Karen’s Notes!

“Insights from a Glory-Bound Lady

Selected Notes

Volume 4 Number 36 “A Personal Note Shared with Many” Part Two

September 8th, 2021

I’m so very glad that Karen’s notes can be a help and encouragement. I regularly receive amazing stories from people around the world who tell me that they’ve smiled at her brevity (no one ever says that about me!) and how her notes have come at just the right time to encourage them.

Ten years ago, Karen underlined the following verse and then wrote some very personal notes to herself. Having been her husband for over forty-five years, I know her well enough to have the assurance that this is all right to share with you.

I’m on a page of her personal Bible study journal that dates back well over ten years ago. She was thinking of the impact of the love of the Lord (Romans 5:8) upon her own life. With that in mind, she jotted a few very brief notes to herself concerning ways we can demonstrate our love to others around us. I shared the first part last week. Now let me take you to Ephesians 4:32.

This is the verse she underlined. “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”

(As you know, through birth, adoption, and foster parenting, Karen and I had many children in our home. If I had $5.00 for every time I heard her quoting this verse to our children, I could fund missions around the world! Let me share what she wrote to herself about this verse.)

Karen wrote: (Because of the brevity of the notes to herself, I have edited just a tiny bit today.) “I truly do view my family as a gift from God. I want to say ‘love you’ often to them. Not only do I pray for them often throughout the day, I want to be helpful and help them to learn to accept the demonstration of my affection which is different for my children than the affection I have for my husband. I want to become more like Christ (1 Peter 2:21).”

Michael’s observation:  It is important to demonstrate the same kindness, tenderheartedness, and forgiveness that the Father has demonstrated to us for the sake of His Son, the Lord Jesus. This might be a real challenge for that hard-to-love family member, associate at work, or person at church. This is a very special opportunity and challenge that we believers face on a regular basis. We are loved and forgiven people. That truth ought to play out in our lives daily.