They Will Know We Are Christians By Our Love

(This is a repost from the archives)

I came across this Christmas poem about I Corinthians 13 - the Love Passage. For me, the week of Christmas can be the busiest week of my entire year. And though I am trying to make it special and meaningful for the family, I often feel like a failure when my patience is short or things don't go as I envisioned. This poem reminds me of what really matters and what really lasts...Love.

If I decorate my house perfectly with plaid bows, strands of twinkling lights and shiny balls, but do not show love to my family, I'm just another decorator.

If I slave away in the kitchen,baking dozens of Christmas cookies, preparing gourmet meals and arranging a beautifully adorned table at mealtime: but do not show love to my family, I'm just another cook.

If I work at a soup kitchen, carol in the nursing home, and give all that I have to charity; but do not show love to my family, it profits me nothing.

If I trim the spruce with shimmering angelsand crocheted snowflakes, attend a myriad of holiday parties and sing in the choir's cantata but do not focus on Christ, I have missed the point.

Love stops the cooking to hug the child.

Love sets aside the decorating to kiss the spouse.

Love is kind, though harried and tired.

Love does not envy another's home that has coordinated Christmas china and table linens.

Love does not yell at the kids to get out of the way, but is thankful they are there to be in the way.

Love does not give only to those who are able to give in return; but rejoices in giving to those who cannot.

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things.

Love never fails.

Video games will break, pearl necklaces will be lost, golf clubs will rust; but giving the gift of love will endure.

---Sharon Jaynes, Celebrating a Christ Centered Christmas

Take some time to meditate on I Corinthians 13 today. If we all would simply apply this passage of scripture - our homes would be a happier place and we would shine like bright stars in a dark world. "By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." John 13:35


Walk with the King!

I Am the Donkey

I am taking a break this week from our Proverbs 31 series to focus on the message of Easter. Next week I will return to this series.

Word Filled Wednesday:
I Corinthians 3:5-7 "What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe - as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So, neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who makes things grow."

As I reflected this past Sunday on John 12:13, Palm Sunday and those who cheered "Hosanna! Hosanna!" as Jesus rode upon a donkey - I remembered something I once heard Elizabeth Elliot say. She said "as the people cheered for Jesus, the donkey did not pause and accept the praise as his own. It was the rider who was being praised - NOT the donkey."

In the same way, as I carry Jesus to the world via my blog, facebook, twitter, and youtube, I am reminded that all praise I receive belongs to Jesus. Apart from him I can do nothing. And apart from his word, I literally have nothing worthy to blog about.

I am the donkey carrying Jesus to the world and I pray that at the end of the day it is Jesus in me you see. I Corinthians 3:7 sums up my feelings "So, neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who makes things grow."

I am nothing - just simply a planter - God is everything and as the missionary David Livingston once said "People talk of the sacrifice I have made in spending so much of my life in Africa... I never made a sacrifice. We ought not to talk of 'sacrifice' when we remember the great sacrifice which He made who left His Father's Throne on high to give Himself for us."

No sacrifice is too great for Jesus. It is not a sacrifice to submit to my husband - it is my honor. It is not a sacrifice to care for my children - it is my honor. It is not a sacrifice to care for my home - it is my honor. And it is not a sacrifice to daily be a donkey carrying God's truth to my blog readers - it is my honor.

I pray today that in your sphere of influence, you would find it an honor to carry Jesus to everyone who crosses your path inside and outside your home. My pastor said Sunday in his sermon: "If the message doesn't get out via us, it doesn't get out!" We must share the love of Jesus with the world!

Love God, love your husband, love your children and take Jesus to the world - shine like lights in the darkness! It is an honor!

Walk with the King!

I am participating in Seven Clown Circus Wordful Wednesday. and 5 Minutes for Mom Wordless Wednesday.

