When cleaning out your inbox tells a story

I'll be honest, cleaning out inboxes is not my favorite task.  But it has to be done from time to time.

Among the expired coupons and similarly useless items, there are emails that tell a story...

They remind me, first, that I have some pretty funny friends, and that laughter is good for the soul.

They are bursting with glimpses of our ordinary-but-touched-by-God's-grace lives.

We've teased, tossed ideas around, talked about coffee.  We've shared recipes, music, and quotes.



And those emails tell more:

They tell how just a simple bit of encouragement can totally brighten a day.  How a fitting word can change one's perspective.  They tell of struggles, decisions to make, questions to be answered.  Of lessons learned (or being learned!).  Of joys and things to be thankful for.

I am thankful for friends I can be open with, and for their openness with me.  Trust is a precious thing...

There prayer requests - and answers - woven into many of them.  I see God's faithfulness in situations He has taken care of, both in my life and in my friends' lives.  There are some situations He's working in, but hasn't fully answered yet.



Those emails make me laugh (and sometimes want to cry) and remind me of truth.

Like how much I need the Body of Christ.

Like how much I need His grace.  (And joy! it's already mine!)



Sometimes, cleaning out your inbox tells a story.  A story of life, of friendship, of grace.