2 Corinthians 4:6
For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God's glory displayed in the face of Christ.
Unexpected, but so welcomed, I receive a handwritten thank you note from a dear friend who takes me up on my recent offer to provide church libraries with copies of my novels. The words she pens confirm the prodding I felt from God to do so.
Dear Martha,
Thank you so much for your books! I appreciate your kindness so very much!
May God keep using you to His glory and to bless others as you often bless me.
My breath is taken away . . .
That I bless others? Oh, yes, Lord, that's what I long to do, and that someone, this delightful and selfless friend in Christ, takes the time to acknowledge my purpose? There are no words to express my thanks for that!
As Christian bloggers and readers, we truly do strive to make a difference in this world for the sake of Christ Jesus. It is my motivation, my calling, my drive. I'm sure it's yours, too, whether you blog or not, never allowing a day to go by without thanking God for all His blessings too infinite to number.
But grateful and humble, we must be, every time God graces what we say and do with the light of His glory.
And amazingly, within a week of receiving the first handwritten thank you, another arrives from a devoted blogger, Pastor Bill (You can connect with him here and here), thanking me for my contribution to his upcoming cycling marathon to benefit MS research.
Martha,
Words fail me (Surprise, surprise!). Thanks again for supporting my MS ride with your donation. I hope it, and all the others, will go toward finding a cure.
I appreciate your heart.
My heart is appreciated? Again, I am blown away, and so very grateful for these words of affirmation.
And when heartfelt thanks and encouragement come from treasured friends, it assures me that I'm on the right track.
God's track.
Amen!
Welcome back from your travels. Hope you had a great short holiday.
ReplyDeleteI like your post today since it re-affirms my belief that our role as Bloggers is to spread God's Word as far as possible through the Internet. Today's world is a sad world. There is a lot of negativity whether in politics, business, religion or in other spheres too. The internet is full of negativity. Our Blogs should be beacons of light in a dark world.
Your books are a beacon of light too. And the work that you do will help someone somewhere without you even knowing about it.
Thanx and God bless you.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your kind words here, Victor. Yes, our blogs should be, as you say, those "beacons of light in a dark world." I know yours is for me, and I thank God everyday for His gift of writing, that I can share His love through my books and my blog.
DeleteLove and blessings!
Thanks Martha for the shout out. I think I failed to send a thank you for the books you sent to our church library also. Hit me with a wet noodle. But you are right. Notes are much appreciated. Writing notes of thanks or caring is such a dying art with texting and email. I still prefer that hand-written note.
ReplyDeleteNot to worry about the book thank you, Bill! But yes, the handwritten note is a dying art in many respects, hence the joy in actually receiving one. So glad I could give you a shout out here today!
DeleteLove and blessings!
Martha, I need to get better at writing thank you notes. I received a couple shortly after after doing some additional volunteering and the joy it brings knowing the impact it has. The notes are unexpected, but deeply appreciated.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing and thanks for the reminder.
Yes, Ryan, thank you notes, especially when they come out of the blue, are infinitely appreciated. They've just become far less frequent because of the ease of email; but that makes them all the more special. Get writing! :)
DeleteLove and blessings!
Martha Jane, you are a blessing to all who stop here and read you blogs. Thank you for always lifting me up!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Terri, for your sweet words here! So glad you enjoy the blog, my friend.
DeleteLove and blessings!
Amen sister! There is an anointing on you and your writing you can always tell...because it brings honor and glory to God and it touches the heart in a specific way and brings change. God bless you always and keep writing...so many need to hear the message of hope, love and salvation!! xoxoxoxo
ReplyDeleteOh, Marla, your kind and encouraging words have absolutely touched my very heart and soul. I will keep on writing, that's for sure, as I know it's my calling from God. I want to give Him all the glory for His gift to me. So grateful to be able to take those "talents" and invest them well in this life.
DeleteLove and blessings!
