Sunday: Focus on the Savior (with Jana Marek)

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I'm just an average girl--wife to an amazing man, mommy to three little ones, and a nurse currently taking some time off to be with the previously mentioned little ones.  I love the life God has given me. I blog over at Words, Musings, and Notes

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"Peace Like a River"

 Life is crazy, wonderful, awful, and everything in between.  With all the drama, it's easy to forget that God is in control and that He offers us peace in the midst of all the chaos.  Recently, the Lord has been reminding me over and over of Psalm 73.  It's worth taking a few minutes to read this chapter.  I'll just give a brief summary here.  The Psalmist saw how all the wicked people around him seemed to be prospering while he had nothing but trouble even though he was doing right.  The more he thought about that, the more discouraged he became. After awhile, the Psalmist went to the Lord.  It was then that God reminded him about the end of those who will not follow the Lord.  He was reminded that he needed to stay close to the Lord so that he could keep a proper perspective on life.   I need that reminder every day because it is too easy to forget to "focus on the Savior."  My pastor recently shared this quote in his sermon:  "What you forget, you can't appreciate.  What you don't appreciate, you won't value.  You will be unwilling to devote your life to something you do not value."  The Lord Jesus Christ has done so much for me that I want to serve Him.  To that end, I've been working to keep the Lord in my thoughts through out the day.  Recently, I've started jotting verses down to keep by my kitchen sink so that when I am doing dishes or washing my hands, I can read over them.  I listen to music that focuses my mind back to  Jesus and everything He's done for me.  It's a journey--following the Lord.  My prayer is that the Lord will help me learn to love Him more every day so that I can say with the Psalmist:  "My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever."--Psalm 73:26

Sunday: Focus on the Savior (with Traci Little)

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I'm a curly-headed dreamer who loves my Savior, adores my best friend called Hubby, and my three children!

I never knew how much I would love being at home full time with my kids, while caring for our home! What a privilege and high calling.

I love to blog, do crafts, take pictures, cook, decorate cakes, and make my home cozy and inviting!

It is my desire to glorify God through encouraging and edifying other women. My prayer is that from reading this blog you will be lifted up and it will motivate you to love God, your spouse, and kids that much more!

Traci blogs over at Ordinary Inspirations.

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LIFE will snatch your remote and push fast forward, if you don't make a point to slow down.  It will whiz right past you before you have time to regret the days, turned into years, turned into a lifetime.

AS an autumn breeze blows crisp leaves away, so does time with its memories of yesterday.

SO pay attention, and soak in each moment that God gives you,

before the sun sets on your yesterdays... and you wish you had a chance to do LIFE over.

OH TASTE AND SEE THAT THE LORD IS GOOD,
BLESSED IS THE MAN THAT TRUSTETH IN HIM.

Psalm 34:8

Sunday: Focus on the Savior (with Rachel Tatem)

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My name is Rachel Tatem.  I am a wedding photographer, wife, friend and want to be "fashionista".  I am married to my best friend, "literally the best man ever",stated channeling Chris from Parks and Recreation, oh and I should probably state that I love media.  All forms and fashions of it I deeply enjoy: I even really like advertisements, well done advertisements anyway.  I have never been called quiet a day in my life and I'm a bit too proud of it.  I love people in a big way.  I like to talk a lot but I love to dance more.  I think my voice sounds great, and I might be the only one. 

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I never know how to start these, a testament to what God has done in my life/what he has taught me.  Where do you start?  So as all things me I will just simply start. Over the years of growing up, every moment seems to take less and less time. As a child when your mother tells you to go sit still for 15 minutes I remember feeling like it was eternity.  Slowly time seems to have sped up.  Not actually but my perspective has morphed.  But in so many ways my perspective on time is still very childlike. 

 Over the years I have been married, which has not been many, there has been a lot of waiting.  Waiting for direction, waiting for purpose, waiting for jobs, waiting for the purchase of our house to go through.  For so much of our marriage we have been on hold in a desire to keep our lives focused on God, trying to honor God.  During all this waiting I feel like a child, when things don't happen within my time frame, within my reasoning of right.  So often I throw the adult version of a temper tantrum, through the most adult medium possible "prayer requests".  

