leap of faith ...

Happy Saturday!

It is the last day of February –

Bringing to a close  our focus on love.

I am actually not quite sure where my time went today

The days come and go;

The weekend comes … the weekend goes

However, it has been a relatively good day – following a rough evening.

Last night, out of nowhere, I had a full on anxiety attack

It made me so ill, that all I could do was lie down, to try to calm down

But eventually, I fell asleep ...

And today – well today is a new day

Today is Leap Day … the reason 2020 is a Leap Year

Today is also my Aunt Julia’s birthday;

I always remember her birthday because it falls on February 29^th

This day, the 29^th of February, will not occur on the calendar again

For another four years        

This day, the 29^th of February 2020, will not occur again – ever

There is an old Irish tradition that if a woman makes a proposal on February 29^th

                It must be accepted

The idea was that of a single woman asking a man for his hand

However, I will accept that any proposal made by a lady this day, will be honored.

Therefore, in view of my night last night –

and sensitive the plight of so many who must confront anxiety from time to time

I would like to make the following proposal:

‘Trust in the LORD with all your heart,

                And do not lean on your own understanding;

In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths’

                                                                                              Proverb 3:5-6

‘Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night,

                Nor the arrow that flies in the day.

Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness,

                Nor the disaster that strikes at midday.

Though a thousand fall at your side,

                Though ten thousand are dying around you,

                These evils will not touch you’

                                                               Psalm 91:5-7

We cannot always control the feelings which come upon us,

But we can control whether we will allow them to control us.

Last night, recognizing what was happening, I went to lie down;

I played some Christ-centered music & I quoted some scripture,

‘Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.’ Philippians 3:12-14

Eventually I fell asleep last night – the LORD granted me rest 

The LORD grants His beloved rest;

He is Jehovah-Shalom, our Peace.

So take a leap of courage, a leap of hope, a leap of faith

                With God, every day, moment-by-moment

God is our refuge and strength – in a leap year and every year

Have a Blessed Evening!

worth the wait ...

Hello Friends!

I pray you had a fantastic day –

But, if you did not … relax, it is almost the weekend!

And some things are worth the wait

Ecclesiastes 3:1 states,

‘To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven’

I thought about this verse earlier this week

When I had the wonderful occasion

to meet and converse with a ‘vintaged’ gentleman named Cliff

That is not an insult; after all, he is probably only twenty years older than me

He started out talking about this area – how he’d spent most of his life in this region;

Five years in the military and five in the Midwest, and then he returned to Virginia.

He went on to tell me how was wife was from up north;

And he started sharing some of things he loves about her

You could hear the honor in his voice as he talked

So I asked, ‘How long have you been married?’

Based upon our conversation up to that point,

                I expected him to say forty or fifty years –

He responded proudly, ‘We’ve been married for ten years ..

but we’ve been together for 30!

He was not a bit surprised at the look on my face –

begging for an explanation without saying a word

He went on to tell me that they dated for twenty years

He said, ‘I can’t say fully why we waited so long;

but, once you get in your fifties you start thinking’

‘Truthfully’, he said, ‘if we got married way back then,

I don’t know that we would still be together.’

‘We have both matured and grown over years’

Then he told me how it was still an adjustment when they got married

He had his town home and she had her house,

They had to adjust to living together once they got married

He told me how she loves to cook and he hates cooking:

‘So, she cooks and I eat … and clean’. ‘But even that was an adjustment’, he said.

‘When you’ve each lived alone for so long, you get used to doing things a certain way.’

“For us it was the dishwasher. She said it wasn’t a big deal. But, I told her, ‘I want to do it the way you like it though’ … so I adjusted.”

It was just one of the most precious conversations!

He told me how much she has helped him grow as a person over their thirty years together.

‘She has introduced me to art and dining, to travel and leisure activities. When I used to meet people, all I would talk about was my work. Now I have so many things to discuss. She is a gem!’

I absolutely loved it!!!

I am still smiling thinking back on parts of that conversation.

You could hear how much he loved and appreciated her …

So beautiful!

He told me when they sent out the ‘Save the Date’ invitations for their wedding, they wrote:

Some will way we’re late,

But we’ve finally set the date…

Some things are worth the wait!

Indeed!

Just think about those who have had exercise great patience in waiting for their promise –

Sarah waited 90-years before being blessed with Isaac; Abraham was 100!

Elizabeth and Zechariah spent many years in waiting before John the Baptist came

Jesus walked this earth thirty years for a three-year earthly ministry

                But, oh what a ministry!

