His banner over me is love...

Last February for Valentine's Day, we had a party at our house for all of the girls we know who didn't have someone to be with or somewhere to go that evening.  My desire was for them to feel romanced by the Lover of their soul!   As Kandi put it a while back, this is "Singles Awareness Day" for them, and doesn't feel so great! 

 It was so fun decorating, making things sparkle and thinking up little favors, to remind them how captivating they were.  About 19 gals came.  That morning I asked the Lord for a theme or a verse or some meaningful thought that would pull it all together succinctly.  Out of the blue that really old song, "He brought me to the banqueting house, his banner over me is love........"  popped into my head.  I looked up the verse and it just resonated with the 'take away' I 

wanted them to have in their hearts when they left.  Wow, thanks!   

Bought some big white heart shaped doilies, wrote the verse on sideways  and attached a long stick to the rounded side.  Voila, a banner!   Stuck them in the gift bags, which were going to be taken as they left.  

But there was this prompting to tell about it early, during dinner.  Told the story and then of how in England when the Queen is in residence in one of her palaces/homes, a banner is flown over it for all to see and know she is in that specific place at that time.  

Eileen, a friend that had had a really rough year with a nasty divorce and a fragmented situation with her children started telling us that she almost turned around and didn't come.  She was so discouraged and felt like she wouldn't be any fun and really didn't want to have any fun that night.  A reminder of her unwanted/rejected condition was horrible.  But she came anyways and her heart leapt and quickened at the banner story for she had begged the Lord to give her something that would give her hope and courage, something specific for her, so she would know He intimately cared.  He gave her THAT VERSE!   She too hadn't thought about it or heard that song in ages.  

It was our good God, moving in me, to move in her and move in that room of captivating, wanted, lovely, loved women and let them know, they are not alone.  They are romanced, invited to dance, cared for, delighted in.   It was amazing!  

If you get a nudge, go with it, it might just be the missing piece that someone else needs. Blessing each other is sometimes a simple offer,

     blowing on a dying ember,

        a cup of tea,

          an encouraging word, 

             a short simple note,

                lunch, 

                  a hug,

                    and sometimes a story...........

Your story is more important than you'll ever know!