On my way home from Denver last week, I received some pretty distressing news. My heart was broken and there was not a thing I could do to help the one I love. I knew the best thing to do was to pull over, have lunch and get myself together before making the eight hour drive home.
The restaurant was filled with families, many who looked as if they had gone to church and were having their Sunday lunch. As hard as I tried to hold my tears back, with every bite of my meal, they flowed down my face. I kept praying and asking God to hold my loved one close as I teetered between sadness, anger and even despair. A table of two, older couples were leaving and as they walked past me, one woman stopped at my table, slid next to me, took my hand and said, “Honey, can I pray with you?” And the floodgates opened up and I could not stop crying. She prayed the perfect words that I needed to hear in that moment. We talked for a few moments and I was just amazed at how God put this beautiful, woman in my path. Her words, her actions, the kindness of her heart…it was exactly what I needed and God nudged her to be his hands and feet.
I am still looking at that moment as if it was a dream. It really happened. I was the recipient of God’s love in action. I try so hard to be the one who gives, the one who listens for the nudges that God puts on my heart that when He shows up for me, I am still completely amazed.
The truth is, Beloved, that we need to pay more attention to our Creator than to our critics. When people attack us, it is not from God. People will tear us down to make a point. They will tear us down because they want to be in control. They will even tear us down to feel better about themselves. The hard part about something like this is when we have to lift those who attack us, up in prayer. We need to pray for their hearts. We need to ask God to help us forgive and love despite the ugliness that is thrown at us.
If our hearts are in the right place, and our relationship with God is honest and authentic, the truth will always set us free.
Today I Am Thankful For:
- close friends
- letting go
- index cards
- clean clothes
- quilts