You know what I am talking about.  "I would really like your help with waiting cause God isn't make Himself clear, so I can't do what He wants"...   I stand there irritated that I'm not getting my way, when I want and exactly how I want.  Slowly God has used these long years of almost continual transition to teach me over and over again: I don't matter.  My knowing what's going on doesn't matter, no matter how much I wish it did.  I am here solely to honor God with my everyday actions.  I don't even have to do much of anything... just simply give myself up daily to God. 

 Sounds so simple, so perfect... yet it is the most difficult thing ever.  Despite my failings, despite my entitled attitude and extreme arrogance God blesses me.  I think my favorite thing from this past year is that God has helped me see all the blessings, whether as simple as a great parking space on a terrible day or as huge as helping me trust, that He lays upon me everyday.  I know that I still miss so much but this year I am ever grateful to God for showing me the tiniest bit of grace He gives me.  On my worst days when I can't seem to keep my head up, somehow God helps me see grace. . . I think this is the best thing yet, for I am by no means an optimist.  I like to call myself a realist and my "Everything's sunshine" husband deems me a pessimist but he can't be trusted. : D

 

Sunday: Focus on the Savior (with Jennifer Officer)

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I am first and foremost a daughter of God, saved out of my own personal rebellion and control.  God took a life that looked fine on the outside, but was broken beyond recognition.   After He healed me, He healed my marriage to the love of my life.  My husband and I parent two wonderful children who are too quickly approaching independence.  I serve as the children’s pastor at the church where I grew up. I began blogging in late 2010, thinking that I was going to attempt a 365 picture project.  (I think I lasted 52 days.)  Out of guilt for my ever-present lack of perfection (anybody else?) I was only a sporadic blogger for several months.  However, as 2011 came to a close, I realized that I could use my blog as an accountability partner – a world-wide obedience tracker – for what God speaks into my life.   Since no one but me, and occasionally my mom, read my blog, I am free to be honest about my struggle and fear and heart-felt desire to follow God with everything I’ve got.  When my page views are high, it’s only because I am struggling and desperate to remember what God has spoken to me. I most enjoy cooking and opening my home to people as a ministry – whether lunch and Bible study with a precious group of women on Fridays or cookies with teenagers.

I blog over at Jennifer Officer.

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I can appreciate that some people do not like to cook.


I do not like to garden.


I tried it.  When we got married and moved into our home, I immediately planted roses.  My mother grew beautiful roses.  Wives were supposed to grow beautiful roses.


So I cajoled my sweet man into digging up a rose bed and proceeded to spend way too much money for a newly married couple on rose plants.


I learned something about myself.


I do not like to garden.


When it is hot and humid outside(which is frequently here in TN), I prefer the swimming pool or at the very least the air conditioning. It is hard to tend your roses from either of those places.


I gave up gardening.


Sometimes I forget that I don't like it and I do something ridiculous.  Like plant something.

It never ends well.


But cooking...


There I find my pace.


I have felt like God's Word to me this year was to pursue love.

My problem is that in pursuing a Godly marriage, ministry, parenting, a clean house, folded laundry - I forget to pursue love.


Until I slow down and begin to mix the ingredients for a blueberry scone.  For no reason except that I have some blueberries going south quickly and I don't like wasting food.


So, with worship music cranked loud and kitchen warm from preheating oven, I bake.  And I slow down to pray for people - for soldiers who are recovering, friends who are waiting, people who are searching.  As the butter meets the flour and the songs fill my house, I slow down and do the act of love that is most beneficial - I lift my soul to the Only One who is my Help.

                 He on whom we have set our hope.  And He will yet deliver us... 2 Corinthians 1:10

And the beauty of frozen, grated butter meets with the lyrics of a song that played from my daddy's radio years ago

Why me Lord

What have I ever done to deserve even one

Of the pleasures I've known

Tell me Lord

What did I ever do that was worth love from you

Or the kindness you've shown

Lord help me Jesus I've wasted it so

Help me Jesus, you know what I am

Now that I know that I've needed you so

Help me Jesus my soul's in your hands

Try me Lord

If you think there's a way I can ever repay what I've taken from you

Maybe Lord

I can show someone else what I've learned myself

On my way back to you

Lord help me Jesus I've wasted it so

Help me Jesus, you know who I am

But now that I know that I've needed you so

Help me Jesus my soul's in your hands

Help me Jesus my soul's in your hands

David Crowder Band - Why Me?

