In a conversation with a friend who asked me if I had seen her mind, for surely she had lost it, I shared that it was in safe keeping, and then asked specifically how I could pray.  I had recently gone to my 8 year old’s school to hear her sing in her sweet little choir at the book fair.  I had this experience watching my daughter among the little girls and boys singing.  I zoned right into her and she was smiling so big and singing so loud she almost seem to be someone else.  I stared and thought – THAT is the embodiment of JOY.  Pure JOY!  I prayed that God would keep that image in my heart and mind for a lifetime.  It made me tear up and smile….giggle…..

Later that night when I was helping my friend find her mind (metaphorically mind you, no pun intended) I shared with her how lifting it is to hear little children singing and encouraged her to Pandora “kids songs” or watch a YouTube, for her to remember the pure joy of children.  Their innocence.  I had taken a video of them singing at Curtis and sent that to her over text.  Here was our text conversation: (she gave me permission to share)

Friend:  Sweet singing children definitely has a way of bringing a smile to your face.  I just got such a strong feeling of this is how precious God sees US.  Sometimes it’s just so hard to remember His faithfulness and His promises when you are in the middle of the storm.

Me:  Very true.  God sees you as precious.  Beautiful. Worthy. No matter what has been done or said.  The vilest offender has His love and mercy.  Away. Away. Wash all my sins away! I love that old hymn.

HERE IS THE AWESOME TEXT MESSAGE

Friend:  I don’t know if I’ve ever told you this, but a few years ago, I put a patient to sleep who I knew quite personally.  When she was waking up, she kept saying to me, Are you here?  I have something to tell you! When I was sleeping I had a visit in heaven and it was so incredibly peaceful and beautiful and bright with such brilliant colors, and Jesus gave me a message that He said I must tell you.  He said, “I love you so so very much” God told me to tell you – to make sure you knew.  Soon after, my Dad had his aneurysm and I kept going back to that promise and I just keep claiming it.  I don’t know why it impressed an amazed me so much to hear that He was thinking of me, and He loved me, but for Him to give her an audible message that she felt compelled to tell me the moment she opened her eyes, was simply amazing.  Ironically enough, when Dad was finally able to talk after waking up from his aneurysm and being in the ICU forever, he told us that he too had visited heaven and he described it exactly the same way that she did.  The colors, the peace, the singing.  God is so incredible.

This text was so beautiful to me, because it was a reminder of how God knows what we need even before we need it, and he is never too late or too early.  Jesus loves you so very much.  Close your eyes or go outside and look up at the heavens and talk to Him.  Hear Him whisper, “I love you!”  Add your name to the sentence….”I love you ______!”  Every day He tells us over and over again of His love.  Slow down enough to listen.  How does He speak to you?  Take notice.

Ironically, today my friend  helped to deliver sweet babies into the world…..

I think back to Valentina’s little note to us.  Go back to that post (yesterday).  She randomly did this on the computer.  I did not ask her to write a post or type something spiritual.  She just did it in response to “eternity being in the hearts of His children”.