December 23, 2024

Ever-Present Help in Troubles

January 3, 2014 by

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God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,
though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble at its swelling.
Psalms 46:1-3

“If one more thing goes wrong I’m going to scream!” These were my thoughts the day after Christmas. I’d been sent home early from work again…I had worked only 10 hours in four days. For those of you that don’t know, I live by myself (a “problem” that will soon be rectified) and 10 hours at my non-degree teacher’s pay is not going to do anything for paying my bills.

I had already concluded that moving home would be best and, of course, was ready to hang in there for two more months, but I didn’t need any additional stress added to the situation. Really! The stress level of the situation is high enough on its own.

I pondered…simmering in my frustrations all afternoon. I was angry. Angry at myself, my job, and my circumstances. And I felt my anger was justified. After all, I feel I’m doing the right thing and doing the right thing should be easy. I smiled at the thought, wondering what fairytale I had pulled that out of. “…doing the right thing should be easy!” But if so then Paul never would have written, “So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up” (Galatians 6:9).

When I feel discouraged or down, I like to read stories in the Bible that are similar to my own situation. I particularly favor the Old Testament. The story that came to mind? The Israelites crossing the Red Sea. This account is found in Exodus 13:17- 14:31.

What I noticed is that God did not take the Israelites through the short way because “if they face war, they might change there minds and return to Egypt” (Exodus 13:17). God knew the people’s hearts and what lay ahead. He saved them from dangers that they knew nothing of. Then He set them up at the Red Sea to see His glory.

Day and night they could see the Lord’s Presence, His continuous visual reminder that He was a constant help in time of trouble and yet, even that didn’t stop them from saying, “Didn’t we tell you this would happen while we were still in Egypt? We said, ‘Leave us alone! Let us be slaves to the Egyptians. It’s better to be a slave in Egypt than a corpse in the wilderness!’” (Exodus 14:12).

We can be so quick to fear, grow weary and forget that God is always there, even if He is staring us in the face. Don’t be so overcome by troubles that you forget about God—your ever-present help during time of trouble.

Lord, let me never be blind to Your ever present help. Praying in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

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Our Refuge and Strength

December 31, 2013 by

SeekingHimLogo

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging. Selah
Psalms 46:1-3

Refuge.
Strength.
Ever-present.

The earth is giving way, mountains are falling, waters are roaring and foaming, other mountains are quaking and surging; these are the Biblical terms for what we now-a-days call “all the stuff that happens in our life.”

These days, week, months and even years are the times when we search for a safe place to hide. We search for something and someone to give us the ‘oomph’ we need to conquer what we’re facing. Unfortunately we look everywhere else instead of where we should be looking. This past Sunday in church the pastor talked about how the Bible is our ‘instruction manual for life’— it tells us everything we need to know when we need to know it.

So when we need that safe place and when we need that source of strength we simply need to turn to God. He tells us clearly that He is our Refuge, He is our Safe Place, and He is our Strength, the Power we need to get through what we’re going through.
I know that this is at times much easier said than done. I know that when our seas are surging and when our mountains are falling that we want to fix life ourselves, and we may find our refuge in worry and fear, we may find our strength in what we feel we can do to sort out whatever may be going on.

The New Year is upon us and I want to challenge myself, and others, to live this passage in 2014. For myself I plan to write it in my planner. One day reminding myself that He is my Refuge, the other day reminding myself that He is my Strength. Do what works for you; remind yourself that when the stuff in life happens that we have a Refuge, and that that safe place will be our Strength to move forward.

Let’s Pray:
Dear Heavenly Father, You have given us all we need to live our lives. People ask if life comes with an instruction manual…some say no, but the true answer is ‘yes.’ This manual tells us that you are our Strength and Refuge. Lord, please give spiritual sensitivity to us so that we remember this in times of trouble. Let us run to You rather than to fear and worry. Thank You for a safe place—a Refuge, and thank You for the strength to live this life. In Jesus name we pray, amen.

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God is Always There

December 30, 2013 by

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A refuge is a shelter where you feel safe and protected. David, if anyone, knew firsthand what it was to trust God in all situations. David began trusting God as a young shepherd boy tending the family flock of sheep. God watched David grow in faith and strength, knowledge and love. As a child I always knew God existed around me. I would sing, I would pray, I would always marvel at His magnificent workmanship. He was there even before I knew who He was—watching over me and protecting me—creating a refuge to which I could go in faith and love.