And the tears pour down my face because that is me:  undeserving of His pleasures and His love.

And I pray that as I meet this year of pursuing love that I could show someone else what I have learned myself.

I challenge you to find the thing that helps you slow your pace and turn your face toward heaven.  Have you found it?

Sunday: Focus on the Savior (with Michelle Parrott)

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Hi! I'm Michelle and I blog over at The Momma Bird. I am a military wife, Momma to two rowdy boys, former elementary teacher turned SAHM. I'm a Christian, blogger, and social media addict. I'm currently living in England with our little family, enjoying where God has brought us and excited to see where He takes us from here.

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During my quiet time this morning I was reading about "Life in the Fast Lane". Always on the go, filling our days with this, that and the other and yet so many days we fail to commit the day to our Heavenly Father. What a powerful truth. I know in my personal life I struggle to commit my days to God.

This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24

As a SAHM, my days are filled with changing diapers, cleaning up potty accidents, feeding hungry bellies, playing with the littles, creating projects, breaking up fights, cleaning, cuddling, making dinner and everything else in between. I fail to squeeze in a decent quiet time if I don't wake up before the kids, or even get one in at all!

Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. Psalm 90:12

The days I do get up before the kids and am able to spend some time in the Word, my heart is in a better place. My mind is at ease and my patience is astounding. It's silly to look back on it and realize that these days are such a joy because I have committed it to the Lord FIRST. He is the one that is in charge regardless of whether or not I commit it to Him, yet when I do He is showering me with His wonderful blessings.

Commit your way to the Lord Psalm 37:5

Such a powerful and gracious God we serve. I challenge you - commit your days to the Lord. They are His anyway, so why not just let Him know you are willing to hand it over to His blessings.

Sunday: Focus on the Savior (with Lisa Walters)

I am so stoked to introduce you to another incredible friend I met through my other blogging site on Xanga. It's just amazing to me that even though we have never met in person we formed an immediate friendship because we serve the same Savior.  Meet Lisa...

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Lisa is an Army Chaplain's wife and a doula who home schools her kids, eats a lot of dark chocolate, loves winter, and enjoys sitting with a book and a cup of coffee. She thoroughly enjoys this blogging world and has made some really good friends in the past year. She is very grateful for grace, a patient husband, children old enough to do chores, and Twitter pals.  Lisa blogs over at The Army Chap's Wife.

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It is truly hard to believe, but my husband has been without a full-time job since June 2010. That's a year and a half. Eighteen months of learning what it means to trust. Eighteen months of being surprised and sustained by God's provision and grace.

The biggest surprise for me, personally, is how content I am with the "living in-between" that we've found ourselves in for so long. God has called my husband and I to wait on Him. To be content to just "BE" instead of frantically searching for "WHAT'S NEXT?" It is not an easy thing to do! Don't get me wrong, my husband has done his mighty fair share of job hunting, but the way he's gone about it has been totally different from times in the past. And my contentment level? It has nothing to do with my strength or spirituality--it's all God's doing!

(photo credit)

We have been learning the importance of the words in Psalm 46:10-11:

"Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress."

Sometimes "being still" is the hardest thing to do. Human tendency is to want to "do" and make our own way.

We had grand ideas of what kind of job my husband would have, what part of the country we would live in, what our family would be like, and again He surprised us by not going by our ideas. Imagine that!! (Kidding!) What He HAS done is given us a love for where we are now, and plenty of ministry opportunities that we did not expect--all the while faithfully providing for our every need. We have been given some amazing chances to encourage others who are struggling to trust that God will take care of them.

The time has definitely not been easy. We have struggled along the way--emotionally and relationally--but we are learning along the way as well. God does have a way of using times like these to grow us up, refine our character, and teach us to trust.

For each member of our family, that trust has meant something different. My youngest has learned that God will provide enough money for us to make our house payment. My oldest has learned that she can continue to make friends even if she doesn't know how much longer she'll live here. I have learned that God can give me a desire to enjoy where I am at the moment, instead of thinking "I'll be happy when..." And my husband has learned that obeying God, even when it doesn't seem to make logical sense, can reap tremendous rewards.

We still don't know what's next. But, somehow that doesn't matter as much now as it used to. We have learned that God's surprises are good.

