THIS NIGHT . . .

I am asking for prayer for a beloved family member in pain tonight. And also for patience and understanding with teenagers. God is so good and so faithful. He knows everything we need. He knows our hearts. He has good plans for us and yearns for us to turn to Him and trust Him, for us to seek His face and share what is going on in our lives. The Lord created us to love us; to share our lives; to give use very opportunity to come to know Him and to trust Him.

We all exist, but true, abundant vibrant life is born in us and abides in us when we open our hearts and allow the Lord to introduce Himself in an intimate way. To people who don't know Him, it just seems silly. Or people scorn the idea and God's offer of the fullness of life and love and joy. Or they get turned off by some of the ways people who call themselves believers act or speak.

Truly, though, in each of our hearts there is a missing space that only can be filled by living Love that interacts with us; that can comfort us; that knows us; that truly can use everything that happens to us and even everything we choose for our good when we know and love that Fullness of love . . .and trust and expect that good can and WILL come from the circumstance or activity.

We can find that goodness because we are looking for all that the Lord has for us, trusting our ultimate good is always God's will.

May the Lord continue to bless and keep you and all those you love, dear heart.

<3 <3 <3

ON THE ROAD AGAIN WITH THE LORD

"Priscilla, Aquila and Apollos

Paul stayed on in Corinth for some time. Then he left the brothers and sisters and sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. Before he sailed, he had his hair cut off at Cenchreae because of a vow he had taken. They arrived at Ephesus, where Paul left Priscilla and Aquila. He himself went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. When they asked him to spend more time with them, he declined.  But as he left, he promised, 'I will come back if it is God’s will.' Then he set sail from Ephesus. 22 When he landed at Caesarea, he went up to Jerusalem and greeted the church and then went down to Antioch.

After spending some time in Antioch, Paul set out from there and traveled from place to place throughout the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples." [Acts 18:18-23 (NIV)]

When I was in seminary I wrote a Bible study on the Book of Acts looking at seven passages that showed how the disciples tailored their witnesses to the audience to whom they spoke.  When we care enough to share the Good News, it's important to know about the person or people who hopefully are listening.  And praying before we speak is important, too.  The Lord has promised that His Holy Spirit will prepare the hearts of people we meet and give us the right words to say. 

We may be out there somewhere . . . or just in our every day lives.  But we are never alone.  The more time we spend with the Lord, the more able we are to hear Him.  God is so good and so faithful.  We are blessed to be able to be witnesses to His love and grace not only by telling people how much He loves them, but by demonstrating that love every day in our lives.

Does someone you know need a phone call to let him or her know you care?

Is someone you know sick or in a nursing home or retirement facility?

Are there children who need a neighbor to let them know they are loved even when they are playing outside?

So often we can be the answers to the prayers we say for others.  The Holy Spirit will bring to mind who you might otherwise not remember. 

May the Lord continue to bless and keep you and to increase your ability to love everyone you meet in some positive active way.

<3   <3   <3