God Encounter

….and I lift up my friends Peter and Linda who are ministering to their prodigal daughter, Jackie, and I pray that You would meet Jackie where she is and draw her close to you and I lift up my children as they finish out their school week that they would be a blessing to others and that they would stay focused on you and the work you have for them right now and I pray for my husband to have peace in his workday and that you would give him wisdom to make decisions that honor you as he moves through his day and I pray for my friend Caroline who just started a new job and is being challenged and energized by the experience and I pray for my friend Karen as she ministers to her two little girls who are battling strep throat and I pray for healing for her two girls and I pray for my friend Katrina as she seeks to grow closer to you and I pray that you would guide me as I help her grow closer to you and I pray for wisdom and discernment as I reach out to the people in my workplace with the message of your saving grace and I pray that I would be keenly aware of you when you speak to me and please still my thoughts as I try to quiet my mind and listen for your voice ::gasp:: amen.

I just love you

Where did that come from? Is that God? If that’s God, why is he using a line from some long forgotten movie (the voice sounds like a woman) to talk to me? And, if it is God, what is His point? I need to be quiet and still and not think so much…..quiet…..quiet…..

I just love you

OK. God loves me. Yes, I know that. The Bible tells me that. What am I supposed to do about that? What does he want me to say to that? God, how do you want me to respond to that?

I just love you

Lord, I appreciate that, but when I think about that, I’m a bit taken aback by the thought that you could love me right now. You know how impatient and unkind my thoughts were about that lady in the car in front of me yesterday. You know I didn’t even crack my Bible open yesterday, except to find a verse to put on an art project. Heaven help me, you know I have been thinking way too much about Han Solo for the past few days!

I just love you

Father, I haven’t put any real effort into my relationship with you over the past week. I have distracted myself with guitar lessons, painting, reading, going to the gym and running errands. I’ve been singing praise songs with my Travis Cottrell CD in the car and I really love that, but I have put You on the back burner. I’m embarrassed.

I just love you

But I haven’t done any work on your behalf, either. I’ve started writing that Bible study, but haven’t written anything in weeks! I haven’t been reaching out to encourage my brothers and sisters in Christ, either! I’ve been picking up a woman’s children from school every day while she recovers from surgery, but I haven’t brought them dinner, even though I should have. I am supposed to be running a race, pressing forward, but I’m just strolling down the road. I am not being a good example.

I just love you

You love me. Exactly as I am, right now, with the sins I am struggling with, in the midst of my thoughtlessness and laziness. You just love me. I am supposed to rest in that and that alone, aren’t I?



I just love you




I love you, too, Abba. I just love you.