I have seen panic and terror in the eyes of people on the streets. My not for profit has still been out serving the poor, feeding the hungry, clothing those sleeping outdoors, and praying for the sick at the Free Clinic. People need hope. You and I need to remain calm.
Tonight I am sharing an email blog post from my business website written in response to the coronavirus. I hope it blesses you!
How do we navigate through the challenging seasons of life without breaking down or completely losing it?
I believe it requires some focus and intentionality to maintain peace, hope, and even joy in the midst of uncertainty.
Our world is responding to a global crisis. Due to the easy access to information, people are inundated with bad news, negative reports, and are not being provided much hope (an expectation of good). My desire is to provide you with some hope and tools to navigate through the season.
An acronym for hope can be, “Hold On Pain Ends.” I want you to note that just as the seasons in nature change, so do seasons in our lives. There can be seasons that feel like a winter and others that feel like a spring or summer.
In the beginning and middle of hard times, it can be challenging to have a vision of better times or an expectation of good. As stated before it requires some focus and intentionality.
I want to share with you some tips that helped me during a 17-month long challenging season. It was one of the most difficult seasons of my life and just ended last summer. We expect the current global crisis with coronavirus to be much shorter. 🙂
These are some tips that helped me tremendously.
Tip 1: Limit exposure to negativity.
What we feed grows, what we starve dies. Find something positive to read, listen to, and positive people to talk to about your thoughts. In this current situation, you may need to avoid watching the news. We were not created to take in so much negativity and bad reports. If you are a person of faith, focus on meditating on the promises of God.
Tip 2: Start a gratitude journal.
One thing that I believe helped me keep my mind right during my 17-month challenging season was taking time to document things I was thankful for each day. Gratitude helps our brain produce feel-good hormones. Start by thinking of 3-6 things daily. Anything good that occurs, write it down. Focus on the good. It could be 1. I have clean water. 2. I have food. 3. I have a friend. 4. Someone cares about me. Be intentional about gratitude/giving thanks.
“A National Institutes of Health study found that when you express kindness or feel gratitude, your hypothalamus floods your brain with dopamine. This gives you a natural high, motivating you to do good and express gratitude even more.”
Tip 3: Practice kindness.
Just as stated above about gratitude, expressing kindness releases dopamine (feel-good hormones) in the brain. Not only does expressing kindness help the brain get out of stress hormone mode (fight or flight, cortisol, and immune system suppressing hormones), but it also helps get the focus off self and off things that cannot be controlled.
Many of us are working from home, some have been laid off, or the business is suffering. There is minimal to no control over what is occurring externally. We can exercise our will to be kind to others. We do not have control over every event. We do have control over how we respond.
Some ideas: Find someone to reach out to and ask them how they are doing, if they are okay, be kind at the grocery store, share, cease hoarding (operating with a scarcity/poverty mindset), be a blessing, ask neighbors if they need anything.
Tip 4: Write out your thoughts and feelings.
Thoughts and feelings trapped inside the head can lead to less than rational realities and behaviors. People are panicked, therefore they are not using logic or rational thought. It does not make sense for me to purchase 20 gallons of milk that will spoil or 500 rolls of toilet paper. Scared people show you their worst and operate under a “me-first mentality.”
When the thoughts and feelings are written out, it helps significantly. Once you write it out, read it. What is the story you are telling yourself? Process your thoughts and feelings. Before you react, press pause, and get your mind right. Just because others are panicked does not mean you or I need to panic.
Tip 5: GO outside! Fresh air helps.
Even though many events and venues are closed, the sidewalks are not, the backyard is not, and the freeways are not. It was such a blessing today to go outside. I saw people riding bikes, taking walks, and walking their dogs. It is good for the mind and body to get moving. Exercise, talk a walk, go for a drive.
“…taking a walk outside will help the brain produce endorphins, which are neurotransmitters responsible for regulating mood. Both being outside and walking can work together to create positive changes in the overall state of mind.“-Advanced Neurotherapy.
None of us will bypass all adversity. The key is to learn how to navigate well through adversity. We may have an array of thoughts and feelings regarding the situations, that is human and normal. We process those thoughts and emotions. We seek solutions and look for what we can do.
The other key is to learn to manage our responses to adversity, challenges, and hard times. We do not have to allow others to pull us into their storm. We can pull them into our peace.
Key Notes:
This too shall pass.
Hold on pain ends.
Keep your mind healthy by focusing on positive things.
