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, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

- 1 Cor 13:4-13

• Toast to Your Love

This song is perfect for friends, bestfriends who cannot admit to their loved one their true feelings. Been there, Done that.

LETTING GO—
“Letting go doesn’t mean giving up, but rather accepting
That there are things that cannot be.”
There are things in this world that are not meant to be.
Maybe there are things that we want but really not needed.
We need to learn to accept.
“let go” for us to move on
Loving someone is getting them free, letting them go..
Does it hurt?…
so bad…
for someone who loved dearly
never say goodbye because goodbye means going away and going away means forgetting
to let go its not to deny but to accept the hardest thing to do is letting go not because
you want to but because you have to.
There is someone out there who is really meant for us who will gieve us strength to love again. Who will teach us how to love and to believe in LOVE again.
Because….
Even if we set them free…
Even if we got hurt so bad..
Someone out there is waiting for us….

ENOUGH……ITS OVER……

LETTING GO—
“Letting go doesn’t mean giving up, but rather accepting
That there are things that cannot be.”
There are things in this world that are not meant to be.
Maybe there are things that we want but really not needed.
We need to learn to accept.
“let go” for us to move on
Loving someone is getting them free, letting them go..
Does it hurt?…
so bad…
for someone who loved dearly
never say goodbye because goodbye means going away and going away means forgetting
to let go its not to deny but to accept the hardest thing to do is letting go not because
you want to but because you have to.
There is someone out there who is really meant for us who will gieve us strength to love again. Who will teach us how to love and to believe in LOVE again.
Because….
Even if we set them free…
Even if we got hurt so bad..
Someone out there is waiting for us….

ENOUGH……ITS OVER……

• For security purposes, you cannot ask for your date’s address or personal number nor should you give your own.
• It is advised that you do not inform your date if you have chosen them or not on your score sheet.
• You can express your interest towards your date verbally but as a matter of decorum, refrain from rejecting them as this is unnecessary.
• The men are the ones who do the moving while the women remain seated.
• It is only proper that your sight is secured towards your date and not the other tables’.
• You are not allowed to skip a turn.
• Should you result in a successful match, it is still advised that you approach the person with all the caution one would address a stranger.
• Do have fun.

I love the way you make me so happy,
And the ways you show you care.
I love the way you say, “I Love You,”
And the way you’re always there.

I love the way you touch me,
Always sending chills down my spine.
I love that you are with me,
And glad that you are mine.

Love.. Love.. Love.. 4 letter word but has millions and millions of meaning. They say that Love is patient, love is kind, it does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud, it is not rude, it is a not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight of evil, but rejoices with the truth, it always protects , always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres. But how come there are couples ended up of fighting, separated, broken families.. 

It is really important that couples should always put GOD as the center of their relationships. HE will always guide us in everything that we do, in every struggles that we encounter. Second,  we should always trust our partners. 

“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.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

God bless all mothers that give of themselves, care for their family and lift them up before the Lord in prayer. Those that teach them the Scriptures which are able to give them wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. (2 Timothy 3:15)

1. Learning the Bible and teaching it to your children

6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. (Deuteronomy 6:6-9, ESV)

Making the Bible a primary event in your house will help to guide you and your family. I am not saying that you need to go home and write scripture around your doors. I think this means it should be so prevalent and from the time you or any walk in your home they know God’s word is alive in your home.

2. Do not tempt or provoke you children

2 “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise),3 “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.”4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. (Ephesians 6:2-4, ESV)

Parents play a crucial role in the discipleship of their parents. We should not be domineering and controlling, so that we do not anger our children and drive them away from God. Instead we should lead them in the way of the Lord and instruct them in how to lead a Godly life. Parental discipleship should center on the message in Ephesians 4-5: Unity in the body of Christ, the new life in Christ, walking in love, and demonstrating how husbands and wives should love each other.

3. Fathers teach your sons / Mothers teach your daughters and together raise your family

1 A wise son hears his father’s instruction,
but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke. (Proverbs 13:1, ESV)

6 Train up a child in the way he should go;
even when he is old he will not depart from it. (Proverbs 22:6, ESV)

Dad’s you are the spiritual leaders of your family and as such it is up to you to represent God to your family. Many individuals related to God the Father based on how their earthly fathers treat them. You need to be consciences of this when you teach your children so that they see God as the great father He truly is. Fathers should teach their sons to be gentlemen, to be strong, to be courageous and to live a life of purity. Likewise mothers should teach their daughters to be pure, honest, strong, and to love God more than human men. Together as husband and wife you should be united in teaching your children how to live for God and honor you and others.

