Faithful messengers are as refreshing as snow in the heat of summer.
~Proverbs 25:13a
A Sunday Reflection
She wears a colorful striped sweater, lays her bible and purse on a chair, and sits next to me in the circle of women. Leans over with a cell phone cupped in her palm, asks for my phone number before we start talking about the teaching we just heard. It’s been a while since we looked each other in the eyes and let’s do lunch sometime, it rarely collides with kids, mini-vans, and to-do lists.
*****
The next evening, lounging on the couch in reading glasses, furry blankets and the Distant Hours spread out over my lap, the cell phone startles midway through paragraph two on page 201. A text message from a number I don’t recognize. Someone asks if I will pray. Pray for a young man, the son of a mutual friend, who waits for a doctor at the hospital to look at the burns on his face and eye. They ask if I would tell the group to pray too.
I respond that I will, and ask, “Who is this sending the message.”
Learn, it’s the friend in the striped sweater who came to the group for the first time and asks for my phone number.
Our mutual friend and mother of the young man with the burns, she sat in the circle with us too.
I ask my daughter, lying prostrate on the couch across the room, to mute the noise so can we pray. Together, we close our eyes and ask Him for peace and to heal this one He loves.
When my eyes open after amen, I compose an email, ask the group to pray and one by one they respond: Praying.
*****
The next morning, I zip up my boots; hear the muffled sound of my cell phone underneath the covers of my bed. Pick it up and read the message: God is good, the diagnosis is promising, thank you for praying, and He is doing a mighty work in and through that boy!
Standing at the foot of my bed in my brown boots and jeans with fingers clutching tight around my cell phone, I smile and whisper thanks to Him. Decide that there are no coincidences in God’s time. He’s doing a mighty work in and through all of us.
Today, wherever you sit, may you know that each day is a providential gift. Happy Sunday friends!
You just defined small groups!! It is always fun to see God breaking into
our lives through these women.
Just the providence of having her come to bible study that day and how God used her to start a prayer chain was just amazing to me Mary! Had to share it. See you at worship.
Beautiful. Glad to hear this, and enjoy still being included in emails even though I can no longer attend since switch of days. Miss you ladies, each and every one, and enjoy keeping up/ praying with/ for y’all through social media.
Kristen, we miss you but so glad you are being faithful to keep in touch. Blessings to you my friend!
Oh how sweet indeed. Amazing how the Lord works.
Have a blessed Sunday♥
Amazing and profound! You too Susan, have a great Sunday.
Beautiful Shelley! And yes God is doing His mighty works in everyone of us. Blessings!
Beautiful and Powerful
This is so beautiful. A true picture of small group ministry and the power of prayer!
A small group of women gathering for Kingdom purposes is a powerful thing.
I love the words how there is no coincidence in God’s providence. It allows me to simply release to God, and also to be amazed at the journey He leads us on.
There so much freedom in that, isn’t there Gayle? I stand amazed on most days.
Beautiful Words! Thank you for sharing today.
Katie, so good to hear from you and sorry I haven’t repsonded to your email yet. I have had spotty/no internet for the past couple days so just catching up. Plan to visit you later tonight!
Dear Shelly,
I am totally unfamiliar with this Scripture (even though I have read through the Bible many times), I must have slurred right over it. It is a scrumptious tidbit, is it not? And your picture cements it in the synapses of the mind. Yummy!
Chewing on this one,
Dawn
It’s a verse I wrote down in my journal a few months ago and one that I love. The imagery is so profound. Glad you liked the photo. My son is holding that snowball from the one and only snow we have experienced here at the beach two years ago.
Deeply touching the power of prayer!! Love the photo and your messege here today.
Happy Saturday!!
Thanks Kerry!
I meant Happy Sunday!!:)
beautiful story of God’s goodness!! I always feel so honored and priviledged when He uses us to lift up the needs of another.
Yes, one of those unexpected moments in life that brings providence into focus and makes me grateful.
These friends in striped sweaters, we need them. And they need us. And it’s amazing how God brings these together at just the right time.
Yes, yes and yes Lyla!
amen!
That was a true blessing. Reminded me of so many incidents in many years past. Nice to be joyful, isn’t it?
Makes me smile knowing you were blessed Joanne. Joy is a gift, one I have learned not to take for granted.
Yes, this day is a gift. Blessings surround me all wrapped in fur-fringed hoods on puffy coats and scarves embracing my new friends who have come into my life for the last seven days with red noses and cheeks and warm hearts. Hello, from frigid, Ukraine. 🙂
((((Dea))) I am so honored to get a comment from you all the way from the Ukraine! Can’t wait to hear about your time there and hope you are taking lots of pictures.
As much as folks complain about technology intruding into our lives, making our relationships less personal, when I read something like this I think, “Praise God for cell phones and email and blogs and Twitter and every other means we have available to pray with and for one another and build God’s kingdom.
That may quite possibly be the longest sentence I ever wrote. I’m not even going to go back and try to read it.
When I think about how my initial response to Facebook was negative and how it has reunited and grown so many relationships, I am ashamed. God can use technology the same we he used the printing press to change the way we communicate the message of Christ. Love interacting with Nancy. You always make me smile.