Focus on anything that is going right.
Focus on what can be done.
Look for ways to help and bless others.
Process your thoughts and feelings. Write it out.
Get some fresh air.
Get moving if you can.
Take time to rest.
Continuing to keep you and your families in my prayers. We will get through this together!
P.S If you know someone suffering a hardship/food crisis, check out the grocery giveaway through my not for profit Operation God is Love. USA residents are eligible.
From moments with Jesus discussing his heart for a hurting world.
Written by Erin Lamb
The world may be quaking & shaking, yet I know a man who speaks peace into storms, raises the dead to life, is still opening deaf ears/blind eyes, still loving the world, still working miracles, still saving the lost, delivering the oppressed. He is Jesus!
I believe in soul healing because I have been through the process and seen numerous clients over the years step into great levels of FREEDOM. In order to facilitate sessions with others, my mentors Dr. Kraft and Dr. Bitcon facilitated sessions with me.
I am so grateful I went through sessions. I thought I was doing great in life; they both found memories from childhood that God wanted to heal. They were things not even on my radar.
The soul is composed of the mind, will, and emotions. The soul and spirit are not the same. We are triune beings who consist of a body, soul, and spirit. The culture outside the church focuses on the body. The culture in the church can focus primarily on the spirit. The soul can be overlooked.
Soul wounding can occur in utero and build as a person progresses in life.
There are people who are struggling significantly due to unhealed wounds in their soul. They also do not realize they are attracting people to them with similar wounds or who make their wounds worse. I highly recommend soul healing BEFORE marriage. I have too many stories about attracting the wrong mate, attracting abusive partners or abuse, or attractng no mate due to soul wounds.
Over the years we have seen clients who have reported the following:
Marriages restored when 1 person went through soul healing.
Prodigal family member returning home after their parent went through soul healing.
Bodies healed (Some sickness is rooted in the soul and not the body. It flows from the soul to the body).
End to hearing voices.
End to having nightmares.
Attracting better relationships.
Deep Peace.
Increased confidence.
Able to connect with God.
Food, substance, and sex addictions broken.
Blessings in areas where there was barrenness and lack.
Weight loss.
In the Deep Inner Healing Masterclass, I teach you all I know and can cram into 3 full days on the soul how it’s wounded, PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), dissociation/alters, integrating fractured parts, in utero healing, and so much more. Unlike some other instructors, you receive full notes and DvDs. The course involves clinic time and time for you to get parts of your soul healed.You also have the opportunity to test for course credit and join the alumni group. The alumni group is a support system for you for years to come. I also provide additional teachings for the group.
You will not find this course other places because I teach you Kraft’s Method (see his book 2 Hours to Freedom), Dr. Bitcon’s Method, and the bulk of what God has taught me. Taking these courses separately would cost you over $2,000. I offer my course right now for $750.00. You cannot beat it. Not only that, our students rate this course A+ and life changing.
Don’t just take my word for it. One of my sessions a few weeks ago the arthritis the client had completely left after their session. I want you to hear from former students and clients.
This is a season to get the soul healed! I also believe there are many hurting people in the world who need their soul’s healed and restored; you could partner with God to help them.
God makes all things new. I believe part of thriving is getting the soul healed.
Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers,-3 John 1:2.
We want to see you in Columbus, Ohio this summer. Mark your calendar’s for June 11-13th, 2020 at the Four Points Sheraton Polaris. The room block is under Masterclass 2020.
Is it possible to love a Nation and it’s people without setting foot on it’s soil? I believe so; God loves the Nations. When our heart beats in tandem with His, it is possible to love strangers. The Bible speaks of heaven including people from every tribe, tongue and Nation. God holds each Nation in His heart.
The heart of God is so vast beyond measure, so grand. If we could stretch His heart out over the world, it would wrap around the earth millions of times over! His love is so deep, so wide, so full, and oh so beautiful!!! ❤️💯
Africa, we are coming to love you and bless you. We are coming to speak life over your land. We are coming to see the sick healed, the oppressed set free, the hungry fed, the hurting comforted, and the Gospel (good news of Jesus) shared.
God placed Africa in my heart. When I was quite young, God started talking to me about the Nations. He spoke of where I would go, what I would do, and it was more than I could comprehend. I still wrote it down and pondered the words of a loving Father.
Has God placed a Nation or people group in your heart?
