Tag: love

RELATIONSHIPS

During the last few years, God has impressed upon my heart how vital relationships are in each of our lives. We truly are all connected and need each other to share with, learn from, and encourage one another. It is important to be aware of people in our lives who need us to be there for them and those that God puts in our life for us. It works both ways!
In your life, do you make time for relationships rather than always busying yourself with checking things off your to do list? It is something I struggle with but feel I am making progress on in my life.
For those of us who are more introverted, I think this realization of the importance of relationships in our lives might take a little more effort compared to those that are maybe naturally extroverted. But I think the extroverts can help encourage the introverts of the importance of sharing with others and maybe help them come out of their shells some.
There have been three or four incidences within a few weeks where God showed me the importance of relationships. I think the main lesson for me is that, yes….
…we do need each other
…we can all help each other
…and build the kingdom of God through our relationships.
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Photo credit by Celestine Chua under Creative Commons License (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)
On Thanksgiving Day, I received a text from the Pre-K teacher I worked with the past two years who was just thinking of me and wishing me a nice day. This summer she moved about 1  1/2 hr away and I only saw her once since then when we were both at a funeral for a mutual friend. In the process of exchanging a few texts on Thanksgiving, we both said how great it would be to get together. I made sure I made an effort to contact her on my day off that week, and it was a day that worked for her as well.
It was neat to see how God used just that simple, little text to orchestrate our get together which was a huge blessing for both of us. She was excited to show me their new home and the church that her husband pastors, so I made the trek to their new place. It is always a pleasure to spend time with her, talk about the Lord, our families, and whatever else comes up. We enjoyed a nice lunch at a quaint little restaurant and her husband joined us for a bit. Four hours flew by and I know both of us were inspired and encouraged through our visit.
Sharing different parts of our lives with each other and in more depth was truly a blessing. So often I think I am the only that is going through something, but then I learn that is not really the case. Having that support and encouragement from other people helps us get through different things and might give us a different view point that we had not thought of.
Another friend of mine texted me on a Sunday to say she bought some tickets to a Women’s Tea at her church and wondered if I wanted to go. It was a blessing to learn that because of a sermon she heard about the importance of community, she decided to go the Tea and invite a few friends.  Again, it was a blessing spending time together, take time to reflect on the reason for the Christmas season, and it was powerful to see the speaker at the Tea echoed a devotional I had just read from the pastor of Third Day. God at work!
During the past year, my life has also been enriched through building community through a 32-week Bible Study and then a 10-week one. That coming together and sharing thoughts about the studies and even prayer requests builds relationships that are so vital in our lives.
Small groups are a great way to build relationships as well. I’ve been blessed to be meeting one on one with  a friend who experienced the Bible study with me and then we both shared an in-depth weekend retreat. It has been a true blessing to meet weekly with her to share our experiences, pray for each other and encourage one another.
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David Carr, Mac Powell, & Mark Lee, all of Third Day, with some Gomers in Fayetteville, NC  11/20/15
Attending Third Day concerts and getting to know the old time fans called Gomers shows me the importance of relationships as well. And as I’ve said many times, the guys of Third Day model for us the importance of relationships. They take the time to ask how your trip was, thank you for coming, and wish you safe travels home to show they care. The Gomers are a group of people, bonded together through their love for Third Day music, who realize the importance of relationships and are there to support one another via prayer, an encouraging word if needed, and sometimes even financially if some disaster is affecting someone.
Though not quite as vital and certainly not to replace our face-to-face relationships,  social media these days can help build relationships to a point and a definite way we can encourage others. There are more opportunities to pray for others, encourage someone with a kind word, and make a difference in their life.  I have been blessed to feel led to pray and encourage a few people this way, and truly have been blessed in return. You might just say one little thing that might have a huge impact on the other person. God can use even the smallest gesture or one sentence spoken in truth to change the other person or help them see something in a different light.
So, I encourage you to be aware of the importance of relationships in your life. Even meeting an elderly neighbor at the mailbox and talking with them and being really “present” for a few minutes, rather than being busy with your to do list, can make an impact on their life. Take time for those vital relationships that God puts in your path!
Feel free to share ways you have experienced how vital relationships have been in your life. Maybe helping you through an illness, providing transportation or meals for you when you couldn’t provide for yourself?
Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.  –1 Thessalonians 5:11  (NIV) 

