Good morning…
On January 7th I received a very fun email: “We have a precious senior in high school who, for the past few years, raises money to purchase roses and Godiva chocolates and delivers them to our homebound church members for Valentine’s Day,” wrote a friend from the Pastoral Care department at Northside Church. “It is an enormous effort, but it means so much to all our folks. Every year I give her 60-70 names of folks who are 80+. This covers all of our dear widows and widowers and our homebound couples.”
“She has friends who want to help her this year and she has raised extra funds,” my friend explained. “She asked if we have other names of folks who may be lonely or struggling with the pandemic, grief, illness, but not necessarily homebound. I have pulled together a list of folks I know who might enjoy a Valentine in addition to our older group, but wanted to get your input. I know you are aware of others. Please let me know if you know of some people in our community who could use a little surprise Valentine on their doorstep! It is totally contactless!”
What an exciting email to receive. God brought to my mind men and women who continue to grieve the loss of a child, a spouse, a parent. Names came to me of people who are dealing with a difficult diagnosis, grueling medical treatments, and have reached out to me personally for prayer support. There are people I know and love who are adjusting to a divorce, job loss, anxiety, depression, or the isolation created by COVID. Names rose up from my heart to my head, traveling through my typing fingers into the hands of these compassionate high school cupids.
I made a generous list and checked it twice. Getting all of the correct mailing addresses was bit of a task. Praying for God’s love to spread with these tangible gifts felt empowering.
On Thursday, I received another fun email: “Good morning Sue,” she wrote. “I am assuming that these beautiful red roses that got delivered from Northside Church were from you. That was such a lovely surprise and I appreciate it so much. Every time I look at them I will think of our friendship and special connection. With much gratitude and love.”
“Oh, I am so grateful you received them!” I replied. “This is a precious project some seniors in a local high school orchestrate annually through our church. I just gave the names God laid on my heart, then these generous Valentine’s Day elves take care of the magic. Isn’t it an amazing gift?”
“And the chocolate pretzels, I love them too,” she responded. “That is so lovely. How great this love grows out of the souls of high school students!”
It is so great to see God’s power in action, poured through the hearts of caring young people. Thanks to their generous creativity nearly ninety individuals and couples in our community received red roses and Godiva chocolates laced with the love of God.
Accept life with humility and patience, making allowances for each other because you love each other. Make it your aim to be at one in the Spirit, and you will inevitably be at peace with one another. You all belong to one body, of which there is one Spirit, just as you all experienced one calling to one hope. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God, one Father of us all, who is the one over all, the one working through all and the one living in all (Ephesians 4:2-6, PHILLIPS).
…Sue…
P.S. I also want to thank all of you who purchased C-Glass Valentine’s gifts for your own special people. Corinne Adams raised nearly $3,000, which she is donating in its entirety to support Julie’s Dream, the non-profit organization carrying on the dream of our much-missed Northside Church friend, Julie Harlan. Because of your response to Corinne’s January/February efforts, many disadvantaged children and teens in Atlanta will experience the hope and love of Jesus Christ through awesome wilderness experiences and outdoor adventures. Thank you Julie, Corinne, and each of you, as together we multiply the expansive love of God.
