My first adventure of the year, number 3, on January 9. The challenge came from a sweet friend and co-worker, Abi. Number 3 encouraged me to “Send an anonymous letter to an acquaintance telling them someway that they have made an impact in my life.” I prayed about it for a week and decided to write a childhood friend who I haven’t seen in a while.
I wrote the letter on January 16 and dropped it into the mail the following Monday. I decided to not make it anonymous as anything coming out of Arkansas was going to be a big clue. 🙂 I decided to own it completely and be as encouraging and uplifting as I could be.
I love snail mail so this was a fun adventure for me! Plus, it brought up sweet memories of junior high and high school with my friend. 🙂 We met in 7th or 8th grade and made it through our teenage years together. She’s a precious wife and mom now and I have been blessed to call her my friend for the past 24 years. We haven’t lived in the same state for years, but I know that we’d pick right back up where we left off!
Scripture says a lot about building each other up. I think that’s why this adventure brought me so much joy! My spring semester is always crazy with everything student housing. This goal forced me to slow down and focus on building up a sister-in-Christ. “Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:11. “So then we pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another.” Romans 14:19. “But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called ‘Today,’ so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.” Hebrews 3:13.
Last weekend when I was home, my parents received a similar note from someone in their church. Because of my Dad’s health, they haven’t been able to worship in person for a while. A fellow member took time out of their day to write my parents and introduce themselves. This brought my parents so much joy and reminded me of my adventure. It made me wonder how many people in my own congregation haven’t been able to come to church for similar reasons. The Lord stirred my heart to continue my number 3 adventure but with a slightly different twist. I was given a list of women (from a friend at church), a mixture of ladies I know and have never met. The first letter was written this weekend.
May I always find the time to build up the Body of Christ. Who will you encourage and build upthis week?
Adventures of a Single Pretzel 