Ripples of God’s Love       by Ree Cathy

 

Ree Cathy writes the newsletter for Keysville UMC, a church I served several years ago. Recently, her son, died. The following story shares valuable ideas on how to cope when we are seriously hurting. My prayer is that you find something helpful in this story for your church and for you.

 

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About a month ago, my sister’s good friend Alma shared an idea that her pastor had given his congregation: that we each have our own “God Room” where we can store things that are too hard for us to handle alone. There, we can give God anything that’s hurtful or sad or too hard for us to understand, and ask Him to take care of it for us. When we’re ready, God will give us the healing and the understanding that we can’t find on our own.

 
My sister then shared this idea with me, and right away I knew it was just what I needed to hear. I knew I should “let go and let God” handle things; but having the picture in my mind of a room with a door has helped me so much. I’ve put a big load in my God Room already – all the questions and sadness and problems that I had been carrying around. I imagine myself closing the door and telling God to please handle it all for me, and He does. What a huge relief!

 
Since then, I’ve shared this picture with friends; and I’m sure they’ve done the same thing with people they know. Beginning with Alma’s pastor, and then Alma, my sister, myself, and now others – this powerful image of God’s love ripples out to more and more people who need to hear it. All we have to do is to tell them how much God loves them, and how much He wants to help.

 
Yesterday I called the DMV with a long story and a complicated question about selling our son’s car; and after a long wait I was greeted by a woman named Shirley. As soon as I heard her voice, I knew she was kind and that she would want to help me; and she did. By the time I hung up, I was in tears; she knew we had lost our son, and I knew her daughter was fighting breast cancer. We encouraged each other to keep trusting God, and we promised to pray for each other’s families. That call had blessed us both – all because we were willing to share how much God loves us, and how much we need His help.

 
Like a drop in a pond, just a tiny piece of God’s love spreads out and out – and reaches farther than we could ever have imagined. What can He do with that little piece that you share? A lot!

 


2 Comments

Jenny Tibbs · April 15, 2012 at 10:31 am

Since we just lost our son, I surely needed this message.

    larrydavies · April 16, 2012 at 10:33 am

    I had you in mind as I read this story. I cannot imagine a more difficult circumstance to recover from. My prayers are with you.

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