DAY 31 with Teresa Ann:
(Scroll down to the bottom of this page to see where you can hear this via podcast).
TO NOT FORGET IS TO REMEMBER
We have many friends who have served our country. On this Memorial Day, I received a message from one of our great warriors, who served as a Marine. He replied to my text as I had sent him a message expressing my gratefulness. Here are his words. May we do as he urged me, as he remembered his own brothers he lost:
HIS RESPONSE:
“Thank you for the nice thoughts. For me, today, it is not about those of us who were blessed by GOD to come home to our family, friends and country. Today (Which is like everyday for me but more reflective and honoring than the others), I remember my brothers in arms that made the ultimate sacrifice, for most of the time, for people they did not even know. They died protecting those who could not protect themselves.
They gave up being a son, brother, father or husband. Today I do my best to hug and thank the families that were left behind.
The moms and dads that buried their sons, their daughters. The brothers and sisters that no longer share good times with their brother or sister. The wife that honored her husband while he was away in hopes of his return for a kiss and an embrace again. The children that only have a memory of someone who made them and will never feel how much their Daddy loved them and will never see them graduate; the daughters that will not be walked down the aisle by their father who would have been so proud; their sons who did not get to show their dad that they could be a great dad just like he was.
So thank you for thanking me, but please hug as many as you can and pray for everyone you know that was left behind; because they are living with the memory of the one they loved who made the ultimate sacrifice. Please remind as many as you can and thank as many as you can. Their sacrifice lives through our memory.
I feel like my brothers did what Jesus did; but Jesus died for so much more and for a bigger battle: for us to have a relationship with HIS Father. My brothers died so that people could live as a body within the earth. Their death gave others the opportunity to know GOD and HIS blessings. They died not only to protect others, but many of those who survived will get to know GOD because of their sacrifice. Many will be witnesses to others and go into the world and make more disciples because someone they didn’t even know saved their life.”
REFLECTION OF THE WORD WITH HOLY SPIRIT:
John 15; John 15:13; Proverbs 17:17
LET’S TALK:
- Do you see the ultimate sacrifice of our Jesus today?
- Do you see the humility in this Marine’s response to being honored?
- This makes me wonder of all those who will never even ask for help. With that said, I know a few service families who just don’t know how to reach out for help as I’ve heard them say, “We just need people to show up, because many times we don’t even know what we really need.”
- With this reminder, it’s such a principle with life. Whatever people are going through, whether it’s cancer, or through sickness, divorce, a loss of a child, a family member, a friend.
- We so need The Holy Spirit who shows us the needs of others so HE can show up through us. So often we often pray, “God show up and show out!” And He’s probably saying, “Well go show up so I can!” Even those within our own families; spouse, children, parents, siblings, friends, acquaintances and those we have never met.
- So with that, what do you want to share? Maybe a testimony of how someone has showed up and you saw GOD show up through their life or perhaps how you got to show up and allow GOD to show up in someone else’s life? Will you please share?
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