehow takes this overwhelmed, tearful, mess that is me and use it.

 

Please hear my heart and know that I'm not sharing this to say "look at me" or "look how good I am".  But I just think its so important to be open to sharing our stories.  To be authentic and real about it!  When I look at myself all I see is the "sure you break down" part.  I feel like that's all I do!  ha!  But God can use that.  All He asks is that we trust Him.  Follow His lead.

 

The other thing this text did for me was reinforce what a gift encouragement is!  There are times the thought of emailing or texting someone crosses my mind and I blow it off.  I fight that little nudge.  But we just never know how God may use that seemingly insignificant little bit of love or encouragement!  Listen to those little nudges and do it!!  I'm pretty sure that my sweet friend had NO idea how much that text would bless me!  I cried and cried because that text was the encouragement I needed from the Lord that day. 

 

Sharing.  Authenticity.  Encouragement.  Love.

These can all be such special gifts!  So don't hesitate to share the seemingly uglier parts of your story ~ be authentic in sharing and God can and will use that!  Don't hesitate to call, email, or text that person that's on your mind ~ it may just bless them more than you could ever dream!

 

 

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.  Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another......

~Hebrews 10:24&25~