A dear friend of mine is the gorgeous mom to three gorgeous, grown and married daughters (and one waiting for her in heaven). These girls have the biggest hearts (like their mama), and they adore her – as do her many friends. This woman has quite the fan club!

A while back, the girls messaged me and invited me to come to their mama’s surprise birthday party. I live a few hours’ drive away, but there was no place I would rather be than in a room full of ladies celebrating that wonderful woman! I RSVPed “YES!”, packed my bag, and headed to West Texas. No way was I going to miss this!

The lovely home of a local friend of hers was the party destination so we all gathered in her kitchen to be filled in on the game plan. The decorations were already spread throughout the house – classic and beautiful with lots of fresh flowers. Food and drinks were elegantly displayed. All we needed was our guest of honor.

Our friend’s birthday had actually come and gone a few weeks earlier. On this chilly January morning, her girls had invited her to go with them to get pedicures and then to grab some lunch. They also told her they were including the friend (who unbeknown to her was hosting the party). The ruse would be that as they stopped to pick up the friend, she would invite them in while she hunted for some personal item she would need for their outing. Needless to say, that’s not exactly what happened.

Ten or so of us girls scooched back down a hallway, waiting for the phone call. The hostess feigned an apology for running late and invited our friend and her girls to come inside. Soon, they were standing in the entryway. The birthday girl saw the decorations, and a confused look came over her face. Then the first friend stepped out of the hallway and crossed the room to embrace her. Before she could say anything, the next friend stepped out. And then the next. And so it went until we all filled the living room. There were laughter and, of course, happy tears! She was overcome with surprise and joy and all the love that filled that room – just as her girls had hoped for but hardly what their mama had expected!

She expected pedi’s and lunch. What she received instead was a perfectly executed surprise party, full of her favorite people and a whole lot of love!

A few months later, I met up with a young woman for midafternoon coffee and snacks. She related to me a difficult time that she’d recently walked through, and she practically glowed as she talked about how the Lord had intervened in her situation. And then she described one more special thing He had done as that situation was resolving. She said, “God was so good! Everything was taken care of. Still, He gave me this one extra blessing, and He didn’t have to do that.” God surprised this beautiful soul with an extra measure of His grace and kindness.

Friends, God is full of surprises! He comes to us, rescues us, and saves us for a lifetime of walking with Him and finding purpose and fulfillment in His plans for our lives – for our good and for His glory. Yes, He saves us, but He gives us so much more. And He doesn’t have to do that, but He does because He loves us extravagantly! Respond to the Savior Who delights in you by delighting in Him! Enjoy Him! Worship Him! And don’t forget to thank Him when He sends a little surprise your way every now and then.

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“The Lord delights in those who fear Him, who put their hope in His unfailing love.” – Psalm 147:11

“He brought me out into a spacious place; He rescued me because He delighted in me.” – Psalm 18:19

“You will be a crown of splendor in the Lord’s hand, a royal diadem in the hand of your God. No longer will they call you Deserted, or name your land Desolate. But you will be called Hephzibah (“My delight is in her”), and your land Beulah (“married”); for the Lord will take delight in you, and your land will be married. As a young man marries a maiden, so will your sons marry you; as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you.” – Isaiah 62:3-5

“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.” – John 3:16-17

“But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” – Romans 5:8

“How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” – 1 John 3:1a

“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.” – Lamentations 3:22-23

“The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.” – Zephaniah 3:17