Sweet Encouragement

I have got to share this amazing story of God's love for me before I burst.

In April I went to wear my diamond ring that my beloved husband gave me for our 10th anniversary that I use as my wedding ring. I could not find it. At first I was not worried as there were several places where it could have gotten taken off: when I was doing the dishes, or showering or before bed and because I usually don't wear it daily it could have been put in my jewelry case. I looked in all the suspect places and could not find it. I searched for it for a week before I confessed to my husband that I was missing it. He began helping me look for it and soon the whole family also knew to be on the look out for my ring.

It was no where to be found and I was heartbroken that I had mislaid and perhaps forever lost this token of my beloved's love for me. As the months have gone by I have re-checked all the cubbies it could possibly been tucked into with the hope that I would run into it again. I have prayed and had others pray with me for its discovery and return.

Today, 7 months later, I was opening my jewelry case absent-mindedly to see if something else was there. Having checked that logical place many, many times before I did not expect to see what I saw shining up in front of me --my ring. How it was there when it was not there so many times before is beyond me but I am so grateful that it has been found! My heart is dancing. What a wonderful present the Lord just gave me.

This brings to my mind the story in Luke 15:

The Parable of the Lost Coin
8"Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Does she not light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? 9And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.' 10In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the
angels of God over one sinner who repents.

"When I looked this up I noticed that just above it in Luke is the story of the Lost Sheep:

3Then Jesus told them this parable: 4"Suppose one of you has a hundred
sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open
country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? 5And when he finds it, he
joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6and goes home. Then he calls his friends and
neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.'

My beloved had just recently shared this with me by way of encouragement that this was what his heart’s prayer is for Sweetpea.

So thank you all who prayed in faith with me for the discovery of my ring and rejoice with me that God chose this day to send such strong encouragement to my tender heart.