Today’s Theme: Keep Yourself in God’s Love
Today’s Dare: Dare to Love Well
“Build yourself in the most holy faith…keep yourself in God’s love…” Jude 20
About an hour from leaving you yesterday’s faith dare blog, my phone rang. It was my niece. My sister, who had travelled here 5 hours to be at my son’s wedding and spend the week with me, was taken to the ER. I threw on my clothes, zipped over the the local hospital and waited there with my sister and niece, as her other children drove in to be with her too. She is bleeding internally. It seems to be around her knees which she had surgery on last year. She can not walk and as of now, it is doubtful she will be able to attend her nephews wedding.
As you can imagine, losing a day, during THIS week, made for a hardship. But, as you can imagine, seeing my sister, in that much pain and unable to walk, was a hardship of the heart…as I felt for her pain and discouragement. While in the emergency, she received a call from her husband, who was scheduled to come down for the wedding on Friday ( she came early to stay with me and visit and help). Her husband had just been diagnosed with something serious and will most likely not be able to come down and meet her at the wedding.
Lots of disappointment yesterday. But, the dare was to Praise God in all Circumstances. Little did I know when I decided that was my personal DARE, that the days events would prove to make it so hard. But, I did dare myself to keep looking up. And, I am not in a funk, but in a joyful place despite circumstances.
This morning I gave my “groom to be” son a wake up call. Afterall I can’t do that in a few more days. I sang to him, something I sang to him as a child,
“I love you forever, I like you for always. As long as I’m living my son you will be. I love you forever, I like you for always, for you are so special to me….followed by…..what I sang at bedtime….( after all, I was on a roll, and he didn’t hang up or anything ) Good Night. Sleep Tight, Oh, Little One, Good Night Sleep Tight, for your day is done. You’ve played so hard, and now you need rest. Good Night, Sleep Tight and May you be Blessed.”
I shed a tear or two. Thanked him for bearing with my emotions as we make this “change” from him just being my son, to him now having his own household. And, as I hung up…I was satisfied to know. I have spent the past years, loving him well.
Today…I have catch up, lots to do. An errand list….and my dare will be to love well while I am zipping about doing the things on the list. I will look for strangers to be kind to. Reflect on this day’s dare as I prepare my heart for the people I will see at the wedding whom I haven’t been with for years. And, I will set my heart apart to be His. To Live Well, we must Love Well. We do both while connected to Christ…his source, his power, his love.
Go out and Live Well by Loving Well TODAY!
Living up!
Debbie
Debbie, just want to say …… you bless me! thank you for this blog. you and yours are in my prayers. may this be, regardless of the storms raging around you …. a very blessed, happy celebration in your life. Congrats to the bride and groom! we want pictures!
I love your blog Debbie. What a blessing to have you share so much with us. I will be stopping in each day to see all the Lord has to share through you.
Blessings, Robin
Oh sweet Debbie, how well I know those kind of zinger’s….but, I can’t thank you enough for your encouragement to choose well…for Christ sake.
You will be a radiant “mother of the Groom” !!! Blessings to you and yours!
Justin must have loved hearing from you this morning – he’ll treasure that wake up call forever. You are a sweet mom and you’ll be a beautiful Mother of the Groom on Friday. Thanks for the encouraging words in your blog each morning and thanks for being a wonderful example of praising God through difficult circumstances.
This day began as a pretty yucky possibility but then I read you blog and began asking our Jesus to please hold you tight. I began singing “Love You Forever” to Neal in October, 1993, age 23. I know you and your son will have a very blessed Friday. God bless you and your family real good. Diana Beuerman
Thanks Deb for your words of encouragement. The past couple years have been a very big challenge for me so your words of wisdom are very aprreciated and helpful.
Many blessings,
Kathy
Psalm 18 verses 1-6 are the perfect reason for looking up at Christ’s face instead of being drowned by circumstances.
Psalm 18:
The Lord is…
My Strength
My Rock
My Fortress
My Deliverer
My Shield
My Salvation
My Stronghold
and as we look up to Him we will be enabled to do today’s dare-to love others well. 🙂
This is so what I needed today!! Tell Justin Congrats for me!! May God bless all of you during this very special time. I will be praying for you and your family. Cathy thank you for Psalm 18 He is our strength, our rock, our fortress, our deliverer, our shield, our salvation, our stronghold HE is bigger than our circumstances 🙂
Debbie, I am not on this day yet, but will be lifting you all up. I will be lifting up your sister and brother-in-law. May the wedding be more than any of you expected. Pictures are definitely required here!
I am now at today’s dare. I am reminded that it is God’s love that needs to shine through us to those who hurt us, not our feelings of love. We are just to be available to be used for God to shine His love through us to them. I need to pray more and say less.
Yeah, isn’t it funny how we think it’s all about our actions…it’s something more supernatural than “us”. People, us included, need the love of Jesus. How amazing to think that God will use us as His vessels of love, if we will get out of the way by yielding to Him. Saying less is something we all can practice. It’s hard.