THREE SIMPLE THOUGHTS

Recently, I saw two movies that left me with a few inspiring thoughts. They are simple things, but hopefully worth pondering to see how they can benefit you, and how you could incorporate them more into your daily life.

1-HAVE COURAGE 

One definition of “courage” is: “The ability to do something that frightens one.”
Can you think of some things you’ve done that took courage to do?
—Taught a Sunday school class?
—Ever gone a trip by yourself?
—Ever gone back to school after many years?
I think with doing any of these things, they require a certain degree of courage.
I think if you practice courage, you will end up having more faith in yourself and your abilities. In turn, you can experience more things, not be so afraid and grow more as a person.
Some of you may know recently I was in New Orleans and was truly blessed by taking my first air boat swamp tour by myself. I actually pet, fed and picked up a gator’s tail! Needless to say, I have never done anything like that before, and actually the week before I was “mad” at myself for not having enough courage to hold a horseshoe crab that a stranger had picked up to show us.
So, I’m not sure if that is why I felt compelled to just do the gator things, or because it was really a most relaxing, peaceful environment where there was so much beauty. Thankfully, I didn’t really “think” about doing those things, I just did it.
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                                         Feeding the hungry gator!
It was great because there were only three of us on the swamp tour and I was in the front too. At the one point, I even got to put my legs/feet across the seat so the gator came right up on the boat and went from one end to the other right in front of me! (I might have held my breath for that!)
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            The gator crossing our boat right in front of my legs!
So, I encourage you to try to face things with courage. If you have courage, it seems like you can face anything with a better attitude and succeed!
For the brave of heart who want to see me “catching” a gator, check out this short video:
https://youtu.be/Ug_n_JGffsI
Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. Do everything in love. –1 Corinthians 16:13-14 (NIV)
2-BE KIND
I like this definition of “kind”: “Having or showing a friendly, generous, sympathetic, or warm-hearted nature.”
 
Wouldn’t this world be an even better place if everybody was kind to every person they met? Being kind doesn’t cost anything and it is a great way to live. It is something we can ALL do, everyday! It can have a big impact on a life.
—That stranger you smiled at…he was feeling all alone.
—You saying that silent prayer for the elderly couple who can only shuffle their feet along as they leave the soup kitchen…I’m sure God blessed them because you cared.
—That person you surprised by paying for their coffee….you gave them hope by your small act.
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Be on the look out for how you can be kind to all those you meet….Open the door for someone, encourage someone with a positive word. Your life will be blessed as well as blessing another.
Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ, God forgave you.  –Ephesians 4:32 (NIV)
3-HELP SOMEONE TODAY
 
The one movie had this quote that I thought was worth sharing: “If you believe the purpose of life is to only serve yourself, then you have no purpose. Help someone today.”
Wow…I think that is great advice! See how you can help someone today!
I’m sure you’ve heard me say before that I truly feel happiest when I am helping another. It brings me happiness to do whatever “little” thing I can do to bring the love of Christ to others. In giving of ourselves, we give ourselves purpose.
What are some ways you can help someone today?
—Give an encouraging word to someone who is having a really bad day.
—Offer to stop at the store for a shut-in.
—Take time to understand how someone might be feeling.
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Photo credit by grapefrugten under Creative Commons License (CC BY 2.0). Words added by hopetoinspireyou.wordpress.com
Daily, see how you can help another. You will feel refreshed and renewed!
…serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”  –Galatians 5:13-14 (NIV)
For me personally, trying to practice courage helps me realize that with God, I can do more things outside of my comfort zone. Doing that helps me grow as a person and in turn maybe reach out to others more. Trying to be kind and helping others seems like a natural extension of trying to share the Christ in me with others. Such simple things to be the hands and feet of Christ.
Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. –1 Corinthians 12:27 (NIV)

THE LITTLE THINGS

“Never get tired of doing the little things for others. For sometimes those little things occupy the biggest part of their heart.”

