*Originally Written in 2017
I do my best to be an encourager to those whom God places in my life. I feel like everyone needs to be encouraged at some point or another. In fact, the way things seem to be going lately, almost everyone I know is struggling with something in their lives and I know how important it is to need something to remind us that it is going to be okay. I feel like it is part of my calling as writer to be an encourager to my fellow soldiers in Christ. But sometimes, sometimes I find I am the one in need of encouragement. Sometimes I am the one that needs to be reminded that I am loved, and it is going to be okay.
This past week was quite difficult for me. I lost my grandmother. We knew it was coming but it doesn’t make hearing the news any easier. There were also family issues that made this week more difficult. Then, there was Valentine’s Day which is never fun if you are separated from your husband. Waking up yesterday morning, I found myself facing my grandmother’s funeral which I suddenly found even more difficult because I would be facing it without a husband. I don’t know why it bothered me so much, but I must say that the thought of being alone bothered me more than I cared to admit.
I knew I wouldn’t be completely alone; I had my family and my son and his girlfriend would be there but it still bothered me that my husband would not be there. I left my son at home to finish getting ready and I went to pick up his sweet girlfriend. On the way there I had the radio tuned to the Christian station I love and I turned it up louder as I headed down the highway because I loved the song they were playing. I found myself turning it even louder as the next song came on. It wasn’t long before the tears were filling my eyes as the songs spoke to my heart.
It was as if God Himself had made their playlist just for me. One after another, each song spoke to me, reminding me that He loved me, He was in control, and that He was with me. He was so sweet to me and I felt myself encouraged and strengthened as I listened to the songs He was singing to my heart. I was so humbled that He took the time to comfort me before I arrived at the funeral. He didn’t stop there. He sent dear friends to the funeral to show me they cared. One precious friend not only came but also brought one of the best coconut cakes I have ever tasted.
I cannot explain to you how much it blessed me that she came and that she made that cake for me. I don’t know if she will ever know how much that meant to me, but in that moment it was as if God used her to whisper to me, “you are loved and you are not alone.” I guess we never know how God can use our gestures of kindness to touch and bless someone. Each sweet friend that had taken the time to come to the funeral was such an encouragement and blessing to me. God used their presence to remind me of His presence there with me.
As the funeral began, two of my sweet nieces stayed by my side so that I was not alone. In fact, they actually stuck by my side the rest of the day, sitting with me at the dinner at my grandmother’s church and later walked around the cemetery with me picking buttercups from the pasture bordering the cemetery. The sun was shining and it was a sweet and beautiful afternoon. As I type this, the tears are nearly blinding my view of my keyboard. I am so overwhelmed that God would go so far out of the way to be so sweet and so good to me.
He didn’t have to be so good to me; the songs He sang to me at the start of the day would have been enough. But that’s just not His way; He likes to lavish us with His love. He isn’t just content to whisper, “I love you”, He likes to shout it from the heavens. Our Father loves us beyond measure. He enjoys reminding us how very much He loves us. Even in the midst of heartache, He is there to comfort and encourage us. If we will open the eyes of our heart to hear Him, we will hear Him not only whisper it to us but many times shout from the heavens, “I love you My child”.
I shudder to think what would have happened if I had closed my ears to His voice yesterday. What if instead of listening to Him sing to me, I had decided to languish in despair? What if I had not continued to listen as He spoke to my heart? What blessings I would have missed. I am so thankful that I chose to seek Him yesterday morning because it opened my ears to His voice and allowed me to see Him as He made His presence known to me throughout the rest of the day. I am so glad that I was able to see how many times He showed up and showed His love for me yesterday.
Sweet sister, I do not know what you are going through today. I do not pretend to know the weight of the load you may be carrying. I do not know the burdens of your heart. But I know my Father. I know that He loves you. I know that He is right there with you. I know that He will help you carry the burdens you are carrying. I know that even now in the midst of whatever you may be facing, He is whispering to you, “I am here. You are loved and you are not alone.” God loves you more than you could ever understand and He wants to pour that love all over you.
Today, I pray that you will seek Him. I pray that as you spend some quiet moments with Him, He will open the eyes of your heart and help you to see Him. I pray that He will help you to hear His voice around you today whispering, “I love you.” Because, sweet sister, He does; He loves you so much. I pray that each and every one of you that reads this will see Him today, that in some way you will be blessed today and you will know it is Him speaking to you. And if you get the chance, let Him use you to bless someone today; you never know what it might mean to them.
…I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness. Jeremiah 31:3 NIV
For further reminders of His love for you see:
Romans 8:37-39; Ephesians 2:4-5; Romans 5:8; Zephaniah 3:17
*This was written after my grandmother passed away in 2017.
Katrina Douglas
