Aloe for the Soul

I’ve known Tammy Nolan for almost 20 years and had the privilege of watching her from a distance become a young woman who is passionate about living her life out loud for Jesus. Tammy lives to refresh people. Her ministry of energizing others starts at home. She is a home schooling mother of four children and the helpmate to her husband, Tony Nolan. She is Vice-President of TNT Ministries, Inc. It’s core purpose is sharing the good news of the Gospel and ministering to various Christian music artists, including Casting Crowns, Sanctus Real, Building 429, Steven Curtis Chapman, Jeremy Camp, and Nicole Nordeman. She also pours into others through song with her CD project, entitled The Great Exchange. {I know you will be encouraged by her “My Time to Dig” ~ Stephanie}

“Just as lotions and fragrance give sensual delight,

a sweet friendship refreshes the soul.”

Proverbs 27:9

Each year we take a vacation to the beach.  Everyday is spent enjoying the sun, splashing in the salt water, riding the waves, and playing in the sand.  We soak up this fun from the time the sun comes up in the morning until it sets beyond the horizon in the evening, and even then we are usually taking nightly walks on the beach looking for crabs with flashlights.

By the end of the vacation, we have all usually gotten a little too much sun.  Now for those of you that are already thinking, “Why wouldn’t you wear sunscreen”, let me assure you, we do.  However, it wears off, and we all tend to forget to reapply it fast enough and then the damage is already done.  Most of you can probably mentally take yourself to a place where you were exhausted, sticky from salt water, and stinging from the combination of salt and sand rubbing against your skin.  It isn’t until you get cleaned up and are able to apply what we call “the green goop”, but is commonly called Aloe Vera, that you begin to feel relief.  This green slimy stuff (that we keep in the refrigerator) can actually be some of the most refreshing stuff in the world after a long day on the beach.  It soothes, heals, and even sometimes anesthetizes your skin.

This week, I was reminded how friendships can be the lotion that heals the sunburns of our hearts.  There are times when the heat and irritants of our world can really get to us.  We can find ourselves feeling exhausted emotionally, mentally irritated, and our spirits can often have a painful sting.  I can think of so many times in my own life where I’ve felt this way and God would use a friend to come alongside and refresh me.  Sometimes it happens through a phone call, an email, or perhaps a letter in my mailbox.  Whatever it may be, it always comes at just the right time (after a long hard day) and it has a way of bringing comfort and can even invigorate me to keep going in this journey of life.

Does someone come to your mind that’s been a refresher in your life recently?  Did you take the time to thank them and communicate just how God used them to bless you?  What about you?  Are you consciously being a refresher to others?  Can you think of someone this week that you called, emailed, wrote a letter to, or text with the sole purpose of encouraging them?  We all have moments where life just seems too “hot” to handle and the irritations seem to be rubbing in ever direction.  Let’s be conscious this week to not only thank those who are used by God to rejuvenate us, but to also take the time to reach out and be that soothing lotion to another parched and weary soul!

Lord, thank You for sending people in my life at just the right time to remind me that You love me and care for me.  Thank You for the gift of friendship and for the way You use it to energize and refresh every part of our life.  I praise You that You are The Friend that sticks closer than a brother, and no matter how scorched my soul may feel, You are always there waiting to be my Ultimate Refresher.

Tammy,  thank you for reminding us of the need to refresh one another on this journey called life.

Do you look for opportunities to sooth and refresh others?  Do you know someone who needs to be encouraged today?