4. Love your children

1 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.2 and if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. (1 Corinthians 13:1-2, ESV)

Loving our children should be the number one priority as parents. This does not mean that we don’t discipline, but that we discipline them in love. God does this for us and we are his children. We should show our children true love based on the biblical teach we have received: 4Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. (1 Corinthians 13:4-7, ESV)

5. Provide for your children a future

14 Here for the third time I am ready to come to you. And I will not be a burden, for I seek not what is yours but you. For children are not obligated to save up for their parents, but parents for their children.15 I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If I love you more, am I to be loved less? (2 Corinthians 12:14-15, ESV)

As parents we need to do the best we can to help provide a future for our children. Helping by being financially responsible to help with college, or a vehicle, but the most important thing we can do for their future is teaching them of God. If we teach them of God and his way their future will be open and they will have the Holy Spirit guiding them along the way.

6. Imitate God to your children

1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God (Ephesians 5:1-2, ESV)

Show your how to live a Godly life by imitating God’s Word. Don’t just teach them about God, but live it out in your own life. Actually love others, do for others, go to church, and pray for and with your children. As you live out the Christian life your children will see this and hopefully through the grace of God follow your footsteps toward God.

Exodus 20:17 (KJV): ”Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s.”

Jealousy has always been a difficult topic for me. I couldn’t seem to understand why anyone could or would want to be jealous. I didn’t think materialistic things were ever a good enough reason. Ecclesiastes 4:4 (KJV): ”Again, I considered all travail, and every right work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbour. This is also vanity and vexation of spirit.” I wasn’t even too sure about characteristics being a reason either because I always thought everyone was special in their own way. As I would read verses and commandments about not being jealous or crippled with covetousness I would scan my mind thinking, “Whew, I am glad that I am not controlled by jealousy. Jealousy has to be a terrible thing. I don’t want anything like that eating me up.”

Galatians 5:19-21 (KJV): ”¹⁹Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,²⁰Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,²¹Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.”

My rejoicing of not experiencing jealousy was short-lived because He revealed to me that I was. I remember it like yesterday. I sat on my bed in awe at the thought that I indeed was plagued by jealousy. But what made me jealous? Something that I thought shouldn’t even be qualified on the “to be jealous of” list. I was jealous of love. Well not love specifically, but of those who not only were offered love but simply of those who could receive it. Fighting with a spirit of rejection and losing the battle more times than I can count, I found myself jealous and crippled by the thought of someone having something that I thought was vital and deserving to every human walking on this Earth. Ouch. Not only was I jealous but I was jealous of something that didn’t seem to be optional, but something that truly made the world go ’round. I can go “buy” anything but I can’t buy love. What was I to do? Well since I was saved I knew to take that to the Lord but then what? I found myself upset when jealousy got hold of me and began to pick at the sores sealing wounds on my heart. Ouch again. My prayer was that I would no longer be jealous, simply because I am loved by Him unconditionally, before anyone and anything else. Has my revelation ended the jealousy? Not yet but it is a growing process. My heart was so calloused that I didn’t even realize that I was jealous. Then I became aware of my issue and felt pitiful for being jealous of something as simple as love. Then I found myself angry at myself and angry that I could not shake jealousy. I was right, jealousy is a terrible thing. Then I found myself during my moments of jealousy sending verbally silent prayers up to God asking Him to fulfill whatever made me jealous. I am not lying, I have experienced moments where jealousy was given the boot as our Father’s love rushed into my mind, body, and spirit. Yep, He is really that awesome.

James 3:14 (KJV): “But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.”

Jealousy is messy and God knows that, which is why we are specifically instructed to not be consumed by envy.1 Corinthians 3:3 (KJV): “For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?”  Jealousy doesn’t help individuals get far. If anything, it keeps an individual bound by selfishness and greed. James 3:16 (KJV): “For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.” Satan comes to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10) so there is no question about the wickedness of jealousy. James 3:14-15 (KJV):“¹⁴But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.¹⁵This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.” God takes covetousness and envy so seriously that He even filters such bugs in our prayer life, purging selfish motives in our supplications. James 4:2-3 (KJV): “²Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.³Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.” The consequences of jealousy are death (like any other sin), as it cuts so deep that it can cut through flesh. Proverbs 14:30 (KJV): ”A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones.” I think at one point I even thought, “Can jealousy really bring forth death? I mean everyone gets jealous about something and at some point, right?  ”Song of Solomon 8:6 (KJV): ”Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame.” While we all may have that one thing that makes us jealous, God outlines the importance of us not being devoured by jealousy as an umbrella covering many sins. If someone is willing to lie they are willing to steal and if someone is willing to steal then best believe that they are willing to kill. It begins with envy but it doesn’t stop there.

