Was I the one?

I work in a three-story office building. Since I'm so quiet and shy -- not -- nearly everyone on my floor is a 'friend' on some level. A couple years ago, there was a lady down the hall that I smiled and said Hi to nearly every day. We would chat in the hall or on bathroom breaks when we ran into each other. I felt drawn to her and enjoyed our casual friendship at work.

After a year or so, she asked if she could come over to my house on Saturday. I was excited because she had such a sweet spirit, I was glad to take our friendship to another level. She came over and we had coffee. She wanted to let me know she was moving back to New Jersey. She said she had been here a year and never really made friends. She said that she didn't make friends easily and my daily smiles in the hall and our little chats were all that got her through the past year.

I started crying because God had burdened my heart for this dear woman and I didn't step out to answer the call. She started crying and said, No its not like that, she just felt very seriously about letting me know what a blessing she thought I had been to her. She said while it may seem like a small thing to me that it was a huge thing to her. While she may not hold me accountable for being a better friend, God and I had a lot of work to do over this!

I'm not as good as I'd like to be about going deeper in friendships, I'm better than I was. God is still working on me though. This was all brought back to me this past week. The day following our Are You the One meeting, the person I felt God was leading me to create an intentional friendship with told me she was moving on to another job and leaving my building. It felt like God was saying, "Now or Never Helen?" I answered, "Now, God!" I felt like Samuel, "Speak God, I'm listening."

She and I had talked about kids, life and had coffee together for nearly three years. We always talked about getting together but never got around to it. So the day after our meeting, God gave me the perfect opening.

My daily Bible reading on Wednesday was about Jehoram. He was a selfish king of Judah who lived like the old kings of Israel - selfishly. After 8 years as king, he still had no friends. When he died, no one cared. The Bible says "to no ones regret". We are being called out now to walk with God, to stop living selfishly. Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick." We are to reach out, get out of our comfort zone. He doesn't want us stuck in a Church, Home, and Work Rut.

I hope you are taking this charge seriously, don't be like I was. Don't wait until you "get around to it". Get after it people!

I'm praying for you! ~Helen :)

Doing What We're Supposed To Be Doing

I love M. Night Shyamalan's films. One of my favorites is Unbreakable. In one scene, the dialogue goes like this:

DAVID: (To Elijah) This morning was the first morning I can remember, that I didn't open my eyes and feel that sadness.

ELIJAH: (To David) That little bit of sadness in the morning you spoke of? I think I know what that is. Perhaps you're not doing what you're supposed to be doing.

I think a lot of times we find ourselves introspective and closed off to people because we're trying to figure out what we're supposed to be doing for God. We're like M. Night's David who isn't fulfilling his destiny—his calling to help others. It's because we waiting for God to come to us and show us what to do, all the while, He is sending people by us all the time.

Who has God sent by you today? Did you stop them and say something? Maybe it's time we do what we're supposed while we're figuring out what we're supposed to be doing. Perhaps in doing for others, we'll discover there is no difference. Then, we'll wake up in the morning with joy.

On ONE

One. Some consider it the loneliest number. I disagree. Those who feel one is a lonely number view it only from a fallen perspective. They have no real concept of the ONE God. They have yet to experience the ONE baptism. They have no clue what its like to have ONE Master. They cannot comprehend ONE faith, or ONE way to eternal life. And it's all because they don't know the ONE savior and are not part of the ONE family of God. But ONE thing is for certain, these are the ONES we need radically give to and serve. That ONE needs you to be the ONE in their life that forever changes the course of their ONE life.

But you maybe asking yourself the same question I am asking, "How can I be the ONE?"

Here is what Paul tells the ONES in Ephesus. I believe it may speak boldly to us as we live out the ONE life and the ONE call Christ given each of us.

In light of all this, here's what I want you to do. While I'm locked up here, a prisoner for the Master, I want you to get out there and walk—better yet, run!—on the road God called you to travel. I don't want any of you sitting around on your hands. I don't want anyone strolling off, down some path that goes nowhere. And mark that you do this with humility and discipline—not in fits and starts, but steadily, pouring yourselves out for each other in acts of love, alert at noticing differences and quick at mending fences.
You were all called to travel on the same road and in the same direction, so stay together, both outwardly and inwardly. You have one Master, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who rules over all, works through all, and is present in all. Everything you are and think and do is permeated with Oneness. Ephesians 4:1-6 (The Message)

The beauty of it all is that we only have ONE message to share. We only have ONE task to complete. And the best part about it is we all go down ONE road together. No ONE has to do this or even be alone. Not only are you the ONE, but you are a part of the ONE.

So, I urge you brothers and sister, be ONE today. -AO