Friendships

When life gets tough, most of us desparately need those around us that will hold us, pray for us and be very patient with us as well walk in this daze of "what happened to my life". I am learning that God wants me to hold out open hands to new people as well as people from my past and receive from them the life-giving blessing of the day. Let me tell you about a few of my recent gifts. Anthea is editing this new book we are putting together. She is also giving me gentle nudges to move out into promoting myself as a speaker. Carol is always praying and encouraging me.Meredith is my new counselor in grief ( not really a professional but very good at finding life after being torn apart by grief) I was able to encourage a recent widow friend, Chris, who lost her husband after 40 years of marriage. None of us live in a cave alone. We MUST have each other. Those others MUST know and love God and be able to share their faith with us. I bless you all to find these life-gving relationships that will help you discover God's new plans for you. Jeremiah 29: 11."I know the plans that I have for you, plans for a hope and a future."

God's Grace

His loving hand of grace enters my life every day. Last weekend I spend the weekend with friends from my past. Lance and Francie Cobb invited me for the weekend and I found myself driving from Houston to Ft.Worth without a thought about the duties that I was leaving behind. They even wanted my dog, Lula to come. What amazing people!! The protection and gentle listening from friends who knew and loved Billy was priceless. Add to that the care Alan and Shirley Koonce, who also loved Billy, added to the weekend. Let me explain. Shirley wanted to give me a grief book entitled A Grace Disguised by Jerry Sittser. She and Francie talked about how to get together and give the book to me. The plan was made to get together on Sunday. I sat outside with the two couples on a beautiful afternoon in Ft.Worth, Texas. ( This is the city that Billy proposed to me) When the guys started talking about the days of old with baseball stories that included Billy, I thought I was in a warm bath on a cold day just basking in the knowledge that I am loved and remembered. I can't explain how comforting that conversation was. The confusion of the last few years has made me feel like my past was irrelevant. This day brought back feelings that God not only knows my pain and loss but He also knows how special my past with Billy was and maybe still is somehow. Today I sit here reading this book about someones loss of a wonderful spouse. I am reminded that yesterday exists in everyones heart and the love we have had is still present. While God is healing the loss, He is also reminding us that He loves the stories of the past. Past, Present and Future all are alive in Him. He is the Alfa and the Omega. Love your past just don't live in it. The Present brings the Grace and the Future offers the Hope. For anyone experiencing Loss, I highly recommend this book.