Then I began dreaming of being in the Nations. God was restoring the land. I see Him healing the sick, the lame walking, colonies of the dying coming to life. I dreamed of running across the continent of Africa with views of lush waterfalls, green grass, and fertile soil. My heart exclaimed loudly, “Africa shall be restored!”
In that dream, I ran into a missionary in Africa named Heidi Baker. She ministers to the poor all over Africa and has planted thousands of churches there. We hugged; we smiled. We each had our part of Africa to love! The mission was love. The mission was and is Jesus.
It is something when God knits a Nation, the Nations in your heart. It beats with passion and zeal for perfect strangers. You think of them with delight and joy. Why? They are the delight of the Father.
Me & Heidi at an event
I recalled being at a youth event and Reinhard Bonnke spoke over us, prayed over us, “Africa will be saved!” My literally burned with passion. Does your heart burn with passion to see the lost reunited with the Father? I saw faces of people who would come to intimately know the one who is love. God is love. I felt heaven’s pulse and heartbeat. I felt the longing for those disconnected from God’s heart to come home.
We were created by love (God), to be loved, then to love. The world is looking for a true encounter with love. The agape love of God is much needed!
Maybe you will not cross the seas into the Nations. How about crossing the street to a neighbor?
We cannot do everything. We can do something! We can be the hands and feet of Jesus in a hurting world. Some of us will go into the Nations. Some of us will go across the street or into the marketplace. The key is to abide in God’s love and go! Take love outside the four walls of weekend services.
God knit the ones you love into our hearts! Fuel our passion for those you love!
Love,
Erin Lamb
P.S if you wish to join us in Africa Oct 8th through 20th 2020, please grab an application from OperationGodisLove.org.
It is quite easy to be critical and judge. It is so easy to throw stones at other people and not see the plank in our own eyes. Why? We see in part and know in part. We can think we know and know nothing. God does not simply see the behaviors of humanity; God sees why people do what they do.
How many of you have been harmed greatly by someone who seemed to not get what the problem is? How many of you have been harmed by a professing Christian? Ah, it stings a bit more when they claim to love Jesus and do not love others right? Yet there is a part of the puzzle God sees that we may not. God sees how much of His love they have actually received. We can only give away what we possess.
We tell people to love God and others. “Love God, love others, love yourself last.” This mantra has led to loads of dysfunctional and sometimes codependent relationships. “I will love myself last and God will be so proud.” Well, it sounds noble. The problem is that is it is not biblical.
The Bible says we love because God first loves us (1 John 4:19). The starting point is God. God is love (1 John 4:8).
God is the source of agape (unselfish, sacrificial, unwavering love). This love is the highest of all loves. It trumps eros (romantic/sexual), philia (brotherly love), and storage (family love). Jesus stated His disciples would be known by their agape love (John 13:34-35). This love is the 1 Corinthians 13 type of love.
The next step is receiving God’s love, then giving that love back to God and loving our neighbor AS we love ourselves (Matthew 22:37-39). We will not be able to love God or our neighbor if we do not FIRST RECEIVE agape from God. “God here I am in need of your love, help me to receive the fullness of your love for me,” is a great starting prayer.
It is so vital that we learn how to receive love from God and believe God loves us.
Our thoughts matter! We will not out behave our thought life. Those who think they are the scum of the earth tend to treat others poorly. Those who have not fully accepted they are profoundly loved and accepted by God tend to struggle with loving God, themselves, and others. Your greatest adversary lacks God love. The person who mistreated or abused you lacked God love. The people who dishonored you, they lacked God love.
We cannot give away what we do not possess.
When we move beyond judging behavior to recognizing the root, compassion fills our heart. We move from being critical to praying the other person knows intimately the height, depth, width, and vast expanse of God’s love. We can only reveal to others the God we know. We can only honor others when we have experienced His honor and approval.
When people ask “How could you sit with the homeless, they are so dirty and gross?” I think, “How could I not? I see someone God created with great love. Under all the dirt, is a treasure.” I can honor what society calls, “The least of them,” because I know how much God loves me. If I were dirty and on the streets, I would anticipate God sending someone to love me. I am greatly loved, so are they, and so are you.
Jesus was able to move in high levels of compassion because He was one with the Father. He was not led by His flesh. Jesus knew how greatly He was loved, therefore He could take the lowest place. He could honor the least, last, lost, sinners, and lepers of society because He knew His worth. Those who do not know their own worth or value will not be able to see yours or anyone else’s.
