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Tea Time Tuesday: Well Lived Book
“Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” - Matthew 5: 16
The battle is still raging.
Many of you precious ones are heartbroken, discouraged, alone, and deep into the battle of faith. I understand. I am praying for you. I wrestled with my faith over years, but in doing so, I came to a deeper understanding of this fallen world, the nature of evil, that God’s light was stronger than the darkness, that we are all heading to a kingdom that cannot be shaken. It is not “bad” to doubt, it is the pathway to understanding. Of course, as in the garden, Satan is there to whisper lies. My children doubted but eventually became strong in their faith, too. I walked beside them with love, encouragement because I understood.
Building faith came by creating a beautiful life where they could better imagine God’s goodness, His love, His justice. It is not in lecturing or giving a harsh moralistic standard, but in showing unconditional love, giving grace through gentleness, "showing" love of God in daily moments of life.
Why did I sacrifice my time, make space to develop deep friendships? Create a beautiful place for all to dwell? Cook delicious meals, light candles each night, and play music all day long? Why late-night back scratches, reading literally hundreds of books about heroes, courage, sacrifice, love? Why daily devotions, bedtime prayers? The hundreds of tea times, talks, and comfort given over endless stages of life for countless hours?
Because beauty, love, serving, encouraging, living out my faith in mundane moments of days was my defense against the darkness, my defiance to the world’s lies and fears. It gave them scope to believe in God’s goodness, to hope for his justice in a broken place, to believe and wait for His redemption.
My granddaughter awakened in darkness of early morning. She wanted to go to “our special place” to have our tea time together. I lit candles, made tea.
As I was doing so, she actually said softly, “Queenie, You are a light-maker in the dark this morning.”
My friends, go be a light-maker where you are.
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