For hundreds of years, maybe thousands, people have been writing letters. In the U.S. we’ve been doing it since pens and paper became commonplace. People who wanted to get in touch with other people separated by distance had only one way to do it; they wrote letters...the only means of long distance communication until the invention of the telegraph in the 19th century.
My mom’s mom “Nanny” lived in Mississippi. That’s where my mom grew up and where I was born. My mom always felt guilty for moving away from her family in Mississippi, so anytime we were on break at school, we went to Mississippi to visit my Nanny and all my cousins and Aunts and Uncle’s. As a child, I only remember going on one vacation in my life, but we went to see Nanny at least 3 or 4 times a year.
Once a year my parents would let me stay an extra week by myself with my Nanny. I'm not sure what the appeal was because I had to work harder and had less freedom. But I absolutely loved staying with Nanny. Every time I had the opportunity to stay that special week at my Nanny's, she always made me write a letter to my parents telling them about my visit and mail it to them. Nanny had a phone, but putting pen to paper and telling stories and sharing a part of your life and your experiences seemed so much more intimate. More meaningful.
My girlfriends and I used to write letters to each other all the time. You know, back before cell phones and texting. I used to have a box full of old notes that were passed back and forth between me and those girls. I don't remember the content of those letters now, but I remember the joy and excitement of writing and later receiving them.
Words have so much power.
I received a letter written on March 30, 2020. This letter was quite unexpected as I hadn't spoken with the author in quite some time and honestly rarely did. We were Facebook friends and had once been a part of the same bible study, but our paths took different directions and we were rarely in the same place at the same time. Nothing bad ever happened, we just never had the opportunity to cultivate our relationship.
As I read her letter, I sat with tears streaming down my face. A portion of the letter reads:
"When I met you over 10 years ago... you intrigued me. God was taking you through a transition in life and I have always admired you for that. You were real and honest and strong! I have admired you from day one. I see you now and I see how you are the hands and feet of Jesus. When I see your face - I see the joy of Jesus. You have what others want. You have the Jesus spark! Please know that every day I am praying for you. Thank you for being a beautiful example to me of how to serve Him and His children."
Her words gave me an overwhelming sense of God's love for me and His power to use His people to bring encouragement at just the right time.
As I read the beginning of Colossians 2, I feel like I'm reading her letter again and the feeling of God's great care and concern for His children. I imagine how the Colossians felt hearing from God, through Paul in his letter:
"I want you to know that I am trying very hard to help you... I want you to be strengthened and joined together with love. I want you to be rich in the strong belief that comes from understanding. I mean I want you to know fully God's secret truth. That truth is Christ himself. And in him all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are safely kept. [...] I am not there with you, but my heart is happy to see your good lives and your strong faith in Christ.” (Colossians 2:1-3,5)
I love how Paul encourages them, he acknowledges them and validates who they are in Christ. These are the words of Paul, but they come from God. Just like the letter I received and just like all of scripture in the bible.
The more I study God’s word, the more I recognize that just as God used Paul to encourage others, God is continually writing love letters to others through me and through you. Through our words, through our actions and reactions. Through our care and concern for others.
He places us at just the right moment in time to be His letter to His people.
Mary Swafford is the founder of Shaken & Stirred, Meals that Matter, Coffee Talk, and a Co-Owner of Boulder Coffee in downtown Sand Springs. She is a wife, a mother of 3 beautiful children, but most importantly a daughter of the most high God. You are likely to find her chugging or serving coffee, sitting in a tattooist’s chair, or making friends out of strangers.
Photo by Sixteen Miles Out on Unsplash