Abraham had a faith from the moment God called him to follow Him. It must have amazed and been awe-inspiring for Abraham when God spoke to him.  Abraham chose to obey, leave his home with his wife and go to a land that God had chosen for him and blindly follow where God would lead. And Sarah must have trusted her husband to follow where Abraham led not knowing who God was. God always provided a refuge for Abraham and Sarah. God showed Abraham that no matter where they were…God was there to protect them. Even when Abraham did not seek God’s wisdom in different situations, God was still always there.

When my son, Brandon was young, I was able to recognize that I needed to cover him in prayer. Being divorced and both my ex and I remarried there were things that could happen of which I had no control over. I prayed against my fears and prayed for wisdom to know when to speak and when silence was best. I would speak to those at church who were familiar with our situation and who loved Brandon as much as I did. I learned from my neighbor what it was to cover him with prayer and ask the Holy Spirit to protect him when he was not home. I strove, with the help of the Holy Spirit, to create a refuge for Brandon when he came back from his dad’s. Praise God, Brandon still follows Him and is active in the church. I also thank God for putting those people in my life to help me become even stronger in my faith and trust.

* * * * *

Father, thank You for always being there when I need You. Help me focus on Your Word and Your Will for my life. Give me wisdom and discernment to walk in Your ways. Forgive me when I fail. Never give up on me and my willingness to serve You. Thank You, in Jesus’ name, amen.

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Joyful Mood

December 28, 2013 by

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For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given:
and the government shall be upon his shoulder:
and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller,
The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6

Hey sisters, you know what joys a baby brings to a family! How about a miracle Baby like Jesus, who came into being through so many prophecies, miraculously, for that matter. Think of Mary how much joy did she have in her heart when the angel visited her despite being worried of what people, and what they would say about her.

I tell you a child brings GREAT joy to a family. Think of Hanna…she was grieved to a point of great distress that Eli thought she was drunk. Really, she needed a child. She cried to the Lord for a child and God granted the desire of her heart. She had great joy!

Now a child is given to us, JESUS—He should be received with all the joy a child brings! Especially now that this Child we have been given will have the power to heal all our diseases, remove all our iniquities, at His name every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess His Lordship. A Child who will have the power to speak to the devil and the devil tremble. And this Child is given to us; don’t we think we are privileged to be given this type of a child? I feel like singing aloud for you to hear what am feeling inside. (Thank God for this revelation!) Oh, HALLELUJAH! Praise the Lord!!!

In this world, when we have a child, he/she goes to school and later starts a job and we enjoy the fruit of paying the school fees and the like.

NOW this Child, Jesus, is given to us. He grew up, He worked, and He died on the Cross. He later paid the bill for us…for our redemption. What else do we need apart from appreciating this Child we are given freely by our loving Father in heaven? The way we dance with joy and hug our child when he /she has done something good—that’s the very same joy we should feel about God’s Son, Jesus. We write messages telling our friends/relatives what our child has done.

Here Jesus is not a mere son, but THE Son! He has come to serve; let’s praise the Lord again and again. Let’s tell our friends and relatives of what this Son, Whom we were given, has done and is doing and shall continue to do. Let us embrace Him with our hearts full of joy.
Let this Christmas season be full of joy. Share the joy with others the same way we share when we receive a worldly child.

* * * * *

Father, we thank You for giving Your Son, Jesus, to this world. We appreciate Your goodness and Your loving kindness. May we realize what Jesus came to this world for and let us not take it for granted. Help us, Lord, to realize what He has in store for us! In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

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God-Given Joy

December 27, 2013 by

SeekingHimLogo

Each week during the season of Advent, our blogs will focus on a central theme which is associated with the coming of Christ—His Advent.  This final week’s theme is JOY.  Christians throughout the world celebrate Advent.  Some light candles or sing songs; some give gifts or  hang wreaths.  All of these are simple joyous ways of extending the celebration of Jesus’s coming beyond a mere 24 hours on December 25. Our prayer is that these devotionals throughout this season of Advent would help you to celebrate His first Coming and anticipate with the peace and joy of His second Coming.

I’m sitting here thinking about joy  and what it truly means. I have read books, watched videos, and talked to people about the concept of joy and what it really means to be joyful, or to have joy, or to even fully understand the word joy.

The words joy and happiness are oftentimes used interchangeably, but I think it’s so much more than simple happiness. We’re happy opening presents, we’re happy when our family and friends are over to celebrate. This is great! But happiness is a temporary emotion, a feeling that can leave us once something goes differently than we planned. But joy is something different….

