All There Monday - Cathy Joy Hill

Be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. Ephesians 4:32 NLT

Sometimes, we invite folks into our lives and really can’t remember how they got there.

I saw her headed to the bathroom and thought she didn’t look well. By the time she reappeared, everyone who wasn’t going on to Chicago had deplaned.

Inadvertently I had blocked the aisle as I stood and stretched. It had been a long day, and I faced another three hours on the plane.

“Are you waiting for the bathroom?” she spoke-shouted.

“No, just stretching. How are you?”

“Absolutely terrible.”

Because we were close together, I felt I couldn’t let her pass without at least a question, a word, or a hug. Something.

“What can I do for you?” I asked.

She told me she was air sick. I moved to a safer distance. Then she explained she was traveling to a funeral. She didn’t want to be on three flights to get there, but she was doing it for her friend.

This woman whom I had momentarily cast as loud and perhaps nauseous was a brave and compassionate soul. I applauded her.

Jim Elliot said, “Wherever you are, be all there.”

I was not excited about chatting with my elderly friend for the entire plane trip. But missing her story would have been a mistake. She encouraged me in ways she never knew.

I was tired, but my destination was home, family, love, and rest. Her destination was beside a friend and a casket.

Life is a bottle to pour out. We always have the choice to taste sweet in the bitter . . . to find joy amid the pain if we choose to see, hear, and be present.

I told my new friend to be brave. I told her how much I admired her and offered her my peppermint stick to soothe her motion sickness.

All there is the act of being aware of God—being brave in the face of whatever we face. It is knowing the joy, the true heaven-sent joy, of realizing He is there, even if we don’t want to be.

Tweetable: In what ways are you being all there? 

Cathy is a writer, teacher, and entrepreneur. She met her husband Brian while studying in Paris, France. They make their home in Geneva, IL, with their four children and their daughter-in-love. She loves writing about the wonder and whimsy of life and her love for Jesus. Her first book is Destination: Fierce, Moving from Fear to Fierce. Learn more about Cathy at www.cathyjoyhill.com.

Thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts! We also invite you to follow and like us on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, and Instagram. Help us spread God's encouragement through His Love Lines.

See a Need, Meet a Need - Martin Wiles

If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person? 1 John 3:17 NLT

She was a shut-in who needed a ramp.

Patricia required round-the-clock care prior to and after her husband’s death. Her son and daughter-in-law decided she needed a ramp. This would help when she had to be transported to doctors’ appointments or when they just wanted to get her out for a while.

When I heard of their predicament, the solution seemed simple. We had a licensed contractor in our church, the men’s ministry had funds they weren’t using, and we had men who had the skills to build a ramp. I contacted the contractor who was more than happy to use his skills and time.

We designated a day and time and the contractor picked up the materials. Ten men showed up to help. Within the space of two and one-half hours, the ramp was built—and at a negligible cost. I felt good when we were finished. So did everyone else. We had shown God’s love by helping someone with a need we could meet.

John doesn’t mince words. He says if we have the means to meet a need we see but don’t that God’s love doesn’t abide in us—regardless of what we might claim.

I can’t meet every need I see. They are numerous and surround me every day. Not only do I see them but I also hear about them. Nor do I have the funds, the skills, or the time to meet every need. Jesus didn’t meet every need He encountered. Some people He didn’t heal. Some areas He avoided.

Jesus operated according to the Father’s plan—and I should too. Through prayer, I can determine which needs God wants me to meet. When I’m prayed up, I’ll even know what to do about those spur-of-the-moment opportunities that arise.

Knowing my skill level also helps. While I could help build a ramp, spearheading the project would have been out of the question. Instead of hours, it would have taken days. If we are perceptive, God will match the opportunities with our skills and talents.

But the greatest challenge to meeting needs is intentionality. If we don’t have a plan to love others by meeting their needs, we won’t. Make a plan so you can meet a need when you see a need.

Tweetable: How do you respond to needs?

Prayer: Father, give us opportunities to show Your love to others in tangible ways. 

Looking for a wide selection of genres in inspirational books at discount prices? Click here to see selections.

Thanks to all our faithful followers who are "sharing" our posts--please keep it up! We also invite you to follow and like us on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. Help us spread God's Word.