Monday Writing by Corinne Mustafa.........1/30/17

Good Morning,

The writing today is by Corinne Mustafa, and the title is "Come Alongside."  The theme is that people suffer all means of hurt from those around them. The reasons include all kinds of abuse in childhood and for adults as well, loneliness, and lack of affirmation for jobs well done. Corinne wrote, "It is so easy to reach out to others Just stepping out to relate positively to someone is a sanctified habit. It allows the one who does this to function as the mouth of God.

Have a marvelous Monday and please pray for wisdom for our president as he tries  to solve the problems that our country is facing in these early days of his administration.

God bless

Corinne
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Today's Devotional

                                   "Come Alongside"

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, 

kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. 
Against such things there is no law. 

Galatians 5:22-23

There are so many hurting people in this world. They hurt for different reasons.

Some went through abusive childhoods. I am not actually referring to physical abuse here although many have suffered that as well. Did you know that verbal abuse can be at least as damaging if not more so. A child who is called stupid or bad thinks, “If my mom or dad say that it must be so. I am evil/dim-witted. They do not have the intellectual maturity to throw this away, and so they make it their own opinion of themselves. This also happens to adults who are harangued by people they love, work with, or those they call friends. These people have a neediness that is not always evident.

Other people hurt from loneliness. Maybe they have never connected in any kind of permanent way with anyone else. Or…they could have lost a loved one after many, many years of being together in a marriage. Such people often sit alone in their houses filled with loneliness that we can hardly imagine. They go to stores and other places where they seem invisible and are alone in the crowd.

There is the lack of affirmation and praise for a job well done but seems to go unnoticed. People are blessed by the acknowledgement that someone has noticed and been touched by big or even modest things that they have done.

Another activity along these lines is to help someone when they are in need. Sharing your talent, sharing a meal, just digging in to finish a task are very worthwhile endeavors. Working alongside a busy or overwhelmed person will be something that she (or he) will never forget.

It is so easy to reach out to others to come alongside and the good news is that it costs you nothing but a bit of time. You are standing in the grocery line and you see a cute baby. A few words to the proud mom makes her day. Perhaps a compliment is in order for someone who looks very nice. Just stepping out to relate positively to sometime is a sanctified habit. It allows the one who does this to function as the mouth of God.

Dear God, help me to be sensitive today to the needs of others for a kind word or a bit of help. I want to come alongside those who need this. Show me the ones that you would have me reach out to and give me the 

words to say or actions that I can take.

 I want to do Your will.

Amen.

Written by

Corinne Mustafa

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Here is an uplifting graphic

for you to think about.

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Prayers are lifted up daily for 

you by the Devotional Writers 

and the Monthly Writing Staff

of Women's Focus Ministries.

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