that cozy-warm feeling

You know that cozy-warm feeling you get when it starts getting cold outside? You want to pull out your sweaters and throw on a scarf as you walk out the door. You want to sit by a crackling fire in the evenings and snuggle under a blanket...or turn on the space heater if you don't have a fireplace like me! You want to bake something or sip a warm drink. You can't wait to pull out the Christmas decorations and the excitement of the holidays starts setting in.

It is starting to feel like winter around here. We even had a few snowflakes falling in Kansas yesterday. And today I am having that cozy-warm feeling. But not because of the weather or the sweater I wore this morning. This cozy-warm feeling is because of a group of ladies who were such an encouragement to me this morning.

About three weeks ago I was sharing with someone how I really felt like God was asking me to be faithful to share my story. I wasn't sure what that looked like, but I knew that I needed to be obedient. Remember this prayer I shared with you a few weeks ago?

I too pray that as long as I have breath I would be faithful to use Cora's story for His glory, that I wouldn't stop asking Him to bring forth the fruit that He desires from her short little life.

That really is my desire and I want to be faithful even if it is uncomfortable for me. Guess what? The next day I received an e-mail from Stephanie asking if I would be willing to share with her Bible study group...in three weeks. Yikes! Three weeks meant not very much time to prepare. And this time it was a small group. A small group of women I had never met before. I would be sitting at a table amongst them, not standing at a podium with my notes. I could have come up with a thousand excuses why I shouldn't do it, but I felt that nudge telling me I needed to be obedient. Even if it meant stepping out of my comfort zone again.

So this morning I hopped into my car and put the church address in my phone to get directions. I got to my destination and could tell that I was totally in the wrong place. I only had five minutes before I was supposed to be there. I had communicated with Stephanie over e-mail and didn't even think to ask for her phone number in case I got lost. I was starting to feel nervous and I hadn't even started talking yet! Fifteen minutes later I figured out how to get there (yes, I am directionally challenged) and I quickly prayed in the parking lot that the Lord would still use me to speak His truth even though I was late and frazzled.

What a blessing to be a part of that Bible study this morning. The ladies were still giving announcements when I walked in and they were so gracious to me. I shared my story and what God had been teaching me and then they asked me questions. Through interacting with them I got to hear some of their stories and what God had been doing in their lives. These women had such a desire to know God deeply. So cool.

After the Bible study Kristy offered to take me out to lunch. She has been following my blog since Cora got sick, but I had never met her before. I loved our time together. She shared her heart so openly with me and I left feeling encouraged and challenged. Thanks Kristy!

Don't you love that? You go somewhere hoping that you can be a blessing to those around you and you leave feeling like you were the one who was blessed.

That's how I feel today.
Blessed.
I just have that cozy-warm feeling.