Category: Love

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The Open Sleeping Bag

On By AnnetteIn Christ-Like, Life lessons, LoveLeave a comment

As the storm set in, I scurried quickly to get under cover, seeking refuge inside the store from the icy cold wind. On my way in, an open sleeping bag on the sidewalk caught my eye. Empathy enveloped me, as I pictured someone having to endure the freezing cold temperatures there.

Once inside, my thoughts shifted to my shopping. I had come in for three items, so a cart was not in the plan. As it turned out, I found myself juggling many things, as I succumbed to this and that. My arms were full! I got in line to check-out and realized the guy in front of me had a shopping cart that was overflowing with Dollar Tree items! Sigh. Its going to be awhile…

As I stood waiting for my turn, I secretly hoped the guy with the mountain of stuff would say, please my dear kind lady… go ahead of me. 😅 I snapped back to reality when a man caught my attention. He was all bundled up, cap and coat, and was apologizing profusely to the cashier for losing the bathroom key. In spite of it, he had such a smile on his face and sparkle in his humble gentle eyes. The open sleeping bag…

As the minutes rolled by, I started losing my hold on the items in my arms and they began slipping and dropping onto the floor around me. I would pick one up only to lose three more! Just as I considered leaving my spot in the line that now trickled down an aisle, I heard a voice from behind say, “Let me help you!” It was him…

He quickly handed me a basket to drop my many tumbling items into. He had such a sweet spirit about him and heartwarming smile. His kindness touched my heart! Here was a man who was truly having challenges in his life, and yet, here he was, the one reaching out to help me. Such a beautiful example of how we are to live. He wasn’t thinking about himself and how he was down-and-out. He was focused on those around him and he was making a difference, even at that very moment, in my life. He had the Christ-like behavior the Bible exhorts us to exemplify! Oh to have more of that, meaning less of me, and more of Christ!

As it turned out, another cashier was eventually called up and I was next. I breezed through the line and as I grabbed my bag to head out, our eyes locked…

There he stood, in his line, with a peaceful grin upon his face. I smiled and waved as I thanked him again. And then, the thought and scripture found in Hebrews 13:2 came to mind, “Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels.”

I don’t know if he was an angel or a random homeless guy the Lord used to touch my life. I will never know that truth this side of heaven. What I do know is that he was kind, helpful, and he was not thinking about himself, but others. Because he didn’t have much to give, yet he knew how to give of himself, he really made an impact on me!

🙏🏻Prayer: Lord, may we be mindful of such examples of Christ-like behaviors around us. Teach us to be giving of ourselves, putting others needs before our own. Thank You, Jesus. We praise You, Lord! God, You are so Good! 🙌🏻🕊🙌🏻🕊

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Shine Brightly

On By AnnetteIn Beauty, Encouragement, Glory to God, God's Handiwork, LoveLeave a comment

With leaves green and lush, the sunflower stands tall. In a burst, it opens with seeds of pure joy! This flower is bright and cheery, like an ear-to-ear grin on a smiling face. Its pristine leaves become a perch and a tasty treat for the tiny yellow-bellied warbler. It is a beautiful sight to see this feathered friend happily perched upon the sunflower. As time goes on, the leaves become tattered and torn where the little bird has rested and renewed its strength. Even then the flower is radiant with ever present bliss, its head held strong and high. With only a few leaves left, the warbler again makes a visit. Standing firm, although tattered and worn, providing for its guest, the sunflower still shines brightly.

When we look at God’s creation, the sunflower, we can be reminded of what a great example the sunflower is. It stands tall, shines brightly, and gives all its got. It is that simple! “Let all that you do be done in love.” 1 Corinthians 16:14

Thank you for reading my blog. If you enjoyed this post, please use the share buttons at the bottom of the page instead of doing a copy and paste. All rights reserved by copyright. Thank you. Blessings to you!

Clothe Yourself in Kindness

On By AnnetteIn Kindness, Love, Prayer, Thankful

20150517_SundayScripture_Colossians-3-Graphic-Image-SMALLThe Lord has been speaking to my heart about kindness. He has gotten my attention by showering me with more kindness than usual lately. It is amazing how an act of kindness can change a person’s day or even complete outlook on life. There is power in the act of being kind to one another and even more so is the power of a prayer.

Simply said, kindness is the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate. It is far reaching and can be accomplished in countless ways. I enjoy trail running and am fortunate to live in an area where I can easily access mountain trails.  It is the norm for me to be running along in my zone when all of a sudden I am face to face with a guy whizzing towards me on his mountain bike. I usually jump off the trail out of harm’s way or stop running so he can fly by me on the single track trail.  However, the other day, a guy who was approaching me on his mountain bike completely stopped. He got off his bike and moved to the side of the trail, then waited for me to run on by.  As I did, he was smiling and cheerfully greeted me and wished me a good day! This never happens so when it did, I felt like I was being treated as a lady of honor and with great respect. It was almost as if he took a knee for me! This random act of kindness was very courteous and polite and left me feeling flattered and even a bit smitten!

