Proverbs 16:15 - "Friends"

The Lord took me back to Proverbs 16 today. I read it through in various versions but in The Living Bible He stopped me at verse fifteen. As I pondered on it, I thought of yesterday. 

• I  was so tired and not sure how I was going to get my mouth to work with my brain to teach the teens in Sunday School. He favored me with Adavee needing them to get ready for the cook-out. 
• When I heard Brian practicing the special, I fell to pieces. He favored me with sitting and listening to "You Make Me Brave" as I prayed for strength for the day. 
• In giving my annual report orally I started to fall apart and cry. He favored me with the reminder of these words, "During my nine months of going deeper the Lord revealed to me that I am called to be a Shepherd. I did not understand that at first because I am not ‘the’ pastor. But I soon realized I am your pastor in a different sense of the word. I love you, I do life with you, I comfort you, I encourage you and yes, I shepherd you. The Lord is expanding my life to include a new group of people to love on but know you will forever be in my heart and in my prayers."
• When Brian started singing "Friends" for us once again I started to cry but when our church family circled us and sang, I fell apart. He favored me with my husband being stronger and telling me I was going to miss a blessing.
• I am normally one of the last ones to eat at a church function. My role as servant is to serve. It felt weird to be the first in line and not to clean-up afterwards. He favored me not only with those things but most importantly He favored me with seeing others being servants.
• He favored me with having people come yesterday to be a part of our day. What a blessing to see Childers from Maryland, the Pittenger Ladies, Janice and the kids and Betty! He also favored me with having many of our church family with us yesterday.

Pastor James said yesterday was a day to celebrate and the tears should be saved for in two weeks on our final day at the Willard Church. I don't think he must have been looking my way because I sure struggled with crying yesterday. But the Lord reminded me this morning there is much to celebrate as I ponder over the last fifteen years. There is also much to celebrate as the Willard Church looks ahead to the future and as we look ahead to our future with our Beaufort Church. We have made many friends here in Willard and that is why the tears flow easily. It is hard to leave people we have done life with over the last fifteen years. Yesterday a couple who we did their wedding last year brought new life into this world. Those are the kind of things that develop friendships. In Doc's report he told the people to think of us as missionaries that they are sending out. We will always be a part of their family but just in a different part of the country. I like that idea!

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for yesterday! Thank You for today! Thank You for tomorrow! You are so awesome in the way You encourage me. Father, these are tough days for many as we prepare to leave. I pray You will bless them in abundance with Your peace. I also pray for more of You in me so I can have Your strength through these days. I was so hoping to sleep in today and when that didn't happen I started to get crabby. I am so tired. Lord, I don't want to be crabby. I don't want to cry. I want to bask in Your presence and be You to all I come in contact with today. Would You please fill me to overflowing so that will happen? Would You bless me in abundance with more of You oozing out of me? Thank You Jesus for continuing to be My Strength. Amen.