As I sat with my hot cup of coffee, ready to spend my quiet time with the Lord, I remembered that there were a couple prayer chains I needed to update with Caylea's surgery date information.  I opened my e-mail on my phone to quickly send the update.  Pleasantly I found several personal messages that I had not checked over the weekend.
I read each one, responding briefly to the encouraging and uplifting words with a message in return.  My heart was full of gratitude for the outpouring of love and prayers and care from fellow missionaries and family who took the time to write an e-mail.
A few minutes later, I opened my Bible and paused before choosing the passage I would read.  I already felt I had been ministered to and fed spiritually before even focusing on the Lord in a formal way.  He was filling up my cup!
"Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing."
 ~ I Thessalonians 5:11
"...my cup overflows."  Psalm 23:5c
I have said this several times lately, but it is so true:  I don't know how people who do not have faith in the Lord ever make it through difficult times like illness and death.  Without the Lord, without the support of a faith community, I just cannot imagine the helpless, hopeless and fear-filled experience this would be.
Thank You, Father in heaven, for the gift of encouragement You gave me first thing this morning!
Bless those who have been used by You to lift us up!