Love in Unexpected Places

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bible, Christian Living, Church, God, God is love, inspirational, Love, society, Spiritual Reflections, what we need

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What is the most powerful force in the universe?

Not hate, not fear (even though those feel powerful sometimes); not even faith or hope, although those two come close.

It’s love.

Love is the force that created the universe, raised Jesus from the dead, heals our lives, dissolves hate between enemies, calms our hearts of fear and anxiety, and gives us hope and confidence.

It’s the force that we now have inside of us, a well of strength, healing, and power that is able and waiting to do more than we even realize.

I understand this now more than I ever have in my life. If you’ve read my earlier post on legalism, you know that I grew up in a more strict environment of rules and restrictions, and I consequently adopted a mindset and lifestyle of judging and criticizing others rather than simply loving them for who they are.

Safe in the Shadow of the Almighty

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coronavirus, covid-19, encouragement, fear, inspiration, pandemic, peace, Psalm 91, response

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I’m sure most of you are overwhelmed or just plain sick of hearing about the coronavirus and COVID-19 and what you should and shouldn’t do, and you”re probably tired of reading everyone and their dog’s responses to the pandemic.

Apparently, though, it’s the thing to do right now…?

So anyway, here are my apologies for making you read one more blog post about it. But I do promise you that I’m not going to go overboard on it. This is just a super quick post that I hope will be a little bit of light and encouragement in your day.

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This is a topsy-turvy world right now, and people are trying to cope in the best way they know how. For some, it’s megadosing on Vitamin C and other immune-boosting supplements, for others it’s stocking up on toilet paper and hand sanitizer like they’re going out of stock (Oh, wait, they are).

Leap Day and the Reality of Time

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2020, inspiration, leap day, leap year, life, reality, time

Four years ago today, it was February 29th on Leap Year. It’s hard to believe that much time has passed already.

I thought I’d repost this article I wrote for last leap day just for old time’s sake…and because it had some good points to consider too.

Hope you are enjoying your once-in-a-blue-moon leap day, because it won’t happen again for four more years.

Make every day count.

A Writer's Reflections

Photo Credit: Bing Image of the Day

I thought that today, being Leap Day, was just too good of an opportunity not to post something interesting. It’s a rare, once-in-a-blue-moon happening, although I sort of feel bad for the thousands of babies that will be born today, as well as the many unsuspecting guys who will be proposed to by their girlfriends.

Leap Year has always been sort of fascinating to me. I mean, we can actually give ourselves 24 extra hours than we normally would have in a year?? How cool is that!? Why don’t we do that more often? I know there is a specific reason for it, but it’s still interesting to me.

You know, if you really think about it, we aren’t actually getting any “extra” time. Pretty much all we’re doing is just switching the labels on the days. It’s a nice illusion, though.

However…

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Quote of the Week | My Job is to Love People

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Billy Graham, Christian Living, criticism, Jesus, legalism, Love, people, Quote of the Week

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“It is the Holy Spirit’s job to convict, God’s job to judge, and my job to love.”
— Billy Graham

How would it change the church if we poured our efforts into loving people instead of judging them? How would it change the world?

As Christians, we sometimes assume it is our job to act as the “spiritual police” in our communities. We take it upon ourselves to root out and expose any sort of potential sin or heresy or dissent that we perceive to be wrong or harmful.

While there is a place for spiritual interventions and calling out sin, I think many times we’ve lost sight of the necessary balance and inadvertently crossed the line into pharisaical territory. We’ve become our own spiritual versions of accuser, judge, and jury without leaving enough room for the power of love or mercy. We shake the dust off our hands in satisfaction that we’ve done God a service by refusing to allow any perceived offense to go unchallenged.

In our well-meaning attempts to foster holiness and righteousness in our communities, have we unwittingly become like the stone-throwing religious leaders that Jesus spoke out against time after time?

Quote of the Week | Peace in the Storm

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advice, God, inspiration, life, peace, personal, Quote of the Week, quotes, storms of life

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“Peace. It does not mean to be in a place
where there is no noise, trouble, or hard work.
It means to be in the midst of those things
and still be calm in your heart.”
~ Unknown

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Peace in the storm. That sounds sort of contradictory, doesn’t it? But think about it. Do storms and peace have to be mutually exclusive?

