About 15 years ago now, I was a speaker at a series of public seminars held in Australia and New Zealand. I was thrilled to be sharing the platform with Dr Wayne Dyer. If you have not heard of him, he is an awesome author worth reading, and his book, 'Your Erroneous Zones' (note ERRoneous) changed my life when I was 23.
He was a hero to me and it was the first day of the seminar to an audience of 3000 in Sydney . I had never spoken to that many people before and I wanted to be prepared so I was on stage before the crowd arrived checking it out. The stage seemed huge to me and far, far away on the other side of it I saw what seemed like a small figure walking towards me.
To my surprise and delight, the figure turned out to be Wayne who came up to me smiled and said 'are you Amanda?'. Well, my jaw dropped as this really famous, significant person in my life was in front of me and he knew my name! But wait ¯ it gets better! As I stumbled through 'yes and you changed my life', he said, 'I am looking forward to hearing you, I've heard good things about you!' and I swear, there were little hearts going from this man's heart to mine through our eyes! I couldn't see them of course ¯ but I sure felt them. He was sooo loving, encouraging and kind to me, a complete stranger to him.
As you can tell I have never forgotten that moment! And his associates at the time, Maya who has been with Wayne forever, and Reid Tracey the CEO and master of the growth of Hay House publishing were equally helpful and loving.
I came across a quote from Mother Theresa that reminded me of that incident and trip.
"I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God, who is sending a love letter to the world."
Those three people were definitely God's pencils writing me a love letter at that time. Thank you Wayne, Maya and Reid!
Who has been a 'pencil of God' in your life? Think back to the times someone had supported you; encouraged you; been kind, loving or caring; someone who saw the best in you and helped to bring it out; of a person who believed in you ¯ that you would succeed at what you put your mind to. Have you thanked them? Do they know how much they helped you? Have you returned the 'love letter' they wrote to you on behalf of God? If not ¯ now is the time to take action. Your thank you note or conversation expressing your gratitude will be a love letter to them from God through you!
What kind of a letter are you writing as the pencil in Gods hand? Are you writing 'love letters' to others or little 'discouragement notes'? Are you critical, envious, jealous or defensive? Do you put others down because you don't feel good about yourself or because you can?
We are happy ¯ and quick - to judge, criticize and evaluate our colleagues, bosses, customers and others with whom we work ¯ but how often do we try to be sending a 'love letter' to others on behalf of God? Especially in a work context.
We know we are supposed to love our families and friends, and we are often more successful at 'writing' them love letters ¯ although we may not 'write' them, or show them our love often enough. We rarely attach this kind of thinking to our workplace.
Do you acknowledge people and what they do? Are you encouraging, enthusiastically supporting and helping others grow and succeed? Do you serve the best you can? Are you grateful for having a job, do your absolute best and give 100%? Even if 'they' (everyone else at work) don't seem to be pencils in God's hands! Even if they seem to be big black marker pens grading you? If you are surrounded by those who are into 'discouragement' notes, or marker pens, be the first to show them how God can use you to write love letters in the face of difficulty, disharmony and struggle.
Are you caring about people, sending love to everyone you meet, everyone in your life and especially your family. Do you give life to situations or suck them and people dry? Are you optimistic, grateful, generous, forgiving and cheerfully enthusiastic with everyone at work. Do you inspire hope, laughter, and spread joy? All these are the messages you can write.
We are all 'little pencils in Gods hands' - we choose what we write!
What will you choose to send out in God's love letter today?
(P.S. This is a little thank you love note from God and his little pencil me, for Wayne, Maya, Reid and the many other wonderful people in my life who have sent me love!)