The first time I read this part of the story about the Prodigal Son the only thing I could think of was, “This guy’s brother was lost then decided to come home and live life differently and the only thing he could focus on was that he wanted a party as well? How could he allow jealousy to steal joy for his bother’s breakthrough?” I guess it is similar to my experience with jealousy. How could I be jealous watching someone else receive love and affection, even if it was the very thing I wanted more than anything in this world? Why couldn’t I just be happy that someone else didn’t feel as empty as me? I can only guess that the answer is flesh but the better answer is when I asked Him to be my Comforter. The only one qualified to be jealous is God. Deuteronomy 4:24 (KJV):“For the LORD thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God.” The jealousy of God should even reinforce our reverence for Him, helping us avoid His wrath. Zechariah 8:2 (KJV): ”Thus saith the LORD of hosts; I was jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I was jealous for her with great fury.”

But wait. There is something else interesting that the Lord revealed to me. There is something beneficial to jealousy. If presented and enforced by God, it can produce His fruit. God has used jealousy to bring sinners out of their wickedness as they began to want the light living inside of His redeemed. The first example of this is when God offers salvation to the Gentiles so that Israel may turn away from their wicked ways. Deuteronomy 32:21 (KJV): “They have moved me to jealousy with that which is not God; they have provoked me to anger with their vanities: and I will move them to jealousy with those which are not a people; I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation.” I often associate jealousy with negativity (as we usually should) but I was amazed to know that jealousy could produce positivity. Romans 10:19 (KJV): “But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you.” We ought to pray for Israel and that they come back to their first Love and reject all false doctrine. I am truly grateful that I have been offered salvation and that I am now in position to pray for Israel’s submission to the Father. John 1:11-12 (KJV): “¹¹He came unto his own, and his own received him not.¹² But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.” In addition to Israel, anyone who isn’t a believer should be jealous of those who have the Holy Spirit dwelling within. It is troubling to think that Christians can have the Way, the Truth, and the Life without catching the attention of someone living in darkness. As God’s chosen people we have the Key, the answer, the perfect gift. We should question if sinners cannot see the fruit of God in the lives of Christians, let alone be jealous of it. This should be a reminder that we as Christians should allow Godly jealousy to prick the hearts of sinners, potentially leading them not to us but to Him who dwells within. Let your light shine from the tops of hills, not hiding the flicker under a bushel. 

Prince and Whitney

Your story is somewhat like that of Romeo and Juliet. You were both young when you met and secretly everyone thought that your union might not be the best thing for you both at this time. And yet here we are. Finally you two will become one. And though it is very common for everyone to quote from the Bible and tell you that love is patient, love is kind etc, let me tell them about the love that you already have.

Waking up in the morning and seeing Whitney’s smile, telling her she makes you happy…That’s love. Whitney telling him when your day is totally sucking and everything that could go wrong has gone wrong. That’s love. When you see each other at the end of the day and your whole world is all right. That’s love. Yes love is patient, love is kind, love does not envy, it is not proud nor rude, love is not-self seeking, it does not delight in evil but rejoices in the truth. Love is what you have.

To Whitney, Thank you for saying yes. To Prince thank you for Asking.

Finally,
Love All above All.

“What’s your Hurry”

Hollywood dictates what everyone’s perception should be on love….that ends now.

Think about your longest friend that you’re ever had. Someone you deem as your best friend.

How long did it take you to fully trust that person? Has that person ever broken your trust? Yes? How long did it take to gain that trust back?

If we all answered truthfully, it took years of growing up together and going through hard times & good times to form the “best friend” friendships and took months and months to regain trust once broken. *Remember this for later on in the blog*

1—What is your definition of Love? Like truly what does it mean to you?

Honestly, this is where most go wrong: Love should never be based off an Emotion of Feeling. Love is not Hormonal. Love is much Deeper than that!

Read 1 Cor. 13: 4-8

Now most girls are like melting while most guys are like “OMG I hate mooshy junk.” The truth though is that most would rather read these words as just a beautiful poem that ends up on wall art, wedding invites, and blankets and move on; however, these words are defining the very thing that society is trying to keep you from realizing…

LOVE IS NOT AN EMOTION; LOVE IS A COMMITMENT!