So my dear friend –

Do not lose heart if things are not moving at the pace you would like, 

Do not lose courage, do not become discouraged – 

It will happen right when it needs to.

God is preparing you for what He has prepared for you –

Trust me, it will be worth the wait!

Have a Blessed Evening!

portrait of love ...

Hello Friends–

I pray all is well and that your week is off to a great start

We are almost to the end of February –

                Amazing!

I have to say, I have thoroughly enjoyed our talks on LOVE

And as we near the end of what I like term ‘the month of love’,

What better verse to look at than I Corinthian 13:4-8

‘Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.’

‘Love endures with patience and serenity, love is kind and thoughtful, and is not jealous or envious; love does not brag and is not proud or arrogant. It is not rude; it is not self-seeking, it is not provoked [nor overly sensitive and easily angered]; it does not take into account a wrong endured.  It does not rejoice at injustice, but rejoices with the truth [when right and truth prevail].  Love bears all things [regardless of what comes], believes all things [looking for the best in each one], hopes all things [remaining steadfast during difficult times], endures all things [without weakening].

 Love never fails [it never fades nor ends]’ I Corinthians 13:48 AMP

‘Love is large and incredibly patient. Love is gentle and consistently kind to all. It refuses to be jealous when blessing comes to someone else. Love does not brag about one’s achievements nor inflate its own importance. Love does not traffic in shame and disrespect, nor selfishly seek its own honor. Love is not easily irritated or quick to take offense.  Love joyfully celebrates honesty and finds no delight in what is wrong. Love is a safe place of shelter, for it never stops believing the best for others. Love never takes failure as defeat, for it never gives up.’ I Corinthian 13:4-8 TPT

I love this verse [in all its translations] because it not only defines love in practical terms,

It paints a perfect picture of LOVE

It is so beautiful and can serve as both road map and guardrail –

for how we should love one another

However, this past Sunday at church, I got another picture of love –

                A living portrait of love!

To me, there is nothing more amazing than seeing someone,

operating with their God-given ability & fulfilling their God-given purpose

And, there are those unique times when the anointing of the LORD is so strong –

that you just sit in awe…

I had one of those moments at church Sunday.

My senior pastors, in a rare occurrence, delivered a message together.

The topic? Meant to Be: Questions – Developing Boundaries

It was the final sermon in a series that started the Sunday before Valentine’s Day.

It was a powerful talk on establishing healthy boundaries in your life.

And at the end of that sermon - recognizing that many have failed in the area of boundary establishment (and are now living with consequences and/or regrets – my pastor’s wife sang a song.

It had such an anointing on it and she sings like an absolute angel.

The song? It was simply titled, ‘Clean’ [a song by Natalie Grant]

But it was the look on my pastor’s face that caught my attention.

I had seen that look on her face –

when she would sit on the front row, listening to him teach and preach.

But I think this is the first time I observed that look on his face –

while she spoke and when she sang

IT WAS ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL!!!

They are each other’s greatest cheerleaders - I love it!

It was like a portrait of love ... in living color, live action

Simply Amazing!

If I have said it once, I have probably said it a dozen times,

‘I am a hopeless romantic!’ 

And it doesn’t have to be my story - 

My heart leaps with excitement and joy for any couple,

any couple that has been able to find and hold onto that amazing thing we call love.

My pastors will be celebrating 25 years of marriage this year.

They have been my pastors for 20 years.... 

Yet, I never exhaust the levels of gratitude I have for each of them individually and collectively as a couple. Their life has been such an example and a blessing to me. They are people of integrity. They love with the love of Jesus and they are genuine. And their love is evident to anyone who has been blessed with the privilege of being in their company for any length of time.

In fact – 

I was about to type, ‘if you can find a love like that, hold onto it with all you’ve got.’ 

However, a love like that is not found … it is built

It is firmly established through years of commitment, through good times and bad, with hours of listening, a keen ability to knowing when to keep silent, an unwavering resolve that if anything is going to come against us - it’s going to have to come prepared to fight two because you’ve got each other’s back. It is simply amazing … warms my heart and makes me smile!

That is some kind of special love.

And while we know there is no perfect thing – save our LORD,

I pray your love would be [as much as humanly possible] picture perfect,

a stunning reflection and portrayal of love

I’ve included a link to that sermon in the comments section below,

                Along with a link to Natalie Grant’s song ‘Clean’

Have a Blessed Evening!

the comforters ...

