Love Conquers All.......

How much hurt can a human inflict? How can humans hurt others intentionally? I just cannot comprehend it.

This past week a group of Christians were attacked in their church after their Bible Study not because they were Christian but because of the color of their skin. Because they were black they were targeted. Even after hearing the love they felt toward others and God this young man brutally murdered nine individuals. I don't understand how someone can hurt another human being.

I have to continue to believe that Love Conquers All. I have to believe that in loving others we show the love of God. I have to believe that no matter how much you may disagree with someone else's beliefs that you can love them in spite of it.

"If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 

It does not dishonor others, 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, always perseveres.

Love never fails.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. 

But the greatest of these is love.

1Corinthians 13: 3-8, 13

The families of the nine that were murdered this past week showed us the Love from Jesus in action this week. No bitterness, no anger, no throwing flaming arrows, just love. They were in pain and angry. They were hurt and sad. But they showed love. They showed love in the forgiveness that was given to them by God himself. They forgave the murderer less than 48 hours after he took their loved ones.

The families are determined not to respond in kind, said Alana Simmons, who lost her grandfather, the Rev. Daniel Simmons. "Although my grandfather and the other victims died at the hands of hate, this is proof — everyone's plea for your soul is proof they lived in love and their legacies will live in love, so hate won't win," she said. "And I just want to thank the court for making sure that hate doesn't win."

I want to live in that love. I want to proclaim that love. I want to glorify the God that gives us that love.

Is there someone you need to forgive? Do you need to forgive yourself? Forgiveness is not letting them off the hook it is releasing the pain you hold onto. It is releasing the love of God and His glory.

I am praying for you! Yes you! I pray for each of the eyes that read this blog. I pray for each of the spirits that are seeking a more intimate relationship with Him. I pray!

I am praying.

https://localtvwiti.files.wordpress.com/2015/06/charleston-victims.jpg

Being Still.....

I have been quiet. Not because I didn't want to write a blog but because I chose to be quiet. You see over the last month my middle son graduated from college and my baby boy graduated from high school. It has been busy and I prioritized those moments and all the moments in between over the last two weeks.

Through out life we find ourselves overwhelmed with our circumstances and the busy days of life. In those times I find myself stressed out and anxious. Not knowing what is coming next and how I will react to them makes me even more stressed and anxious.

During this past month I chose to sit back, prioritize and pray. I tried to remember to pray first but I didn't always succeed because the to do lists were long. What I did do is embrace each of the moments with my sons for the blessing they were at the time. There was much to do and many places to be so I just did what I needed to do. I didn't add things to my lists that could be put off until later. My house wasn't as clean as it usually is, my writing took a back seat, my laundry piles stacked up and I didn't meet up with friends for lunch.

I chose to be still in the moment. I chose to soak in the experiences. What a difference it made. What a joy to just be with my sons in their moments. I embraced the way God was moving in and through my sons and our moments.

Just taking the time to be still opens up such a deeper experience. Being still in God's presence opens up a freer spirit in which God can move freely. The experience that we can have with God and allowing his will to happen in those moments is miraculous.

As I continue to sit in God's presence my to do list is back in full throttle, my writing is in fast forward, my house is cleaner and my laundry pile is gone. However, in all of my to do's I continue to seek God and allow his will to happen in my life.

I will continue to blog each Monday until I need to be quiet again. When have you found a time in your life where you needed to be quiet? Have you made a priority list putting off the things you can at the time to focus on what is more important? Do you need to be still in this moment?