Loving And Knowing by Julie Ackerman Link

In a novel by Jonathan Safran Foer, one of the characters, speaking of New York’s Empire State Building, said, “I know this building because I love this building.” That statement caused me to think about the relationship between love and knowledge. Whenever we love something, we want to know everything about it. When we love a place, we want to explore every inch of it. When we love a person, we want to know every detail of his or her life. We want to know what he likes, how she spends her time, where he grew up, who her friends are, what he believes. The list is endless. But some of us want to be loved without allowing ourselves to be known. We’re afraid that we won’t be loved if we are truly known. We don’t have to worry about that with God. His love is far superior to ours: “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8). Furthermore, He makes Himself known to us. Through creation, Scripture, and Christ, God reveals His character and His love. Because God loves us in spite of our imperfections, we can safely confess our faults to Him. With God, we need not fear being known. That’s why to know God is to love Him. Be still and know that He is God For pathways steep and rough, Not what He brings, but what He is Will always be enough. —Anon. There is no greater joy than to know that God loves us.

Think on Purpose by Joyce Meyer

Think On Purpose by Joyce Meyer - posted September 29, 2013 And be constantly renewed in the spirit of your mind [having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude]. —Ephesians 4:23 A real breakthrough came for me in my love walk when I realized that love was something I needed to do on purpose. I could not wait to feel loving; I had to choose to be loving. The same rule applies to our thoughts. We must learn to think good thoughts about people on purpose. We must learn to look for the good, not the bad, in everyone. We all have faults and weaknesses, but we all also have good qualities. I admit that we must look harder to find the good in some people than in others, but to be like Jesus, that is what we must do. Jesus finds the good in everyone and magnifies that instead of the bad. He found the good in me and started developing it until it finally surpassed a lot of the things that were wrong with me. He has done the same thing for many of us, and He expects us to do the same for people we encounter every day. Take a moment and try this experiment. Just sit and think some good thoughts on purpose about someone you know, and see how much better you feel about yourself. If you keep it up, you will begin to notice changes in that person’s attitude toward you. One reason that individual will change is that you will have changed. Thinking good thoughts opens the door for God to work. If we want the Lord’s good plan to manifest in our lives, we must get into agreement with Him (Amos 3:3). He is not negative in any way, and according to the Bible, we have been given the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16)—but we must choose to use it. We also have a mind of the flesh, and I often feel it is like the earth’s gravitational pull; if we don’t resist, we are pulled in its direction. Because of humanity’s sinful nature, our thoughts will automatically go in a negative direction unless we direct them otherwise. Love Others Today: Choose to think good thoughts today–even if you don’t feel like it. From the book Love Out Loud by Joyce Meyer. Copyright © 2011 by Joyce Meyer. Published by FaithWords. All rights reserved

Don't Rush into this Relationship (1) The Word for you today March April May

When we feel hurt and rejected there's something inside us that wants to proves we're still worthy and desirable; as a result we can jump into the next relationship too quickly. If you try to circumvent a process you'll end up back at square one, wondering what happened. One author says: "A new relationship won't successfully heal you, avoid aggravating inflicted wounds, or instantly clean up a mess.. Regardless of the temporary bliss, sooner or later you'll end up faced again with your old stuff... If this is your situation, do things the right way. Take your time.. These things can't be feigned...rushed or ... pursued. They'll be given to you when you're ready, and not a moment sooner. Solomon writes, " Don't excite love, don't stir it up, until the time is ripe-and you're ready." It takes time for God to make you into the person He wants you to become. While He's working on you, He's preparing the heart of the right partner to show up at the right time. In the meantime there's a way to fill emptiness inside; working on developing a closer relationship with God and He will "fill you with... joy and peace" (Romans 15:13).

The Word For Today HLC-You owe it to your children

Here am I, and the children the Lord has given me. Isa 8:18 NIV 1.) Connect with them- Do you know your children's or child struggles, heroes, music , friends, fears, dreams? Learn them 2.) Listen to them-Paid attention, take time to listen to what they're saying and what they're not saying 3.) Believe in them- Build their confidence.