Good Morning –

I pray all is well and that you have had a blessed week

Hard to believe we almost to the end of February

Where is the time going?

It is moving so fast that it almost makes you want to pause –

                to find comfort in a slower pace and to rest

Funny thing is, though, even when I have the opportunity to sleep in,

Here I am – up at 4AM on a Saturday

As soon as I arise – lately – my very first thoughts are of the LORD

And the next thoughts go to all who are facing challenges in this fast- paced world,

                to those who seek comfort and strength for their journey

Yet you cannot think only of the ones needing comfort

Someone has to meet that need

Where are the comforters?

We know Jesus is our Ultimate Comforter –

He is our High Priest, able to sympathize with our weakness,

                for He was in always tried and tested Himself [Heb. 4:15]

And, as part of the triune nature of God, I know He is Omnipresent,

                Everywhere at the same time

We know – without doubt that the LORD has comforted us in our journey

The famous poem ‘Footprints’ captures it perfectly, noting the LORD’s reply to one of His hurting children: “My precious, precious child, I love you and would never leave you. During your times of trial and suffering, when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you.”

Such a stunning depiction of grace, provision, mercy, protection and COMFORT –

Even still, there are countless individuals who have cried out the LORD in the midst of trial,

‘LORD, do you not care that we are perishing?’

‘Why LORD do you stand afar off? Why do you hide Yourself in time of trouble? Psalm 10:1

‘How long, LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will You hide your face? Psalm 13:1

Yet, in every instance, comfort was supplied

The Comforter responded with gentle but unmistakable assurance,

‘I AM HERE …’

However, sometimes as human beings walking this earth,

                We need ‘Jesus with some skin’

This is where you and I come into the picture

The LORD desires that we would demonstrate similar levels of love and commitment,

                of support, of caring and of comfort which He has shown us

‘Let this mind which was in Christ Jesus, also be formed in you.’ Philippians 2:5

Let this heart of compassion and willingness to be a comfort to those in need,

be formed in you

You see –

The LORD God Almighty does not comfort us solely that we would be comforted, but that we would become comforters

Sometimes, the circumstances can be so intense that it is overwhelming;

Indeed, even Jesus questioned during His most severe time of trial,

‘Eli, Eli lama sabachthani?’

‘My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?’  Matthew 27:46

We all need comfort from time to time –

And there are countless opportunities for you and I to:

§  Pay close attention to those in need

§  Be present during their times of challenge – to not stand far away

§  Let people know they are remembered and that someone cares

I would challenge you –

Think on all the ways the LORD has provided you comfort,

                Whether by His Spirit or by sending comfort you way.

Then make a decision to partner with Him and to:

Be His hands and heart in the earth,

Be mindful of those needing comfort,

Make a firm commitment to becoming a comforter

I promise –

You will not ever regret being ‘Jesus with some skin’ to someone who is hurting

Have a Blessed Day!

‘Praise be to the God and Father of our LORD Jesus Christ,

the Father of compassion and God of all comfort,

who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble.’

II Corinthians 1:3-4

LOVE 2020: LOVE CARES

Good Evening …

I hope you had a good day today –

We have made it past the mid-point of the week,

And I pray that your week is going well

A couple of days ago, I wrote about the need to love living

It is so important –

However, I also realize how difficult that may be for some people;

They are not sure if they will ever love living again;

And it is not that they want to die – they just don’t want to go on living the way they are

Whether it is past regrets, a bad habit that cannot be shaken,

The intense sadness and loneliness of losing a loved one, health issue, financial reversals.

                Or a combination of all these things

It makes it exceedingly difficult to love living

And to all of those people [all of us people] I say,

Love cares … and love speaks cry

The LORD, who is love, cares for you – and everything that concerns you

He cares when you’re overwhelmed,

He cares when you are consumed with sadness,

He cares and is there every time you shed tears of sorrow – internally and externally

Psalm 56:8 captures the thoughts of a psalmist who may have been hurting –

                Just like the people I just described,

Yet he speaks from a place of quiet confidence,

‘You [LORD] keep track of my sorrows.

You have collected all of my tears in Your bottle

You have recorded each one in Your book.’

That is powerful that He takes account of every tear;

Because I lose count of the tear drops in just one crying session

Yet, He is present for every single one.

He speaks cry …

Several years back, I was watching a conference online –

The guest speaker was pastor and teacher, Sheryl Brady.

