“But love, in the Christian sense, does not mean an emotion. It is a state not of the feelings but of the will; the state of the will which we have naturally about ourselves, and must learn to have about other people.” – C.S. Lewis
The quote above is from C.S. Lewis’s book, Mere Christianity. (affiliate link) The command from Jesus to love your neighbor as yourself (Mark 12:31) is clear, leaving no room for argument. It’s a basic tenant of Christianity. Even people outside the faith know about this rule…and yes, they’re watching, to see how we do (or do not) follow through on it. It sounds simple, but what does it really mean to love your neighbor as yourself?
Read moreFear grips tightly. I struggle daily to throw off the chains of fear. I pray. I focus my mind on that which is true and of good report. I meditate on scriptures, which remind me to trust in the Lord with all my heart, and my faith is made stronger. Fear is replaced with peace. Sometimes.
Read more“No matter how popular we might be, none of us has ever experienced deep unity or authentic union with another. Since the day that our forefather and mother were exiled in the garden of Eden, we’ve been lost, trying to get back in, trying to find oneness with each other and the Lord." Elyse Fitzpatrick, Found In Him
All of us know what it's like to feel alone, sometimes, even, when we're in a crowd of people we can feel that way. We long for true unity and union. This is why Jesus’s presence with us matters. We were made in the image of God. We were made to live in unity with God and others, but without the love and work of Jesus Christ, his grace, we are lost.
Read moreI’ve been a church girl my whole life. There was a time when I thought of the message of the gospel as something that I didn’t need to hear anymore, something that maybe other people needed to hear, particularly if they weren’t Christian yet- but if it came up in church, in boredom, I’d let my mind wander. What good did hearing it again do for me? I was already saved.
“We have spoken freely to you Corinthians; our heart is wide open. You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted in our own affections. In return I speak as to children, widen your heart also!” 2 Corinthians 6:11-13
True, I was a Christian, saved by grace, but a very immature one, and I was wrong about the message of the gospel. The message of the gospel is not just a message of one time salvation or a ticket to heaven.
Read more"Your grace abounds in deepest waters," comes from the song, Above the Waves (Where Feet May Fail), by Hillsong. I've been using the lyrics of this beautiful song as a framework for this book/blog. The overarching theme is trusting in Jesus, and most recently, I’ve been writing about trusting God when it really hurts-in the deepest waters.
Read moreDear Loved One,
It breaks my heart to see you suffering. I want to offer you comfort and I feel helpless. I’ve tried to make you happy. I can tell you that I love you and offer you kind words. I can buy you flowers and trinkets. I can send you funny pictures that I think will make you laugh. I can take you out for a cup of coffee and listen if you want to talk. These are all good things, and I’m happy to do them. I won’t stop. But I’m learning something. I might be able to bring a smile to your day and offer you a momentary amount of happiness, but I can’t take away your pain.
Read moreI want to tell you this story, because I think it illustrates God’s sovereignty, wisdom, and love. It was a time where he showed me that he is with me, that I am never alone. This is one of my more dramatic stories. Most of what I experience in my daily life with God more subtle. Most of His work in my life is behind the scenes, and sadly, I’m sure I miss noticing the majority of it. But this time, he chose to show his love in a way that I couldn’t miss.
Read moreAs I said earlier, I don't have a hard time believing in the sovereignty of God, or in his wisdom, but in his love? That one has been a little harder. I know what I'm like. I know my weaknesses. I know I'm not deserving. That's probably why trust is a big thing for me and why I'm writing a book about it. Because like I've said, if God was only sovereign and wise, but not loving, I would still be full of fear, not trusting. The good news is this....
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