Sunday: Focus on the Savior (with Yours Truly)

Unconditional Love

Today is a very special day. Two years ago today I gave birth to the greatest earthly gift God ever bestowed on me. My precious beautiful baby girl. She is just the light of my life and every day is full of new discoveries and viewing the world through such innocent eyes.

Today at church my brother, our pastor, will be praying over my precious daughter as we dedicate her back to God. Just as Hannah gave Samuel back to the Lord as she promised she would, so I know that it is the Lord who gave my girl to me and with all my heart I give her back to Him that He may always have His will and way in her life.

I never knew love until I became a mother. That kind of unconditional love that I would so willingly give my life to save hers without a second thought. What love! What wondrous love! What takes my breath away is that this indescribable love that grows with every beat of my heart doesn't even compare to the love of my Savior. No one, not one person will ever love my little girl like I love her. No one, not one person will ever love me the way my Savior loves me.

My baby girl has no doubts that I will care for her. That I will protect her and provide for her and shield her from anything or anyone that may ever try to harm her. It's not even a second thought. She never questions my love for her. She never wonders if tomorrow she will eat and have a warm place to sleep. She trusts me that no matter what she will always be cared for and in that beautiful pure innocence she can rest her head each night without a worry...without a fear.

How the tears flow knowing that my Savior wants me to trust Him that same way. To rest in His care without a worry without a care in the world about what tomorrow holds. In His arms I am safe and nothing or no one can ever harm me. If only we had that same pure innocent trust of a child...never wondering or worrying about tomorrow... never questioning if He will provide our needs.

Our Savior loves us more than a mother loves her child. The very thought just blows my mind! To think that despite all my faults and imperfections, He loves me! Despite my lack of faith....He loves me! Despite my whining and complaining...He loves me......He loves me......unconditionally.

Happy Birthday, Baby Girl!  I love you!

Sunday: Focus on the Savior (with Rosie Leavesnbloom)

  

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Rosie Leavesnbloom is the blogger and photonaturalist behind leavesnbloom photography and leavesnbloom.  She lives with her family in a very picturesque part of Perthshire in Scotland with its highland scenery and rich diversity of plants and wildlife.  She's an aspiring nature and portrait photographer in her free time while juggling a demanding career in horticulture.  She can be found Highlighting the Promises of God each weekend on her photography blog.

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Throughout life we're constantly learning and developing new skills.  I'm a student studying for a Master's Degree in Wisdom which will take a lifetime to achieve.   My private tutor is the Holy Spirit and He leads me in my studies and directs my thoughts and prayers.  I've been on this degree course for over 20 years and along the way I've been blessed with a loving husband, 3 very energetic sons and recently a beautiful daughter-in-law.  Each one of us in the family is studying the same degree course though we're all at different levels of attainment.  There's much opposition to this degree course and sometimes I let the world distract me from my studies.

John 14:26 "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.

1# Course Overview 

It's a masters degree that requires a life time commitment of hand to hand combat through prayer.  Our only necessary reading materials are the 66 books penned by 40 different authors  in the form of the Bible.

2# Entry Requirements and Fees

• It's FREE!  - There are no fees for this degree course as Jesus paid your debt at Calvary. 
• Asking Jesus to forgive you of your sins, turning from those sins and believing and trusting in Jesus.
• Registration is open 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year and there never is a waiting list for admission. 

3# Practical Assessment and and Placements

Any student that is doing the Degree in Wisdom can relate to the life lessons as being the most painful lessons of the whole course but oh the most fruitful and rewarding!  The lessons are individualized to match each student's unique abilities and learning style.


Those life lessons cover subjects such as:

• trials 
• persecution 
• temptation
• illness and suffering
• unemployment
• depression
• addiction
• covetness, materialism and greed
• pride 
• idolatry
• fear and doubt
• busyness of life 
• bitterness
• adultery 
• hatred

4# Course Content 

It's through these individual life lessons that each of us on the course learns all about the nearness of Christ and the sweet fellowship of fellow Christians.  We see the effects that prayer has on our lives and the lives of others and can understand the battles that others are going through. We can overcome fear and temptation and become totally reliant on God and the sufficiency of His promises.

2 Timothy 2:15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does
not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.

