I Dare You to Love Like This!




I’m determined to not just study God’s Word, but implement it. It’s hard. Back in January, I wrote about the direction the Lord gave me for 2011. Whereas last year I focused on trusting Him to a greater degree, this year is all about loving. To love deeply you have to spend time with Jesus, see the best in people, speak right words and clean up your heart every day. I take the verse in 1 John 3:18 seriously.

Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

My granddaughter is only going on three but she taught me an important lesson. Her Mama seldom wins the battle of keeping her hair out of her eyes with piggy tails. In two seconds, she pulls them right out. While visiting last time, it was my responsibility to dress her one morning. When we got to brushing her hair, I asked her where her barrettes are. She told me that she just wants to look at them. In other words, I can’t put them in yet. It’s the same with the potty. She eagerly wants us to read books about using the potty, but isn’t ready to sit on it quite yet.

I see myself that way, too. I’m a cautious type, but the call is to love boldly. I’ve read all about it in the Bible! Therefore, my mind is set to forgive more deeply, speak more carefully, let God lead me more and choose my friends more wisely. This will be another triumphant year. I just know it. By the way, I got that wonderful call a few days ago reporting that my granddaughter used her potty! It looks like we are both on our way to victory!

My post today connects to Spiritual Sundays hosted by Ginger & Charlotte.

Comments

  1. MistyAugust 27, 2011 at 11:08 AM

    Beautiful reminder for me today.. I need to learn to see the beat in people. I need to live and love as I am called to.

    "let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth." - Actions are what I need to work on.

    Thank you for sharing!

    Blessings,
    Misty

    ReplyDelete
  2. VilisiAugust 27, 2011 at 2:27 PM

    '...speak more carefully...'
    That'll be me! Thank you for these encouraging and uplifting words.God bless. :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Sarah (Nikki)August 27, 2011 at 4:13 PM

    Loved your analogy and my10 yr. Is growing out her bangs and still gets her hair in her eyes. Sigh.

    ReplyDelete
  4. The Real Me!August 27, 2011 at 5:39 PM

    Right now I'm reading a book called 1000 Gifts and I can't even begin to tell you how it's speaking to me.

    Loved reading this today my friend. We should all strive to do the same!

    HUGS
    Kim

    ReplyDelete
  5. Mevely317August 27, 2011 at 6:11 PM

    Love, love, love(!) this reminder to "walk the talk."
    Have a blessed weekend!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Lisa notes...August 27, 2011 at 8:01 PM

    Oh, this is so good. I have been trying this year to trust more, but I am a cautious type too. It's a struggle, but I know it is worth it to learn to depend more on the Lord.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Ginger~~Enchanting CottageAugust 28, 2011 at 7:53 PM

    It's kinda funny how a 3 year old can teach us something so amazing.
    God Bless,
    Ginger

    ReplyDelete
  8. PamelaAugust 28, 2011 at 8:17 PM

    I love learning from the kids! This spoke to me...challenging me to love more.

    Blessings,
    Pamela

    ReplyDelete
  9. LisaAugust 29, 2011 at 7:44 AM

    Sometimes Love is a hard thing to walk out...especially to those who have mistreated us, yet God calls us to do it. We are all like your grandbaby in ways. We can look at it, study it but can't quite do it! LOL! Great post!

    ReplyDelete
  10. PeggyAugust 29, 2011 at 9:30 AM

    I love your post. I, too, feel God is calling me to love more. And to keep my focus off myself and on Him and if I'm focused on Him and spend more time with Him then I can love more, as you so aptly said.Praying for a season of much loving for us both.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Janis@Open My Ears LordAugust 29, 2011 at 8:35 PM

    What a beautiful and encouraging post. It makes me want to love fully and dive in deeper to walking with the Lord.

    Blessings,
    Janis

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Book Review: Too Many Voices

Image
It is one thing to visit a Women's Bible Study and admire the leader's teaching but then read her life story and learn she transitioned from a weed smoking Hippy to a powerful follower of Jesus.  I review Alane Haynes' new release, Too Many Voices/My Journey from Confusion to Clarity on my other blog, My Calm Corner, here.

Read more

Prayer and the Middle Child

Image
Looking back, I got a hint of the Sunday morning sermon.  It’s just another one of God’s divine surprises!
As we drove to church this morning, I mentioned to my husband that my garden sectioned by grapevines and hedges needs serious attention.  We lost one of the grapevines so I researched foliage on line with plans to replace it and I asked him to dig new holes this coming week.  I call this private area my prayer garden, but I recently moved out the chair and rarely meet there to talk with God. 
Middle Children and feeling overlooked   This morning’s sermon touched me deeply when the speaker correlated unanswered prayers that never seem to reach the Lord’s ear with being the middle child and feeling invisible.
I’ve been discouraged in prayer so the teaching about persistence to stay the course in faith and trust without visible results ignite new hope to believe for the impossible that’s only possible with God.
Our church is big on altars My favorite sermon bullet conveyed that prayer gi…
Read more

My Father Danced

Image
A friend shared a You-Tube with me this week and I’m still laughing.  The father in the story took his toddler to her ballet dance recital.  The wee one walked on stage, plopped down and refused to dance with her class.  Her cool dad enters the stage, baby in his arms, and begins to dance next to his daughter who’s still in meltdown mode on the floor.  But the dad had the routine down pat!  I thought he looked pretty funny in his casual shorts with his hairy legs bowed to the music.  His ballerina toddler took notice and soon she rose to dance too, twirling with her dad.
Sentimental Double Date I enjoyed a double date with my husband and another couple last Saturday night when we attended a summer concert in the park.  The Sentimental Journey Band played mostly tunes from the 40’s but threw in some Beatles songs and a few rockers began to dance in the aisle.  That’s when my eye caught the young family sitting in our section.  I watched the fun dad dance with his two-year old son but his…
Read more