A Cup, A Portion, and a New Story: Reflections for International Women’s Day

International Women’s Day was first celebrated in New York City on February 28, 1909. It’s a day that draws our focus towards stories of women everywhere in all sorts of situations, inspiring stories of change and hope.

I hear many of these stories from the women I meet in Lillias (a Community Custody Unit in Glasgow). Stories told in chapters, shared over a weekly cup of tea. Stories told by women who discover that despite their past, there can be a new present and future.

Psalm 16:5-6

“Lord, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure.

The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely, I have a delightful inheritance”

I can see how the Lord uses the fellowship gatherings to display those boundary lines God desires for the women to dwell within, a pleasant place where their lot will be secure in the Lord. A place that their portion and cup has been assigned in the beautiful act of salvation.

Like the psalmist, women from all different back stories desire refuge from the unpleasant places of their lives. As we are each assigned a cup of tea as part of the welcome when we gather as fellowship, it’s all part of a warm welcome and an important act of hospitality that the Lord uses to begin a new story within them. An invitation to move from unpleasant places to pleasant. A generous hospitality that can involve a journey towards a delightful inheritance in Christ that is theirs to receive.

The women testify like the psalmist and these are the stories that inspire.

As we ponder this International Women’s Day, let us pause and pray for every cup of tea, a portion and cup assigned by God, offered within the boundary lines of a pleasant place that God creates to fall around each broken woman in prison today. Let us pray that we continue to listen to each chapter told and be consistent in hearing the full book! Each woman has the possibility of turning from poverty of spirit, poverty of hope to being bestowed the Lord’s delightful inheritance that they draw from now and forever. It’s better than the best turn of events in any novel. Each story recorded and shared will continue to bring hope and declare the truth of the goodness of God now and forever more.