A Good Word Wednesday #9
Sept. 14, 2022 It's a Good Day for a Good Word
Good Words of the Day: Belong, Worth, Value, Body of Christ, Home
I couldn’t decide on one word, so here are a bunch of words that resonated with me this week
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Belong — Don’t you want to be where everybody knows your name? Ok, that is the theme song from Cheers. I don’t have a neighborhood bar I attend where they know me and what I like to drink as soon as I walk in the door, but I do have a church that makes me feel welcome. The body of Christ that meets at First Baptist Duncan knows me. (A lot of them know that I prefer a good strong cup of coffee to drink!) They want to know when I am sick so they can care for me. My small group I meet with on Sunday mornings and the two young women in my discipleship group share life with me - ups and downs, funny things and sad things. We are all better because we belong there and need each other. We serve together, worship together, study God’s Word together.
Worth and Value — I find value in belonging. On days when I feel unworthy, I know my family still loves me. My church family is there for me. And ultimately, God sees me. Knows me. Calls me by name. I am his. Last Sunday, the director of a local nonprofit, Beautiful Day, spoke at our church. She described the program in simple terms - showing up at local elementary schools, eating pizza with children, and celebrating with them their birthday. Because, she said, “The day you were born was a beautiful day.” Beautiful Day Website It is the ministry of being there, listening, valuing the children God created.
Home — You know that feeling of coming home after a long trip away? That cozy-I know where everything is- warm, fuzzy, sleeping in your own bed — feeling? That’s how it feels to be in a church home, or to be in a small group of unconditional-loving friends. It feels like home. Because it is.
Wednesday in the Word
“But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.” Isaiah 43:1 ESV
“Oh Lord, you have searched me and known me! Psalm 139:1. Take time to read Psalm 139: 1-18 to realize how treasured you are!
Words I recommend
A Good Quote:
“I define connection as the energy that exists between people when they feel seen, heard, and valued; when they can give and receive without judgment; and when they derive sustenance and strength from the relationship.”
― Brené Brown
A Good Book — How Not to Save the World: The truth about revealing God’s Love to the People Right next door to you, Hosanna Wong Amazon-How Not to Save the World. As I’m writing my book, Unseen People, I’m thinking about ways to share life with neighbors and the nations. What are some ways NOT to save the world? The title caught my attention and I’ve just started reading it.
A Good Blog - Do you see them? In case you missed it, here is the blog I wrote last month that addresses human worth. Stories for Global. It describes the value of seeing people and knowing their names.
A Final Word
I’m looking forward to October 1. That’s the day I get to share with the good women of Harvey Road Baptist Church, Seminole OK, good words that God has put on my heart. They graciously invited me to their women’s fall event to be the speaker. I’m normally a writer, not a speaker. But when God opens doors like this for me, I try hard not to ignore them or shut them because it’s not my comfort zone.
I feel God leading me to share with them ideas that are emerging in the book I’m writing, “Unseen People: Sharing Light and Life with your Neighborhood and the Nations.” And seeing people starts with learning their name. And then hearing the stories of people who live outside your area, those in challenging places like war zones, flooded cities, crime-invested areas. Dig deeper and hear the stories of people. How can you pray for them? How can you support them in their troubles? Let me know what you are doing to know more, to learn their names, and one thing you are doing to make a difference.
ALSO - let me know what you are enjoying about this email each week. Why do you open and read? I’d love to hear from you.
Until next week, share a GOOD WORD with someone this week.
Grateful for you!
LET’S CONNECT!
I'm going to look that book up!! Thank you for the good words, as always. I look forward to this every week. I like everything about this, so can't just pick one thing. Of course, I'm a book lover, so always enjoy that, even if I don't wind up reading the book! I'm going to put this one on my list, though 😉 I think how not to save the world but still do good for others for God means being open to any idea or task God puts before you, no matter how small. Today, I witnessed to a friend, worked on a poem I believe God is to leading me to read in Church someday - those are my "big" God tasks I did today. But I also smiled at everyone I passed while riding my bike this morning, gave "attagirls" to a friend on facebook who deserves them! And I also worked on preparing our home and lawn for Larry's return from fighting fire in Oregon. I want every detail to be clean, cozy, have his favorite food and drink staples ready, and not leave anything for him to have to do when he gets home. 🥰