Tuesday, November 24, 2009

I should write...

Last week I received an e-mail from a new member in our Small Group at church. She is new to the area, (I know how that feels) a new Christian (again, I can totally relate) and feeling really inadequate in our group (totally know that feeling too). So I composed a nice e-mail, which I will share in a moment, but before I sent it I called my SG leader to make sure what I wrote was "ok". This person seems fragile right now, and my honesty can come off harsh at times... Some people love me for this, others, not so much.

Ok here is the initial e-mail I received all names have been removed to protect the innocent. It's long so I am going to edit it a bit..k?

I have something that I have attached to my desk that is good for me to read each morning, night or whatever. I am going to send it to you, Anyway, it is this...

Good Morning
I am God. Today I will be handling all of your problems.
Please remember that I do not need your help.
If the devil happens to deliver a situation to you that you cannot handle,
DO NOT attempt to resolve it. Kindly put it in the SFJTD (something for Jesus to do) box.
It will be addressed in MY time, not yours.
Once the matter is placed into the box, DO NOT hold on to it or attempt to remove it. Holding on or removal will delay the resolution of your problem.

LuckyWife, it's me again, we have a SFJTD box and it may sound silly but my whole family uses it, even my children, and sometimes just having it reminds us that God is in control and we just have to give it to Him. anyway, I know that I am not near where the rest of you are, and this may seem imature to the rest of you, but I just thought I would share some of what I am learning, I am really sorry I don't have the guts to speak in group. I am not sure I will stay, I think I may be in a whole different place than the rest of you, but anyway, thanks for listening to me at times and I think you are a really neat and sweet person. I will still read the next book and I will make sure to pay you for it, but please keep me in your prayer, I thought is was kind of neat, you got my card this week, I was actually thinking about you when I wrote it, I knew if anyone understood some of what I am going through it would be you. Just think though, mine are living with me permanently until, who knows, please pray. and thanks again.


So my reply:


Hi Small Group Friend,
I love that letter, I OFTEN need reminded of just that, I am not in control, and I need to let go of things so that Jesus can take care of it. The only problem with a SFJTD box at my house is that I would be tempted to read everything my kids write and then try and "help" Jesus by taking care of them myself, lol.

Wether you speak up or not, I would hate to see you leave the group, what makes our group so special is the very fact that everyone there is in a different place in their walk with the Lord. Imagine, a group of woman, in the same place, with the same knowledge... How would they grow? If they strayed, there would be no one with more experience, to guide them. And as they grow, they then woudl be given the opportunity to help someone else grow.

THink of it like this... Six woman all standing on a ledge of a mountian. Do you all reach for the next step at the exact same time? What if that next step was a tricky one? You all would slip and fall together.
Or six woman all standing on a ledge together, one person has been there before, and knows where the best step is... She can guide you and then you can help the next person to come along.

If you aren't comfortable in our group, I understand and take no offense, but consider that you might be exactally where you are meant to be.

Love Lucky Wife


Ok, yes, this is getting long, but the POINT of this story, YES I have one, was that my SG leader, the person I read this too before I hit the send button, she said, I should "write or something, like one of those on-line things" A blog? I asked, yeah, she said, I think that's what they are called...

3 comments:

  1. you know...you really should write one of those things. you'd be good at it.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I guess you're ahead of the game! Btw, I think your response to her was brilliant. I hope she is able to stay in your group.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I love the encouragement that you gave your new friend. I sure hope that she keeps attending. Your analogy was wonderful as well. I will remember this next time one of my friends or myself feels out of place at a church meeting.

    ReplyDelete