Sure that sounds like a great quote that would get plenty of Facebook Likes and lots of Retweets on Twitter, but what does that actually mean?

“Love is patient, love is kind…”  How many of you struggle to have patience and kindness with your best friends/parents/siblings? I’m sure we all do! What about when you are dating someone? Do you sometimes catch yourself snapping more often at your “special someone” than your best friends? Most would claim that this is just a step of comfort that couples grow into—uh wrong! This is called taking advantage of your “couple status.” The one you *Love* should not be the one you take everything out on! This person needs to be the one that you have the most patience with and give the most kindness to… if this isn’t the case with you and the one you’re with, then it isn’t Love!

“It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud…”  To not be envious, you have to be able to trust that particular person…correct? This is easy then…if you don’t trust that person or they don’t trust you, it’s not Love so get out now! You should also not have to boast about yourself nor your partner/friend to feel comfortable about them or why you “love” them. Boasting about your new “facebook status” is an easy way to see that change faster than you posting it. If all you’re after or that other person is after is a status/title, back off/back away and walk the other direction.

“Not rude, not self-seeking…”  If you “love” someone and you’re constantly rude to them and cutting them down, you’re not showing love; you’re hurting them! True Love builds one another up! True Love does NOT engage in belittling your partner to your friends! Being Selfish in a relationship is where a lot of destructions come into play: it’s all about what you want and not the other person…or…it’s all about what they want and you become the doormat. Listen up—Life is not all about you: never was and never will be, so get over yourself in thinking that your “special someone” needs to be your servant and roll out the red carpet for you! Pay attention to this too: God did not create DoorMats! He created individuals each having their own brain and spine—so use your backbone and have a brain check whenever someone tries to walk over you! Stand up for yourself! It’s your right!

“Not easily angered, keeps no record of wrongs…”  A) If we actually forgave like it was the 1^st time that person ticked us off, then we wouldn’t have near as many fights as we do now. B) In a relationship, when that person does something wrong, and you say “I forgive you,” but then you bring that up later against them…that’s not Love! It’s not Blackmail dating!! C) If you’re constantly getting angry and mouthing off, that’s not Love—so get out of that relationship!!

“Does not Delight in Evil, but Rejoices with Truth.”  Simple: Deception is not Apart of Love!

If you both “always protect, always trust, always hope, and always persevere, then Love Never Fails.” But you have to do all 4, not just picking what you think you can do—Love isn’t easy.

So let’s make this read kinda awkward…If a relationship failed, do you think that was love? Hmmm I believe you know the answer to that—It wasn’t… so stop chasing back after it. Or either God showed you that you weren’t ready for Love and neither was the other person, so to not damage things further, the relationship ended.

Let’s go back to the 1^st questions about how long you knew your best friend…

We said years to months was the timeline of developing a best friend…. So why do people jump so quick into relationships?

1. The Rush of the Status Change. Why?
   1. To make someone jealous
   2. To prove to someone that you can get a guy/girl whenever you want
   3. To not be “lonely”
   4. To Not be Single over the Holidays
   5. To flippin get attention on Facebook

i.      NONE OF THESE ARE OF LOVE AND WILL FAIL!

ii.      Take your time…Create a best friend first then move forward.

1. The Seclusion of the Couple
   1. Apparently, it’s the law around here that couples need to “once declared together” disappear and only do couple things—furthest thing from the truth!
   2. Couples need to spend time Apart! Why?

i.      This will be trust… if you’re never separated, you will never know what he/she will do once around others. Build the trust by letting them have their freedom to have other friends (careful with friends with X’s—that’s a dangerous game to play).

ii.      Another reason is so you guys don’t get sick of one another. Spending 24/7 together kind of mellows things out. Taking some time apart will create and keep the sparks alive when you finally see one another again.

iii.      Let’s say that relationship failed…All your time for 3-6 months though was with that person…you dipped out on your friends and family—do you honestly think they will be super welcoming to have you back? This is why you don’t forget about your friends when you are dating someone.

1. The 3 word phrase disaster…

i.      If you have ever said “I Love You” within the 1^st 3 months, you lied and so did they (if he/she said if back to you)…

1. What was really said: “I’m so in lust with your looks and definitely like all your good qualities because we’re both covering and hiding all our bad qualities right now.”

ii.      If you’ve said “I love you” to more than 1 person in the past year—you’ve got a serious prostituting-love-out problem that needs to stop!!

iii.      It’s not until around 9-10 months that you even begin to know some real truths about who that person is. This is why I urge you to take your time: Patience is Love, Love is Patience!

