EMULATE

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

Well I had the truck all gassed up, golf clubs and shoes in the bed, a new “pre-owned” driver (a gift from the kids) in the bag, even some new Callaway “ERC” golf balls ready go and then I got the "text".  My playing partner, colleague, “daughter” and friend Marisa’s little girl’s recent bout with mono was pulling nurse mama back from the links today. 

Now before you start thinking that we were goofing off, it was a ‘business’ golf kind of day.  Marisa is one of the brightest minds and softest hearts in all of OHIO and I treasure her insight and wisdom when it comes to the myriad of things, we engage together in this recovery world.  But I will be transparent, after about 4 weeks on the road, I was looking forward to a little golf even if the work needed to be mixed in. 

Oh well.

But as I made my U-TURN and ventured back home, I took a little time to pray for Marisa and her daughter and the Lord again reminded me of just how precious my friend Marisa is to so many, her daughter included. 

Marisa embodies all that is inspiring about recovery.  Her story is one of perseverance and dedication.  She is one of the most selfless people I have ever encountered.  She just shares.

Why just a couple of weeks ago my wife, Dr. D. was slated to journey down to Florida to support and share in a little fun with my nieces and brother-in-law.  Yet when Beth arrived at the airport, she was informed her flight was canceled and the next available flight to Orlando on her airline, Spirit, was 2 days away.

And that wasn’t going to work.

So, I called Marisa.  She travels a ton; I mean a ton.  And sheepishly asked her if she had some Southwest points I could leverage for Beth.  Without hesitation she went to work.  She shared her points, even booked the flight.  And because she too was headed to the airport that day she went early to meet my wife for coffee and encouragement.  And when I tried to pay her for the points, she canceled my FBOOK transfer.

That is just a small and superfluous story, but it personifies Marisa’s makeup. 

She shares.

She serves.

She is hospitable and loving to others.

She loves Jesus.

And if she can help even in the smallest of ways, she helps.

Made me think of this quote from ORTBERG, “If you can't do great things, Mother Teresa used to say, do little things with great love. If you can't do them with great love, do them with a little love. If you can't do them with a little love, do them anyway. Love grows when people serve.”

The Bible puts it this way…

use your freedom to serve one another in love; that’s how freedom grows. For everything we know about God’s Word is summed up in a single sentence: Love others as you love yourself. That’s an act of true freedom. – from Galatians 5:13 (MSG)

So, while I am a little disappointed about the golf today, I am grateful for the U-TURN because it recalled all the things that I appreciate about my friend.  It allowed me to pause and serve her and her daughter in love and prayer.  And I can imagine that GOD has something different for me to do this morning.  I will have to wait and see what that is.

And while I love extoling the virtues of my friend and colleague, I want you to take away a little more.

Emulate her.

Serve another today in love.

I know it is a familiar theme of the OFH for sure, probably one that if I went back and did a word search on the 1900+ entries, it would return a fair share of blogs around this theme.  But the message doesn’t lose is resonance in its familiarity.

Let’s all learn from Marisa today.

Embrace our FREEDOM in CHRIST and SHARE.

Serve someone.

Love will GROW.

It will.

It already has for me.

I love you all!

Opportunities for Hope