5# Course Opportunities

This degree course equips us with:

• love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control

along with the attributes of:

• faith, hope, trust, humility, discernment, understanding, courage, knowlege, contentment and WISDOM!

6# Career Opportunities

• Serving the Lord in Eternity

7# Course outcome

2 Timothy 4:7,8 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.

One day we'll finish this Masters Degree in Wisdom though some finish the degree much sooner than others and some have much harder lessons to learn than others. A graduation ceremony will take place and through Christ we'll meet our Tutor face to face.  We'll look  back on all of our trials while on the course and realise that they were all mercies in disguise. 



He'll give us a white robe and a crown of righteousness.   While next to our names written in the heavenly rolls it will state that we have been redeemed by the Blood of the Lamb, faithful and approved.  Hallelujah!

Sunday: Focus on the Savior (with Kathryn Adams)

My name is Kathryn Adams. I blog. I have a love affair with my vacuum cleaner, and I think coffee is one of God’s greatest gifts. I am the mother of two — Banana and Moose {a.k.a. Anna and Madison}. They are everything I want to be when I grow up: funny, creative, smart, kind, compassionate and forgiving. The forgiving part is crucial, ‘cause sometimes I’m the mom who forgets to pack their lunch or turn in field trip permission slips or sign their homework.
I’m so happy I married a forgiving husband, too, ‘cause sometimes I’m the wife who is too busy posting on her blog to cook dinner or who decided to spend the day playing in Lightroom instead of doing laundry. If you get me started on my Nikon, I’ll go on ALL day.
To be honest, I’m sort of proud of that . . . I’ll explain a little later.
I can’t imagine a life without faith, without grace {I need so much!}, without unconditional love. I’m amazed and awed every day by Jesus — His heart, His Word, His presence. I see Him in my children’s eyes. I feel Him in the Fall breeze. I hear Him whisper to my heart: “You’re mine.” And I’ll tell you this one truth: He’s mine, too, and that changes EVERYTHING. Stop by Our tiny big Life sometime, and let’s be friends!

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If you were to meet me in real life, you’d pretty quickly discover that I have a passion for a select few things: Jesus, photography and writing. Of course, I’m passionate about my husband and children and friends and so many other undeserved blessings, but I’m talking about the things that really get me up in the morning: something to write, a photo to edit and a Someone to share it all with and do it all for.
I feel most alive when I’m with Him, behind the lens or sipping on a cup of coffee in front of the keyboard.
That wasn’t always the case, though.
I’ve always loved Jesus — well, as long as I can remember. But, I spent most of my life running through a checklist, maintaining a constant and exhausting effort to keep everything neat and tidy, to do right and be right and please . . . everybody.
I envied folks who seemed to actually enjoy life. They were the creative types. The “others,” like my daughter Madison, who can’t walk by a box of crayons without drawing, who have designated rooms for sewing and scrapbooking, who earn a living designing interiors or spilling emotion onto canvas.

I was the organizer, the cleaner, the straight-A student, the by-the-book girl. I would tell you I was gifted — organization and obsessive compulsion are gifts, right? — but not creative. Besides, creating is messy and sometimes involves mistakes, and I was never a big fan of messes or mistakes.
Well, about three years ago, I discovered blogging. And shortly thereafter, I got serious about photography. It was like an entire world opened up that I had never known before. I have something to say. I have art to share. The world is art and words and wonder and He’s woven all through it.
I started a journey to let go of perfection and found that when I’m not white-knuckling my way through life in an effort to control, there is beauty hidden everywhere.

Just the other Sunday, the hubby and I led Sunday school for the elementary age kids at our church and the theme of the lesson was this: You were created, so you can be creative.
Simple. Revolutionary. I’ve thought about it a million times since.
This is what God has to say about us, about ALL of us:

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. ~ Ephesians 2:10

We are made in His image. We can’t help but be creative. It’s who He is, so it’s who we are!
I’m learning that behind the lens and sitting at the keyboard, I’m creating a masterful reflection of His heart. It gets a little messy sometimes, but that’s the nature of art.

In the end, it’s worth the laundry piling up a little, the trials and the occasional errors.
I once heard that there are so many different people in the world because each of us showcases a single dynamic of His infinitely faceted character. What a privilege to display a part of His image in what I create.

