06/03/2026
Happy Friday friends! It's AMAZING how such a simple gesture can impact someone more than you'll know.
Many years ago, I had a gentleman who was reluctant to try "church,"share with me the reason he came back the following week... He was someone who, by first appearance, many might feel intimidated by. He told me several years later, it was my smile that brought him back to Church. As he explained, he said, "your smile is genuine. It's what brought me back because at that moment I didn't feel judged, but accepted!" 🥹 Who knew!
Several years later, I was sitting in my truck waiting for my husband to pick up our dinner. I really didn't want to leave our home, but I threw on some clothes, didn't do my hair or make-up and off we went. I had been struggling with my mental health at the time. I Felt blah, and quite frankly, felt hopeless. My husband pulled right up to the sidewalk and exited. "Ugh," why did he pull up to the sidewalk...nestled back in the trees would have been GREAT!!! I really didn't want to see anyone or have anyone see me....and then the inevitable happened...as I raised my head, I made eye contact with a woman walking by. Right away, I thought she's probably judging me on my appearance. After all, I probably looked like I just rolled out of bed, or at least that's how I felt...BUT, she wasn't judging me. She simply kept eye contact and SMILED! At THAT moment, it felt as she was giving my soul a HUG! That smile brought me to tears. That's how broken inside I felt... A simple SMILE. 💕
I had never met this woman, nor have our paths crossed again. Her simple gesture impacted me and helped me understand how a simple SMILE can mean so much more.
Just a "word" for thought: 😁 Share those beautiful Smiles. Someone you encounter may need their soul hugged!
Blessings Friends! ❤️
