Titus 2 Tuesdays - Marcia Reed

Titus 2 Tuesday was started by Shanda, and it has become my favorite 'blogging day' of the week!!!

Titus 2 says "...Guide older women into lives of reverence so they end up as neither gossips nor drunks, but models of goodness. By looking at them, the younger women will know how to love their husbands and children, be virtuous and pure, keep a good house, be good wives. We don't want anyone looking down on God's Message because of their behavior."

I wish I could be around Marcia Reed all the time. How wonderful would it be to design a purse I could just tuck her into, so I could see her sweet face each day? Without a word, I can look at her and feel loved.

REAL LOVE!!!

Her eyes shout the joy of the Lord, and you feel refreshed and strengthened in their gaze. Her hugs have healing power; her smile calms the deepest of fears. I know (and Marcia would tell you) this love doesn’t come from her…it comes from the Lord.

2 Corinthians 4:7-8 says, “We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.”

Marcia is the Certified Ministry Assistant (a.k.a. – she keeps everyone and everything going) at First Baptist Church in Seminole, Texas. Six years ago we moved to Seminole, but I can’t remember the first time we “met”. I do remember her voice. Each time I would call up to the office, I would hear genuine warmth and love in each encouraging word she spoke to me. Marcia is never too busy for you, she never rushes you out of her presence, and in her presence you are always brought closer to the Prince of Peace.

Marcia listens.

She really listens, not just the kind of listening with head nods, but she listens with her heart.

She HEARS me.
James 1:19 says, “Let every man be quick to hear (a ready listener), slow to speak, slow to take offense and to get angry.”

I saw Marcia this past weekend. I have been struggling the past few weeks, but when Marcia hugged me the flood gates to my heart opened. I felt safe. The tears that came were not tears of sorrow, but tears of thankfulness because I mattered to someone. Her eyes say that I not only matter, but that I am special. Her smile reaches to the very depths of my soul and confirms she is truly glad to see me.

Plain old me!

I know that this isn’t a ‘human’ characteristic. Marcia loves God so much, the Spirit of God manifests HIMself in everything she does. She radiates the love of Christ. She has ‘the glow’. It is contagious; you can’t be around her and not shout out praise to the Great I AM.

Marcia’s love walk with the Lord actually has tread marks.

The rubber is on the road…her theology and her reality collide and what is left is an explosive trail of God’s grace and love abounding towards each person she comes across.

“Love talked about is easily pushed aside, but love demonstrated is irresistible.”

I love you Marcia. Thank you for praying with me, thank you for encouraging me, and thank you for loving me right where I am. Thank you for being a Titus 2 woman to so many women in West Texas.

You are beautiful.
“You should clothe yourselves instead with beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so pleasing to God.”

1 Peter 3:4