She Noticed…

Tuesday mornings we gather early in the shop to pray and meditate with God’s Word. Currently we are working our way through the Gospel of John asking God what He wants us to know, feel, and do.

We light the candle…

Take a few minutes to center our thoughts and minds on Jesus…

And begin reading John 6…

The rhythm of our practice settles into place as Gospel words are spoken aloud. We listen. We spend silent moments prayerfully seeking God in the text. We share what we’ve heard and seen.

I notice the full circle reality of how our friendship began. A momma (that’s Carol) comes to the youth director (that’s me) to share her t-shirt idea. Turns out God was inviting us to study His Word (now a discipleship study) and develop a relationship based solely on our faith in Him.

Over a decade has passed since the day she came to my office, and the heart of our friendship remains. I am sure neither of us imagined what we live today. Our weekly meeting in an upstairs Sunday school room continues in a business/ministry God has provided.

We read John 6 once more, asking God what one thing He wants us to do. I pen a breath prayer in the silence. We begin our discussion, and her answer to the do question is invest. “God wants me to continue to invest in the things that grow me closer to Him.”

I share breath prayer words.

Lord you are the Bread of life (inhale) …
in you I am abundantly satisfied (exhale).

She looks at me and softly speaks, “Your prayer is fruit of a life well invested.”
Tears well, and I am not sure why. But I know now.

She noticed though I’m unsure if she knows the words she spoke were God’s gift of encouragement to me. Because I’ve been wondering lately. Questioning everything He calls me to do and letting go of stuff I hold dear. Asking when I awake in this new place why I still miss the old. Wondering about my purpose when the house feels empty with no sound of teens, no reason to stay up late waiting for headlights to signal, “I’m home!”

I didn’t approach the morning feeling blue. Nor were all these things running through my thoughts. Honestly, I didn’t even know what I needed in those moments of meditation.

But she noticed, and she spoke what God revealed. And through her words I was reminded God notices too.

Perhaps that’s what we all need. We need to be noticed. Not because of our accomplishments or success but for who we are on the messiest, ordinary days. We’re designed with a deep longing to be noticed by God and, in turn, to notice Him right back.

Let me ask you… or encourage you to notice.
Notice who God is.
Notice who you are.
And take care-full notice of those God puts in your life.

This is the way to begin living the freedom of a transformed life in Jesus.