the God of encouragement

God encouraged me through friends this morning.  I am so thankful for the gift of the body of Christ.  The human extension of what He is and can be to a hurting world.  

I got together with my girls this morning as I always do on Wednesday, and it was exactly what I needed.  God knows how to encourage us through the loving words and hugs of loyal friends.  

I was convicted of a couple of things, reminded of many things, and left much more hopeful than when I walked into Caribou Coffee this morning.

I chose the picture above because I was reminded this morning of my need to offer up myself to God every day.  He already knows what’s on my heart, but he desires my honesty and the intimacy it brings our relationship afterward.  I’m just like the little girl in this picture on so many days, vulnerable, needy, searching for Christ.  It’s so nice to be reminded that He is only just over my shoulder, loving me with an inexhaustible, unyielding, tenacious love.  

Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope:  Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.  They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.         - Lamentations 3: 21-23.