"Then Peter said, 'Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you.'" Acts 3:6a (NIV)

There was a season of my life that was very dark. When my baby sister died tragically and unexpectedly, my entire world flipped upside down.

What I once knew to be true suddenly became questionable.

Is God good? If so, why this? And if I never know why, how can I ever trust God again?

Hard questions. Honest questions. Questions that haunted me.

Until one day I got a note from a friend. A girl I not-so-affectionately called my "Bible friend." She honestly got on my nerves with all her Bible verse quoting. I wasn't on good terms with God at that point in my life. I didn't want to believe God even existed. And I certainly wasn't reading the Bible.

I made all of this very known to my Bible friend. But in her gentle, sweet, kind way - she kept slipping me notes of truth with gently woven verses tucked within.

And one day, one verse cracked the dam of my soul. Truth slipped in and split my hardhearted views of life open just enough for God to make Himself known to me.

I held that simple note with one Bible verse scribbled on the front as the tears of honest need streamed down my cheeks. My stiff knees bent. And a whispered "Yes, God" changed the course of my life.

My Bible friend had reached me. And because of her, I'm determined to use my words as a gift to others who may be in hard places - like a friend of mine who recently told me she is struggling with feeling she has no real purpose.

Life rushes at her each day with overwhelming demands. Everything feels hard, with very little reprieve.

If ever there were a drowning with no water involved, this is where my friend is.

Maybe you have a hurting friend, too.

So I sat down to write my friend a card and send her a little gift. I desperately wanted to love her through my words. My heart was full of care, compassion and a strong desire to encourage but I struggled to translate all I felt on paper.

As I prayed about it, the word "loved" kept coming to mind.

Remind her she is loved. Remind her how much you respect her. Remind her she is a woman who has so much to offer. Remind her she is valuable and she is enough.

In Acts 3, Peter and John encountered a crippled man at the temple gate called Beautiful. They stopped. They noticed. They decided to touch. Riches weren't available to them but the ability to value was.

As our key verse of Acts 3:6-7a says, "'Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus of Nazareth, walk.' Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up ?"

Peter and John didn't have silver, but they had a hand to offer and value to give. The man in need was worth touching. The hurting one in need was a man who needed someone to see him as a man. The man in need had so much to offer. After he got up, he went into the temple courts praising God and stirring up wonder and amazement about God.

I want my friend to remember she, too, has praise left inside her for our God. She too can get up. She too can stir up amazement and wonder about our God.

Yes, she is loved and God has a good plan for her. It's my job to help her see that, just like my Bible friend did for me all those years ago.

I will never doubt the power of one woman reaching into the life of another woman with some written whisper of love.

Dear Lord, I'm so thankful for the relationships You've placed in my life. Would You help me discern what encouraging words my friend needs to hear today? I want to show her Your love. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

***

TRUTH FOR TODAY:

1 Thessalonians 5:11, "So speak encouraging words to one another. Build up hope so you'll all be together in this, no one left out, no one left behind." (MSG)

RELATED RESOURCES:

Remind a friend she is valued, loved and beautiful with the Proverbs 31 Ministries "Live a Life of Love" Gift Set. Each set contains a piece of stationary, a frameable print and two Scripture cards so she can take God's Truth with her wherever she goes. Get one for a friend here.

Learn more about intentionally investing in your relationships with Lysa's book, The Best Yes. Purchase your copy here.

REFLECT AND RESPOND:

Which friend comes to mind when you think of someone who needs encouragement? Ask the Lord to give you the words that are specific to her needs in this season as you write a note to her this week.



 

© 2015 by Lysa TerKeurst. All rights reserved.