I sat with a sweet friend/coworker today discussing Christmas matters. I know that makes some people cringe but when you work for the church Christmas is kind of a big deal. We talk about it a lot. Christmas and Easter both. And VBS. Those are the big three.
Anyway, this woman has gone before me on the path of life in so many ways. She is wise and kind and good. Her words have been a salve to me in time of need. I am thankful for her. And also for so many others like her.
There are a great number of women in my life for whom I have much admiration. Women who are strong and full of grace. Women who have walked long and windy roads ahead of me and called back to show me the easiest route. None of them have taken the same path but they all forged ahead with the best scouting skills they could muster. I am forever in their debt because none of them have kept their skills a secret. Some of them left crumbs, that I might find my way. Others called back over their shoulders. There are a few, however, who back-tracked, took my hand, looked into my eyes, and breathed words of grace before walking back down the road beside me.
I have always been drawn to the verse from Proverbs 16:24 that reads, “Gracious words are honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.” I believe this in part to be because honey is one of my love languages but also because words. I love words of all kinds, but especially the ones that bring healing.
Healing words can be funny when I have tears, sweet when I have doubts, or loving when my soul is aching. These are the words of grace. These are the pieces passed along from women who have also needed the sticky goodness for their own hearts. They have filled their cups and turned to me to pour. These women in my life know how to pour because someone once poured words over them. The passing and the pouring are learned skills, similar to the scouting, and I am all the better for having been a receiver.
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