My friend Shannan recently wrote, “I believe that God puts people in all our lives that He wants us to be in relationships with. He wants more than our casserole and our free babysitting. He wants us to fall in love with them.”
She writes so much joy into the world on that blog of hers, that Shannan.
Kev and I had the opportunity to tag along with our church’s associate pastor, Tommy Green, one day a few weeks ago. Together, we filmed and photographed the testimony of a sweet little lady named Henrietta.
We pulled up to her house around 10am. It was warm and sunny, and so was she.
It didn’t take long to discover that Henrietta is really good at making sure the folks around her feel Loved.
I sat on the edge of my sofa seat in her living room that day as she told us about all the years she spent walking and talking with a lost and “challenging” woman in her neighborhood- who, unfortunately, lost her life to cancer not long ago.
Henrietta was her only friend for many years, but I could tell that their friendship made all the difference in the world…to both of them…especially when times got really tough.
What began inside Henrietta’s heart, ended up stretching way outside her comfort zone, and grew her in ways she never could’ve imagined. Something tells me it grew her neighbor in some pretty Amazing ways before she passed away, as well.
Hearing Henrietta’s testimony was really encouraging to me because I’ve been praying for a “lost and challenging” family member of mine a lot lately, too.
I text him every few days with a, “Hey ______! How are you?“. I usually get an “ok” or “fine” back from him a day or two later, but he recently replied, “floating around like a plastic bag“.
I could literally feel the part of my heart that belongs to him split right down it’s sensitive center.
I saw a plastic bag, full of air, flying around high off the ground underneath an overpass today. My eyes stung and teared up at the very sight of it. I immediately texted him.
I’m still waiting for his response, but I can feel how important it is to continue to show him Love…whether he writes back or not. (Thanks for the reminder, Miss Henrietta!)
Here’s to falling in love with folks and helping them notice something new in their reflections. Something that has a light all it’s own, and means so much more than our casserole.
Debbie
Thanks for sharing this amazing lady 🙂 I hope you’ve gotten a text by now.
Joy @ www.joyfulsearches.blogspot.com
Thank you so much for this. I have a few people in my life that I just want to help so much. I have really stressed about their future and ours together and know that sometimes all we can do is encourage and to pray. in the end, we have to realize that we cannot do much more. Love can be pretty powerful, though! 🙂
Amber
I love it. I come here for decorating inspiration and leave with great life advice. Well written.
Jenni
She seems a fantastic lady full of self motivation..
Ter'e Crow Lindsay
I cried thru your post this morning. I love the spirit of these older gals!
I hope you have heard back from this family member…………..or you get a call soon. I think we all have one of these wayward souls in our families. With me, I cry, pray and try to love them thru it.
Hey Layla…………….today you decorated our souls. Not so very different from decorating our homes. We all smile and leave “in a better place”.
Thanks for the reminder. xoxoxoxoxo
Stacy Kesting
Beautiful Layla! That’s what it’s all about!:-) Makes me think about the people around me in my neighborhood or in my life that I need to reach out to. I am going to pray that God makes me more sensitive to His voice in this area and gives me opportunities to make a difference for Him in their lives. Thanks for the lovely post!
Kelly - Talk of the House
Oh girl, you made me cry in my coffee! But that is good thing. 🙂 Thank you for blessing us in the rooms of our heart. (and tell Henrietta I love her heart and her haircut!)
Have a happy Monday.
kelly
Linda
Oh, I love that “thank you for blessing us in the rooms of our heart.” I too come here because I love what you do but I”m so thankful to also know that I can love who you are.
SheilaG @ Plum Doodles
Layla, thank you for a beautiful reminder to not give up on people. It can be so easy sometimes to forget the bigger picture and walk away from difficult people and circumstances. One thing I’ve learned about that, though, is that if we cut short that learning & growing experience, God brings us back around to similar ones again and again until we grow into what He intends.
Danielle
Layla, this was a beautiful post.
Lynne
Thank you for sharing this sweet inspiring story of love and faith.
Lynne
baileywife
Beautiful Layla…thanks for showing us more than just a casserole!~Kim
Bee Lane
You touched my heart today. And reminded me how important it is to keep on loving and praying. Thank you.
peggy
Layla, Thanks for sharing from your heart…..it is a reminder to look around where God has planted us and see if there are people in need of love and care. I get so busy with my list of things that must get done that I’m sure I miss opportunities to share the love of Christ by encourageing others in need. Sometimes that means a simple hug.
Praying you hear from the one your heart weeps for…..we all have someone……let your light shine…..for the Glory of God!
Melinda
Beautiful testimony, Layla. Thank you. I’ll be praying for you and your friend. God bless you and your family.
Amber Infante
Wow, that made me teary eyed. It’s so easy to walk away when people seem like a nut that will be hard to crack. But the joy and blessings are still there, and worth the effort. Thanks for the reminder and I hope you get a text back soon 🙂
Sheri
What an incredible God we serve!
Anele @ Success Along the Weigh
Wonderful life lessons to remember!
