Light, Love, Hope

We’ve heard it said before that the greatest friend you can have is a praying friend.  Friends are so very important, and they are an extension of our families.  Some times, friends are more like family than our very own family members.

Just this morning, I had a friend reach out with a medical concern advising what was happening with them.  Immediately, I notified my family members so we could all rally around our friend and pray.

Prayer is powerful!  When we gather with fellow believers and pray to God, we know He hears us and is with us at that very moment as we lift our heartfelt prayers to Him.  We have reassurance of this in His word!

Be that light in the community, the one people know they can come to for prayer at any time.  The greatest compliment has been when others come to me asking me to pray for them.  What could be greater than that, knowing you will stop what you’re doing and pray with them.  Even if you don’t pray openly out loud, even if the prayers you offer up are silent prayers from your heart to God’s ears … just pray!

In our office, we begin each day with prayer.  Our clients know this and have called to request prayer.  This happened a few weeks ago, and I sought the assistance of my co-worker who speaks so eloquently and offers up the best prayers to God.  I feel at times that my prayers are inadequate because I don’t pray like that.  I offer up a humble, simple prayer, but know that God still appreciates my prayer.  He doesn’t care how we come to Him, just that we come.  Before I started working here, I was never one to pray openly in front of others.  It was not something I was comfortable with, and I admit feeling anxious when it was “my turn” to pray in the morning meetings.  Now, I still don’t have fancy words I use when I pray, but I still pray.  Some times I even have to write notes on what I’d like to pray about before it’s “my turn” so I don’t stumble.  But even that is okay, because God knows my heart!

Be a praying friend.  Someone out there needs you and your prayers.  They need to know that you WILL pray for and with them, that you won’t just “say” you will and then don’t.  A lot of times on Facebook I see people saying “prayers” or “sending prayers” or “praying for you.”  And you wonder, do they really stop what they are doing and pray for these people, or are these empty words that they write in an attempt to offer comfort?

PRAY!

Just knowing this person specifically chose YOU to pray for them and their situation … that speaks volumes!  Don’t let them down.

Once upon a time, there was a little girl who dreamed of seeing everything under the sea.  Flipping through magazines, eyes wide with excitement, she vowed “one day” she would!  The only thing was that it required you to be able to swim.  At her young age, she had little opportunity for attempting to learn how to swim as her parents never took her to the beach or even a friend’s house that had a pool or pond in their backyard.  Lessons were out of the question as her parents simply could not afford it.  So, she sighed, looked longingly at the pages one last time, and tucked the magazine away.

Fast forward about 20 years, and this little girl, now wearing the face of an adult, sought to make her dreams a reality.  Having just lost her sister in the most tragic way possible (suicide), she vowed to fully live her life, not just for herself, but for her sister.  She longed to see and experience things her sister never had the opportunity to, and swimming lessons were where she began.

When she felt ready, she embarked on the most rewarding, yet frightening, adventure of her life.   While honeymooning on the Grand Cayman Islands, she enrolled in a resort course to learn how to scuba dive!  Filled with excitement, her big adventures began!  Once she mastered the skills required while being observed by the instructor in the hotel’s pool, they went out on a boat into the “big water.”   Much to her surprise, she did not get seasick on the ride out there.

Once they found the best spot to view the coral reef, everyone on board suited up.  They strapped the tanks on their backs and walked like penguins on the boat due to their fins to get to the side of the boat.  Once there, they had to choose whether to back down the steps into the water OR jump in holding their masks in place with their fingers so the force of the water hitting their faces wouldn’t rip the mask off.  Feeling full of thrill and wonder, she jumped into the water

~SPLASH~

In they all went, one by one, until they were all floating in the ocean.  The instructor guided them all toward a chained anchor and told them to hold on to it as they made their descent approximately 40 feet below the boat.  They paused briefly to give their ears a chance to adjust.  If anyone had trouble getting their ears to “clear,” they were instructed to return to the boat.  Sadly, one participant had to do so, and this participant was extremely disappointed, as you can imagine.  However, to have continued down with the participant’s ears not adjusting could have caused damage to the ear drums.  The wisest thing to do was return to the boat and wait for the others.  Our lady in this story, however, was one of the lucky ones that didn’t have any problems getting her ears to adjust, thankfully.

Once down, she and the fellow adventurers marveled at the beauty that surrounded them.  While the reef was not as colorful as she once envisioned, there was a whole new world with different varieties of plant life, fish, and sea turtles.  Watching the sea turtle come toward her felt as if it was a dream, yet there she was in the middle of the ocean able to swim right along with it.  And so she did!!   The turtle was gracefully gliding through the water, and she got lost in the moment.  Suddenly, she became aware of how far she had swam away from the others, and trying not to panic, she swam back to them as quickly as possible.

The thrill of this underwater adventure came to a close when a barracuda appeared.  Having learned the signal for “trouble” previously, fear reflected in her eyes when the instructor gave the signal to her and another participant.  Frozen in the moment, their eyes filled their masks as they waited for the curious barracuda to go on.  When it didn’t, they inflated their floatation devices so they would go closer to the surface to get away.  Once securely inside the vessel once more, everyone talked about their adventure under the sea and how fulfilling it was for them.

This once little girl with a big dream became an adult that made her dream a reality.

This little girl … was me.

I shared a post last week regarding humans being strange creatures.  Apparently, a former friend thought that post was about them, when it was not.  My post was regarding my son-in-law’s friend of 20 years and what transpired between them shortly after their wedding.  Regardless, this just confirms what I said about humans being strange creatures.

This former friend was going through a health crisis, and I came along side to encourage her.  Later, I met her in person and made some of her wishes come true in some activities we went on which she never had an opportunity to explore before previously in life.  I do not regret this visit nor the money invested at all, as wonderful memories were made when we were having a good time.  There were things on that trip which left us both feeling as if improvements could have been made on both ends.  Nevertheless, we exchanged comments about that visit, which I thought was in an effort to clear the air and let bygones be bygones.  However, that was not the case with her.  It’s sad when people have the wrong idea about you and decide in their mind something that isn’t true.  I tried to fulfill some of her wishes.  What I would not do is create a Go Fund Me Page for her.  Maybe that offended her, too, but I have a hard time asking people to donate to a cause, especially when so many far and wide are in need.  Sadly, there are a lot of people struggling with health issues.  Greg’s aunt is one having an extremely hard time and may not make it to see the holidays.  There is someone so very near and dear to my heart in my own family who will see the doctor in November to discuss surgery options for their health concern as well.  I never told her this with what she was going through.  She focused on herself, so I let her.   The truth is that people every where are hurting, and we are all going through one thing or another.  While I wouldn’t create a Go Fund Me Page for her, what I did do was pray for her, for her health, and for her family.  I know God can help.  He is the Great Physician.  He can do ALL things.

What I can do also at this point in time is offer forgiveness , and I do.  My heart holds no grudges and only wishes them well … today, tomorrow, and always.

You will know that forgiveness has begun

when you recall those who hurt you

and feel the power

to wish them well.   ~Lewis B. Smedes