A BOX OF HOPE AND ENCOURAGEMENT

A BOX OF HOPE AND ENCOURAGEMENT

PROMISES FROM PHILLIPIANS 4:12b-13,19 AND ISAIAH 26:3,4

“YOU WILL KEEP IN PERFECT PEACE (HER) HIM WHOSE MIND IS STEADFAST, BECAUSE (SHE) HE TRUSTS IN YOU. TRUST IN THE LORD FOREVER, FOR THE LORD, THE LORD, IS THE ROCK ETERNAL.”
ISA. 26:3,4

CONTENTMENT - “I HAVE LEARNED THE SECRET OF BEING CONTENT IN ANY AND EVERY SITUATION, WHETHER WELL FED OR HUNGRY, WHETHER LIVING IN PLENTY OR WANT. I CAN DO EVERYTHING THROUGH HIM WHO GIVES ME STRENGTH.
PHIL 4 12B - 13

“MY GOD WILL MEET ALL YOUR NEEDS ACCORDING TO HIS GLORIOUS RICHES IN CHRIST JESUS.” PHIL. 4:19

OH, HOW THESE VERSES BRING BACK MEMORIES….SAVANNAH COMES TO MIND FIRST, OCTOBER 11,1986.

A PACKAGE COMING IN THE MAIL AFTER A STRUGGLE WITH OBEDIENCE ISSUES…WE HAD ABOUT $90 IN THE BANK WITH NO PROMISE OF ANYMORE MONEY COMING IN. NO INCOME BECAUSE D’LITES, OUR RESTAURANT IN SAVANNAH WAS GOING DOWN THE TUBES (AND IT DID!)

BOB HAD TOLD ME TO SEND $50 TO A FAMILY THAT WAS IN NEED. I DRUG MY HEALS IN DISOBEDIENCE AND FEAR, HOLDING ONTO CONTROL BECAUSE MY FAMILY WAS IN NEED TOO. THE VERY DAY I SURRENDERED AND HONORED MY HUSBANDS REQUEST, A PACKAGE CAME IN THE MAIL ADDRESSED TO ME. I HAVE NO IDEA ,TO THIS VERY DAY, WHO SENT THIS PACKAGE BUT I DO KNOW SOMEONE ELSE WAS OBEDIENT TO WHAT THE HOLY SPIRIT WAS TELLING THEM TO DO.

INSIDE WAS A BEAUTIFUL BRIGHT PINK SWEATER AND A COLORFUL FLOWERED SKIRT FOR ME! A PIECE OF PAPER LAID ON TOP OF THE GIFT WITH THESE WORDS.

“My God shall supply
all your needs according
to His riches in glory.”

I WORE THE OUTFIT WITH JOY FOR SEVERAL YEARS (UNTIL MY BODY OUTGREW THE SIZE!) I NEVER OUTGREW THE HOPE, THE PROMISE THAT WAS INCLUDED INSIDE THE BOX AND INSIDE MY BIBLE! IT STILL COVERS ME AND FILLS ME WITH HOPE AND JOY!

THANK YOU HOLY SPIRIT FOR WORKING IN MY LIFE TOO! YES, I WAS SLOW ON MY OBEDIENCE BUT YOU KEPT NUDGING ME UNTIL I SURRENDERED. WHO KNOWS….THE PERSON WHO SENT ME THE BOX OF ENCOURAGEMENT COULD HAVE STRUGGLED TOO. I ONLY KNOW THAT 25 YEARS LATER, THE WORD THAT CAME IN THAT BOX HAS GROWN AND MATURED AND HOPEFULLY HAS BEEN USED TO BRING THE SAME PROMISE OF ENCOURAGEMENT TO SOMEONE ELSE’S HEART.


6/12/2011 - Written with love and prayers for the Hogg family as they wait on the Lord for a new job.