Pam M
Thank you for sharing this post today! It really touched my heart.
Nancy
Thanks for your words this morning. I needed to read this today. You guys are always encouraging, creative and fun! I enjoy your blog immensely. God bless.
Renae
thank you
Kathy PH in LH
wow! Powerful, very powerful Layla …
Cheryl
Especially touching and personally convicting. Thank you so much for posting this…they are beautiful women and your photography captures it perfectly! I have a lot of “plastic bag” friends as well…SUCH a good reminder to pray for them more often! {hugs}
Lisa
So inspiring. I would love to have the link to see the whole video. Bless you for sharing this story.
Lisa W.
Oh how sweet…AND thank you Layla for reminding us that its the little things THAT really are the BIG things:) Wishing your family member much love and prayer, I too am dealing with the same thing and trying to reach out:)
Sandy
Tears, tears, and more tears.” How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things.” ~Romans 10:15. Thanks for sharing such love and encouragement. And I hope that response comes soon and that you are able, through His Spirit, to win this precious soul to Christ.
Lissa B
Beautiful.
Gaela
This gave me blessing bumps all over. 🙂 The Lord puts people in your lives and you in places for a reason. He knows the hard-to-reach and the “plastic bags” who need filling with His Spirit. Sometimes we need reminders (like this post) to know that we CAN make a difference if we just let the love of Jesus flow through us into somebody else…even if they never give it back. They are worth every prayer.
Lisa
Such an amazing and touching post.
Asiyah
As some of my family down here in the South say, “you ain’t never lied.”
In other words, I totally agree!
Donnella
Beautiful reminder Layla. Blessings to you and Kev today.
Dawn
Inspirational! Thanks for sharing!
Teresa
Layla, can I just say how much I enjoy your blog. It is usually the first one I read of a morning. You are such an encourager, wonderful designer and seem so full of laughter and fun. Someday I would hope we could meet but until then, I will just enjoy your blog and your everyday goingson. -Teresa
MaKenna
Thanks for this Layla! I needed this today. I’m about to go text a “lost and challenging” friend. Way out of my comfort zone, but hopefully God can use me to make a difference in her life!
Aunt Chriss
🙂 love you…keep hanging on. brilliant post… *sniffle*
Karie
Thank you so much for sharing this today…I just posted on my facebook page about a dear friend who is getting ready to pass…Everyone thought she would go this weekend but for some reason she just keeps hanging on…I am not able to be with her right now but my mom and dad are spending time with her…she has a special place in my heart and always will…Thanks again for sharing such a touching story…
Jan
Powerful, beautiful. Thank you.
Mary @ Finding Healthy Hope
absolute Truth.
LOVE this. i need this reminder EVERY DAY.
Gina
Love this!! I love what God is stirring in your heart and your lives. 🙂 It’s worth every effort to touch the lives of others because in the end they end up touching ours, don’t they? 🙂
tracyo
Dear Layla,
What a beautiful post this is! Thank you for brightening my day. I needed that today. Hugs to you!
Kate
Thank you for sharing such wonderful story. It touches me, as I have been feeling like the lost paper bag. Good to know that there are some amazing people out there still wanting to connect to others.
Debbie
You are sweet person. Great post, so inspiring. Makes ya just wanna go hug somebody-anybody!
Sharon
What a wonderful post. Whoever said the youth of today are uncaring certainly have not met you and Kevin.
Ashley@AttemptsAtDomestication
Such a beautiful post! What a blessing that you guys got to meet this amazing lady!
Megan
Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful!!! Just what I needed to hear today. Thanks for sharing.
Karla@{TheClassyWoman}
Loving this post Layla, it has so much heart in it. 🙂 Thank you for brightening my day and making me think of my grandmother too who is so much like Henrietta-patient, kind with a great big heart who seeks out the lost, prays for them, speaks light into their life and was the only friend many of her neighbors had.
Mindy
I have such a soft spot for the elderly and love hearing of them still reaching out at whatever age they are. We have so much to learn from them and their journey of faith. Great post…
Bette Jo
Thank you so much for this beautiful post. I really needed to hear this today.
Denise Carter
I prayed for my dad, a very stubborn old cowboy, for 20 yrs. One day my husband came home from work and said he felt like he had to tell dad about God’s love for him. Now this was very scary for my poor husband but he went and did it and dad asked Jesus into his heart. I didn’t see and incredible change in him before he died at 81 but I know someday I will see that change when I go where he is. Glorious day.d
Heather
Send him a short meaningful verse or rhyme that is uplifting. No question, just a “hug” in words. Knowing someone who cares is THERE, is empathetic, is sometimes enough to get us through. Good luck to both of you.
Tammy
Layla,
I’ve been reading your blog for years and it seems so strange to me that I never comment. You should know how much you touch other people’s lives, how much cheer you bring them.
I pray for you and your hubby all the time in your patience for a baby. I will now add your lost family member to my list of prayers for you. You put yourself out there and are a friend to people who you’ve never met. You have friends all over this country and probably world who will be on their knees for you and your family.
Blessings to you, always.