And as she was sharing her heart about the presence of God, she noted:

”He even understands what the tear meant that rolled down your face in the middle of the night across the bridge of your nose onto your pillow … He hears and He knows. He knows what you’re saying and He knows what you’re not saying…” 

It made me think back to when my children were small and the cries they would make:

There was a cry that meant ‘Change me’ and there was the cry that meant ‘Feed me’ and the cry that meant ‘Burp me, please … I am about to explode!’  There was the cry that said ‘I’m sleepy’ and, of course, there was the cry that simply meant, ‘Please hold me ... I just need to know you are near.’ 

I love them more than I could ever express,

And I wanted nothing more than to tend to every need.

Yet, even with all the love I had [and still have] as a parent – GOD’S LOVE IS GREATER

Our Heavenly Father loves us more than any parent ever could

And He, also familiar with our cries, hears our cries –

He knows the meaning of every tear, every sob, every sigh. And when we weep, shedding more tears than could ever be counted by us, crying what becomes a flowing stream or river, He sees each individual tear and can tell what each one represents. He knows what each one means without us speaking a word:

• §       He knows the cry that begs ‘Change me … I cannot change myself’
• §       He translates the cry which says ‘I am hungry for YOU … please feed me'
• §       He understands the cry that screams ‘I am about to explode!’
• §       He knows that one tear that says ‘I am so tired I don't know what to do’
• §       He comprehends the river of tears which whisper ‘I need You to hold me, to know that you are not only near, but here.'

He cares for that which concerns us (I Peter 5:7) and He loved us all so much that He sent Jesus to die for us (John 3:16). He cares for you.

He speaks every language under heaven and ...

He speaks, understands and responds to ‘cry’

Be encouraged dear friends and know I am praying with you and for you …

Have a Blessed Evening…

LOVE 2020: LOVE LIVING ...

Hello Friends!

I hope you had a good day today –

I am so glad to spend a few moments with you today –

Continuing our talk on LOVE,

And today I would like to share some thought on our need to love living

This post occurred to me when I was driving home from church yesterday

Something caught my eye –

to such a degree that I had to turn my car back to get a picture

And this was it –

Some delicate pink roses, growing in the midst of a mess

Twisted, dried up branches, dead leaves, you name it

But there were these roses – and mind you it is still winter for another month!

As I drove farther along, I came across these:

There was a press on my spirit:

BLOOM WHERE YOU ARE PLANTED

BLOSSOM WHEREVER YOU FIND YOURSELF – NO MATTER THE SITUATION

DEFY THE ODDS AND DO WHAT THE LORD HAS CREATED YOU TO DO

“For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved,

                And those who are perishing” II Corinthians 2:15

But what does this have to do with ‘loving living’?

Life will not always be pleasant –

Indeed, you may go through some seasons where it seems like all is failing

But you must not let that discourage you or rob you of your joy

Even if you do not love your life circumstances at the moment,

                It is possible to love living …

There are some dark, tangled places –

     where only you have been appointed to bring beauty;

Places where the LORD has designated you

     to be a sweet fragrance and a shining light.

I know it is not pleasant – but is it is worth it

Several years back, the LORD asked me a question,

‘Will you stay in the fire long enough for someone else to see Jesus?’

It was a reference to the three Hebrew boys who were tossed in the flames

When you have a few moments, you should read it [Daniel, Chapter Three]

It is a compelling tale – not of how God kept His chosen servants from a fiery trial,

                But how He walked beside them through the flames,

                And the impact it had on all who were observing them

And this is what the LORD is speaking to us all:

‘When you pass through the waters,

     I will be with you;

And when you pass through rivers,

     they will not sweep over you.

When you walk through the fire,

     you will not be burned;

The flames will not set you ablaze.”

Isaiah 43:2

‘So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed for I am your God.

I will strengthen you  and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’

Isaiah 41:10

I put in a post just the other day,   

‘Thus far, you have survived 100% of the toughest moments life has thrown your way’

Even if you do not love everything about your life at this moment,

Love Living …

God is not through with you yet –

And He has good plans to prosper and not to harm you. [Jer. 29:11]

Have a Blessed Evening!

LOVE 2020: LOVE KEEPS ON GOING

Good Morning!

I trust you had a great Valentines’ Day yesterday –

I did … it was very relaxing and peaceful

The store was crazy yesterday!