After all the looking and researching I learned that joy isn’t simply something that I can find. It isn’t the contents inside of a gift…it isn’t something I can find in a job well done. Even though I can’t touch joy, I can embrace it. I can embrace it because it is something that is given to us—something that we, as children of God, have been given a right to.

To me joy is a feeling in my heart and mind that no matter what happens in my life, that everything will be okay. I have joy in knowing that I am loved with the most unconditional love by the Creator of everything. Growing up I always heard that our joy is something that no man can ever take, that Satan can never take; this is because joy is God-given, and what God gives us can never, ever  be touched. Joy is ours.
What is joy to you?

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing,
that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 15:13

Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials….
James 1:2

* * * * *

Let’s pray: Dear Heavenly Father, so many things are temporary in this world.  They come and they go, but the joy that we are given by You can never be taken away. Lord, please open our hearts and minds to what joy truly is. In Jesus’ Name we pray, Amen.

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Great Joy and Rejoicing

December 26, 2013 by

luke SeekingHimLogo

Each week during the season of Advent, our blogs will focus on a central theme which is associated with the coming of Christ—His Advent.  This final week’s theme is JOY.  Christians throughout the world celebrate Advent.  Some light candles or sing songs; some give gifts or  hang wreaths.  All of these are simple joyous ways of extending the celebration of Jesus’s coming beyond a mere 24 hours on December 25. Our prayer is that these devotionals throughout this season of Advent would help you to celebrate His first Coming and anticipate with the peace and joy of His second Coming.

“But the angel reassured them, ‘Don’t be afraid!’ he said.
‘I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people.”
Luke 2:10

“Don’t be afraid”…”great joy!” God has sent His only Son as a gift of love, peace, joy, and hope to all mankind.  His Son, who would die for us so we could have everlasting life, is good news to all those that hear and believe (with faith) that Jesus was born, lived as a man on earth, and died, then rose from the dead. Good news is hard to find these days as news of odd and bad things now seem to fill the air waves and other news-reporting media. It is reassuring to know that Jesus is on our side.

Just knowing that Jesus was born was great joy for the people of Israel on the night He was born. They had long been waiting for their Savior to be born. His birth brought joy to the people. His life brought peace and hope to those who believed, skepticism from those who did not believe that Jesus was the Messiah, His death and resurrection brought joy and hope in anticipation of eternal life.

It is hard to find joy in death even though we know that, if our loved one was a Christian, that they are in a better place. Yet it is easy to find and show joy in the fact that one day, if you believe in Jesus and the Resurrection, that you too will find the same peace and joy when you see Jesus.

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say rejoice!
Philippians 4:4

Always have joy in the Lord. Rejoice every day. As we immerse ourselves in this busy and joyous season, I always remember the words of Kevin’s mother in the movie, Home Alone, “This is the season of perpetual hope! This is Christmas!” Just remembering those words bring joy to my heart. Those are two of my favorite quoted lines during the Christmas season. I rejoice just in knowing and feeling that knowing Jesus brings thoughts of love, peace, joy, and hope.

The shepherds found joy in the news that their Savior had been born. Prophecy had been fulfilled. They were so overcome with happiness and joy that many of them left their own flocks of sheep to meet the Baby who would grow into the man who would save us all. We should all have the same joy as we go through this holiday season and every day as we go into the New Year.

* * * * *

Dear Heavenly Father, we find great joy in the gift that you sent over 2,000 years ago. This gift brings hope, love, peace, and joy to us all. In Jesus name, we pray. Amen.

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Choose Joy

December 24, 2013 by

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Each week during the season of Advent, our blogs will focus on a central theme which is associated with the coming of Christ—His Advent.  This final week’s theme is JOY.  Christians throughout the world celebrate Advent.  Some light candles or sing songs; some give gifts or  hang wreaths.  All of these are simple joyous ways of extending the celebration of Jesus’s coming beyond a mere 24 hours on December 25. Our prayer is that these devotionals throughout this season of Advent would help you to celebrate His first Coming and anticipate with the peace and joy of His second Coming.

…But the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said.
“I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people.”
Luke 2:10

And a voice from heaven said,
“You are my dearly loved Son, and You bring Me great joy.”
Mark 1:11

***********

Joy… I had to look up the definition, because I wasn’t quite sure what the actual meaning was. I do know that joy and happiness are NOT the same thing. What I recall being taught about joy and happiness is that happiness is based on circumstances and joy is independent of circumstances. To be joyful, like having a healthy thought life, is a choice—a choice that’s easier to make when a person is grounded in the Word of God.

