From Carolyn...

Yesterday I engaged Our Father God with a request and a question.

The request was—
“Dear Lord, I believe I will see You in this day!”

“I am dependent on You to keep me alert and aware of Your presence and the ways in which You will show up this very day.  I desire to be able to say, ‘I spy You’ during the day and certainly at the day’s end. For You are a Living God.”

Below are some of the ways I can say I spied God yesterday. I reflected with thanksgiving this morning as I again talked with my Father.

1. I saw God yesterday when He called Home our dear and very good friend Neil Smith.

Neil and his wife Melanie were like our children. We met Melanie when she was in high-school in Palo Alto and David met Neil when Neil was a student at San Jose State. They were interns in the college ministry, learning from and teaching David. David married them and later Neil was on staff at Peninsula Bible Church after attending Dallas Theological Seminary. They were often in our home and always in our hearts. Before we left California Neil and Melanie moved to Sequim Washington where they pioneered a church and saw it thrive. When our son Brian and his family moved to Sequim Neil was their pastor. Brian says he was humble and loving. Neil was also a careful student of Scripture, a caring shepherd and one who loved deeply Melanie, his two sons and all his family. When he was treated badly we never saw any resentment in Neil or Melanie. They trusted the Lord. Melanie was a ministry partner all the way, using her own special gifts to augment Neil’s gifts. God called Neil out of the pastoral ministry and he and Melanie began OPM, Olympic Peninsula Ministries to serve pastors and their wives in their area and similar to IMM. Neil invested eagerly in the lives of many there on the Olympic Peninsula often driving long distances to have lunch with pastors in isolated areas. These last years were difficult years as Neil had renal failure, which lead to a kidney transplant, followed later by Alzheimer’s. Then recently Neil had a hard fall which left him in excruciating pain with no surgery options. Last Saturday Melanie was able to bring Neil to their home and with the help of his sister, a retired nurse who moved in with them, loved Neil and cared for him. Early Thursday morning Melanie and his sister were with him, holding his hand when his breathing slowed and stopped. God said “Come Home.”

2. I saw God show up in Melanie yesterday as she said she was “smiling through tears” knowing Neil had been “promoted to Glory.” I saw this dear one’s unwavering hope, because of her faith and trust in the God they had followed together for so many years.

3. I saw God show up as my friend Kathy, who had been praying for Neil and Melanie, told me yesterday that on Wednesday she had thought of the song, “Lead Gently Home.” And God did that on Thursday for Neil.

4. I saw God show up though the kindnesses of friends. Some wrote, some prayed. To one I mentioned an errand our sons were not available to do. Bob said, “I have been wanted to know how to help you two! I want to do this for you.” And he did. His generous cheerful spirit of wanting to help was a touch of kindness from God. And an incentive to me. I know why “God loves a cheerful giver!” He gives cheerfully and wants me to do the same. (Actually the errand was part of a mistake I made the day before, so even that was God’s way of protecting us from a small disappointment. Well, it wasdisappointing but God turned it into an opportunity!)

I would really love to hear how God shows up in your life today, if that is something you want to consider.

Today I will continue to watch and see how God shows up, and as I start my day i will also ask—

God, what do You have in mind for me today?
Hmmm. I wonder how His plans for me will play out? I can think of a few things He has in mind but I will save that for tomorrow!

With love and prayers to the One who has called us to a Living Hope,
Carolyn

My remarks about Neil and Melanie Smith don’t begin to touch the surface of what a godly, uncomplaining and loving couple they were. Or how much we love and care for them. Or how much love they have offered us and our family. We are forever thankful for Neil and Melanie. We sorrow but with sure hope because of Jesus and his love for them and for us.

Carolyn Roper