MINISTER GRACE TO THE HEARERS

Every Spring for the past six years my husband has gone through medical procedures to help with cancer pain. Thankfully, this year he doesn't need it. Each time he was hospitalized for 3 days and went through immense suffering. During his hospital stay, his health care was lacking in compassion and kindness. I understand the stress nurses are under having been one myself for years now.

Each time we entered the hospital we would pray for the doctor and the nurses who would be giving the care to him. It was always a struggle to get the care he needed. The last time he went in for a procedure, the Holy Spirit prompted me to take a small, dry erase board and write a message to the nurses. It read something like this: "Thank you for the care you are giving to my husband during the most difficult time of his life. We prayed for you before we came. You are ministers of God to us."

Every person that came into his room showed kindness and compassion. They responded promptly and with great care to his needs. I sat back in amazement knowing they had received the grace they needed to do their job with compassion.

Words of encouragement can carry us through the most difficult days. Hearing that we are loved or appreciated for what we are doing is worth more than any amount of money. One of the nurses on the night shift came in and asked if she could pray for my husband. This was a first for us. When she prayed, she prayed loudly and unashamedly that God would bring healing and a good nights rest. She also prayed for me to have strength. She ministered grace to us in her prayer.

Don't withhold grace to others when your opportunities come. Words are powerful and can bring down blessings or burdens to those in our path on this earthly journey. "Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers." (EPH 4:29).

SPEAK UP!

I am so thankful for the opportunity I had to speak to a group of teen girls this past weekend. As I prepared for the session, I found myself getting very excited. I wanted so much to get across to them that God cares about every aspect of their lives. The principles I shared with them are life-changing if they are open to what God has for them.

Titus two tells the older women to teach the younger ones. I was profoundly affected by other Christian women that taught and encouraged me at that time of my life. I continue to "observe" Christian women and watch their daughters to see what they are learning from their mothers and grandmothers. There is usually more caught than taught.

Christian women must speak up if we are to see the next generation serving the Lord. It's one thing for us to bring the young ones to church but quite another for them to know that He is real in our lives. Do they hear us talking about His faithfulness? Do they know that He has answered our prayers and has watched over us in the difficult times?

We have to teach them that this life on earth is not about being entertained and getting educated in the things of this world. We are here for a purpose and that is to BRING GLORY TO GOD. We cannot do it without speaking up.

"And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up." (Deut. 6:7)

Don't let the enemy steel your God-given influence on your daughters and granddaughters. Just speak up every opportunity you get.

A NOTE OF ENCOURAGEMENT

A few weeks ago I told you about Faye. She really has a heart for serving the Lord but because of her health she doesn't get out much. We recently had our missions conference at our church and she wanted to be able to increase her giving to missions. She shared with me that she had said to her husband "How can I make any money when I am stuck in this house?"

Last year Faye had been to physical therapy for a neck problem. On her final visit she had taken the workers some pecan tarts for a thank you gift. (Remember I told you she is a great cook?) Last week the doctor had to send her back to physical therapy. One of the therapist praised her for the pecan tarts and asked if he could pay her to make him some. He also wanted to know what else she could make and ordered some other things as well!

Faye could not wait to tell me how God is using her kitchen as a means for her to give to missions! And so my friends, God encouraged Faye and Faye encouraged me by sharing His faithfulness to her. The amount of money she will give is not the issue here. The fact that a loving God has made Himself real in Faye's life is priceless.

What a wonderful God we serve! Don't hesitate to tell others how the Lord has worked in your life. This story has been repeated by me to others several times this week as a way of encouraging them. Each time I told it, it prompted them to tell me how God is working in their lives as well.

HERE'S TO GODLY WOMEN

I saw this on a plaque one day and was really touched by it. I hope it will touch you the way it did me:

"HERE'S TO GODLY WOMEN.......
MAY WE KNOW THEM,
MAY WE BE THEM,
MAY WE REAR THEM!"

Godly women are not always front and center in our daily lives. Perhaps this quote will change that to some degree. Food for thought. God bless.

GOD IS FAITHFUL

We have a monthly fellowship for women at our church called "2nd Tuesday." The theme I have chosen for this year is "God is Faithful." Each month a different woman will share a testimony of God's faithfulness to them. Every Christian should be ever ready to share how God has been faithful to them.

I want to encourage other women in the Lord. I want the young ones to know that He is faithful. I want the old ones to know that He is faithful. I want young, struggling pastor's wives to know that He is faithful. I want women dealing with major life issues to know that our great God is faithful. The best way I know to get that across is for them to hear it from others who have proven it in their lives.

I have been a Christian for over 42 years. I can honestly say that the underlying theme of my life has been that God has been faithful to me. I have learned to walk by faith, not by sight. I know that feelings and externals are not to determine what I believe about God.

George Mueller said of himself on his 90th birthday: "After coming into full surrender of the heart, the love of money was gone, the love of place was gone, the love of position was gone, the love of worldly pleasures and engagements was gone. God, God alone became my portion. I found my all in Him; I wanted nothing else."

God alone can satisfy the needs of the human heart. May those in our realm of influence know that we serve a faithful God.

I would love to hear of God's faithfulness in your life. Feel free to share it with me anytime.