not about you

What a lovely morning it is today in Virginia Beach!  

No – not really

It is dark and damp outside … and I believe I actually heard thunder last night

No worries though … we have other things to focus upon

And, what is the topic this morning? Here’s a hint: not you

I am not being mean, honestly I am not

The topic, of course, is LOVE but we will be focusing especially about the fact that

          love ... it is not about you (or me) 

 

Yesterday we spent a great deal of time in the book of Ruth

It is one of the shorter books in the Bible – only four chapters

Yet, it actually focuses on love at several different levels

We will be talking about Ruth tomorrow and today we will be finishing our focus on Naomi

However –

 In order to finish Naomi’s story … I have to give away the ending of Ruth’s story

There has been tremendous loss –

And now these two ladies, linked by tragedy, have journeyed back to Naomi’s home town

Naomi and Ruth have returned but are not in the best position socially or financially

Remember, both are widows returning from a country where they experienced hard times

‘When Naomi heard in Moab that the LORD had come to the aid of His people by providing food for them, she and her daughters-in-law prepared to return home from there.’ Ruth 1:6

Three set out but only two returned

And understand, there was nothing for Ruth to gain in returning with and helping Naomi

We shared a few days ago that love is ‘other-focused’

Well that is the exact type of love that Ruth demonstrated

She followed out of loyalty and out of a love that understood – it is not about you

And even when they got back, Ruth’s love was still ‘other-focused’

She decides to go work in the fields in order to get resources for the both of them

And Naomi stops being bitter long enough – to help her

Real love, the type demonstrated by Ruth, it is contagious

And now Naomi is focused on loving others more than being consumed with her pain

Perhaps, in all her grumbling, Naomi finally realized that she was not truly empty-handed

She realized that, even in the times of hurt and loss, God’s blessings are still present

She had a daughter-in-law who loved her enough to leave her parents, friends and country

So now Naomi is caught up in this ‘not just about me’ kind of love

Understanding the people and the customs, Naomi helps Ruth,

She gives her pointers on how to navigate relationships – and boy did it work!

Ruth ends ups catching the eye of a kind (and wealthy) bachelor named Boaz  and both she and Naomi are richly blessed because of it

"So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. [And] When he made love to her, the LORD enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son. [Then] The women said to Naomi: “Praise be to the LORD, who this day has not left you without a guardian-redeemer. May he become famous throughout Israel! He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age. For your daughter-in-law, who loves you and who is better to you than seven sons, has given him birth. Then Naomi took the child in her arms and cared for him.” Ruth 4:13-16

 When you focus on love – instead of on pain, anger and bitterness,

something wonderful happens …

The LORD will turn your situation around

The LORD cares about what we care about & 

           'He will perfect that which concerns [us]’ Psalm 138:8

You will not have to worry about how to get blessed;

the LORD will cause blessings to chase you down

When you no longer fret and realize that everything is not about you,

God will make it His business to make it all about you

 

Have a Blessed Day!

'TIS THE SEASON: THOUGHTFULNESS

Good Evening Friends

It might actually be morning by the time I finish this post

However – this subject of THOUGHTFULNESS was on mind since yesterday

Some of my reflection was prompted by the season –

                With thoughts of those who find this time of year challenging

Then, some thoughts were prompted by a message a saw three different times yesterday

What was the message?

‘Just because someone carries it well does not mean it is not heavy’

I do not know where or with whom the quote originated;

However, it is so accurate – a timely reminder to us all to BE THOUGHTFUL OF OTHERS

Everyone has a story and has a myriad of issues they encounter daily –

                Even those who appear to have it all together

I think back almost nine years ago when we homeless for a short period of time –

A few years after that occurred, when we were getting back to a place of stabilization, I recall my eldest son saying, ‘Mom you handle things so well – you didn’t even cry when we lost the house’. I remember sharing with him, ‘That first night we were homeless, I waited until you all fell asleep, cried myself to sleep … and then got up the next morning, ‘put on my big girl pants’ and focused on moving forward.’

He thought I handled it with ease –

I knew, deep on the inside, that I was devastated emotionally & spiritually

TONIGHT– there are countless individuals who, from the outside, appear strong & brave

HOWEVER – inside, they may be crying and struggling

SO – here is what I would like for you to do tonight

PRAY – pray that the LORD would open your eyes, and heart and mind to see past the natural; that He would heighten your sensitivity to other's needs; that you would be able to discern the difference between the actual and 'the act'

I pray, that if there is someone in need within your sphere of influence,

that you would partner with the LORD to be a blessing to their life.