Now some are probably thinking that your relationship that you had or are having is the exception to this but really and truly you guys don’t need to miss what I’m saying….When you tell someone, “I love you”—you are saying to them: “I am totally committed to you, no matter what!”

Speaking to the middle school and high schoolers right now–Even so, many are still wanting to say yes I’m totally in love and want to stay with this person forever…. Ok let’s try this scenario then… what if your “special person” had a stroke (young kids are being affected by these more and more now, so it could happen). Your “Love” is in a state of never leaving the house again and will continue to live on for about another 50 years. Are you willing to commit yourself to that person at your young ages forever? Most are like geez if I say no then I’m a bad person—no no.. it means that’s not really love you have for that person. You are young and need to understand that depth in which you speak when you say “I love you.” The emotions those words stir up are some that are so hard to ever go away.

Remember: In a relationship or marriage, it’s not 50/50… it’s 100% from both sides! Guard your heart and guard your Love. Give your heart only to whom God has in store for you to marry. Love isn’t a game; Love isn’t feelings—Love is Real Commitment for each other forever….

It doesn’t matter.

Yesterday night I stayed up making a couple Valentine’s Day cards for a few friends who I care about. And I realized that I too was celebrating Valentine’s Day in its purest form: the celebration of love.

I’m going to quote the bible here, please bear with me dear audience: Love is patient, love is kind, and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant…” I heard this a lot as a child. I used to alter-serve at weddings to get a little extra spending money. Yes, my motives were a little selfish, but I was a kid, and there are really only a few jobs we could do that aren’t considered child labour here in Canada. Anyway, there is no clear definition of love. And Valentine’s Day SHOULD NOT BE STEREOTYPED!

Ahhh! It makes me so mad when I walk through stores, or watch the media advertise Valentine’s Day as this exclusive event just for couples! Even in the movies, TV shows, it’s like it’s ingrained in our minds that Valentine’s day can only be celebrated if we have a partner; that Valentine’s day is just for 2. So the rest of us single people are left to feel miserable and left out. We make up events like, “Single’s appreciation day” to counteract the “exclusiveness” that is Valentines, and poke fun and dismiss February 14th. BUT NO! Share ALL the love! (My new Valentine’s Day slogan) We are all allowed to partake in Valentine’s Day. We can all dress up and feel great, and go out and buy chocolates for ourselves, or give our friend’s cards, and presents, and whatever.

We are not forever alone. We are never forever alone, and Feb 14th should never make us feel this way. Love is universal. Love is the one concept that every single person on this earth understands in some way or form. It is the one theme that connects all of humanity, and it has been with us, (as a feeling, a chemical reaction, or however one wishes to think) since our creation (or evolution or whatever).

In my opinion, this is what Valentine’s Day is about, dear audience. Valentine’s Day is the opportunity to reflect on love. On past love, and on our present relationships with our family and friends. It is a day to remember that this wonderful feeling is available to us, and one day, maybe we too will find a significant other. However, I want to stress that, that is not the important aspect of Valentine’s Day.

So with this post, I hope I have converted a few hearts to my way of thinking. So I wish you, my dear audience, a very Happy Valentine’s Day, and hope that you decide to spend the day with the people you love. Be it family, friends or lovers.

Cheers!

1 John 4:20-21(NIV): “²⁰ Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. ²¹ And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.” 

We must be sure that as disciples of Christ that we are doing our duty to be Christ-like. This duty includes being loving, compassionate, and long-suffering towards others. Too often do we proclaim to be ambassadors of Christ but fail to be active listeners and sympathetic toward our brothers and sisters-in-Christ and more importantly, sinners. Remember, Christ came back for sinners not for the righteous (Mark 2:17).

