genuine love.

"Let love be genuine.  Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.  Love one another with brotherly affection.  Outdo one another in showing honor." 

Romans 12 : 9-10

Let love be genuine.  Not love when you feel like it, or love when the other person loves you.  No, let it be genuine.  What is genuine love? What kind of love is worthy to be described as genuine, true, and honorable?  Let's look.

"Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude.  It does not insist on it's own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.  Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things." 

1 Corinthians 13 : 4-7  

Wow.  To have what the Bible describes as genuine love would be amazing.  Imagine it.  Christ would always come first, tempers would never be lost, grudges would never be held, truth would be cherished, hope would flourish.  (And let's be honest, decisions would never be made.)  Life would be perfect.  And although that perfection will never be achieved due to our ever powerful sin nature, what is there to stop us from putting love first and striving towards the fulfillment of that perfect place?  So join me.  Let's put love first, being patient and kind, not being envious or boastful.  And what do you know?  Maybe someone else will catch on and together we can make this world a more lovely place.

found on Pinterest

*all Bible verses are ESV*

alone?

Source: Uploaded by user via Kelley on Pinterest

do you ever feel alone?
do you feel like no matter how many people are around, they are nothing to the emptiness inside?
sometimes you just need someone to tell you it will all be ok.

let me do that for you.

everything is going to be ok.  maybe not today, maybe not next week, it may even take a really long time.
but it will happen.
it will happen if you trust God.  He is the One who stands tall even when storms rage and strong winds push you to the ground.
when He envelops you in His love there is nothing that can take you away.

He is with you.  He will always be with you.

"even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me." Psalm 23:4

so do me a favor.  be strong.  be strong for yourself, be strong for me.  set an example for those around you.

because you will never be alone.

. . . his heart was filled with {love}. . .

"It was not for his own sin that the Father bruised the Son.  It was because he wanted to show us mercy.  He wanted to forgive and heal and save and rejoice over us with loud singing.  But he is righteous.  That means his heart was filled with a love for the infinite worth of his own glory.  But we were sinners.  And that means that our hearts were filled with God-belittling affections.  So to save sinners, and at the same time magnify the worth of his glory, God lays our sin on Jesus and abandons him to the shame and slaughter of the cross." 

- John Piper, The Pleasures of God

And he took it on himself gladly, in order to save such wretched sinners as ourselves.  There is much reason to rejoice, when we consider what has been done for us, and where we would be without it.

"This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it."

Psalm 118:24