Ooppsss....!

Ooppsss… what did I write there?

That email responded to the newsletter I sent out few hours before. That email that made my heart beat, my throat tightened and my smile fell, when the first time I read it.

With all my limitations as a beginner in writing and with my passion to be able to be a good writer, I wish what I wrote in that newsletter could help people to keep up dated with us here, the women in the other side of their world, and be blessing to them and at the ultimate point, to glorify Him, Who gives this ministry to us.

I was sitting with a friend who needed me to be with her in her discouraged time. A desperate called to me that night brought me there with her. That was the time when I tried to encourage her then that “ooppss email” arrived on my ‘smart-phone-device’ (that is not so smart sometimes, to deliver that kind of message at that kind of time). So, there I was, tried to encourage this sweet friend and suddenly need an encouragement too.

“How come she sent those harsh comments on that ‘supposed-to-be-thank-you-and-please-pray-for-us-newsletter’”?

“Why didn’t she just ask some questions to make it clear than writing her ‘judgments’”?

“What did make her think she knows better than us while she has no idea about what have been going on with us?”

Those were my “by default” self defense mechanism. But wait… I could not respond that email right away as my sweet friend needed me much and was more important for me that night. So trying to forget that email and put my mind and my heart back for this friend was the choice. And was the best choice!

When I got back home, I had more time to think and pray, until that unhealthy emotion can be processed with more than my feelings. It is always processed through the emotional part of my brain before the logical part. Why didn’t I try to find the positive thing on this case? Could I be thankful for that email? How?

Pray!

As I started to think and ask God to show me the good thing out of this, I saw the nice things. That email was the first response I got from that newsletter. The comments on that email were very detail, it only showed me that she read the news not just saw it, and she read it carefully to found “those bad things”. She cared enough with the news to make her emailed me those “concerns”. I do not think that all the people who get that newsletter read it. So I think I would rather be criticized than ignored. Great!

Now, what next?

I remember an article from one of my favorite writers, Lysa TerKeurst, about responding this kind of issue. There are three things to think before responding: is a reply necessary? A reaction and a reply are vastly different, humility is a beautiful diffuser.

I do not know this lady personally but she must be someone who knows our ministry. The newsletter was sent out to the people who involve in our ministry in many ways or the ones who are recommended by the leaders. I tried to find information about her, and two people I asked about her told me two “not-so-nice” stories about her in regard her involvement in our ministry. Hey, I am not that “special” the only one who gets her “amazing” action then. In fact, she is special!

I really thank God for this. I always want to be a writer, that is one of my biggest dreams. I write not because I can write but because I love writing. I believe, when God makes that dream comes true someday (amen!), there will be many similar responses to whatever I write. This was the first time and that’s special!

That “ooppss” email now turned to be an “encouragement” email. It is!

“Dear sister, I do appreciate your comments and concern for our ministry. I was encouraged by how you responded our newsletter very detail. That’s incredible.

So………….…”

I replied her email with grateful heart. Giving her more information she needed to know and thanking her for her wonderful email. I wish the additional information could help her about how she is to pray for the women and those with the women more detail, as her email have encouraged me in a special way.

Praise the Lord!