I’m sure on any given day all of us, if we’d only pause for a moment, could make a list of things that are wrong in our lives. Even the Prince of Peace warned, “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). However, if all we focus on is what’s wrong, then life will just seem wrong. Jesus said to take heart.

Evil is always going to try and overcome good…it’s just the world we live in. But God is always victorious no matter how things look.

I’ve been studying Matthew 14 :22-33 for over a week. It’s the well-known account of when Peter walks on the water. And just like when Peter sunk when he focused on the waves, so our joy can sink when we focus on our trials and sorrows—it’s inevitable.

I am not saying that trials and sorrows are to be ignored. By all means, please don’t ignore the ever-rising stack of bills you have! But what I am saying is this: take the problem to God, give it to Him, get in His Word and find out what He says about your issue, then focus on Him and watch what He does! Don’t take the problem back or even sneak a peek at it. Leave it in the Lord’s hands. In exchange you will find a peace that opens the door to amazing joy.

That sounds like an awesome exchange to me. Choose joy. The alternative really isn’t all that grand.

***********

Lord, thank You for being such an amazing Provider. Not only do You provide financially, but also mentally. Not only do You comfort, forgive, redeem, save, and fight for us, but You also give us joy, peace, and hope. Thank You for being the example of unconditional love and for making true joy available to me. Help me to choose joy even when I don’t feel like it and to remain above my circumstances focusing on You. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Joy of the Season

December 23, 2013 by
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Each week during the season of Advent, our blogs will focus on a central theme which is associated with the coming of Christ—His Advent.  This final week’s theme is JOY.  Christians throughout the world celebrate Advent.  Some light candles or sing songs; some give gifts or  hang wreaths.  All of these are simple joyous ways of extending the celebration of Jesus’s coming beyond a mere 24 hours on December 25. Our prayer is that these devotionals throughout this season of Advent would help you to celebrate His first Coming and anticipate with the peace and joy of His second Coming.

* * * * * * *

The definition of Joy: “…the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune or by the prospect of possessing what one desires; the expression or exhibition of such emotion gaiety; a state of happiness or felicity bliss; a source or cause of delight”

And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold,
I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.
Luke 2:10 (ESV)

I can just imagine the awestruck look of the shepherds when they saw and heard the Angel of the Lord right beside them. Then seeing and hearing the heavenly host singing praised to God about the birth of His son Jesus! I would think that not many people had ever heard the voices that are God’s exclusive choir. We have the opportunity every day to share the joy of God’s love, mercy, and grace.

During the Christmas season, we need to focus on what is real about this holiday—celebrating the birth of Jesus and what promises He brings to us, His people. As we celebrate this Christmas season, let us find new ways to bring Christ back into our homes. This can be done by reading the Nativity story, or asking the younger children to act out the story at home and by singing praises to God our Father.

Be sure to share the joy of receiving Christ into your heart with others. Write down your testimony and prepare to share it with others. You may be surprised of how much your story could inspire others to believe—or better yet—to rededicate their life to God. We each have our journey that began at birth. We have walked out things in common with each other but some things will be unique to our own lives. Who knows if God had us walk through those circumstances to come through and be able to help others with similar situations…?

Joy is ultimately a choice, just as forgiveness is a choice. We each have a decision to make. Belief and trust in God will allow us to make changes in what we do and think and say in our everyday life. Joy is an inward change and one that was greatly hoped and prayed for when Jesus was born several thousand years ago.

Let’s pray.  Father, thank You for loving us enough to send Your Son, Jesus, to become one of us. Thank You for wanting to show us the kind of relationship You have desired with us since You created Adam and Eve. We each search for that relationship that only You can give. You will always complete the void in our lives.  We pray in Jesus’ name, amen.

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Love Does Not Judge

December 20, 2013 by

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Each week during the season of Advent, our blogs will focus on a central theme which is associated with the coming of Christ—His Advent.  This week’s theme is LOVE.  Christians throughout the world celebrate Advent.  Some light candles or sing songs; some give gifts or  hang wreaths.  All of these are simple joyous ways of extending the celebration of Jesus’s coming beyond a mere 24 hours on December 25. Our prayer is that these devotionals throughout this season of Advent would help you to celebrate His first Coming and anticipate with the peace and joy of His second Coming.

* * * * * * *

This is how God showed His love among us:
He sent His one and only Son into the world
that we might live through Him.
1 John 4:9

He called fishermen to be His disciples (Matthew 4:18). He was anointed by a sinful woman (Luke 7:36-50). He defied social customs and revealed Himself to an outcast Samaritan woman (John 4:1-26).

