The Power of Flowers

(Katie) A dear friend of mine, who I consider to be like an "older sister" in my life was having a really bad day. My heart was breaking for her and unfortunately, we don't live in the same state. I decided to pray and ask the Lord how I could encourage her even in our distance. As I listened in prayer, all I heard was flowers. Now, given the circumstances, flowers wouldn't seem like a rational answer, however, I felt strongly that this is what my dear friend needed today to be reminded of God's love for her. Next, I called my friend's mom (a woman who has been a spiritual mom to me..love her) and told her that I needed her daughter's address as I think we were to send her flowers. The word that I received about flowers confirmed the word that she had received earlier about sending her daughter flowers. How cool is God? So my friend's mom faithfully got her daughter's work address and sent flowers from both of us immediately. After my friend received a beautiful bouquet of fall flowers, she called us and said that she had told the Lord that if He loved her, He would get someone to send her flowers =-) How awesome is God?

I share this story because I continue to be in awe of how God is relentless in pursuing each one of us. He knows exactly what we need to feel loved. Furthermore, I am amazed that God trusts the body of Christ to partner with Him in revealing His love for others. 

I confess that I am so often caught up in "tyranny of the urgent" mode, that I don't take time to stop, bring people in my life before the Lord, and earnestly seek Him in how I can love or encourage them today. Sometimes God gives us answers that seem irrational. I think it is a process to learn to discern His voice and to step out in faith and be obedient, even if it means we might look like a fool. However, "love covers a multitude of sins," and so when we desire to show others the love of God, even if we completely miss it, God's grace covers us. Even if my friend hadn't asked the Lord to send her flowers, sending her flowers still would have been an encouragement to her on a hard day.

Who is one person in your life that could really use some encouragement today?

I encourage you to take time in prayer and ask the Lord how you could show that person the love of the God in some tangible way.

As most of you know from my last post, I am sitting in Colossians 3 for the month of October. I can't think of a better way to live out being "chosen" and "dearly loved" than by taking time to intentionally show someone else God's heart for them!