Access

I am a firm believer in legacy- I believe if we don’t take the time to allow others access to us and all that we are, then we are missing the point of this whole thing we call ‘life’. Thus, my goal in living ‘Open’ is to allow the ones God sends me to take the best of me and learn from the rest of me.  As a result of this belief I am always on the look out for that special ‘someone’ that God lays out for me to spend extra time with and invest in.

So it was that a few days ago, when I felt prompted to contact a new friend and tell her that she could feel free to call anytime, I didn't hesitate. Her reaction to my text was to call me immediately (which confirmed for me that I really had heard the Holy Spirit instead of last night’s pizza).

I didn’t do anything, mind you, except give her permission to contact me without worrying about being a ‘bother’ but it was something she needed to hear. She needed a reminder that God cared about her day to day life in a significant way. I dare say that my words brought hope.

I don’t think many people recognize the incredible impact made by the simplest of gestures or words when they are inspired by the Holy Spirit.  When I was a young mother there was a time when I was stuck in the hospital, having just come out of a 14 hour long brain surgery, plagued by seizures as my brain adjusted to the removal of a large tumor. The seizures were so intense that they would completely paralyze my entire right side for hours at a time. Just as I regained movement in my fingers, another seizure would strike. After two days of this, I looked to my mother who was at my side and the family friend who had come to pray with us and confessed, “I think I’m all out of faith.” My mom’s quick and firm reply was, “Don’t you worry about that. I have enough faith for the both of us.”  At this, I was able to shed my tears and again hope that God would come through. My mom understood that not all gifts are tangible. Sometimes, you can only give the gift of a peaceful presence.

Right before Jesus died, he told his disciples and friends, “I do not give to you as the world gives.” As we endeavor to pass our lives on to those God sends our way, it is easy to forget that in addition to practical skills, acts of service, and conventional wisdom, we have something that is worth more than gold: our time and our presence. Jesus taught prayer and ministry and theology, yes. But the truest gifts he gave those he mentored were His time and His peace. Don’t be shy about calling someone up and asking them out for coffee or ice cream. Exposure to us will teach more than mere words in an email- it will teach them to ‘not be afraid’ of life’s storms.

-Zonoma

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

-John 14:27