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A warm gentle smile can cut through barriers of brokenness. When is the last time you genuinely smiled at someone?
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Our image of God shapes our worldview. Do you picture God as a harsh ruler, looking to punish every misstep, or a loving counselor, seeing and listening to you with encouragement? What does your picture of God typically look like?
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People desire to be seen and known. Acknowledgment of being seen can go a long way toward overcoming hurts and despair. Who is someone you want to see this week? How can you acknowledge they are seen by you?
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“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace." -Numbers 6: 24-26
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“But God can only smile because only God can know what is coming next." - Desmond Tutu |
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During a recent visit to Marsh Harbour, Abaco, our team visited a three-generation house. The matriarch was a single mother, I'm guessing in her upper 40s. Living in their tiny apartment was her eldest daughter, with her grandchild, and three other children ranging from middle school through high school. The mother was very open with us, discussing how difficult life had been for them post-Hurricane Dorian, as they had lost their home, had to move to another island, moved back to Abaco, and barely scraped by to make ends meet. As we continued to talk, we learned her mother had dementia and it weighed very heavily on her. Schooling for her kids was tough, as the hybrid-learning model for education didn't work for their learning styles, and purchasing the internet was tough for her to afford for virtual learning. With our small blessing of food and supplies, we offered prayers for the family, powerfully asking the King of the Universe to see this family and turn His gaze upon them. During the prayer, I had an overwhelming image of God smiling on this mother, so after the prayer, I put my hands on her face and looked deep into her eyes and let her know that God sees her and He is smiling at her. Through shed tears, we felt the love of Christ wash over us, no longer mere mortals in a hopeless situation, but rather transformed people in the gaze of an all-loving Heavenly Father. Today, be reminded that the creator of Heaven and Earth smiles upon you. You are never too far from His gaze. The world is never too dark for His light to break through. Today, sit in His loving gaze for a moment and let it transform you. He loves us. He loves you.
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Tim Brand
Founder and CEO, Many Hands
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