1 Corinthians 13:1(NIV): “¹ If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. ² If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. ³ 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.⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.⁸ Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. ⁹ For we know in part and we prophesy in part, ¹⁰ but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. ¹¹ When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. ¹² For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.¹³ And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”

There is a female who attends my home college who has for the past 3 years been viewed as one of the most serious Christ followers in our female population. As a new believer I didn’t necessarily wear a I serve Jesus sign on my shirt but if my relationship with Him came up, I was more than happy to share the story of how I gained salvation. This female and I would constantly bump into each other so one day I decided to say hello to her. To my surprise she walked right by me, as if I wasn’t even there. I didn’t think much of it until it was a constant pattern–me taking an initiative to say hello and her looking down or away trying to avoid saying hello back. About a month later we happened to both be at a Christian event on campus. She made a comment along the lines that she didn’t know that I was believer. I couldn’t help but think about how fake I thought she was. And yes, since that day she rushes to greet me. But why did I have to be a believer for her to speak to me? What if I was still a sinner desperately in need of hearing the Gospel?

Hebrews 13:2(NIV): “Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.”

Christian cliques formed around only believers are not Christ-like. Cliques stunt spiritual growth and furthermore ignore the purpose of the Kingdom’s business. As servants of God we are supposed to be the light of the world and the salt that preserves the earth but we cannot reach our full potential if we are not effectively engaging in healthy and Godly relationships with others. A pure and genuine relationship with our neighbors must be founded in love. 1 Corinthians 13:4(NIV):“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.” The Bible gives us specific instructions about how to be Christ-like and the characteristics we ought to aspire to obtain.

While I usually speak to people who are close enough to hear me, God showed me something else about myself. He showed me that as many people as I talked with, that I sometimes didn’t mention Him at all. I mean for Him to be my Everything, He ought to come up at least every now and again, right? Basically God was telling me that there shouldn’t be a question whether I serve Him as my actions and conversation ought to be a reflection of Him. The next thing God led me to think about was how had I received wisdom yet didn’t seek to share it with others? Why wasn’t I sharing what I knew? So from that day I decided to go forth and spread the Gospel.

My freshman year in college there was a cafeteria worker who stood out to me. She appeared to have maybe gone through some rough circumstances but regardless always appeared so peaceful when I saw her. At my school at least, we don’t spend too much time interacting with workers who aren’t professors. I couldn’t figure out why I kept feeling led to talk with her but then unsaved, I brushed the idea off and forgot about it. The end of freshman year I felt led to give this cafeteria worker some cards with Scriptures on them that had been passed down to me from my Grandmother after she died from breast cancer. I kept telling myself that I would give the lady the cards but before I knew it, the semester was over and the lady was gone. I wasn’t saved so I didn’t care too much. I even began to question if I was just having one of my “caught up in my feelings” moments. I didn’t see the woman again until the first semester of my junior year. To make a long story short, I somehow sparked a conversation up with this lady only for her to tell me that she didn’t remember me. As we continued to talk she told me about some issues she had been experiencing so I decided to print out some of these articles for her. I hadn’t told her I was the author for a while until she began to ask where she could get more articles. I didn’t mention being the author because I know that isn’t important but once I told her, that opened the door for us to talk about Christianity more. The woman thought I was merely finding stuff online and giving it to her, which caused her to not really engage in conversation about specific issues she was facing. After that moment we would meet each day in the cafeteria and talk about God. She would come over to me, acting like she was cleaning my table as I shared Scriptures with her. I would print articles as often as I could and gave them to her so that she could read them on the bus going home or during her lunch break. And I prayed with her for her and her family whenever her supervisor was away busy doing something. I wasn’t taking her from her work but she didn’t want to appear to be doing nothing. Before I knew it she would be waiting for me at dinner time, excited to talk about the goodness of the Lord. It was an amazing feeling to be able to be used by God as only a 20-year-old for a woman is well in her 40s. Before I knew it her supervisor was coming up to me stating that she wanted what I had; that she wanted salvation. Her supervisor said that she isn’t a part of a church so she is unable to receive salvation and I told her that when she was ready, that we could pray right there in the cafeteria as Christ has no ordained place for us to accept Him as our Lord and Savior.

As the semester got closer to ending, prayer with this lady became a regular part of our lives. She even shared with me her most personal and difficult struggles as I would go home to pray for her and bring back Scriptures that God had put on my heart to share with her. And guess what? The last day of classes God reminded me to give her the cards with the Scriptures on them. I ran to my room and asked God to give me a mind to give her every verse that He knew she could receive. When I ran back downstairs to give her the cards she looked at me, trying to hold back tears and hugged me for what felt like 3 hours..although I am sure it was more like 1-2 mins. She was sharing her gratitude. There I was in the middle of the cafeteria, while students were trying to figure out what was going on, and I stood hugging a woman who had known Christ at a very young age but who had given up hope after being trampled by every sin you could think of. But the light of Christ that dwells within me was able to draw her nigh, leading her to come back to her Father. She went from referencing God as merely a memory to being active in church, reading her Bible regularly, praying, fasting, and seeking fellowship with other believers. All of this is so wonderful that it makes me wonder….what if I didn’t speak to my neighbor?