Did you ever stop to think about how much the little, simple things in life can mean so much to someone?

I think doing “little” things for people is just as important as doing “big” things for people. We are not all called to change the world in a big way, but instead called to do the “little” things we can for others each and every day.

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PHOTO CREDIT BY PATI MORRIS UNDER CREATIVE COMMONS LICENSE (CC BY 2.0)

We can help change the world one person at a time and those things can have an awesome ripple affect.

For me, something as simple as someone telling me they’re praying for me when I’m going through a medical procedure or test makes a world of difference.

One day recently when I was working lots of extra hours and very stressed with deadlines, when my supervisor finally took a minute to say she realized that my workload could not be done in my 20 hours a week, it was like a huge load was lifted from my shoulders. Just that little comment meant so much.

Something as simple as making a meal for a person in need is one example of a simple gesture you could do.

Praying for those with a special need or even texting someone to let them know you are thinking of them are other simple ways we can make a difference in somebody’s life and share the Christ in us.

You might see some person you don’t know and offer a prayer for God to help meet a need in their life.

Maybe telling an artist their picture really touched you will encourage them in their creativity.

Can you think of a time in your life when you did a simple, little thing that touched someone else?

You may never know what the impact your simple gesture had on their life on this earth. Your simple little action might be just what the person needed to change their life.

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Photo credit by Petey under Creative Commons License (CC BY-ND 2.0). Words added by hopetoinspireyou.wordpress

So continue to look for ways you can do simple acts of love for another. Remember what an influence you can have on other people with doing the simple, little things that mean so much. You can make such a difference in someone’s life today!

When I posted the opening quote on Facebook it was such a blessing to see a post by a friend who said she was just making dinner to help someone in need, and she remembered when I had made dinner for her in her time of need. That was a cool validation of this truth. It was cool to see her reading that quote just as she was living it out and also remembering when someone did it for her.

What “little” thing can you do for someone today?

“And the King will answer them, Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.” –Matthew 25:40

THE BLESSING OF CAREGIVERS

A few months ago I talked about some Inspirational People in my life. At that time, I did touch on the specialness of one particular caregiver, but I wanted to expound on that importance of the caregiver a little more. I truly believe they deserve a special shout out, and they need to know what a blessing they are.
I also mentioned in another writing, about the Bible Study I’m involved in this year encouraged us to do some type of “ministry” work outside of our comfort zone. The jail ministry did not work out, so when a Deacon in our Bible Study mentioned about praying for a gentlemen who used to go to our church who has had cancer for the last four years, right away, I felt compelled to go visit them.
To do something outside of ourselves and our little, familiar comfort zone can be scary but I am really finding that I need to continue to follow that little prompting and step out in faith. I will admit I kept going back and forth in my mind if I could really call them to see if they were open to a visit and then go and do that. And then I’m thinking, what will I talk about or say to them. Thankfully, I got brave, did call, not just once, but twice (as nobody answered the first time). The wife was more than happy to accept an invitation for a visit, and so I was off to their house the next morning.
It just so happened that the lady used to babysit my eldest child..only about 18 or 19 years ago!  It seems hard to believe that it was probably about two years ago when I ran into her at the grocery store and we conversed for a bit.  Other than that, I have not seen them too much through the years.
As always, it is delightful to see how God works things out. I had scheduled the visit around a birthday lunch with a friend of mine, allowing an hour visit before meeting my friend. In the end, it really worked out that my friend could not make the lunch date. That way, I did not have a time constraint with the couple I was visiting.
I brought some cookies for them, which they greatly appreciated, she made some coffee, and though at times I felt like maybe my words didn’t come out right, I know the visit meant a lot to them. We all had a wonderful time catching up on each other’s families, and reminiscing about the “old” days, and just being there for them.  More than three hours flew by before I left!
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Photo credit by garlandcannon under Creative Commons License (CC BY-SA 2.0)
During my visit, I was very blessed to see the two of them interact, as well with their one daughter that was home helping them out. It made me realize once again how special the role of a caregiver is and the extreme sacrifices they make. The caregivers that I know personally, care for their loved ones with such love and devotion.
I’ve witnessed the caregivers:
–Serving their loved one with respect
–Serving their loved one with dignity
–Serving their loved one with such love
–Serving their loved one with such patience
–Serving their loved one with gentleness
–Serving their loved one with kindness
–Serving their loved one with such faithfulness
–Serving their loved one with words of endearment
I know the caregivers often sacrifice their own wants and desires in order to be there for their loved one. Many times, the caregiver can not just go when they want because they might not be able to leave their loved one without someone being there. This can be so draining on the caregiver, but they continue to give us a great example.
It really is a special person who cares for another with such a humbling, loving spirit. What a true example of being Christ to their loved one.
So, I would just like to thank the blessed caregivers who give so much of themselves for their loved ones. They have touched my heart, and I know they are certainly following Jesus’ humble example of serving others.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.  –Galatians 5:22-23

