Love doesn't always agree with all of our wants, but stands firmly beside us, pushing us, praying for us and championing for what is needed rather than what we may have wanted. Love knows what the goal is and will not settle for a shortcut or a cheap escape. Love makes whatever it achieves worth the wait and worth the effort.
Love in marriage is worth everything that we have left, lost and accomplished together.
Kimberly, thanks for loving me the way that only you can!
This is Kimberly's and my Wedding Anniversary Week. On Saturday, July 1st, we will be celebrating 28 years of marriage! During this week, I'll be reflecting on our marriage.
Every successful marriage has endured life's challenges. The secret to success is simply that TRUE LOVE ALWAYS survives and ALWAYS conquers!
Here's my first share concerning OUR marriage that has and continues to work for us:
"We didn't fall in love, we committed to love!"
Kimberly and I didn't "fall" for each other, but we COMMITED to each other:
• Until death do we part
• Through sickness and in health
• In spite of the opinions of others
• During times of more than enough and during times when there wasn't enough
Commitment works for us and we remain just as committed today as we were in 1989.
To God be the glory!
Finishing Strong Friday: Wow, wow and wow...what a week this has been! BUT GOD! Yes and I'll say it again...BUT GOD!
Well we made it again and we must rejoice and be thankful. However, think about those who may be still going through. Instead of dwelling on our own issues, I want to ask each of us to pray for those still going through something! Speak God's Word in their life right now and right where you are! Let them know what Nehemiah says, that "the joy of The Lord is my strength". Speak into someone's life that they are "fearfully and wonderfully made" and if need be, encourage them with an old hymn of the church that reminds us all that "My hope is built on nothing less, Than Jesus' blood and righteousness; I dare not trust the sweetest frame, But wholly lean on Jesus' name. On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand; All other ground is sinking sand."
You see, finishing strong isn't always about self! You'll really FINISH STRONG once you've helped someone else find the "Solid Rock" that is Christ Jesus. We'll help someone else FINISH STRONG when we tell them to stop believing the words of the world which is their "Sinking Sand"!
May God bless you all and I pray that you all FINISH STRONG!
Don't be Discouraged. No, you have not been forgotten. Your ministry has not been overlooked. Your prayers are relevant and heard. Every effort has been recognized. The love that you have shown towards others is known.
Remain encouraged! This world and those in it will leave you feeling as if you don't matter. Keep doing what you are doing, even though you may not get the worldly recognition or rewards; even though folks talk about you, laugh at you and ridicule your efforts...Keep on going! Don't be discouraged when it appears that things that you are involved in aren't growing, but remember that there is a season for planting, a season for watering, a season for tending and then comes the season of harvest. Ministry Colleagues, whatever you do, DON'T QUIT & DON'T GIVE UP!! Let God's love for you and His intimate knowledge of your service for Him encourage you as you face disappointment and rejection here on earth.
"God is not unjust; He will not forget your work and the love you have shown Him as you have helped His people and continue to help them." (Hebrews 6:10 NIV)
Amen!
I'm Up - for today's Blessings
I'm Up - for today's Favor
I'm Up - for today's Opportunities
I'm Up - for today's Challenges
I'm Up - for today's Victories
I'm Up - for today's Call to witness yet again THIS GREAT LOVE that The Lord has lavished on His creation and to receive this love so that I may love others!
Who's UP with me?
Many of us are going through some life challenges, some of us are uncertain about tomorrow and some of us has given up our hope of better, restoration and reconciliation. I'm here today to tell you to hold on to faith, hold on to love. Hold on to Hope!! You’re not alone. Don’t lose sight. HOPE remains and our Hope is in Christ Jesus!
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials" (I Peter 1:3-6 NKJV)
Have we allowed the business of the day and the busyness of church life and ministry to take us away from our initial appointment? The foundation and bare essentials of who we are can only be found in Jesus.
Before He sent you to preach, teach and reach HE CALLED YOU UNTO HIMSELF SO THAT YOU MAY BE WITH HIM! Jesus wants, needs, requires, mandates, instructs and expects us to be with Him before He sends us out to others. Not just upon your initial calling, but everyday: before every bible study, before every hospital visit, before every preached Word, before we lay down at night and before we start our day.
Have you spent time with Jesus before spending time in your ministry calling?
And He (Jesus) went up on the mountain and called to Him those He Himself wanted. And they came to Him. Then He appointed twelve, THAT THEY MAY BE WITH HIM and that He might send them out to preach, and to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons (Mark 3:13-15 NKJV)