One of the greatest revelations I had from God regarding people was during a season I was being grossly mistreated by Christians. God spoke to my heart, “People will not treat you any better than they treat me. People can not give you what they do not possess.” I recognized in that moment people say they love God, yet if you observe them, some do not honor, cherish, respect, obey, listen to God, etc… For some people, God is their sugar daddy or fire insurance. Loving God to gain something from Him is not loving God.
You can tell quite a bit about how a person feels about themselves by how they treat other people.
You can also gain insight into how people will treat you if you look at how they treat God. If God is only pursued to gain something, that is how they will treat you.
I am learning not to take things personally. How people behave, myself included, is a reflection of the inner condition. Those who know they are loved, love well. Those who try to “fake it til they make it,” tend to hurt tons of people because their love is shallow or deficient.
Before we throw stones, get offended, or hurt by people, pause. Press pause and ask God for His view point of the person, situation, and what is not as visibly seen.
I had a friend chat with me about missing friend gatherings. More than my introversion, there is normally a reason aligned with everything I say no to. Instead of taking on offense, he asked me about it and we talked. His heart grew with compassion.
The evil one will tell you to judge, jump to conclusions, criticize people, be nasty, look for all the things the other person is doing that could be wrong. Love moves us deeper into compassion. Maybe, most likely, there is something more going on than meets the eye.
May you and I sink deeper into compassion. It is a fruit of God’s love.
“…when he (Jesus) saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion for them, because they were distressed and scattered, as sheep not having a shepherd,”-Matthew 9:36.
I hope to release book 4, Killing Insecurity, either later this year or 2021! I hope it leads many into freedom. God longs to see us live bold, confident, and FREE!!
Love,
Erin Lamb
P.S You can support our mission to love the homeless, poor, and victims of human trafficking by supporting our new merch store. Go to empoweredandfreemerch.com.
I had the honor of interviewing author James Michel. James has an incredible story of overcoming adversity.
Tell us about yourself and what prompted you to write this book? My name is James Michel. I am a believer of Jesus Christ. I am also a husband and a father. About 3 years ago I lost my first wife unexpectedly to cancer. During my grieving process, I felt compelled to share my story in the form of a book. “Perplexed But Not in Despair: My Spiritual Journey from Faith to Functional” is a testament of her life that has been sown, a legacy for my children, and a testimony of God’s redemptive power.
What has the book writing process been for you? Honestly, painfully rewarding! Painful in the sense that I had to discipline myself to take the thoughts in my head and put them into words on paper. Despite these challenges, it has been a rewarding process, because of the fact that I believe the finish product could be a source for hope and comfort to many. What would be your advice to those who have an untold story to tell? Do it for the one! Your story could very well be the key that unlocks someone else’s destiny. Also, don’t be overly concerned about everything being perfect. There are a lot of resources out there to help you write a book with excellence.
What would you say is the major take away of your book? The ALL-sufficent power of God to redeem every situation. God’s grace carried me through the darkest season of my life, and took my faith to new heights.
What do you want readers to walk away with after reading your book? My prayer and hope is that every reader would encounter the Love and the Faithfulness of God through the pages of my book. I pray that they would be challenged to engage their faith life even harder.
Has writing this book been a part of your healing journey? If so, how? Very much so! It forced me to sort out and process my emotions. It challenged me to ask questions I wouldn’t normally ask, self reflect on a deeper level, and find peace in the answers. What has God done in your heart and life since you started writing this book? Having had the opportunity to journal and as a result write this book, I am now experiencing a deeper peace and intimacy with God. I’ve had my Job moment- “My ears have heard of you, but now my eyes have seen you (Job 42:5).”
Part of your book speaks about “Functional Faith,” what does this mean for your reader? The Bible says, “without Faith it is impossible to please God (Heb. 11:6)”. A Functional Faith to me is a faith that works in the middle of hard times. A faith that is fully persuaded of the love and faithfullness of God. A faith that is content in simply knowing who God is. I think Job said it best when he said, “though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him (Job 13:15).”
How will this book help those who are going through hard seasons and loss? God is no respector of person. What He’s done for me, He’s more than willing to do it for another. It is my prayer that as others read my book, their sense of hope will be renewed. It doesn’t have to be the end! What advice would you offer readers? Don’t lose hope no matter what! Trust God! Believe that ALL things can work for good and God’s glory.
How can people get a copy of your book? Or reach you? It’s super easy! People interested in reading my book can order a copy from Amazon. All feedback and questions can be sent to James@generation228@yahoo.com
Thank you James for sharing with our readers about your new book! I believe it will encourage them to cling to God in every season!