1 Corinthians 14:22-35 (NIV): ”²² Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers; prophecy, however, is not for unbelievers but for believers. ²³ So if the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in tongues, and inquirers or unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your mind? ²⁴ But if an unbeliever or an inquirer comes in while everyone is prophesying, they are convicted of sin and are brought under judgment by all, ²⁵ as the secrets of their hearts are laid bare. So they will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, “God is really among you!”

Saan ba natatapos ang pagiging partner mo sa iyong partner? Hanggang saan mo kakayanin ang responsibilidad at obligasyon ng pagiging partner? Well, di ko din alam….

As in para syang malaking question mark na hindi magkasya sa ulo ko! Ganun ka-OA! Siguro kasi napakarami ng beses na nasabe mo sa sarili mo na ayaw mo na. Pero andyan ka pa din, isn’t it ironic? (Salamat sa isa nameng panel at nalaman ko kung san ginagamit ang isn’t it ironic? Wahahaha). Ironic nga! Tipong sabe ng utak mo, pagod na sya kakaisip sa paulit-ulit-ulit-ulit na mga pangyayare sa inyong dalawa, pero sabe naman ng puso mo (na makulit pero sya din namang nasasaktan sa huli) na go!! hindi ako nagsasawa sa paulit-ulit-ulit-ulit na yan, MAHAL KO SYA!!! Ironic.

Ironic. Kasi hindi mo maiwan, kahit ang sakit na. Ironic. Kasi isang drum na yung naiyak mo, pero mahal mo pa rin sya. Ironic. Kasi kahit ganu kasakit ang ginawa at ginagawa nya sayo, sya pa rin ang buhay mo. Ironic kasi kahit di kayo magkasundo parati, kayo pa rin ang magkasama araw-araw. Super ironic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Napakadaling pumasok sa isang relasyon. Una crush, parang crush nyo isa’t isa? Kakakilig noh? Tapos manliligaw na sya sayo. Eto na yung feeling nyong dalawa na ang gwapo at ang ganda nyo. Tapos sagutan time na, yesss! Kayo na. Sobrang saya, lageng nakangiti kapag hawak ang cellphone, tapos parang may kuryente kapag nagkakadikit mga balat nyo. Astig! Tapos darating na yung panahon na mas makikilala nyo ang isa’t-isa, malalaman mo na yung mga bagay na ayaw at gusto nya, malalaman mo na kung anung mga bagay ang makakapagpasaya sa kanya at malalaman nyo na ang tunay na ugali ng bawat isa. Astig! Hanggang sa malaman nyo na din na mas marami pa lang bagay ang hindi nyo mapagkasunduan kaysa sa napagkakasunduan nyo. Astig! Tapos mag-aaway na kayo dahil sa hindi mabilang na dahilan, mula sa pinakasimpleng bagay hanggang sa pinakamalala. Dito na mangyayare yung mga sama ng loob, dito na kayo magtatanim pero hindi nyo naman pwedeng anihin. Isn’t it ironic? Tapos mararamdaman mo na lang isang araw para ka ng nakasakay sa space shuttle dahil sa sobrang extreme ng ups and downs sa relationship nyo. Hindi mo alam kung nag-enjoy ka ba sa ride at gusto mong umulit o tama na kasi natatakot ka na. Kapag nag-enjoy ka pa rin sa ride na yun, kahit madameng ups and downs dun mo na mararamdaman ang pagod. Pagod ka na. Literal na pagod. Tapos hindi ko na rin alam ang sunod. Siguro para sa mga matatapang na tao, may kasunod pa yang pagod na yan. Pero para sa mga duwag at mahina ang loob hanggang dun na lang sila. Tama na sa kanila ang mapagod basta ang alam nila, nagmamahal sila. Hindi sila nawawalan ng pag-asa, patuloy silang nangangarap na makasama ng habang buhay ang taong naging dahilan ng pagod nila. Pero worth it kaya ito?

Hindi ko rin alam….. Dasal na lang siguro, at ang Dyos na lang mismo ang magpapakita sayo kung anu ang DAPAT.

To God be the Glory!

Hi, Friends!

Did you hear this verse on your wedding day?  I know we did.  In fact, I’m pretty sure I had my heart set on this verse long before we actually met with the priest to plan the ceremony.