Legalism vs. Love: The Heart of the Matter

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Christian Living, God, Jesus, legalism, Love, relationship

Photo by Vali S. on Pexels.com

Happy fall, readers! I am so excited for autumn to be here and everything that comes with it. Pumpkin spice lattes, brilliant colors, cool crisp temperatures, warm sweaters and scarves. It’s gotta be my favorite season of all.

Meanwhile, I’m feeling really bad about my failure of late to post regularly on my blog, so I’m making up for it with a super long post that has actually been a long time in the draft box being written and rewritten.

This is a topic near to my heart in which I share some of my personal experiences and thoughts that comprised my journey from legalism to love. If you’ve been in a similar place spiritually, then you’ll probably relate to a lot of things in my post.

The Art of Hanging Out with Yourself

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God's presence, God's voice, introvert, personal, problem-solving, quiet, silence, solitude, think

Photo by Pete Johnson on Pexels.com

This week I had a few days off, so my sister and I decided to take this opportunity to go stay at a peaceful, secluded Airbnb in the mountains near where we live and just get some quality rest and relaxation.

This place is seriously an introvert’s paradise. It’s secluded (i.e. private!), but situated in a gated community near a small town, so not too far away from civilization; also, it is quiet. Like, really quiet. Did I mention quiet? Which needs no words of recommendation for the introvert. Plus, it’s beautiful. The living room window and back porch open out to an incredible view over a valley, with pines, oaks, and other greenery scattered around, and frequent wildlife activity. It’s amazing! Peaceful, quiet, relaxing. A much-needed retreat from the daily stress and obligations of life.

I love to be alone. I’ve probably mentioned this before, but I’ll say it again. I really enjoy being by myself. Other people might think I’m crazy for wanting to spend an entire day or weekend alone at home, but I thrive on solitude. I think it’s my natural state.

Being alone is so peaceful, relaxing, and non-stressful. You add other humans into the mix, and I start to feel my stress level rising, depending on the specific people involved.

But give me a day or two to just immerse myself in utter solitude, and I feel refreshed, revitalized, and filled with world-conquering confidence.

Maybe that’s not so surprising. After all, I am an introvert (my personality type is INTP, if you’re into that)–and if you consider yourself an introvert, you probably relate to me on some level.

But, whether you’re an introvert or not, there is something special about spending time away from the bustle and noises of the world, away from the constant demands and voices of people and parties, business and machinery.

Are You Missing Out On An Adventure? — Come Awake

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adventure, Christian Living, God, great things, inspiration, ministry

Check out this great post from Come Awake (link below).

Even though our lives as Jesus followers can seem overwhelmingly mundane and ordinary at times, God designed us all to do great things for him! That doesn’t mean that every day will be a red letter day for God’s kingdom, but we also can’t lose sight of the big dreams and goals He has put in our hears. While you’re living your life, don’t get discouraged in the everyday things. Keep going, and as William Carey, missionary to India, said, “Expect great things from God; attempt great things for God.”

The other morning my husband and I were walking out to our cars to drive to work. The air was fresh and the sky was a little overcast. My husband looked over at me and said, “Today feels like a good day for an adventure.” And it did. Being the responsible adults that we are, […]

via Are You Missing Out On An Adventure? — Come Awake

Quote of the Week | To Love and Be Loved

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courage, God's love, inspiration, Love, strength

Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage. ~ Lao Tzu

What would life be like without people to love and to love us back? I’m extremely blessed in that I have never gone a moment in my life without knowing that someone loves me. It’s experiencing a constant and unconditional love like this that fuels my response of loving them back in the same way.

Happy Easter! From A Writer’s Reflections

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easter, holiday, Jesus, reflections, resurrection, risen, Spiritual Reflections, Spring, sunday

Happy Easter/Resurrection Day! Today was a full day of worship, fellowship with my family, friends, and church, lots of good food, and enjoying the blessings that God has given.

Unfortunately that also made me too busy to write my own post commemorating Easter Sunday, so instead I’m sharing this beautiful post below by Anna from her blog Ginger Tea & Sympathy.

Take some time to really think on and consider what happened on this day 2,000 years ago and what it means to you.

“The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.” (Matthew 28:5-6 NIV) The Holy Week is past and today we celebrate the resurrection […]

via Joyful Easter — Ginger Tea & Sympathy