Daily Messages

A couple of months ago, I felt inspired to send out daily messages to those online whom I felt would enjoy them and appreciate them. I've been doing it almost every day now since then, and it has become something ritual for me, and a great blessing.

These messages that I type up (not copy-paste or forward) from the little book, Bedside Blessings by pastor-teacher Chuck Swindoll, are emailed each day to about 80 people. Right after I started sending them out, I did write everyone giving them ample invitation to "opt out," and only 3 people out of the 80 or so decided not to receive the messages. That was okay with me, and still is.

But oh what blessings I've had from having this opportunity to "connect" daily with so many people! God must have known what He was doing (of course, He did!) to lead me to this activity. No one can send something meaningful to so many people each day, but through this experience, I have been able to do just that!

The messages are short and sweet, contain commentary by Pastor Swindoll, and then a short Scripture. From these, so many people have written to me to tell me on certain days that a specific message was meant just for him/her! I might be typing up the message from my little book, thinking, "This message is pretty basic. I don't know if it will be that meaningful for anyone," when immediately comes an email back, telling me that the words touched a heart, told the same story they had lived with and struggled with. God just gifts me with these "feedback blessings" almost every day, and I love it.

One lesson went out with a plea to the reader that "you are not accidental! God has a plan for your life!" and I wondered, who might that speak to? Then a woman friend who has great suffering in her life wrote to me that she'd always been demeaned throughout her childhood with just those words!

A crusty, old cowboy-friend writes me almost every week telling me how these messages have touched his heart, telling me in a self-deprecating way that, "I need them more than most." I get to see a part of him that I never expected, that soft and tender, spiritual side. And I am blessed.

Lord, You knew what I did not. Today, I look back and think, "What a silly thing to do?! Why did I have that idea? That nudge?"

And then I reread the precious notes sent back to me that have nothing at all to do with surface observations or facades. They have everything to do with hurt, grief, deep thinking, the basest level of their being where they yearn for God, hunger for what is real. I can look into those hurting hearts, those honest spaces within the readers, when they reflect back to me how a message touched them, for a brief moment, and I relish the true spirit of mankind.

Thank You, Jesus for this immeasurable and unspeakable Gift.

And thank you, Pastor Swindoll.

If anyone reading this doesn't receive these daily messages but would like to, please just give me your email...