Last night something beautiful happened.  It started with the words, “Mom, I really love you.”  The next four hours were filled with an amazing time of listening and sharing with Abby as the beautiful woman that she is and is becoming.  To hear the passion in her voice about her love for kids both little and jr. high and her love for her coworkers and customers was precious.  God is doing a really good thing and it is priceless to watch.  She is finding out who she really is in her core – her gifts, abilities and strengths – and how God is using those in the lives of people around her.  She is hearing through the voices of others her value in their lives with her listening ear, encouragement and powerful hugs.  And she is hearing it from kids and adults alike, including her bosses and the youth pastor.  She is figuring out that God uniquely gifted her for the people He is placing in her life.  And her faith is becoming her own.  And  I can’t help but smile.

Today I met with one of the key leaders of Young Life here in Parker.  She is a wonderful, vivacious and fun mom who dearly loves these kids and knows how to reach them with her spunk and personality.  We had never met in person before today, but it was as if we had known each other all our lives!  What seemed like minutes turned into two and a half hours of wonderful conversation.  We could have been there all day if real life duties weren’t calling our names.  Again, the beauty of conversation.  Meaningful dialogue and the chance to listen and to be heard.  To find another comrade in life whose outlook is so similar.  Yet another person in Colorado whom I have fallen in love with 🙂

My good talk tank has been filled in the past 24 hours.  Not just with words, but with heartfelt emotion and conviction.  Encouragement and challenge.  Listening and learning.   Felt a lot like how it’s described in Proverbs 16:24 – “Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.” Amen and amen…. 🙂