THIS day, THIS ______ : a back-story

In my last post (This Day, This Word), I shared how the Lord broke through my self-pity in a very concrete, but affectionate way...with just one word. Well, there's a back-story to that loving deliverance of His. Let me tell you about it.

Shortly before my "done, depleted day," my sweet friend Kitty and I had gotten together. We talked about many things, but one subject we often go back to is "writing."

Kitty "has a book in her," so to speak, but it just doesn't seem to be God's timing yet for that book to come forth. So as all writers know and advise, Kitty just needs to write something...anything...every day, if possible.

But it's so easy to struggle with expectations we, and others, place upon ourselves, isn't it? And it can be overwhelming...and crushing...even paralyzing...for poor Kitty (and for you and me, if we are honest)!

So as our conversation progressed that day, the Lord reminded me of a "mantra" I had adopted for my own life:

THIS day...THIS bread.

It was based on the verse from the Lord's prayer: "Give us THIS day our daily bread." The key word there had been "this."

After sharing with Kitty this background to my "mantra," I said,

Kitty, How about if you just say each day, "THIS day, THISword?" And then maybe the next day might be, "THIS day, THISphrase"... then maybe, "THIS day, THISsentence." Your key word is THIS!THIS "whatever God may give you that day!"

In her email on that infamous "burn-out" morning of mine a couple weeks later, Kitty unknowingly wrote this encouragement to my exhausted heart:

Jan, I keep sharing your THIS advice with friends... Kitty, take THIS,...THIS... THIS DAY THIS _________ THIS sentence THIS paragraph THIS CHAPTER THIS WORD WORD ONE WORD WORDS

There it was, this day, this word...the Lord had given me just what I had needed for my day!

Dear friend, what is it that you need for your today, this day? Cry out to the Lord and receive from Him this day, this "whatever HE has to give to you."

Your Abba is very fond of you! He will respond in His love...