Sunday, July 27, 2014

the fourth gift...

The fourth gift of waiting is compassion. 


Compassion reminds us that we are not alone. 
Compassion teaches us to receive. 
Compassion allows us to be seen for who we really are. 
Compassion helps us gather strength from others. 
Compassion offers us hope.  

"When we are waiting for something important in our lives, we tend to seek out others who will understand our restlessness and anxieties." pg 49 

"The enemy of hope- despair- may creep in uninvited, bearing heavy burdens. But hope shines radiantly through the embrace of our friends.  That's how it is with God's compassion, too.  God's abiding love seeks us out and finds us wherever we are.  What a blessing this is! We always have a future with God because in life or in death there is no place we can escape from God's love. God loves us anywhere we could possibly be." (pg. 59) 

"When we enter a critical waiting period- whether it's waiting for life-changing news, such as word about a new job, or a potentially life-threatening report, such as a medical test result- we enter new territory.  While it may initially appear as a dry desert, it can be as surprising as a desert coming into spring bloom, with subtle gifts and vibrant signs of life.  As we walk the path of waiting, compassion sprouts around us, filled with possibilities of hope.  Hope changes the landscape from barren to blossoming. Hope give us something to hold on to. Hope preserves the future.  
Waiting teaches us the value of hope." (pg 59)  


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