My blog this week is a guest post from my friend, Leslie Black. Leslie is a single mom and young widow who inspires me like you won’t believe. I know she will inspire you with her words as well.

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I was in church half-listening to a sermon on how to have a lasting marriage as the pastor said, “No leftovers.” He wasn’t implying we should never serve leftovers to our family.

He was making the point that we should not give our spouse whatever is “left over” at the end of the day.

But, that is not what I heard…

I thought to myself, “Leftover. Yes! Finally, a word to describe exactly how I feel about myself!”

As a widowed, single mother I felt just like a leftover — used up, dried up, discarded, and stuck in the back of the fridge.

I knew this was not how God sees me.

I knew what Scripture said about His love for me and His plans for my life… But, I only knew it in my head, not in my heart.

I continued to chew on this lie the enemy was feeding me until God reminded me of a woman in the Bible that knew just how I felt.

She felt like a leftover as well.

John 4 recounts the story of a Samaritan woman approaching a well by herself in the middle of the day. She did not come with the other women in the morning or evening hours when it was cooler. She came alone. When, she arrived at the well that day, a strange man was there and he began to speak to her.

During their conversation, Jesus asked her to go get her husband and she confessed she did not have a husband. She had already had five husbands in the past and was now living with a man that was not her husband.

We don’t know exactly what happened to her five husbands or why this sixth man would not marry her. However, we can make some assumptions.

We could assume that her former husbands had died.

Or, we could assume that she had been divorced five times. If this were the case, it was probably because she was unable to have children.

Either way, in her culture, she would have been considered cursed by God!

She was left feeling used up, isolated, and cursed. Even the other women didn’t want to have anything to do with her. She thought the best of her was already gone.

Can you relate?

What is so distasteful about being a leftover?

Leftovers are dry and crusty on the edges. They’re cold, hard, and not very appealing.

The best way to refresh a leftover is to add a little water.

In verses 13 and 14, Jesus offers this woman eternal water. He tells her that if she drinks from this water she will never be thirsty again! He wanted to refresh her soul.

He was telling her that she was not a leftover to Him.

She was loved and valued no matter what anyone else thought about her or her situation.

He says the same thing to me… and to you.

Jesus is the eternal spring of water that provides constant refreshment and purpose.

We are never a leftover to Jesus!

He is always with us and always has a plan for our lives.

After talking to Jesus, the woman ran into town and told everyone about what just happened to her. Many Samaritans believed in Him because of the woman’s testimony.

God used a woman that most of us would have pitied or looked down on to bring a great number of people to Him.

Knowing that He could take a woman like that and use her… What can God do with your life?

You have not been discarded. You have not been left in the back of the fridge. The best of your life is not over.

You are eternally fresh in God’s eyes.

You are not a leftover, and neither am I.

In the comments below, please share how Jesus has refreshed your soul with His eternal water.