Sunday: Focus on the Savior (with Amber Cullum)

This week my lovely bloggy friend and sister in the Lord, Amber from Click. Pray. Love. is guest posting. Amber has been such an inspiration and an encouragement to me since I first "met" her. She has such a sweet spirit and the Lord is truly glorified on her blog.
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My name is Amber and I am a Kentucky country bumpkin that has been transplanted to the hot southern city of Tampa, Florida.  I graduated from the University of Kentucky with a master's in Physical Therapy.  It was there that God changed my heart and I have been on this journey of life with Him ever since.  I am so thankful to know Jesus as the LORD and Savior of my life and truly couldn't imagine my life without Him.

Shortly, after moving to Tampa God grew our family of two to three.  I became a stay at home mom who began experimenting with photography and blogging, as result of the new, cute, little human that graced my presence every day.  Little did I know, photography and blogging would become a passion of mine that grows and changes every day.  I blog at Click.Pray.Love. There you will find my writings, photographs, and faith experiences as I try to find the Divine among the daily.

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Many times, I have thought about how I do not even begin to grasp or understand love.

God's word describes love as:

• patient
• kind
• void of envy
• void of boasting
• void of pride
• void of rudeness
• void of selfishness
• keeping no records of wrongs 
• not being easily angered
• rejoicing in truth
• always protecting 
• always trusting
• always hoping
• always persevering 
• unfailing. 

Each time I read God's definition I realize just how difficult it is to really love others.  I also realize that only one person has ever loved perfectly.....Jesus.

He is the picture of patience.  He would sit for hours teaching those who wanted to hear, enduring those who mocked, and explaining to those who did not understand.

He practiced kindness, treating outcasts with favor, such as the woman at the well (John 4), the adulterous woman (John 8), and the lepers (Luke 9), to name a few.  

He did not envy others or long for their belongings.  Instead, He taught that worldly possessions are meaningless.  He taught  and was obedient to the will of the Father.  


He did not boast about all of His amazing attributes or His perfection.  He remained humble giving all glory to God. .  


He was so void of pride that it angered the religious leaders.  He never became prideful when teaching others, although He knew and was absolute truth.  He was bold, but not prideful. 

He was not rude, but instead spoke the truth boldly; extending gentleness to the broken and firmness to the heretics.   The truth is hard sometimes, but He loved always and avoided talking down to people who were not as knowledgeable as He.  

His whole life was devoted to serving others.  No selfishness, instead selflessness.  When He was tired He would still take the time teach those who longed to hear His words.  


His own people hurt Him, but He did not take revenge or keep a record of their wrongs.  Instead, He said, "Forgive them for they know not what they do." Even now, he will accept all who believe and call on His name.


He had so much to be angry about, Judus' betrayal, Peter's betrayal, His beatings, His death, but He chose not to be angry.  Once again, He said, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do."  His only hint of anger came when the people were trading in the temple courts, but His anger was all out of love for the Father and the desire to uphold His commands.  


He was/is the perfect example of forgiveness.  He gave His life to forgive the sins of all people and set those who believe in Him free from the law of sin and death.    

He always rejoiced in the truth and encouraged all people to live out the truth for the most abundant life possible.  


His 30+ years on earth  was a perfect display of protection, trust, hope, and perseverance.  He trusted God's plan and lived in obedience.  He not only hoped, He was/is the hope of the world.  He pressed on and attained the victory over death.  

You, Jesus are UNFAILING LOVE!!! 

I long to love like that.  To avoid being rude, unforgiving, easily angered, envious, boastful, impatient, and unkind.  

While considering the perfect love of Christ, I asked myself, "Have I ever loved like Christ?"  I thought of a few:

• when I played volleyball with the children in India
• when I bathed Rosa Lee in Haiti
• when I spoke at Rex's funeral  

Then, I asked myself, "What happened and how did I feel when I loved in that way?"  The overwhelming response was, FULL OF JOY!!


Then, I realized that those few experiences were short periods of time.  I struggle to fully love in the every day mundane details of life.  I struggle to fully love when I am in the midst of a storm.  I struggle to fully love when things don't go my way.  I struggle to fully love, because at the end of the day I am saved from the punishment of sin, but my flesh still struggles with sin.  At the end of the day, I still need the grace of the one who is UNFAILING LOVE to fall fresh over me, so that I may love a little better tomorrow.