You can connect with James in person on March 6th in Columbus, Ohio at his book launch event.
James Michel Book Launch-March 6th, 2020. 6:30pm. Zion Christian Church. 5780 Baltimore Reynoldsburg Road NW, Pickerington, Ohio 43147.
Jesus had deep friendships with women. A note to Christian men-it is normal & godly to love someone of the opposite gender without romantic intentions & to be loved in return with agape love.
Chatting with women and my own experiences with Christian men we all have had some bad experiences with men who either act weird, or do not love well. Love is focused only on the woman they want to marry or their biological family.
There is the guy who constantly has to say, “sister in Christ.” I confronted a guy in love once who was excessive saying that to me. I asked him, “Do you keep saying that because you think I want to date you? If so, you can stop. I have no such desire.”
I spoke to a lady where men would not even look her in the eye. She was avoided. This caused deep hurt. Why? Because in Christian community it is supposed to be more like a family than an organization. Imagine going to a family gathering and people avoided you, would not talk to you, ghosted you, refused to have any godly contact, they reminded you often they only talked to you because you are related.
I had a guy tell everyone but me I was trying to date him simply because I periodically encouraged him in the Lord because that is what the Bible said to do. It was not fun when I found out. I stopped trying to have Christian men as friends for a long time. God blessed me later with a few men who could give and receive agape love without being weird, suspicious, or immature. It healed so much and taught me so much about the love of God through a man.
Yes, have some boundaries. Also note Jesus did this well, so it can be done. My suggestions.
1. You can make eye contact and say hello.
2. Don’t assume every person of the opposite gender is interested romantically. Our culture is kind when they want something or to date. It is not that way in God’s Kingdom.
3. Before you leap to conclusions pray. “God how do I need to relate to this person?”
4. Ditch fear. More people have been wounded by fear than anything else. There is no fear in God love.
5. Understand no one can make you sin. It is possible to love with God’s love and not fall into sin if you choose to let God deal with the heart.
6. If you have an issue with lust, get deliverance. Lust is an internal issue.
7. If you think a woman is interested in you, pray (do this first) and ask God for His counsel-not everyone in the church. Treat that person how you would want to be treated. It may warrant an adult conversation or better boundaries. Please refrain from gossip, ghosting (just ignoring the person). It is not loving.
I have talked to several men in my lifetime. “Hey, what’s on your mind or heart about this connection?” Asking questions is better than assuming. Some people are just loving, kind, generous or friendly. If a guy states he is looking for a wife, we talk like adults. Intentions are shared and hearts are spared from mistreatment. Some we are still friends. I simply let them know my heart and intentions. Communication is vital.
If you are not romantically interested, it is still possible to love. Jesus loved women well! Gosh, He elevated women. I also believe for those who want to be married, learning to love women in a non eros (romantic) way will help you greatly in life.
I confess I have made associations with non Christian men because they related to me better, treated me better, did not act weird, and treated me like a person not a virus. We can, I think, do better in this area. 🙂
The dying AIDS patient who deepened my awareness of God’s love…
I have this thing with Jesus where if He asks me to do something, my heart melts under the weight of His love. I find Him mostly irresistible. Often He calls me to do things my base personality probably would not run towards. Like the day I met John (not his real name). John was covered in sores (scabbed over), dying, and sad. I stopped for John and tears filled his eyes as he told me there was no hope for him. The way he lived, the diagnosis, no hope. I felt led to pull John into my arms and hug him. Tears flowed freely from his eyes.
Could I be contaminated by John, sores covering his body, tears and saliva flowing? It did not matter in that moment. What mattered was John feeling the deep embrace of God. “John God sees you and loves you. Your life matters greatly to God. John there is always hope with Jesus.”
That day with John wrecked me. Who wanted to touch John? Most people avoided eye contact with Him. God wanted to touch John. There is no fear in love. I have attempted to love many people in my lifetime who could not see God’s love or responded poorly to love. Yet love (God) keeps calling me to love.
So my encouragement is abide in the one who is love, Jesus. When you do, love will FLOW out of you in abounding ways. No striving, abide in Him (cultivate intimacy with God). It won’t matter if you are highly introverted, or not into loving strangers. He will love through YOU! God is simply looking to love the world and it starts with me and you!
My prayer is our hearts receive more of God’s love and we give it away! The world needs love, love, love!!!
