Hello everyone,
It has been another busy week. Jonathan just made his first trip on his own(without me!). He and a friend went to Atlanta for three days. I have a very big
tendancy to worry, but I decided to do something different this time. I prayed and turned him over to God, to take care of and bring him back home safely. Every time I started to worry, I just whispered a prayer and peace would enter my heart. This is a breakthrough for me! I have always felt like I have to be there all the time to protect my kids. I have been trying to have a closer relationship with the Lord. I have been reading the Bible and praying alot more than I was. I also have been reading The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren. This is a wonderful book. If you read it prayerfully and do what it says to do, you will have a closer relationship with God.

Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.
Jeremiah 17:7-8

This scripture is a wonderful promise. If we trust God, and put our hope in Him, that no matter what comes He will sustain us. We will continue to bear fruit and grow even in times of drought.

We need to stop focusing on ourselves and put our total trust in God. God said in Isaiah 44:2 that we were in His care before we were born, He formed us in our mothers womb. When I thought about that it gave me a different perspective on myself. There are many things about myself I don't like. I am sure most of us could find things about ourselves we would like to change, but God made us the way we are for His purpose. We were born into the family He chose for us. God cares about every aspect of our lives, and He wants us to talk to Him about everything that concerns us. This is a humbling thought for me. I know I am not worthy of His love for me, but He loves me anyway. He wants from me my total love: all my heart, mind, soul, and strength. He wants my worship. I believe part of that worship is obeying his commandments. To obey because I love Him! Everything I do for Him is an act of worshipping.

God expects us to love one another.

Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not bear false witness. Thou shalt not covet;
and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, THOU SHALT LOVE THY NEIGHBOR AS THYSELF. Love worketh no ill to his neighbor: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
Romans 13:8-10

This says it all. If we can love our neighbor as ourselves than we can obey ALL the commandments. We can't do evil to the ones we love. We want to do good to all the ones we hold dear. I have discovered if we love God more, it is easier to love others. The Bible says that if we say we love God, but do not love our neighbors we are a liar. How true that is. Gods love fills us with love. We can't help but overflow with love for others.

My scripture for the day:

A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
John 13:34-35