What Are You Doing With Your Dash?

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. John 3:16-17 ESV

Good Morning Girlfriends:

This word has been heavy on my heart for the past few weeks, as my family had went through a devastating time, one we truly did not expect but one we faced none the less.

One summer evening a friend of mine and I went for a drive, she wanted to show me the little country church where she used to attend for many years, just to see if it looked like they were still holding services there. We peeked in the windows to see if there had been any changes to the inside, but all that we could see were the old wooden pews with their songbooks still in place, the old wooden pulpit was still at the front of the room but it didn't look like it was being used.

We took a little walk behind the church to look at some of the old tomb stones that stood there, some were still in good shape as others were a little off kilter as they leaned to one side. Many names I did not recognize at all but there were a few names that sounded like people I might have known. Some of the dates that were on many peoples tomb stones showed that they had lived a long life, but to my surprise, there were quite a few tomb stones where the person had a very short life-span or none at all.

When I see things like this, I tend to think about that individuals life and what did they do for a living, or who were they and what were they all about. It's kind of the same thing that I would do If I was to go through an old house that was abandoned or a house being used as a museum for tourist to go through.

A few short weeks ago we awaited for the arrival of yet another sweet baby to be born into our family, which would make grandchild number twelve for me to join us. Waiting on standby for the phone call, I kept myself busy by doing a little touch up painting, when the call finally came. As I waited with excitement, the voice on the other end of the line had told me something I did not expect at all...the baby didn't make it.

Trying very hard to keep my composure, the tears just would not stay back, as I tried to reassure my son that everything was going to be okay. Sitting in that hospital room that day with the parents and the other grandparents of the baby, my thoughts had wandered to how precious life really is. Every breath that we take is truly taken for granted, as well as each day that we are alive.

Girlfriends, as I watched my son and his fiance' hold their sweet precious little one in their arms, tears filled every one of our eyes, knowing that this little one didn't really even have a "dash" so to say, as his little life was to began, it was ended at the same time. I began to internalize even deeper, just how very precious life truly is and what are we doing with it.

The word of God says in Job 1:21, "Naked I came from my mother's womb and naked I shall return there. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord." We who are still remaining are very much blessed to still have breath, so to me it is very important what we choose to do each day with our life. John 3:16 tells us that God sent His only son to die for us so that we would have eternal life, that is if we choose Him and what He came to earth to do for us. Matthew 19:14, where Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 18:10 says, "See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven." Jeremiah 1:5 says that before He even formed this sweet little one in his mother's womb, God knew him.

God has a great purpose and a plan for each and every one of us when we surrender our lives totally over to Him, and even though this little grandbaby didn't get the chance to live, he certainly has already served a great purpose even though we haven't seen the full manifestation of it yet. I believe within a very short time we will know the full reason why this happened the way it did, but I can truly and honestly say, that this sweet little one was and is still truly loved by everyone who was a apart of this. We were able to love on him, with hugs, kisses and many tears for three days, which was amazing to see how it had brought family and friends together in a totally different way. Little sweet precious one, you will always be loved by so many and never ever forgotten...til we meet again one day over on the other side.

Make the most out of your "dash" sweet girlfriends, you never know whose life you make impact or transform in some way. Be the light of Jesus wherever you go by sharing His love, His forgiveness, His acceptance and His story as well as your story of how He has transformed your life by knowing Him, Amen?

Let's Pray,

Father God, I want to thank You and Praise You for Your miraculous work and how You have made such a change in my life from serving You. I am totally blessed in so many ways and it is all because of You, You are a faithful God to those who love and serve You. Lord, I lift up every family who has went through a similar situation as this, Lord, I ask that you would sweep in and heal every part of brokenness within them. Lord I pray that their loneliness and ache would dissipate. Lord, I am interceding on each ones behalf, that You would bless each one who reads this with another precious little one in the right timing. Lord, Your word says that you give life and You take it away, so again, use each of us in our own special way to make the most of each day to make a difference in this world, just as You did when you walked the earth, and You still do in the lives of us who know and serve You. Lord, let each one of us reach out to others who may not know you, let us be your hands and feet extended in any way that we can, in the Mighty Name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

Be blessed and stay blessed as you pass on the blessings to others. Share your testimony of what God has done in your life.