I took almost a week off social media and the news. I have one more week of ministry break. I took six weeks off from teaching, leading, free clinic, city outreach, mentoring, seeing deep inner healing clients, etc.
Honestly, it has not felt like a true break. People still have needs, want prayer, want advice or counsel, have crisis situations, etc. I had people messaging me on vacation with their crisis prayer needs. I have pondered quite a bit over this break what is the meaning of life? Yes, dear ones, it got real deep the past 5 weeks.
Why are we here? (I dive into the answer in a bit).
I asked God once if my life’s purpose was to simply be the go to person and support for everyone else. It has seemed that way at times. People forget I am a person not a resource, not their therapist, not a 24/7 crisis manager or their on call 24/7 prayer support, nor am I their on call prophet-“Can I get a word?!!”
I understand why pastors quit, suffer moral failure, or end it all. No I am not considering driving my life into the ditch. I do understand somewhat why it happens. Our lives must be rooted in something and someone GREATER!
We live in such a me centered society that unfortunately can revolve around finding someone to worship or meet their needs that is not God. I promise I am not God nor want His job. I need God desperately to survive and thrive. Our me centered culture also seeks out idols and putting people above God.
Our culture can be rooted in lack of tact (just read some of the online comments), or lack of consideration. “You are on break, well what about me?! You need space, what about me?!” Sometimes my heart crashes under the chorus of “me, me, me.” I run into my cave with God and dare not come out until my head stops spinning. It is not selfish to get away from the crowds.
People forget their source must be God not people. Part of the meaning of life is finding out who God is for ourselves and learning to live out of that relationship/depend on God. God must be our primary source.
Living in a World Filled With Bad News:
I returned to social media today to loads of needs, prayer needs, and tragedies. Our world needs a Savior; He has already come. We need Jesus.
I noticed if the tragedy happened to a celebrity in the world or in Christianity, people seem to care more. They cry over people they have never met simply because they were famous. In the past weeks I have seen people rally behind perfect strangers while ignoring the dying unknown person on their city streets. Am I judging? Just observing.
Our culture places a higher value on some lives over others. Jesus did not. From the thief, to the prostitute, to the tax collector, to the beggar on the street, to the leper…Jesus cared and cares about them all.
Part of life as a Christian is learning to love as God loves. Did we learn to love all people, not just famous people, not just athletes or movie stars, not just platform ministers or their children, not just people who benefit us? Did we learn to love the widow, the orphan, the slave, the poor, the outcast, and even our enemies? Did we learn to love? Love (God love-unselfish, sacrificial love) is why we are here.
We were created by love (God), to be loved, then to love.
While in LA, California a few weeks ago I made it close to Skid Row. Tents of people living on the streets. Some probably dying. I wanted to park my car and go inside their camp. I was supposed to be on ministry break. I was told it is unsafe to go there. Skid Row is full of disease, death, and gross poverty. I wondered if when someone’s child dies on Skid Row if churches would hold week long meetings to try to raise them from the dead. Where are the tributes for the dying there?
I hear people in my own city crying out for revival who will not even give a cup of water to a homeless person. Revival is bringing life to dead things. When I see Skid Row, I see a place prime for revival. It is not pretty, nor shiny. There are no celebrities or VIP people there. Yet I see Jesus walking into the pits of society to pull beauty out of the ashes.
Part of the meaning of life is learning to see as God sees. Heaven has a different vantage point than earth. Every life matters to God.
Earth is a temporary assignment that prepares us for an eternal one. It’s so easy to become fixated on what does not matter at all. Jesus said, “I was hungry and you did not feed me.”
I don’t know how long these feet will touch this earth. I do know, I want to stand before God and hear Him say, “Welcome home! Thank you for completing your assignments.”
We will not be floating on clouds in heaven. There are rewards and assignments. How we steward earth determines how we are rewarded in heaven. We don’t earn entrance into heaven, God does reward us for how we lived and loved on earth. This time on earth is the shortest time we will ever live.
My encouragement is don’t waste your life on what does not matter in the long run. Life is but a whisper. You could be here today and gone tomorrow. Forgive, love, get to know God, and live a presence driven life. Let the chorus of “me, me, me” fade into the background. May the song be, “God reduce me to love. Help me to learn how to love.”
I am still learning to abide in love. It’s a journey. God promises to meet us every step of the way. I don’t have all the answers. I hope to keep abiding in the One who does.
God=Love 