THE GREATEST SERVANT

I know a man who walked this earth a long time ago. His entire life was spent being a servant—serving everyone in love.

While on this earth, He continually served mankind by physically healing the sick, the lame, and blind—as well as restoring their souls and spirits.

This servant came for everyone. He did not discriminate. In His eyes, no matter how “good” or “bad”, all were equal. His love for each person was unconditional in every way.

His servanthood shone forth even on the night he was betrayed by a friend. He “lowered” himself and washed the feet of His friend with so much love and compassion.

The greatest way in which He served all of mankind was when he was hanging on a cross. This servant bore our sins and infirmities—He endured the suffering, agony, and pain in order to give eternal life to us.

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Photo credit by Waiting for the Word under Creative Commons License (CC BY 2.0)

This man’s life is a perfect guide for living the life of a true servant. May we serve one another in humbleness and love as we follow the example of the greatest servant—Jesus Christ.

…Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave–just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many. –Matthew 20:27-28

FORGIVENESS

Recently it really hit me that it is a wonderful thing to ask for forgiveness right away. If you do something that you need to be forgiven for, don’t delay.  Do your part to apologize and rectify the situation as soon as you can.  That way, you will not have that bad feeling hanging over your head.

I will admit I have been stressed about work lately because we are short one worker, meaning there is extra work to do, and I have vacation time to take.  But, somehow I have to get all the work done with working less hours than I had been. There are also several items with certain deadlines to meet.

So, I was at work bright and early on a Monday morning when I got a phone call asking if I was going to take care of some paperwork.  It was a day where my tasks were to be all doing one task, namely payroll.  Anyway, I felt my blood pressure rising as I was talking with this lady.  I could not stop the bad tone or the words that I regretted as soon as I said them.

As soon as I got off the phone, I sent the lady an email apologizing for my bad attitude and basically asking for forgiveness.  It just felt like the right thing to do. Much to my surprise, she responded by saying, “No worries.”  Her responding that way brought me relief.  I did not want  to strain our relationship and have to wonder if she was mad at me whenever we interacted.

origin_10691106926Photo courtesy of Kerolic under Creative Commons License (CC BY-NC-SA/2.0)

Two days later, bright and early the phone rings again, and it is the same lady. So, I think right away, okay, have a good attitude. But, much to my surprise, when I answered, she jokingly says, “Is this grumpy?” It made us both laugh and start the day off right. To this day, it makes me smile when I think about it or when I talk with this lady.

And, it is a great reminder to make something “right” as soon as you can.  It is a great relief to release it and be free once again.

“Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.”  –Matthew 6:11-12

DO NOT JUDGE

Wouldn’t the world be a better place if we were not so quick to judge one another, or even better yet, did NOT judge another?

We all have our own story, our own baggage, our own burdens.  All of these things contribute to the person we are today. And, no two of us have had the exact experiences.  These things may not be apparent to others and often times people may never know what we have been through.

Wouldn’t it be such a freeing thing that if you had an honest question about something, that you would be free to ask that to someone, and not have to worry if the person was going to think you were dumb or strange for asking your question?

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we just accepted everyone as “normal” and a child of God, instead of making them feel so strange or different? Maybe they would never feel anxious or depressed ever again!

Or, if we wanted to try something out of the ordinary, that we could be free to do that without fear of repercussion?

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Photo courtesy of Celestine Chua under Creative Commons license (CC BY-NC-SA/2.0)

One day I had some honest questions about something, and I commented to the person that they were probably wondering if I was for real, meaning they were thinking, how could I not know the answers to the questions?

What a blessing and shock to me that the friend replied they did not judge me. That sure was an eye-opener to me! I am so thankful for that attitude that was shared with me. I never heard that response from anyone before. The friend referenced they felt that God did not want us to judge one another.

So, the next time you encounter someone who has a question that you think is something they should know,  try not to pass judgment on them, but help them feel better about themselves and respect them with an honest answer.  It may go a long way to improve their confidence.

Or, if you catch yourself starting to judge someone because they might not think exactly like you, think about how God made them special and that we are all unique in our own way, rather than passing judgment on them.

Luke 6:36 says, “Do not judge, and you will not be judged.”

REACHING OUT

I am learning that we need to be more open to others, and not be so concerned with ourselves.  It is so important to be there for one another.  You can learn more about yourself and God in reaching out to others. It can help you gain confidence in yourself, and it is a great feeling knowing you are helping to build God’s kingdom on this earth.

Ultimately, people need to put the Lord first, then their families and then others. But, all our attention should not be fixed on one thing; there should be some balance.
 
We have the responsibility to love others and to be there for them. It might not even be someone that you  met in person, especially today with the different kinds of social media. It can be a great tool to touch another’s life.  Be aware of the people God puts in your path each day, whether in physical contact or through another avenue.
 
One example of the blessing of social media in my life was in following my favorite Christian band, Third Day, on social media.
 

Because of our mutual following of Third Day, I became “friends” with a lady & her husband who had been at a Friends & Family camp hosted by Third Day in Georgia. I saw the couple at the camp but did not really talk to them there. She reached out to me on social media after the event. Her husband had some medical issues so she would be asking for prayer sometimes, at which point I would pray for them and try to encourage them. One day, it was amazing as she happened to post something saying her husband collapsed and to pray. I thank God that I saw that post a few moments after she posted it, so I started praying. It was very sad to hear the next day that he ended up dying.  But, I thought how special it was that people were praying for them so soon in their time of need. To this day, the lady and I keep in contact, and I try to offer support to her when I can.

 
  
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From left to right: Members of Third Day: Mark Lee, Tai Anderson, David Carr, & Mac Powell, along with some special, long time fans.

Take a moment to see how you can be open to the needs of others, at least once a day….

 
  • Maybe it’s giving a smile to the mom you see who is trying to calm her screaming child.
  • Maybe it’s sending a card on the anniversary of someone who has lost someone special.
  • Maybe it is asking the store clerk how her day is going and taking time to listen to her.
  • Maybe it is giving up your seat on the bus to someone else.
  • Maybe it is helping an elderly person unload their shopping cart when you see it would make it easier.

We should take every opportunity to reach out and make a difference in someone’s life, before it is too late. You never know when it will be the last chance, or when someone needs it in their most desperate moment. You might end up with a new friendship or help someone bear a burden that was heavy on their heart.   Maybe a small sacrifice on your part will be just what someone else needed.  In reaching out to others, your life will be made more abundant and blessed from above.

 

“And the King will answer them, “Truly I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.” –Matthew 25:40