It would delight me to spin a funny yarn that would bring a laugh to all of us. But some days I don't have a ready laugh in me.
Yesterday I had tough phone calls to make and people reacted strongly. It wasn't personal, but it still hurts.
Later good friends called with serious relationship issues. I knew they needed an active compassionate listening ear. Being a wordy woman, I have to work at being still and listening It is important that I honor others' thoughts over my own. Folks don't need my bits of wisdom. As they hear themselves talk their wisdom and God's infinite wisdom connect and answers emerge. Usually they need to know I truly heard them. Then we pray together. Usually in short order we celebrate their "aha" moments of knowing what to do.
I want to "fix" them quickly. My love for them joined with a natural impatience feed my temptation to rush advice to my hurting friends. Now, there's a laugh. I have enough issues myself that need fixing. Finally, in my sixties I am seeing people want a safe place to land and process their dilemmas. They don't want or need my "fix."
My peace rests in knowing God loves each of them more than I ever can. Everyone who phoned is committed to Him completely. Painful as their journey has become, we all know the end is good and God has them covered. They each have dark tunnels to pass through that I have never traveled. God has been gracious to me in recent years with extraordinary light in intense darkness. I don't have to remind them of God showing up; because they watched as He made a way in my life when nothing seemed possible.
Yesterday's blog spoke of the meaning of the word "lead" in Hebrew as used in Psalm 23. Remembering "lead" helped me as I listened to my friends' traumas.
Let me repeat Karen Lucci's words”
"Today we began with speaking of God leading us. Karen explained that the Hebrew meaning of “lead” is twinkle. In the “darkness” of our day may we seek and see God as He leads us in many ways, but a major way in shining His Word in and through our lives."
Shine Christians, with the Light of God. The darker the atmosphere the greater will be the illumination of the Light.
7 comments:
Kay - it was such an inspiration to meet you and listen to you during the "She Speaks" Conference. After reading your blog, it confirms my wish of more time to be able to listen to each other and hear each others stories. I'll be back here to visit often!
In Him,
Dorothy Champagne - Jacksonville, Fl
Dorothy,
You were a great speaker in our evaluation at the She Speaks
Conference. Please keep me current with your speaking schedule, because I will travel to hear you again. God bless, Kay
Kay, Just stopping by to visit! I enjoyed meeting you at She Speaks. We walked together trying to find "Kannapolis" so we wouldn't be late for our blogging session, remember? Then sat together to listen to the wisdom of the "seasoned" bloggers. I enjoyed reading your posts and will be visiting your blog alot, I'm sure. Hope to talk to you soon!
God Bless,
Starr LaPradd
Hey my sweet southern friend!! I love your blog!! It was so great to meet you at She Speaks! You are such a hoot! I look foreword to our blogging friendship!!
She Speaks Writers Speaker Conference was a happening in Charlotte, NC June 20-22nd. Imagine 500+ committed, talented, zealous Christian women from the U.S. and Canada coming together to speak and communicate with all their female brain cells for the glory of the Lord.
Now, every male reading this blog just sighed...didn't you hear it?
Seriously, every particpant writing in is a jewel of great value. I will be writing tomorrow on some of the best clean jokes I've ever heard. Today....I'm catching up on work and rest.
She Speaks Power Women, I know God is pleased with this past weekend. I thought all day about all of us returning home with our renewed enthusiasm for the KIngdom of God.
Nicki and Starr, I look for your books, blogs and magazine articles.
God bless.
She Speaks Writers Speaker Conference was a happening in Charlotte, NC June 20-22nd. Imagine 500+ committed, talented, zealous Christian women from the U.S. and Canada coming together to speak and communicate with all their female brain cells for the glory of the Lord.
Now, every male reading this blog just sighed...didn't you hear it?
Seriously, every particpant writing in is a jewel of great value. I will be writing tomorrow on some of the best clean jokes I've ever heard. Today....I'm catching up on work and rest.
She Speaks Power Women, I know God is pleased with this past weekend. I thought all day about all of us returning home with our renewed enthusiasm for the KIngdom of God.
Nicki and Starr, I look for your books, blogs and magazine articles.
God bless.
Dearest Kay,
I love your blog! It does genuinely reflect who you are...a loving, wise, authentic, mighty woman of God.
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