The Christmas Version of I Corinthians 13

I came across this Christmas poem about I Corinthians 13 - the Love Passage. For me, the week of Christmas can be the busiest week of my entire year. And though I am trying to make it special and meaningful for the family, I often feel like a failure when my patience is short or things don't go as I envisioned. This poem reminds me of what really matters and what really lasts...Love.

If I decorate my house perfectly with plaid bows, strands of twinkling lights and shiny balls, but do not show love to my family, I'm just another decorator.

If I slave away in the kitchen,baking dozens of Christmas cookies, preparing gourmet meals and arranging a beautifully adorned table at mealtime: but do not show love to my family, I'm just another cook.

If I work at a soup kitchen, carol in the nursing home, and give all that I have to charity; but do not show love to my family, it profits me nothing.

If I trim the spruce with shimmering angelsand crocheted snowflakes, attend a myriad of holiday parties and sing in the choir's cantata but do not focus on Christ, I have missed the point.

Love stops the cooking to hug the child.

Love sets aside the decorating to kiss the spouse.

Love is kind, though harried and tired.

Love does not envy another's home that has coordinated Christmas china and table linens.

Love does not yell at the kids to get out of the way, but is thankful they are there to be in the way.

Love does not give only to those who are able to give in return; but rejoices in giving to those who cannot.

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things.

Love never fails.

Video games will break, pearl necklaces will be lost, golf clubs will rust; but giving the gift of love will endure.

---Sharon Jaynes, Celebrating a Christ Centered Christmas

Take some time to meditate on I Corinthians 13 today. If we all would simply apply this passage of scripture - our homes would be a happier place and we would shine like bright stars in a dark world. "They will know we are Christians by our Love." John 13:35

Walk with the King!

I Was a Recipient...

I was a recipient...of a random act of kindness!

Yesterday I was grocery shopping in Aldi with both kids. We were in the meat department and the children were buzzing around this poor woman like bees swarming a hive! I asked the children to please stand by the cart - so they did.

The woman smiled and said "it's okay, I have 3 of my own, I know how hard it is." I apologized and said "well, you are here without them so you deserve a moment of silence and not my kids bothering you. Enjoy your moment." We both laughed and smiled and then I finished my grocery shopping.

When we got in line there was long row of poinsettas by the cash register being sold. This same woman happened to be in line in front of us and she continued to watch my interactions with the children and smile at me. And I watched her as she picked up one poinsetta after another. I admired them and said how beautiful they are.

She checked out. I checked out. And as I began to bag my groceries...she walked up to me with a poinsetta in hand and said "this poinsetta is for you. I can see that you sacrifice a lot for your children, you need to do more for yourself. You deserve this."

I was floored, surprised and overwhelmed. A stranger is giving me this beautiful flower for no reason! I didn't deserve it. I hadn't done anything special to receive it. And there I stood holding a poinsetta - humbled by her words of praise.

I wanted to give her something in return - but I had nothing to give her (offering her some bagels or green beans didn't seem appropriate! lol!) So I received her gift and out the door she went and the children began asking 100 questions: "Why did she give it? Do you know her? What did she say?..." I just smiled from ear to ear and said, "She's a kind woman, we need to be like her."

When Jesus sent his disciples out in Matthew 10:8 he commanded them "Freely you have received, now freely give." This poinsetta whispers this verse to me. I did nothing to receive it. I received it freely.

This holiday season, you have received the love of Jesus freely. Now we must give it away. It starts with a smile, a kind word, a hug, maybe even a gift. Not just to those you truly do love in your family and friends - but even to strangers. Freely give the love of Jesus to everyone around you!

Hebrews 13:1,2 says "Keep on loving each other as brothers. Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it."

Give a random act of kindness today! Who knows as Hebrews 13: 2 says, you may even bless an angel!

Walk with the King!

Video Blog: How To Deal With Difficult People

Don't forget to pause the music on the sidebar!

"You learn to speak by speaking, to study by studying, to run by running, to work by working; and just so, you learn to love by loving. All those who think to learn in any other way deceive themselves." - Saint Francis de Sales


Walk with the King!

