The affect/effect of a HUG

Yesterday, I was given the sweetest, most cherished compliment I will ever receive. A compliment that forever will be "suntereo", in my heart. Suntereo is a Greek word, that means "to preserve", it is the idea of keeping treasure preserved or safe by holding it close.

Some of you have met Dick & Maxine Ayers at our church. And if you had the privilege to know them personally, you are blessed. I first met them in our Tuesday night life group, about six years ago. I shared with the group that I was having a hard time accepting and giving love. How uncomfortable it was to be hugged, and how it would make me feel tense. (I believe it is the effect/result of a child growing up without love being given to them).
The response I received was overwhelming. I was only asking for their prayers. But what I got instead was hugged! Did they hear me? I said I did not like to be hugged!
Words can not express how that melted my soul. How it caused me to feel love, receive love and give love.

Maxine went home to be with the Lord within this past year. But, Dick still searches me out every Sunday he is at church.
Yesterday, as I was passing through the narthex. I stopped, to wait for Dick to finish talking to someone else. I turned to his daughter, and I told her, "I better wait here, because I know Dick will search me out if I don't".

Gayle says: "I need a hug to", so I hugged her. And this is where the greatest compliment was given to me;
With tears in her eyes;
she says, "hugging you is like hugging my mom". I then told her how precious it was that she said that.

I could not wait to share with Cleyo how these words blessed me. Before I could tell him, he shares with me, that Gayle said the same thing to him, (about me) and how blessed he was to have me. (In more words than this, but I do not want to come across that I am bragging about myself, because that is not the case. I am only wanting to reveal the power of a hug).

I know the ultimate compliment I could hear from someone is that they see Jesus in me. So, I aim to be more like Jesus, in the way I show love.

To be completely honest. I tend to wear my emotions. If I am not happy, I do not want to smile, or pretend to be nice to anyone. But, God has been working on my heart. I am having a sin issue when I am behaving like that.And I need to deal with it, whether it is pride, holding a grudge, or maybe not giving mercy and grace to someone.
God has shown me mercy and grace more times than I could possibly try to count, when I have not deserved it.

Ephesians 2:3-9 says it clearly;
3.Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. 4. But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5. even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6. and raised up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7. so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9. not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.


Hebrews 4:16
16. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.


Romans 5:8
8. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.


1 John 4:11
11. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.



Now, I know that the people who read this blog are highly intelligent, but I want to write the definition of affect and effect. So that you may consider the affect/effect you might have on those around you.

Affect~ to have an effect on; influence; produce a change in; to move or stir the emotions of; an emotion or feeling attached to an idea, in general, emotion or emotional response
Effect~ to accomplish; the power or ability to bring about results; influence or action on something; the impression produced on the mind of the observer or hearer;