Thanksgiving on Thursday...

It's been a long winter! The snow banks piled high around this old farmhouse, while inside we were very thankful to be warm and dry!

Our family enjoyed a visit 

to the Midwest 

a few weeks ago. 

A youth Bible conference

 was the draw, 

plus the joy of 

seeing our lovely 

family in MO.

I was set to spend the week of youth conference in solitude with the Lord, feeling deeply the need to sit at His feet, after a long year filled with extra stress and responsibility. Little did I know that I was in for a treat (besides the solitude!)

How surprised and delighted I was to find some long time friends at the conference on the first day when I went to drop my daughter off! I was so overjoyed! There were three women in particular that God used that week to fill my cup and to show me His delight in me. I sit in awe at what He does to the heart that is surrendered.

Fellowship/community is a beautiful thing and something we all should care enough about to put our whole heart into creating. It turns out, God knew what is best for His children when He left us with instructions for building community (or as He calls it: the church)...things like

1 Cor 13 (love laid out in clear definition)

and how about all the things Jesus told us in the Sermon on the Mount? 

One of my friends spent part of a day with me that week. We enjoyed sharing hearts and shopping together. This friend ministered to my heart in ways she didn't even know she was doing it!

Later in the week, another of my friends cleared her schedule and sat with me for two hours, hearing my heart and dealing with the things I shared in compassion and understanding. I was completely blown away by the care and ministry I was given, and it so encouraged me to go forth and pass it along to others along the way.

A jar full of "I love you because..." scrolls given to me from a friend for my birthday.
What a blessing! The night I opened and read them, I had seriously been
struggling with discouragement. These were words fitly spoken...

Truth is, we all are struggling with something. Maybe not all to the same degree at the same time, but we all struggle. We walk an uphill road, and fight a daily battle against the enemy of our souls. There are sicknesses, sorrows, and hardships that we all face that sometimes reduce us to weakness we do not want, but it happens. Hearts grow despaired. Hands hang down. Knees become feeble. 

How will you strengthen the community you have been called to? Who will you encourage?

Thanking God today for the Body of Christ 

that is actively working and loving

each other in this present age.