Being a Good Friend

God created women to be awesome companions. Do you remember when you were a little girl at recess? We‘d giggle with the other girls, hold hands, write notes, and have pretend clubs. I wore a necklace that was half of a heart – my best friend wore the other half. But there was a dark side to this, you see unlike the little boys who were throwing punches and wrestling on the playground – we girls were slinging verbal punches.

Remember the pretend club you couldn’t get into because the little girls didn’t accept you? Or the clique of girls that ignored you, or the girl who was your best friend one day and someone else’s the very next day? Then we grew up and it was the sorority you couldn’t get into or the clique of girls at church who ignored you or the girl who was your best friend the one day and didn’t return your calls or email the next. If you are a human – you’ve suffered a wounded friendship. I've been there - I have had a few friendships over the years that have soured and I can't describe in words the deep pain that I have experienced and wrestled with.

Yesterday I scratched the surface of the first fruit of the Spirit - Love. Today I want to move into the application of living out love in our friendships with women.

Think about one strand of spaghetti. Alone it is very weak – easy to snap in half. But when you grab a big hand full of spaghetti and you try to break the whole group in half, it's difficult. They strengthen each other. That’s what we can do for one other.


Romans 15:1-3 says, “We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me”.

In our friendships we should seek to build our sister up for her own good. When she is weak - you can make her strong. And when you are weak - a good friend will make you strong.


Verse 3 says to look at Christ, he is your example, he did not please himself. As a matter of fact, when someone insults one of his children, he takes it personally – it’s as if they have insulted him. Do you insult and gossip and criticize your sister in Christ? If you do, it’s as if you criticized Christ!

Hallmark and American Greetings card lines know how vital women friendships are. They have a card to say how much you mean to me, encourage you when you’re down, a special thank you, congratulations, or a precious goodbye. Do they have friendship cards geared at men? No - it’d be a financial disaster! God designed women to be awesome companions. It’s a gift from God. Be what God has designed you to be – a good friend!

Tell your friends you love them - don't be shy, hug them, cry with them, write them encouraging notes, point out their strengths, listen to their heart, pray for them, forgive them when they have a bad day and are thoughtless, be loyal, and love them like Jesus does. Not only will you receive unconditional love in return but you will be teaching the next generation how to build strong Godly friendships - this is vital in the body of Christ.

The first fruit of the Spirit is love. Be a good friend today!

Walk with the King!

http://www.womenlivingwell.org/

Love - The First Fruit of the Spirit

In Galatians 5:22, 23 it says "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control."

Are you walking in the Spirit? If you are, you will be exhibiting love and not just the type of the love that the world gives - but God's love. The wonderful thing about the Holy Spirit is he won't just change your life - he will change your day - today!

What is love? I Corinthians 13:4-8 defines it for us - as you read ask yourself if this defines you? "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres. Love never fails."

The most perfect example of God's love is shown in Matthew 27:27-31:

"Then the governor's soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers around him. They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand and knelt in front of him and mocked him. "Hail, king of the Jews!" they said. They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again. After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify Him."

Do you feel Christ's pain as you read that passage - or have you become so familiar with His suffering that you skim the passage? Do you feel His love? As we grow in our walk with God, His grace becomes greater, His death more wonderful, the work of the Spirit more powerful, your sin gets uglier, the devil more heinous, and the celebration of his love louder!

Loving others starts with understanding God's magnificent love for us and loving him back in return with our entire heart, soul, mind and strength. Once you have given him your deepest affection of love you are able, in the Spirit, to love your neighbor as yourself.

So, go today and walk in the Spirit. Reflect God's amazing love to your husband, children, in-laws, sister's in Christ and your neighbors. Give grace and mercy freely because it has been given to you. Strive, work hard, and discipline yourself to be a loving person.

Walk with the King!

http://www.womenlivingwell.org/