A Good Word Wednesday
Current Substack Newsletter updated each Wednesday
A Good Word Wednesday
#168 SEEN
November 19, 2025
A little bit of goodness, encouragement and hope in your mailbox today.
How can we help people feel seen, heard and treasured?
SEEN. It’s Your Good Word for Your Wednesday.
“I see you.”
It’s a phrase you hear often these days. I think that’s because it is a common deep-felt need for others to recognize you, hear you and value you. How does it make you feel when others take time to stop, look you in your eyes and listen to you?
When I worked for She Is Safe, an international anti-human trafficking and anti-abuse non-profit for women and girls, I traveled often to Indonesia. Part of my job involved attending children’s outreach programs to see how our organization could partner with local Christian leaders to help little girls live safe and free from danger. When I visited the outreach events, I would tell the large group of boys and girls that God loved them. That they were precious, loved, and seen. They had no idea of their value to God. Then, after the loud singing and games, and story time was over, I would request to talk privately with a few of the girls. I would ask what they wanted to be when they grew up. I would receive the typical answers from a grade school child --“A teacher… A doctor… A police officer.” I would ask what their favorite subject in school was. “Math… Reading... Science.” Then I would always ask how I could pray for her. “For my family… For me to do well on my school exams…” One little girl took me by surprise when she said, “Pray for me at home. Sometimes my father is mean and he hurts me.” Oh, my sweet little one. My heart ached for her. I prayed for God to keep her safe from the physical abuse she was likely to endure when she got home. I continue to pray for “Benti” to be safe and to grow up to be a strong, young woman of deep faith and love for others.
Jesus modeled for us so very well how to make others feel seen. I think immediately of:
The woman at the well (John 4:4-42)
Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10)
Hagar (Genesis 16:1-16)
Who else do you think of in scripture that were unseen until God saw them… or until Jesus called them by name?
Wednesday in the Word
Wednesday in the Word
“O Lord, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar.” Psalm 139:1-2
“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2:10
“Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you.” Isaiah 43:4
Share Your Good Word
Good Questions
GOOD Question(s) of the Week: How can we help people feel seen, heard and treasured?
Good Words I Recommend
A Good Playlist: Unseen People on Spotify. Some of the songs include: Your Eyes See Me, You Know My Name, When Love Sees You, The God Who Sees, and many more. Listen for free HERE.
A Good Song: A Morning Worship Song About Being Fully Seen by Jesus. “Though others pass and do not see, Your eyes are fixed on me.”
A Good Resource: You Were Seen. Use these cards to leave at the restaurant with your tip, or in a hospital waiting room, or anywhere you see someone overlooked. Learn more at You Were Seen.
Another Good Resource: I See You: How to focus your spiritual vision on people near and far. I would love to send this free PDF to you. Just reply to this email and say: Send me “I See You.” Or, send me an email at: deannalynnsanders@gmail.com.
A Good Book: Unseen People: Sharing Light and Life with Your Neighbors and the Nations, DeAnna Lynn Sanders. (I use the word “seen” 33 times in the book. Here is one example from page 17: “Sadly, many people do not know they are priceless. We are all seen, treasured and loved. That’s who we are.”)
A Final Good Word
When we fully realize how much God loves us, we want to tell others. That’s my prayer for all of us this week. See others and tell them how much Jesus loves them.
“In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:16
I will see you back here next Wednesday for another Good Word. Invite someone you know to join us. This publication is free. Please share it. Have a good week!
DeAnna’s email: deannalynnsanders@gmail.com
Gratefully yours,
DeAnna
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