It is not a difficult thing

§  Sometimes all someone needs is someone to listen

§  Or they might need to know that someone was thinking of them today

§  They might be in need of hug

§  Or it could be a comfort to just have someone sit with them – in silence

Whatever it may be, I pray that your THOUGHTFULNESS – and mine –

                Would EXTEND BEYOND OURSELVES

We are all fully equipped with everything we need

We need only to draw upon our own situations,

in order to be there for someone else in a meaningful way

Scripture notes, 

‘we comfort others with the comfort we ourselves have received’ II Cor. 1:3-5

It is a marvelous thing to partner with the LORD

                To be His hands and heart within the earth

There is someone that has been heavy on my heart for days now

Unfortunately, I have no way to reach that person

But, I am still believing for a miracle

After all, it is THE SEASON OF MIRACLES –

      & ANYTHING COULD HAPPEN

I pray your day went well and that you are having a RESTFUL EVENING

I pray also that you will have a wonderful day tomorrow &

that the LORD will bless you with multiple opportunities to 

     MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN SOMEONE’S LIFE

God Bless!

LOVE: SELFLESSLY PROVIDES

Good Evening Friends!

I pray you have had a great day and weekend

It is Super Bowl Sunday here in the US – basically another national holiday for most of us

My guys are all upstairs, watching the game, eating food and having drinks

I will join them in a few minutes. But first I had to post this message.

And yes, I am spending one more day on this concept of STORGE/FAMILY LOVE

It is the love which has been manifesting in my home all weekend.

It is a blessing having three sons.

Nothing gives me greater joy than when I hear what I hear tonight.

I am downstairs in my room typing away

And they are laughing and conversing and just enjoying the company of one another.

That joy will only be multiplied once any of them gets married and our family expands.

I once asked my middle son – quite some time ago – when he was going to start dating

His response was shocking as he looked me square in my eyes and said, ‘Mom, I am a selfish being. I like to spend my time the way I want to spend my time; I like to spend my money the way I want to spend my money and I am not willing to compromise right now. So, why get into a relationship and frustrate someone and have them frustrate me?”

I was completely taken aback at his declaration – 

However, I had to give him give points for being honest & candid

YET – the truth of the matter is that he is anything but selfish

He is one of the most generous and responsible people I know.

Without intending to do so, he has modeled my love message for today.

He possesses a love which selflessly looks toward the needs of others.

NOW – do I believe he still likes to spend his time & money the way he desires? YES!

HOWEVER – he lovingly places those desires second when he recognizes a greater need.

He is a pretty special man!

·         He understands the importance of a man looking after his own family: Taking to heart [even if unconsciously] that one who does not provide for his own family is worse than an infidel [I Timothy 5:8]

·         He demonstrates a love which lays down personal desires: He repeatedly esteems others more than himself. [Philippians 2:3]

·         He puts action behind his love: He embodies Philippians 2:4 which reminds and encourages believers: ‘Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.’

All of these qualities are so important in a family

It demonstrates how LOVE SELFLESSLY PROVIDES

I am truly blessed … and so very thankful

Praying You Have a Blessed Evening and Week!

Wishing You Much Love …

“A new command I give you; Love one another.

As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” John 13:34

the life in dying

'And it came to pass, as they were burying a man, that … they cast the man into the sepulcher of Elisha. And when the man was let down and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived and stood up on his feet.’ II Kings 13:21

I saw the most touching story last week. It chronicled the journey of a mother who connected with the organ donor recipient of her teenage daughter’s heart. She wanted to listen to the heartbeat, her daughter’s heartbeat, a gift of life that continues on beyond the brief 13-years of life from which it came.

It was beautiful, stirring, sad and hopeful all at the same time.

And it started me thinking about my own life. It started me thinking about the legacy that will remain when I have left this life and passed on to the next.

• Will it matter that I was here?
• Will there be those whose lives were made richer because of my presence?
• Will there be those whose lives will be made richer because of my life?
• Will there be those I meet in heaven, who I never met on earth, because of something I did while I was here?

Will the life that I have lived as a Christian continue to have an impact beyond the years that I have been allotted on this earth?

A woman, a mom, has been given an additional opportunity at life because of the gift of that young girl. A man came back to life, just from coming into contact with the bones of God’s prophet.

There is a life and a gift which keeps on giving …

My aim is to live that kind of life, to be that kind of gift.

To be so poured out and into the lives of others – that the ripples of your presence, of HIS Presence, are felt throughout ages, and not just the age you were given …

• Are the friends of my sons better off for knowing them? Have my attempts to instill godly values extended beyond my reach with them and into their relationships with others?
• Will some father, somewhere in time, turn his heart to Jesus and be the god-head of his family because of something I wrote or communicated?
• Will some single-mother find the strength to trust Jesus alone because of a word of encouragement that came from my lips?
• Will there be ministries that continue to reach around the world – introducing people to Christ – because of the monetary gifts that I gave?

Will there be ‘exceedingly abundant situations’ which go beyond anything I could have ever imagined – because the power at work in me, the Holy Spirit, continues to touch those places where I’ve poured out my life – long after I am gone?

Elisha had just such an anointing on his life – even his dead bones continued to give live after he was gone.

That young lady is still touching a world that she is no longer a part of.

Oh, to have a heartbeat that keeps on giving life to others after we have moved on!
What glory to have HIS heartbeat felt in the earth because of the spirit of God which lives in us!

'So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering.’ Rom. 12:1 MSG