The act of pay it forward is always such a blessing. This happened to me twice this month. The first was when I was in a drive-thru at Star Bucks and a complete stranger in the car ahead of me bought my hot latte and morning inspiration. What a surprise that was! I left that drive-thru in shock and a bit beside myself that a random person would reach out to me when I did nothing at all to deserve it. I was so caught off guard and touched by the kindness of this stranger. It made my day and I felt like screaming it out to everyone on social media! Just a couple weeks later my neighbor was in the Taco Bell drive-thru and guess what she did? Yep, you guessed it. She bought the tacos and burritos the kids and I had ordered. I was blown away! I was filled with gratitude, which caused me to want to bless her back. So, the next day she got brownies and a bouquet of flowers from me to brighten her day. When someone is kind, it is contagious and can inspire us to be tender-hearted in return. It’s a win win. The giver is blessed by the act of giving, as it is a very rewarding experience. The one receiving the kind act is pleasantly surprised and ever so grateful.

When my dad passed away unexpectedly, my Aunt reached out. She provided nutritious homemade food that could be ready to eat with minimal effort on my part. She had my favorite comfort soup, fresh bread, prepackaged salad, a roasted chicken, and delicious pumpkin bread made from scratch. As if that wasn’t enough, she included a fresh bouquet of flowers to brighten our home. Having her reach out to me encouraged my grieving heart. She made a hard time more bearable. I was able to easily sustain myself and my kids over that next week. Her act of kindness was far reaching into both my heart and home.

It was during this same period of time while I was grieving the death of my dad that I became completely overwhelmed and depressed. It was one of those complete meltdown moments in life. I had gone to my quiet place in my home where I could be alone with the Lord to pray. I had my Bible, my journal, and had also been texting a friend who was concerned about me. The tears began to flow and quickly turned into loud sobbing. It was not only the pain of the loss of my dad I was feeling, but other hurt that I had been carrying, which all came tumbling out. It was in the middle of all this pain and crying that my phone rang. It was a long-time Christian friend of mine who rarely called. But, call me she did and it was all I could do to say “hello”. This friend went right to prayer, speaking loudly and with authority, as I cried into the phone. She continued in prayer for me until the sobs quieted and completely stopped. We then discussed why my heart was so troubled. As she listened, the heaviness of my heart lifted. By the end of our conversation she had me laughing and planning a girl’s getaway together with her! Her phone call and intercessory prayer changed me, for good. Her timely call and prayer lifted my spirit and broke the bondage of past hurt that was burdening my soul. I am so thankful for my friend who cared enough to reach out to me during a painful time in my life. Because of her prayer covering, listening ear, and encouraging words I was able to pull out of what overwhelmed my heart and soul. I thank the Lord for my praying friend!

These different acts of kindness each had a tremendous effect upon me, each one in a completely different way. The result of each was, of course, all good! They were all uniquely different and with equally diverse outcomes. I thank the Lord for the people who touch my life with their love, kindness, respect, compassion, and most importantly, the love of Christ. When people are thoughtful and caring it brightens our day, encourages our heart, and can lift our spirit! It can also inspire us to reach out to others. And when kindness is paired with prayer… “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” Psalm 147:3 Thank you Lord… Amen!

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Keeping the Heart Hidden in God

On By AnnetteIn God's Faithfulness, LoveLeave a comment

Only a relationship with our Heavenly Abba Father will fill the human heart’s desire for love. Knowing Jesus our Loving Savior is like no other love.max lucado Be thankful ladies, you are loved by Jesus! He knows what is best for you. Trust Him with your whole heart and life. He has a plan. Stay on your life path with Him, developing into the woman of God HE wants you to be.

If your Abba Father has a man for you in the future, then He will bring him about in such a way that you know he is from your Heavenly Father. It is not up to you to be looking or searching, but keep your focus fixed on Christ as you go about His business getting to know Him better and making Him known to others.

Single ladies, trust in Jesus. Wait upon Him, His plan, and His timing. While you are waiting, grow and blossom in Him and live out the adventure that awaits you as you seek a life with The One True King. Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. ” God’s way is best and it will be well worth the wait!

#IloveJesus#GodisFaithful#JesusismyHusband

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This article, “Keeping the Heart Hidden in God” is protected by copyright. You are free to share the link via social media, but this article may not be copy and pasted in its entirety to be republished and redistributed elsewhere without permission (this includes pasting entire story to Facebook, Pinterest, email, etc.).