Whom does Jesus love? Everyone. Whom does Jesus accept? Everyone. Jesus said,  “For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world,“ John 12:47b. When Jesus came to Earth He deemed the greatest commandments to be to love of his Father and to love our neighbors (Mark 12:29-31).

Jesus showed us that we could love all people, and love people that sin, but hate sin. He loved the woman at the well. He loved the cripple by the pool. He loved the blind man who sat near the gate. He loved. He did not look at them and dissect every sin they commited, every thought they had. No! Jesus, knowingly, looked at people and just loved them.

The love we have been called to give is love with action. We can choose to love or we can choose not to love. We can even call that which we think is love love when it truly is not.

The Lord has been showing me that I’ve added something to my love. My love is not unconditional like His. No, my love is rather conditional, and this is no way to love at all. I’ve  begun, without noticing, to decide who is “worthy” and “safe” enough for my love. This is not the kind of love that spurred Jesus forward to the Cross that awaited Him. This is not a godly love.

I am no one’s judge, but somewhere along the way I decided I was. The Lord has shown me the error of my “loving.”  How many people have I missed out on truly loving because of the conditions I have placed.  My cousin very recently passed away…he was murdered.  I know that he was one of these whom I have missed out on loving; and now I don’t have the opportunity to make amends.

The problem with adding conditions to our love—besides the fact that it’s not Godly love—is that my conditions may be different from your conditions; and although I may think I’m loving you, you may not feel the same. The beauty of God’s unconditional love is that there is no confusion. Conditional love is isolating. Unconditional love is inclusive. Conditional love judges. Unconditional love accepts.

Conditional love is self-serving. Unconditional love comes down from heaven to a world of people who don’t accept You, who have sinned against You, and who nailed You to a cross, so that You could give them eternal life.

Jesus was sent to save people, not judge them. We are sent to do the same. Dare we love like Jesus???

* * * * * * *

Lord, continue to show me how to love like You and remind me that I am the judge of no one.  Praying in Your name.  Amen.

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Give Love

December 19, 2013 by

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Each week during the season of Advent, our blogs will focus on a central theme which is associated with the coming of Christ—His Advent.  This week’s theme is LOVE.  Christians throughout the world celebrate Advent.  Some light candles or sing songs; some give gifts or  hang wreaths.  All of these are simple joyous ways of extending the celebration of Jesus’s coming beyond a mere 24 hours on December 25. Our prayer is that these devotionals throughout this season of Advent would help you to celebrate His first Coming and anticipate with the peace and joy of His second Coming.

* * * * * * *

Christmas is all so much about giving. Even the stingiest folks that we know…the ones with the ‘bah! humbug!’ attitude…understand the giving of the season.  Little children understand about giving; big kids, too.  So much of our conversation at this time of the year centers around the subject of giving.

Now…back to my first sentence.  What I first wrote is true. ‘Christmas IS all about giving.’  THAT is the absolute, total, complete, whole TRUTH!

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son,
that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
John 3:16

But, wait…let’s look at those words again.  God ‘so loved the world…’ His love was the motivation.  And what He gave (His only begotten Son, Jesus), well that’s love, too.  Almighty God has set the standard for giving—LOVE.  Giving should be all about love.

  • Just like God, love should be the motivation for our giving.
  • Just like God, love should be what we give.

And we, as His children, have been enabled and equipped to be ABLE to love.

…for God’s love has been poured out in our hearts
through the Holy Spirit Who has been given to us.
Romans 5:5

So, in the midst of the sewing, and the wrapping, and the baking, and the shopping, and all the other activities, here’s a challenge I would like to set before each of us: let’s purpose to give love!  I can only begin to imagine the myriad of opportunities that we will have to give love if we look to do so!  Start small, perhaps…give love by smiling at those you meet.  Whether wandering through the aisles or in line at the grocery store…look into the eyes of those you pass and smile.  (Oh!  And pray for them!)   Or go a little bigger…there are so very many needs in this world!  Go to a battered women’s shelter and sit and talk.  Visit an assisted living community and sing Christmas carols.  If we ask God to lead us and give us opportunity to show His love…I KNOW He will!

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
1 John 4:7-11

* * * * *

Oh Dear Father, You have shown such a perfect standard for giving.  And we thank You for that! And You have enabled us to show Your love by pouring Your love into our hearts.  Help us, Father, to reach out with that love.  Help us to go beyond our comfort level, and be love to those who need love.  May You be pleased by our obedience and our actions.  And may the love we show draw others to You.  Thank You for Your love, gracious Father!  We love You so!  In Jesus’ precious name, we pray.  Amen.  <3

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