I've been thinking about belonging...

Where, Oh Where, Do I Belong?

belonging: a sense of a close or intimate relationship

A friend shared with me her experience with a famous lady in Christian circles, Vonette Bright. My friend did not know Vonette personally, but when they found themselves standing together in a lobby of a hotel, they began talking. Vonette volunteered that she planned to meet friends for lunch and then, moved by a desire to include my friend, she promptly took her by the arm and exuberantly said, "COME WITH US!"

We can all imagine the joyful surprise and delight of belonging even in a situation where we are not known. How much more do we long to belong where we are known? Especially when we believe we are known and loved deeply?

intimate relationship: a relationship marked by a warm friendship developing through a long association

When God commissioned Joshua to be the military leader of the Israelites in chapter one verse five of the book of Joshua, God said, I will not leave you or forsake you. In Hebrews 13:5, we are reminded that God makes the same promise to each and everyone of His children, I will never leave you nor forsake you.

So when times get tough and I struggle with belonging, I must remind myself that there is one place where I do belong without a doubt. I belong with my friend, Jesus, and with those who keep company with Him. Jesus, moved by a tremendous desire to include me, continually calls out exuberantly, "COME WITH US!"

I"ve been thinking about loving...

Being Deeply Loved and Loving Deeply

I saw a meaningful Valentine's message on a card this week that caught my attention. It said,

Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength:

loving someone deeply gives you courage.

-Lao Tzu

Maybe it is because I am reminded on Valentine's Day about being deeply loved and about loving deeply that this message strikes a cord. I do believe being loved deeply by someone does give me STRENGTH to keep going, to keep trying, to keep believing, to keep saying "this is who I am" to the world. I also believe that my depth of love for others gives me COURAGE to try to right the wrongs, to speak for those who have no voice, to defend and stand up for what is good. Why else would I continue to do these things?

It is very interesting to note that according to God's Word COURAGE is the virtue that enables me to practice the rest of the virtues consistently and it is the foundation to a life of loving deeply. In the New Living Translation, 2 Peter 1:5-7 says that my faith, based on my choices to apply the promises of the previous verses, will produce a life of moral excellence (courage). A life of moral exellence leads to knowing God better. Knowing God leads to self-control. Self-control leads to patient endurance and patient endurance leads to godliness. Godliness leads to LOVE for other Christians, and finally you will grow to have geniune LOVE for everyone.

This is truly a Valentine message to shout about! STRENGTH and COURAGE, mixed up together and rooted in a life of faith, create in us the ability to become beautiful living and loving Valentines to everyone around us! Happy Valentine's Day!

I've been thinking about growth...

An Acrostic for GROWTH

My mission statement is, "I exist to serve by stimulating growth for the glory of God." My life verse is Hebrews 10:24 which supports my mission, "Let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds."

The emphasis of this verse in Hebrews is on the phrase, "Let us consider" meaning my effectiveness in stimulating growth is qualified by how much time I have spent listening and understanding!

God recently gave me an exciting acrostic for growth:

Greeting
Risky
Opportunities
With a
Trusting
Heart

A risky situation involves exposure to danger. I define "risky" as something that is exhilarating because the opportunity combines both excitement and fear. However, when these two things are present I know God is in it! My heart is excited at the possibility but I am fearful that I will fail.

Isn't that the leap of faith that God requires of me to grow? I choose to rise to the challenge and engage with God without evidence that I will succeed. I leap with a trusting heart!