Well … today is the day. In just a few hours, total and complete strangers are going to be showing up to use my home as their free Air B&B for their vacation the next few days.
I am so anxious it is almost hard to breathe.
I know the Bible says – “Be anxious for nothing.” (Philippians 4:6) And I’m trying. I really am trying.
I can’t help but think that those who are extroverts probably would not be phased in the least by a situation like this. In fact, they would probably consider it great entertainment.
I am not an extrovert.
The anxiety feels utterly overwhelming … like a flood threatening to sweep me away!
But my Jesus is so loving! He has sent me “hug” after “hug” today … to encourage me to hang in there!
My first “hug” from Jesus was around 9:30am this morning.
I had picked our very first ripe tomatoes from the garden … and henceforth had decided to stand at the kitchen sink and have a little impromptu snack of fresh tomatoes and cucumbers from the garden.
As I stood at the kitchen sink, gazing out my kitchen window, while sprinkling a dash of salt on my fresh little tomato and popping it into my mouth … suddenly I was taken back to my childhood. As a little girl I used to stand at the kitchen sink in the mornings and sprinkle a dash of salt on fresh tomatoes and cucumbers from the garden, and feast until I could eat no more.
In an instant I felt like a little girl all over again … being taken care of by my loving Jesus!
My loving Jesus provided these fresh little ripe tomatoes! (which is a mini miracle – considering that our tomatoes usually don’t get ripe until mid-September) My loving Jesus provided these fresh cucumbers! (another mini miracle – considering that I have had basically no success over the years growing cucumbers)
My loving Jesus knows that I absolutely love standing at the kitchen sink snacking on fresh tomatoes and cucumbers from the garden, until I can eat no more.
And that is exactly what my loving Jesus gave me this morning!
It was a “hug” from my loving Jesus! My loving Jesus was telling me: “It’s ok. I’ve got you. You can do this.”
My second “hug” from Jesus showed up shortly thereafter, around 10am.
A delivery vehicle pulled into my drive and left a box on my front porch. It’s my extra special order which I’ve been excitedly anticipating!! It’s here!!
TaDa!!
These adorable personalized clipboards are for my precious little friends up in Alaska … whom I’m going to visit in just a few weeks!!
I have been praying and asking Jesus to please give me an idea for something special I can take to give them when we see them. And this is what Jesus led me to. Isn’t His answer to my prayer epic!!
(by the way, if you are interested … check out: HartPaper – Etsy )
My loving Jesus knows that I absolutely love doting on my precious little friends. And that is exactly what Jesus gave me this morning!
The fact that this extra special delivery “just happened” to show up this morning … there’s no doubt this was a “hug” from my loving Jesus!
My loving Jesus was telling me: “Don’t worry. Don’t be anxious. I’ve got you. You can do this.”
My heart was so comforted!! I felt so loved!
My third “hug” from Jesus was around 11am.
I needed to go get my hair cut … so I headed out to Great Clips. The hairdresser I “just so happened” to get was new to this location … and she gave me a terrific haircut. She was a delightful lady to chat with, and my conversation with her really lifted my spirits! Not only that, a really great haircut goes a long way to making you feel better!!
This lovely lady (both the nice haircut she gave and our delightful conversation) was a “hug” from my loving Jesus! My loving Jesus was telling me: “Don’t worry. I’ve got you. You can do this.”
My fourth “hug” from Jesus was around 1pm.
I had just finished lunch and was washing up the dishes at the sink. Suddenly, a huge bird of prey swooped across the sky, right in my line of sight, then disappeared behind the tall evergreen trees. It was obviously in search of its lunch too. My guess is that it was the red-tailed hawk I had watched earlier this Spring soaring in spirals high in the sky.
Once again, there was no mistaking that this was a “hug” from my loving Jesus! My loving Jesus was reinforcing to me: “Don’t be anxious. Don’t worry. I’ve got you. You can do this.”
And so I trust. I trust my loving Jesus!
My loving Jesus will help me!
My loving Jesus has got me!
My loving Jesus will help me get through this!
Citizen Way – I Will (Official Lyric Video) – YouTube