Thank you, Martha. This really affirms to me that I need to keep following the nudges God puts in my heart and asking Him to give me the right words. Yes, you truly are a blessing and you do make such a difference to many. The lessons of love and grace in your books are still warming my heart. Love and blessings to you!
ReplyDeleteOh, Trudy, those lessons of love and grace . . . indeed, absolutely and completely inspired by the Holy Spirit. I feel I have grown so much spiritually since I first began penning these novels, but as I'm reading them to granddaughter, Virginia, I realize how God spoke to my heart then, leading me gently but firmly, to that place where I would blossom. He met my needs before I even knew how to ask. So happy God is speaking to you through the novels!
DeleteLove and blessings!
Like 'cycle guy' I'm so remiss in expressing my appreciation. Thank you for your cheerful countenance and gentle reminders. Some days I forget the importance of expressing my own random acts of kindness.
ReplyDeleteOh, Mevely, don't forget your acts of kindness! Have you ever considered keeping a gratitude journal? You simply write down a minimum of three things for which you are grateful each day. It is truly transforming, and will bring you closer to God, guaranteed. So gratified today that you enjoy my blog!
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Martha, what an amazing blessing! Thank you for the reminder of the value of a hand-written note. I'm so bad about NOT sending thank yous...so bad. Please know that you are a blessing to me. We are blessed by God to be a blessing.
ReplyDeleteLove and blessings!
Kim, we are, indeed, "blessed by God to be a blessing." You have been that to me, dear friend, as you well know. And yes, receiving these notes has convicted me in so many ways to return to the conventional thank-you note sending when someone does or says something kind and/or helpful. I envision praying for that person as I write - a great image!
DeleteLove and blessings!
Yes, that is nice indeed. I am so aware of how other people bless my life, as someone did yesterday evening. I try to always acknowledge that and let people know that what they gave to my life is valued. But we are often unaware of how we bless others. Very nice to have that reflected back to you!
ReplyDeleteGalen, at the risk of blowing my own horn, yes, it is so amazing to actually hear from others that we have been a blessing. It's what I want to do in this life, whether or not the accolades come, but when they do, it's definitely the icing on the cake. Just let's me know, as the title says above, that I'm on the right track.
DeleteLove and blessings!
Martha, how special! It’s so good to receive encouragement. You certainly deserve it!
ReplyDeleteBeckie, as human beings, I believe we all need encouragement. We love to get it, but we should, in turn, be quick to give it. God intended all of us to be in relationship with Him and with each other. When those things are in balance, I do believe encouraging other believers, and even those not yet there, fulfills His purpose for us.
DeleteLove and blessings!
Martha, you might not know til heaven how your generosity has impacted people from here to there.
ReplyDeleteBless you for sharing your writings, your books, your heart.
For sure, God loves a cheerful giver. And that is who you are!
Thank you so much, Linda, for your kind and thoughtful words here! A cheerful giver . . . oh, how I try to be, and with God's help, I will continue to give to others with joy.
DeleteLove and blessings!
You may not realize how much you bless this world, Martha, but all of us see it very clearly. I love to visit your uplifting blog, and you are truly making a positive, Godly difference. Keep up the great work!
ReplyDeleteOh, Cheryl, you are too kind! But yes, if I'm lifting up others through my writing, that is ever reason enough to get up in the morning and treasure the day ahead. To God be the glory!
DeleteLove and blessings!
Encouragement from others prodded by God! We all love what you have to say and how you show us the way to live. Selfless. You bless me!
ReplyDeleteBlessings, My Friend!
Oh, goodness, Loralu, your words touch my heart so! You bless me, too, my friend, in all your blog posts. Always look forward to gleaning wisdom and inspiration from you.
DeleteLove and blessings!
I am thankful for you, dear friend!
ReplyDeleteAs I am for you, Jean! Looking forward to seeing you soon. :)
DeleteLove and blessings!