Love and prayers are flowing like a huge river from many small streams!

What follows is a paraphrase of a comment left by Suzie Cain at Shared Notes to Deb & Tom and the Family on Loving Deb Smith. The sentiment and affection is a blessed memory and encouragement to pray for Deb and Tom and their whole family. Please do.

How fast time has flown. Many have known you as the wonderful couple who "put on Jesus" for all the rest of us as Fellowship was being birthed. We loved how you guys loved each other!

Deb, our hearts are breaking over your pain, but we rejoice in the love that surrounds you. Love and prayers are flowing like small streams from hundreds of people, forming a huge river that will bear you up to Jesus's throne in a huge swell of supplication and thanksgiving. We pray for relief from your pain, Deb. We pray for cool, sunlit days to enjoy this fall, and wish we could be there to give you a hug and thank you for the example you are to all women everywhere. Know that we pray for you every time you come to mind, and we pray for your family. Blessings to you with love and hugs.

Love never fails

Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu, often known as Mother Teresa of Calcutta or Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, is one of Deb Smith's role models of the Christian life. In Deb Call to Worship 4, Deb reads a passage often attributed to Mother Teresa, commenting that when she reads it she often thinks, "Here's how you're supposed to look if you want to be like Jesus."

”People are unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway. If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish motives. Be kind anyway. If you are honest, people may cheat you. Be honest anyway. If you find happiness, people might be jealous. Be happy anyway. The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway. Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough. Give your best anyway. For you see in the end, it was between you and God. It never was between you and them, anyway."

Sort of like 1 Cor 13:4-8a:

Love is patient, (Eph 4:2; 2 Peter 3:9)
love is kind. (Prov 14:21)
It does not envy, (Job 5:2)
it does not boast, (Eph 2:8-10)
it is not proud. (Ps 131:1 ; Rom 12:16)
It is not rude, (Gal 5:22)
it is not self-seeking, (Phil 2:1-11)
it is not easily angered, (Eph 4:26)
it keeps no record of wrongs. (Ps 103:11-13)
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. (Rom 12:9-21)

It always protects, (Ps 116:5-7)
always trusts, (Prov 3:5-6)
always hopes, (1Pet 1:21)
always perseveres. (Heb 10:36 ; Heb 11:27 ; James 1:12; James 5:11)

Love never fails. (1John 4:16)
(1 Cor 13:4-8a)

Thank You, LORD, for the honor of having such a special friend

This post is from Tami Thurston, Deb's very close friend for 30 years. It is rich in Love and understanding, and will help many to focus their prayers and deep emotions about Deb and her family during this most difficult time.

To the friends and family of Deb,

Deb has been my best friend for the best part of 30 years now. There are no words to describe the depth of the pain I feel in my heart because of the suffering of my friend. I have stayed in close touch almost daily and have watched my dear friend's body deteriorate. However, I want to tell you all how I have seen her "heart" strengthening. When she is able to talk she always wants me to read her the notes on the blog. The words of love and encouragement have blessed her greatly. She has cried many times at the outpouring of love and amidst her pain has expressed how blessed she has been to have such wonderful friends. She has marveled at the fact that so many people are praying and care enough to talk to the Lord on her behalf.

I wish I had the faith to believe that her body will be healed here on earth, but I am finding my faith is not that strong right now. Lord, please forgive me. What I do know though, without a moment of doubt, is that Deb is anxious to some day dance with Jesus and be held in His arms. She longs to rest in the Father. I also know however that she doesn't want to leave her family. Her love for Tom and her kids and grandkids is deeper than any I have ever seen. The last year has been very difficult and yet all she has ever asked me to pray is for her family to be comforted and strengthened. My prayer right now is that Deb will find a peace deep inside and will feel the love of the Father in a way that she has never felt before. I pray for her family to feel the comfort that God can give in a way man can't. I also pray that they will know deep inside that God's plan is, and will be, the perfect one for them and for Deb. I also pray for a strengthening of their family. I know one of Deb's greatest desires is for the strength of her family to continue to grow no matter what the circumstances. Lord please touch each one of her children and Tom. Allow them to feel your hand guiding them through the days to come. Send them the Comforter. Give them strength beyond what they have ever known as they are called on to care for her physical needs. Lord I ask these things in the name of Jesus.

I'm not sure what our Lord has planned for Deb's body but I do know His plan for her soul. Deb and I have talked many times about heaven, and eternity. Let me assure you all that she is so excited and anxious for the day she will receive her new body and be in His presence. (We have always been sure that's a nice thin body with good hair!)

I pray right now for the pain to subside and peace to overwhelm her. I thank you, Jesus, that Deb knows You and has taught so many of us how to live with You deep in our hearts. I thank you that she has shown me what unconditional Love is and that she has been You to me so many times. I ask You, Lord, to help those of us who love her so very much to not be angry about what's happening to her and trust that Your plan is perfect. I ask You, Lord, to remind her spirit of that and to draw her close and help her to feel You. Heal her body Lord , if that is you will. If not here on earth, then thank You for the promise that she will be healed in heaven. Lord Jesus, come quickly! Thank you for the honor of having such a special friend.

Tami

So, you don't drive a tractor, but you have a paint brush...

The following is parts of an e-mail Tom Smith wrote to Loving Deb Smith after an inquiry from Iris Lachey and Lisa Galbreath whether there was any "non-tractor driving" stuff do on the farms that might be helpful to Deb and Tom. [Commentary or paraphrases are brackets]

Re: Iris and Lisa's offer. . .others are also reaching out to us wanting to serve in some way on the farm. I believe what Jesus has up His sleeve is just a way to get folks over here to minister to Deb, in a way she can accept. I think the secondary purpose will be to paint a half mile fence (both sides) .

[If the primary reason folks are coming is to paint the fence, perhaps Deb would be able to handle the hub-bub more easily]

And of course everyone will have the opportunity to show up at our home each evening to eat, fellowship, pray hug on both of us, then we will smear a little paint during the day. Bring your own brush and work clothes. I'm thinkin early Sept. I've taken a new job as Farm Manager of a large farm 1300 acres, 250 cows, 11 bulls, with a mandate from the owners to not only turn her around financially, but to also restore her to her past beauty and dignity. One owner asked, "Please fix the fence and restore this old farm."

So you might pass this on, I mentioned it to Dave [Rice] and he was up for it. Hopefully others can too. Just being with folks will bless us. But Deb will need to do so in short increments. Her energy is low. George and Connie Lueking drove over and blessed us two weeks ago [all the way from Cincinnati with dinner for Tom and Deb]. We enjoyed a short dinner and then Deb thanked them and headed back to bed.

Deb has been in St. John's in St. Louis the last ten days. Nellie is here with us since yesterday. Staying in a hotel in St. Louis so she can be with her mom during the day. There is a chance she may be able to come home this weekend. Zach is planning to come over too.

We are seeking to be Christ Followers and live life one day at a time.

Thanks again ...

Hoping,

Tom

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May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace. I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy. I am happy because you have joined me in spreading the good news. You have done so from the first day until now. I am sure that the One who began a good work in you will carry it on until it is completed. That will be on the day Christ Jesus returns. It is right for me to feel this way about all of you. I love you with all my heart. I may be held by chains, or I may be standing up for the truth of the good news. Either way, all of you share in God's grace together with me. God can give witness that I long for all of you. I love you with the love that Christ Jesus gives.

I pray that your love will grow more and more. And let it be based on knowledge and understanding. Then you will be able to know what is best.
(Phil 1:2-10, NIV)

May God Always be Glorified!