People standing in line to get fresh chocolate-dipped strawberries

Flowers, chocolates and desserts were being purchased,

And, of course, all the fixings for dinner – lobster, shrimp, steaks

And now here we are –

The day after Valentine’s Day

The ‘specially packaged’ chocolates will be marked down 60%

The dozen roses which went for $25 yesterday – will be back down to $10

The cupcakes & cookies will be tagged at a discount

And the retailers will work to clear the shelves to set up or the next merchandising event

But what about the LOVE?

Do the feelings end? No …

Do the expressions of love cease? Certainly not!

Love keeps on going …

It goes back to something I said a couple of days ago:

Valentine’s is just an extra day to demonstrate love –

Love which we should be showing one another all year long

In fact, I would argue that some of the most meaningful expressions of love –

fall outside of Valentine’s Day

There is something about someone thinking of you –

                without all the expectations, obligation and reminders of a ‘formal holiday'

There are a thousand ways to show love and appreciation:

§  That short morning text message to say: I hope you have a great day;

§  A greeting sent – an actual physical card or note – to say I was thinking about you;

§  Getting the coffee that they like;

§  Taking the time to listen – truly listen to what they have to say;

§  Walking in grace and extending forgiveness when needed;

§  Being patient and honest …

These are just a few ways to make sure love keeps on going

And keep in mind …

“Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things’ 

I Corinthians 13:7 

Love never ends, it never fails … it never dies I Corinthians 13:8

Love keeps on going –

Keep celebrating love with those you love – every season, any reason

Have a Blessed Day!

LOVE 2020: HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

Good Morning &

       Happy Valentine’s Day!

It is finally here  –  Valentine’s Day!

I actually started celebrating with my sons yesterday

Again, Valentine’s Day is about all the people you love

There is nothing greater than LOVE!

“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love;

                But the greatest of these is love”

I Corinthians 13:13

That is pretty powerful –

Love is even greater than hope … and faith!

God’s words … not mine. Yet there is a solid explanation

We will talk about this verse in the coming days

But for today,

My prayer is simple,

That you will be able to spend some time with the one (or ones) you love

And, make room to show kindness to someone around you

You never know what someone is going through –

And you just might make their Valentine’s Day!

Have a Blessed Day & Happy Valentine’s Day!

LOVE 2020: IT'S ABOUT LOVE ...

Hello Friends

I do not normally do two posts in one day –

However, I had to run to the store this evening,

And, bless their hearts – the store was full of me,

Trying to find just the right Valentine’s Day gifts

The right card, sweets, flowers, balloons, chocolate-dipped strawberries

                You name and they were trying to grab it up

I felt bad for them … I mean, I could see the stress on their faces

One poor guy walked right away from the register and left his phone

SO – it made me feel a second post was warranted today

                One that reminds all of us that IT IS ABOUT LOVE!

NOW – I know I am probably the last one that should say it;

                What with all the fuss I make

HOWEVER – my fuss is always about the love associated with Valentine’s Day

                Not necessarily the commercialism

My heart was a little sad because I know some of those guys,

                Are still going to end up in an argument tomorrow,

                Because they bought flowers but didn’t send them to her job

                Because they bought chocolates but she’s on a diet

                Because they didn’t take her out for dinner

                Because they didn’t plan an evening in and cook dinner

THAT IS NOT WHAT IT IS ABOUT FOLKS –

And, since I am a lady, I would like to talk to the ladies for a moment.

This is not a contest with your girlfriends or co-workers,

                So you can brag on everything he did for Valentine’s Day

It is also not fair to get your feelings hurt …

especially if you did not take steps to make an equal fuss over him

Guess What? MEN LIKE LOVE, APPRECIATION and GIFTS TOO!

Just saying …

And, if you have not gotten him something,

spend the evening coming up with something.

There is a neat little company called Man Crates –

Now – it is too late to get anything for tomorrow;

However – you could make your own ‘Man Crate’, 

          filling it with his favorite beverages and snacks

Homemade coupons are always nice … get creative!

How about you cook him a meal – or the two of you cook a meal together and stay in?

Does he like golf? A gift certificate to a local golf course is a great idea!

Does he like firearms? A membership to a nice range is an excellent gift.

And these things do not have to be done tomorrow – because it’s Valentine’s Day

There are a thousand ways to show love and appreciation

Valentine’s is just an extra day to demonstrate the love –

The love we should be should be showing one another all year long

And, over the next couple of weeks 

     – YES THE POSTS WILL CONTINUE PAST VALENTINE’S DAY –

     We’ll be talking about some of those ideas – that do not involve purchasing anything

In the meantime …

Have a Blessed Evening &

Remember, It’s About Love!

