God Moments…Reflection/Devotion for Week 5 BJC

Last week was such a full week in my life that I was unable to share my usual reflection earlier this weekend.  But as I processed the events of the week today, I realized that I didn’t need to worry about it.  It led into tonight’s devotion so all is well.

God Moments or God appointments.  These are the moments or situations in our lives when we the reality of God acting in our lives is so tangible that there is no other explanation.  God moments only happen when someone is listening to God and does exactly what He leads them to do.  It is a time when God is answering someone’s prayer or filling a need they have.

There were so many God moments in last week it is hard to know where to start.

Last week, we faced…

Tuesday, Josh’s first birthday without Daddy here;

Thursday, my/our first Valentine’s Day without Daddy/my dear husband;

Friday, the 15th was the 8th anniversary of Will (my husband’s) home going to heaven and the traumatic accident that the boys and I are still emotionally and physically recovering from;

and lastly, Saturday we had Josh’s 10th birthday party.

See what I mean about a full week?

Josh’s 10th birthday– Unwrapping His Grace @ surrenderedlivingnow.com

I plan to share about Josh’s birthday and his “Birthday Mystery” party in Wednesday night’s article…and trust me there were many God moments in those too.  Tonight, I feel led to share how God showered His love on me and made it so real I could literally feel Him present with me.  Love was our topic last week, but the way the Lord loved on me hits this week’s focus too.

Love.  I was determined to focus on showing my boys how much I love them and helping them to better understand God’s love on Valentine’s Day this year.  I was praying my way through preparing for it and praying my way through it.  My first Valentine’s Day without the love of my life here with me.  Wow.

Josh at our family valentine party– Unwrapping His Grace @ surrenderedlivingnow.com

Our family homeschooling Valentine Party– Unwrapping His Grace @ surrenderedlivingnow.com

I was actually doing pretty well holding it together, even made pancakes for a special breakfast that morning and had a little Valentine party as part of our homschooling day just with the boys here at home.  As lunch got closer, I began to really miss my husband.  I continued to pray that God would help me through.

Then Josh and Michael announced that someone had parked in front of our house.  A man I didn’t know.  I looked out the window and they were right.  Before I knew it, he was opening the back door of his car and pulling out a flower arrangement.  I was sure it was for a neighbor…until he started walking up to our house and up the ramp to our porch. My jaw fell open.

Who would be sending me flowers? 

I answered hesitantly answered the door…he smiled and asked for me.  He told me that he had flowers for me.  Wow!

I accepted the flowers and thanked him with tears in my eyes.  As I shut the door I had to hold the vase up so that Josh and Michael wouldn’t grab it…they were so excited.  I was stunned and so touched, my mind was spinning.

My Valentine Bouquet — Unwrapping His Grace @ surrenderedlivingnow.com

Once I placed it on our dining room table, I slowly opened the card that was with it and then the tears began streaming down my cheeks.  It was from my dear pastor and his lovely wife.  They didn’t want Valentine’s Day to go by without me knowing that they were thinking about me and praying for me in a special way.  Wow.  I was so, so blessed and felt so loved at that moment.  An amazing God moment.  He was with me pouring His love out for me.  It was as if I was receiving flowers from heaven through these two very special people.

When I called to thank them.  I spoke with my pastor and he told me that he and his wife had both felt led to buy me flowers for that Valentine’s Day.  I am so, so thankful that they followed God’s leading.  They will never completely understand how much it meant to me.  What an amazing God moment!

Family Story time on Valentine’s Day– Unwrapping His Grace @ surrenderedlivingnow.com

The boys and I spent Valentine’s evening at the public library for Family Story time.  We all enjoyed it and it was nice to have friends to talk to on a night that was so hard for me.

I was OK while we were there, but heading home to a dark house without my Will beside me was very hard that night.  I stopped at the Post Office to check our post office box on the way home.  In the mail I found a red envelope addressed to me.  There was no return address.  I opened it and this is what I found…

Unwrapping His Grace @ surrenderedlvingnow.com

It was a Valentine card for me.  My heart leaped into my throat…

Front of card…

You’re a Blessing.
Sometimes our lives are blessed by people who are so special that we are happier just because we know them…

Unwrapping His Grace @ surrenderedlivingnow.com

Inside it read…
And you’re one of those very special people.  Happy Valentine’s Day.

The following note was written in it…
Dear Mary,
I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.  And your God will meet all of your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
Happy Valentine’s Day to my beloved,
it was signed…

JESUS

Jesus!  It was signed Jesus! A love letter/card from my Savior on the night I needed it so much!

There were 7 Scripture references listed on the facing page for me to read for love and encouragement.

(tears)  There was a $20 Wal-Mart gift card enclosed which was an answered prayer as well…one I had just prayed on the way to the post office!

I am in awe.  And once again the tears streamed down my face as God’s powerful presence wrapped around me.  I was not alone.  He was there with me in a very real way.  Whoever sent it on Jesus’ behalf has no idea how deeply they have touched my heart.

These were just two examples of the very tangible ways God reached out through dear people who were listening to God’s leading.  Simple things that were so very powerful in my life that day…acts of love that I will never forget.  It doesn’t have to cost any money.  It could be stopping in our busy days and listening to someone who is hurting or praying with them and listening to the Lord’s leading on just what to say.

God moments are so powerful.

This week, as we have begun the Lenten season (the 40 days leading up to Holy Week and Easter/Resurrection Sunday), I feel God leading me to urge all of us to focus on being more aware of His presence in our lives.  Isn’t it amazing that He loved us SO much when we were still unloveable to come to this earth and endure life as a human being and then to take our punishment for our sins including being executed all because of HIS LOVE for us…His deep desire to spend all eternity with us?

Here’s the thing…during this Lenten season, I feel led to reflect on that love and the fact that He doesn’t just want to spend eternity with us after we leave this earth!  He wants to spend every moment of every day and every night with us while we are here too! Isn’t that a powerful truth!??

He loves on us through His Word and the people around us.  And He also loves on others through us…when we follow His leading to reach out to someone even when it may not make any sense to us why we are doing what He calls us to do.  We may not always know the impact of following His leading. But God does.  And the person we reach out to does.  Trust me!

What an amazing thing to be a participant!  When we surrender ourselves to be totally available to Him.  Amazing things are possible.  The seemly simple becomes a God Moment…for us or for someone else.

I only went the post office that night because I felt the Lord leading me to do it.  I don’t normally go after dark, but for some reason, I felt God nudging me to stop on the way home…so I did.  And I am SO glad that I followed His leading!

I pray that this week we become aware of God Moments in our lives.  The little things that could easily be overlooked as well as the bigger moments…because in all reality anytime our Savior reaches out and touches our lives is a huge moment.

A God Moment.

Have you ever experienced a God Moment that you would like to share with us?  I would LOVE to hear about it!!!  Please share your story in the comments below!  You never know how your story will encourage or impact someone else.  And they always encourage me!  Or if my story has encouraged you, I would love to hear about it too.  You bless my heart with your comments!

For those who are joining me in the Blessing Journal Challenge, I will share the journaling guides in the next post…

If you haven’t joined me in this Blessing Journal Challenge for 2013 and would like more information you can find out more here.  And the rule is…you start with today!  There is no “catching up” or guilt for not completing all the weeks.  And what I share in the guides are just that…a guide…you journal about what the Lord leads you to write/create.

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Sitting at the feet of Jesus with so much to learn,

Mary Joy

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The Better Mom Monday Link-Up