Love in Action Journey

My precious mom e-mailed me this poem that somebody wrote. I just loved it. Be encouraged today as you are waiting on Him ... the Great I AM!! Love Janine xoxox WAIT Desperately, helplessly, longingly, I cried. Quietly, patiently, lovingly God replied. I pled and I wept for a clue to my fate,  And the Master so gently said, “Child, you must wait.” “Wait?” You say, “wait!” my indignant reply, “Lord I need answers, I need to know why! Is Your hand shortened? Or have You not heard? By faith, I have asked, and am claiming Your Word. My future and all to which I can relate Hangs in the balance, and YOU tell me to WAIT? I’m needing a ‘yes’ a go-ahead sign, Or even a ‘no’ to which I can resign. And, Lord, You promised that if we believe We need but to ask, and we shall receive. And Lord, I’ve been asking, and this in my cry: I’m weary of asking! I need a reply! Then quietly, softly, I learned of my fate As my Master replied once again, “You must wait.” So, I slumped in my chair, defeated and ...

Raising my 2 little girls, I am always scrounging around for some great parenting tips. Here are 4 tips I read this morning that make so much sense!! "Parenting is not a call to be perfect - just to be real." 1) Learn together : intentionally look for things you can do together - read the books they love, watch movies you can both enjoy ... in essence, take notice of the things that interest them and find ways to share their interests. 2) Listen, listen ... LISTEN : Before you tell your child what to do or get angry with him/her, ask them to help you understand what makes them behave that way. 3) Live out your values : Modelling is the best teacher of all. You opinion about your child does matter to him/her.  4) Love unconditionally and tell your child so, even if you don't like the way your child is acting or the choices he's making. Make your home - and you - a safe place.  (taken from the book "Questions kids ask about sex: honest answers for every age")...

"Yesterday will never return; Today will be whatever you decide to make it, and tomorrow may never come ... What are you waiting for?"

This year a very familiar prayer keeps coming out of my heart and mouth - "Lord, help me to see things through loves perspective" . What is loves perspective? Firstly, God is love. He will always look through the perspective of love. It's simply who He is. He will judge from the perspective of love. He will orchestrate and act motivated by love. Now I have to ask myself - is His love my motivator? Do I judge things accurately from the perspective of His love or purely from my human perspective and emotions?  Love is such a flowery word at times.  But when reading the Bible and watching the way Jesus lived and responded as He walked the earth - His love is so strong! He spoke out passionately motivated by the love of the Father. He corrected the deceptions with the truth with such courageous strength! He was moved by compassion to heal, restore, deliver. The expression of that love moved Him to lay down His life for us in the most painful way. Love is so strong! His love a...

Last night I was "tinkling the ivories" while the kiddies were playing around the table, when a song stirred in my heart. As I was singing to the Lord, I heard His song to me ... "Simple moments with you ... simple moments with you ... simple moments with you ... just to share our hearts". So beautiful! Loud and clear I got it! So often I make my times with Him so complicated (I LOVE complicated routine for some reason that not even I understand!!!) ... I usually get all my Bibles out ... surround myself with the appropriate journal just in-case I need to write something down so I don't forget ... hunt for some good worship songs to be playing in the background ... then race to get my cup of steaming hot coffee (coz I just KNOW He wants me to share a cuppa with Him) ... and then I remember the highlighters! You HAVE to have multiple highlighters!!! Hee hee ... I can't help laughing at myself when I read my own honesty here!!! Standing outside of it all I ge...

1Jo 4:15-21      "Whoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwells in him and he in God.  And we have known and believed the love that God has in us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.  In this is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment, that as He is, so also we are in this world.  There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear, because fear has torment. He who fears has not been perfected in love. We love Him because He first loved us.  If anyone says, I love God, and hates his brother, he is a liar. For if he does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?  And we have this commandment from Him, that he who loves God should love his brother also. " There is just sooo much in these verses that continually encourage, challenge and speak to me. Today He is gently reminding me that it all begins with His love for us! We love, because He first loved...

I just finished reading such an amazing book written by Gary Witherall called "Total Abandon" . Him and his wife Bonnie served Jesus so fully and faithfully in Lebanon up until the moment she was gunned down in the clinic where she served as a missionary. She was martyred for the sake of the gospel - working in a clinic, shining the love of Jesus to all the women who came through those doors. His book is so honest and real about their journey - and his journey since her death in 2002. It has given me so much to think about regarding my own walk with Jesus and what it means to live with total abandon. The journey that God has me on is the discovery of what "Love in Action" looks like. Bonnie has taught me so much about what that phrase means. She served the women who came to the clinic ... showed warmth and care in the way she dealt with them ... they devoted many hours of their time to learn to speak their language and showed such an honest love for the people ...