Empty Spaces

Sweet Friends,

No matter what is going on in my life or how miserable I may feel from time to time, there is one thing that I NEVER doubt and that's God's love. Yes, the losses some of us have experienced have left us with a lot of empty spaces in our lives. (I have received emails from many of you, letting me know that you are not widows like me, but that you have never married or are divorced. You, my sweet friends, have empty spaces too.)

But... God is so good that He fills those empty spaces in other ways. He loves us so much that He brings people and projects into our lives to fill in those gaps. We matter to Him.

I just wrote about my amazing birthday celebration on my other blog, www.LeAnnRice.com. The holidays are always rough waters to navigate but God put so many amazing friends into my life that they helped to fill some of my empty spaces. Then, they went absolutely over the top in celebrating my birthday that falls just two weeks after the holidays (when I am still usually in a funk). I don't know when I have ever felt so much love. This certainly doesn't mean that I'm not still lonely when I lay my head on my pillow at night. But... I do try to take a moment to praise Him and to tell Him how very grateful I am for placing others in my life who love me unconditionally. God loves me every day through my precious friends. Through them, and through various projects that He calls me to, He fills some of my empty spaces.

Recently I have been a little better about stopping to thank God for filling these empty spaces. It has helped me focus on what I do have and not on what I don't. The more time I spend counting my blessings, the less time I have left to think about what I have lost. (It's really just simple math!)

My prayer for you today... May God fill your empty places with great friends, His purpose, and sweet memories.

In His Love,
LeAnn