LOVE 2020:SPECIAL & PRICELESS

Good Morning

I pray you had a fantastic day yesterday –

I have no complaints –

Well, let’s say I choose not to complain

I am trusting the LORD and He has been flooding my heart,

With an overwhelming sense of peace

So – a couple of days ago we talked about heart-break

However – today I would like to shift gears just a bit

Today – I would like to talk about a priceless love

You see, it is the hope for that special & priceless kind of love,

or the having found it and having lost it

which can be the source of so much pain.

And I get it – it is a wonder;

absolutely amazing, exciting, terrifying, strengthening and weakening,

                All at the same time

It fills you with such hope for the future –

                While at the same time causing a bit of anxiety that it could be lost

And understand, there are many counterfeits

All love is not that unique and special kind of love

I did not know … until I knew … until I truly experienced it

And even then, it was so overwhelming that I tried to deny it.

I would try to convince my friends that I was not enamored with him;

Their response?

‘No Zee, we’re not buying it … your entire being lights up every time you talk about him.’

They were right – I still smile every time I think about him

I’m smiling right now … listening to Frank Sinatra sing The Way You Look Tonight

And the beautiful thing about this special kind of love is,

It transcends all the ‘romantic’ notions of love

It is a kind of love where you find yourself praying for them –

                more than you pray for yourself

It is a kind of love where – when their birthday rolls around – you find yourself

                Praying to God and thanking Him for creating such an amazing being

It is a kind of love where their health and well-being is all you desire

It is a priceless kind of love

And, if you are ever blessed enough to experience it in this life –

Hold onto it with all you’ve got.

Tuesday – we talked about the heart-broken;

And among some of those who experience heart break at this time of year, are those who have been single for a long time; those who have yet to find their ‘special & priceless’ love

I know it is difficult. However, once you find it, you will agree it was so worth the wait:

That love, that person was so worth the wait – 

          and you will be glad you did not settle

Have a Blessed Day …

We’re Almost There!

LOVE 2020: BROKEN-HEARTED

Hello Friends,

I pray your day went well today –

I am still excited about Valentine’s Day and all things concerning LOVE;

However, I do realize that this is a challenging time of year for many people.

I believe, because I have focused on the multiple aspects of love,

that I do not find this time of year lonely – it invigorates me.

But, I know that is not the case for everyone

For those who find themselves alone at this time of year, it can be very painful;

Whether it be a temporary separation due to a deployment or work situation;

A more permanent situation due to a divorce or the loss of a loved-one;

Or the seemingly endless loneliness of always being single –

                Valentine’s week can be anything but romantic and joy-filled

My heart is heavy for those individuals tonight – all of them

There is nothing more painful than not being able to be with your loved-one

It is a heartbreak I would not wish on anyone

I have experienced first-hand the temporary pain of having a loved-one deployed;

I have had to deal with the sting of divorce;

I have experienced the sorrow of having someone I loved pass away suddenly;

I have endured the loneliness of being single – twice

and each no less than fifteen years in duration

I do not share that to minimize the pain someone is feeling;

Neither do I share it to say, ‘I know how you feel’ –

I could not possibly know how you feel – every situation is unique and personal

However, I can assure you that – no matter how bleak it feels – the grace of God is greater

The LORD has met me many times at the places where I have felt lonely, abandoned or sorrowful. And I have this comfort – and hope it will comfort you as well:

Thus far you have survived 100% of the worst moments that life has thrown your way;

                You are still here, breathing, living and full of purpose and possibilities

Do not be discouraged my friend –

Know that you are loved by a mighty GOD &

     He truly is working all things together for your good.

Dear LORD –

Father, I pray for all those whose hearts are heavy this evening;

I pray for all who might be missing a loved one,

Or who are feeling unloved because they have yet to find that special someone

Father, I pray that you would comfort them – this evening and all throughout this week

Let Your presence be tangible and let it bring peace and joy – and warmth

We know Your timing is perfect –

If there be any areas where growth is needed –

where preparation is required, for what You have prepared,

I pray Your Holy Spirit would lead and guide and instruct

Father, You said it is not good for man to be alone;

Guard every heart from the weight of loneliness tonight

I know the plans You have for us are good plans – to prosper and not to harm;

So we thank you in advance as pray all these things in the matchless name of Jesus - AMEN

Praying you all have a blessed evening …