I just love it.  Don’t you?

Next year John and I will celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary.  Twenty years.  And while I can’t even pretend to be an expert on marriage, I can tell you that the secret to a good one (which we definitely have!) is all contained in the above verse. 

Read it again.

It’s full of all the stuff good relationships are made of:  patience, kindness, trust, hope, perseverance, truth. 

It’s all good.

I once read an article that said most people are nicer to strangers than they are to those they love the best. 

I remember thinking, “What?  No way.” 

But then the author went on to give some specific examples.  She mentioned how people say “excuse me” when they bump into strangers.  They let strangers go before them in traffic.  Hold a door when they see someone struggling with too much baggage.  Lend a hand to someone in need.

Then she challenged her readers to pay attention to how they act at home.  She asked, “Are you as kind to your husband and kids are you are to strangers?  Are you patient and kind and always willing to cheerfully lend a hand?”

That article really made me think and pay attention to how I treated John, and then later, my kids.  It’s easy to get frustrated when my (very capable kids and husband) ask me to do something for them that I know they can do for themselves.  And I’ve been known to lose my patience with them from time to time.  But the truth is, John and my kids mean the world to me. 

So I try. 

Really hard. 

I try to live by that verse I heard on my wedding day (best marriage advice ever).

And so far, so good.

Twenty years, next year.

XO,

Vicki

vision retreat was last weekend. and i ABSOLUTELY am smitten with the team this year. JUST SMITTEN!  well, there’s always like that ONE person i can’t stand. and the funny thing is, i can already see myself being put in a room with her. haha. LESSON LEARNED. but like at the beginning of the year, i really had no idea that i would LOVEEEEE this team so much. i came back kind of at an awkward time. i’m older but have the same number of tours as them under my belt. so i’m not like a designated leader, but i feel like i do carry some weight. so i totally expected to have it like “get in get out” in terms of my associations with the girls. but i never expected to really learn to love them. and i actually want to hang out and really get to know them. i dont know if i mentioned this, but we usually spend a lot of time praying for each other after practices. i truly treasure those times. and the COOL thing is, they’re not all arrogant pubescent teenagers!! well, most of them arent. but STILL. i was super impressed with their maturity and all. God lesson for today: don’t judge! sometimes it feels like you’re going to be friends and pals with people for a long time. i think this is one of those instances :))))))) well i was thinking. so since i love MOST of the team so much. i guess i need to love her too? caaaause love is patient love is kind. well now i’m thinking about it. and its actually pretty funny. i mean, God has to deal with me EVERY SINGLE day. like my icky, arrogant, poopy self and yet He stills loves me. cause love is patient love is kind. goal for this summer, name three good things about this girl. and MAYBE, just MAYBE learn to love her.

we focused on the idea of worship and jonah story over the weekend. so here’s my throw up style thoughts and what i got out of it. jonah is actually a silly fool like myself. this silly goose prayed for DAMNATION over a people he was supposed to save. and got angry at God from saving them from destruction. if that’s not silly, what is? he also didn’t even want to go to where God explicitly called him to go. but God STILL used him to save a WHOLE FREAKING city of people. a city of people that were immoral and were known for skinning people alive. God still used jonah despite his faults and just simply reluctance. i think that’s just WILD. cause i’m like that. and the idea of a God that loves me so much that is still willing to use me to further His kingdom despite my poor attitude.

second throw up. God demands our worship. well not like those buddhist gods that DEMAND it, like if you dont pai pai or kow tow, you DIE. no not like that. but our God just revels in our worship. someone once said, that God has angels singing over Him 24/7. which is just amazing. its like the best praise night ever FOREVER AND EVER. and angels probably sound REALLY good with their harps and lutes or whatever they play up there. but even will grade A musicians singing over Him everyday. He still wants our worship. first off, having multitudes sing over something, let alone GOD, for essentially forever, wouldn’t that be enough? and second off, the angels, probably sound so much better than us. we think our tight harmonies are so good, i think not! haha. but this personal God still wants worship from me. and wants to hear me say how much i love Him. AUGH. so frustratingly amazing.

this tour is going to be interesting. so much has happened to me in the last year or so. so many lessons learned the hard way. i feel like i’m learning them to prep for something. could this be it? i’m thinking yes. how exciting, yet scary. but at least i’ll have my OH SO WONDERFUL vision girlies to support me along the way. i love you guys more than you’ll ever know. :)))))