MMM (Monday Morning Memo) - 6.29.15

This past January, I struck up a conversation with one of the patients at Fort Wayne Oncology while my mother-in-law was receiving treatment.  It didn’t take long to realize that Marty was a faith-filled woman and a real delight to be with.

While we were visiting, my mother-in-law told Marty that I had written a book and that I write a weekly devotional.  Marty asked how she could find my website and so I told her the address and we left.  I didn’t write it down for her so I honestly didn’t expect for her to pursue finding it.

Much to my surprise, a couple weeks later I received an e-mail from Marty, telling me that she had found my website and that she had begun reading my past devotionals.  She then asked to be added to my e-mail list so that she could have my writings e-mailed to her each week.  It wasn’t too long before she requested a copy of my devotional book and several weeks later asked if she could obtain more copies for her Bible Study group to use for their next study. 

This began a relationship between Marty and me as we have shared e-mails back and forth and have seen each other at the cancer center.  She even came to the center to sit with us during one of my mother-in-law’s treatments.   We so enjoyed her time with us and it really made the time go more quickly.  What a gift she gave us by giving up of her time to brighten our day. 

Then Marty did something that just blew me away.  She asked me if I would be willing to come to one of their evening gatherings to meet the other women who were studying my book.  I told her I would love to join them and this past Tuesday evening I had the pleasure of eating dinner with them and then sharing in their time of study. 

What I found that night was 11 women, from various churches, who not only love the Lord, but also deeply love each other.  Many of them have been meeting twice a month for the last 10 years and have laughed together, cried together and have been drawn closer to Christ together.  There is an obvious bond between these women; a bond that has brought all of them through thick and thin and through happiness and sorrow.

What an experience it was for me to sit with them while they discussed my writings.  I had never been asked to do this before and I can’t begin to tell the emotions I felt as they shared.  The entire evening was one where I felt showered with blessings from these sisters in Christ.           

I’ve been thinking about what I would have missed out on, if I had not been obedient when God called me into the ministry.  Or if I had not listened to the Lord when He told me to write a devotional book.  Or if I had not acted on the Lord’s nudge that January day to strike up a conversation with Marty.  Each event in my life has been a stepping-stone to take me to where I am today and if I would have refused to follow His leading I may never have had the blessing of Marty’s friendship.  Our paths may never have crossed again after our initial meeting and I would have missed getting to know her and these precious women in her group. 

   

If God nudges you today to take a huge step or even a small one like striking up a conversation with someone, I recommend you do it.  You just never know when He will use that encounter as a stepping-stone to something even greater which will shower you with blessings beyond measure.

So to Sue, Alice, Liz, Marty, Madonna, Ellen, Barb, Cheryl, Marilynn, Marcia and Patty, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for your warm welcome and kind words.  I was honored and humbled by our time together and am praying for God’s richest blessings to be showered on each of you!

 “Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God.”

Philippians 1:3

“And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts.

For as members of one body you are called to live in peace.

And always be thankful.

Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives.

Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives.

Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs 
to God with thankful hearts.

And whatever you do or say, do it as a 
representative of the Lord Jesus,

giving thanks through him to God the Father.”

Colossians 3:15-17