Christainity

Beckoning Me

/ Linda DeLay Wallace / Leave a comment

It sat on my kitchen table. All alone. With only a pen and highlighter to keep it company. You see, I had gotten away from using it every day. Distractions. Busyness. Neglect kept me company even as I glanced at what was beckoning me with every look, every glance, as I passed that way.

Then I found that I could no longer ignore it. As I walked by, I almost physically heard it calling to me.; bidding me to just take that step and open it.

Finally, one day I sat down and it felt like I was spending time with an old friend. Strength and wisdom flowed. Encouragement and admonishment both spoke to me as I continued to peruse the pages. And each time I listened to its beckoning it satisfied me down to my very soul.

You see, I had let myself get away from daily time spent in God’s Word. Oh, I was still going to church, still participating in my small group, but I had neglected to really seek out the word of God on a daily basis. It had become a hit or miss time in my day.

Have you been there? Has it become easy to let the habit of studying God’s word drift away? I allowed myself to become distracted by the busyness of life and the siren call of social media–too distracted.

But what I have found since I have been back to opening my Bible every day and studying through the book of Psalms, is God has been speaking to me more. He whispers his love and encouragement into my life more. He helps me praise him more, seek him more, petition him more, and be thankful to him more. Those were all the things I neglected along with neglecting to spend that quiet time with him.

I am glad he beckoned me, almost cajoled me, to stop walking by and listen to his call.

What about you? Are you spending your day setting aside time to immerse yourself in his word? Or are you just walking by when he beckons you? Are you ignoring the good things he has in store for you?

I am beckoning you, with an outstretched arm and an earnest look, to hear the call. Stop the busyness. Stop the excuses. Just listen to the call and open the Word of God.

Psalm 119:130 “Understanding your word brings light to the minds of ordinary people.” (CEV)

Hebrews 4:12 “God’s word is alive and powerful! It is sharper than any double-edged sword. His word can cut through our spirits and souls and through our joints and marrow, until it discovers the desires and thoughts of our hearts.” (CEV)

Food and Friendships

/ Linda DeLay Wallace / Leave a comment

In the past few weeks I have had meals with some of my closest friends, some of my long-time see-you-every-once-in-a-while friends, family, and church friends. There is something about gathering over food that develops into more than eating–it becomes a way to connect with people and share life with them.

In all honesty, it doesn’t matter if we are eating hot dogs and beans at home, or a great steak in a restaurant; the important thing is we are sharing together. We have discussed families, memories, good times and hard times. Some of us have hit upon those dreaded topics of politics and religion–civilly, even when we may disagree. We laugh together, cry together, rehash stories we have told over and over again through the years, and just share. With many of my friends, we talk about Jesus.

Jesus shared meals with people, and in doing so we see some more facets of who Jesus is. In Luke 19, he told (didn’t really ask) Zacchaeus that he was going to his home. The fact that he went to the home of a tax collector was not unnoted. I am sure people who knew Jesus were astounded that he would have anything to do with a Zacchaeus (but maybe not his disciple, Levi).

Jesus shared meals with Lazarus and his family–sisters Martha and Mary. While Mary saw the value of sitting at Jesus’ feet, Martha was more concerned with preparing the meal. Having prepared many meals for company during my lifetime, I can certainly identify with Martha! We also see a time when Mary anointed his feet with perfume and wiped them with her hair. Sometimes meals lead to amazing actions.

Photo by Linda Wallace

Jesus shared meals with Pharisees. They may have had their own agendas in inviting Jesus, but he certainly used those opportunities to ask his own questions, share his own stories, and even show compassion to others. This was shown when a sinful woman entered the Pharisee’s house, only to anoint Jesus’ feet with rich perfume, much to the dismay of his host. She washed his feet with her tears and her hair. This was the ultimate submission, and took place where Jesus had come to dine.

Meals with friends, meals with sinners, meals with self-righteous Pharisees, a meal for 5,000–Jesus used all of them as opportunities to teach, to show compassion, and to fellowship with others.

Amazing things can come of sharing meals together. In my own life I have found that it is a time to catch up with long-time friends, a time to make new friends, and a time to have some meaningful conversations. I am not positive that there will be a banquet in heaven, but some scriptures allude toward it (Isaiah 25:6, Matt 8:11, Rev, 3:20). So when I get to heaven, I look forward to sitting at a banquet table and having a meal with Jesus. I eagerly await that day!

The Christmas Cactus

/ Linda DeLay Wallace / Leave a comment

My mom had a Christmas Cactus that was prolific when she was alive. After her death, my sister inherited it. And goodness, that plant  has continued to thrive. She has given so many people a start from it. I have one and I have started at least five more from what I have. This cactus, with lots of love and care, has thrived and multiplied many times over the years.

However, I noticed that my plant was starting to look a little peaked and not as healthy as it was. My sister suggested that it was probably root bound and needed to be transplanted to a larger pot. She noted that I would need to take it out, gently shake off as much dirt as possible, and lightly trim the roots before repotting. I would need the proper drainage, so I needed sand in the bottom of the pot and cactus soil over that.

As I was in the process of trimming and repotting, I thought about how similar this was to the way the Lord works in our lives. Occasionally in our Christian walk we grow peaked. We are not thriving, growing, and multiplying.

Sometimes God needs to repot us by shaking up our environment, cleaning our roots, and depositing us in a place where we will thrive and grow. The process may be a little different for each of us, but the fact is God is a master gardener and knows exactly what we need to become the healthiest person we can be.

John 15:1-4: “I am the real vine, and my Father is the gardener. He breaks off every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and he prunes every branch that does bear fruit, so that it will be clean and bear more fruit. You have been made clean already by the teaching I have given you.Remain united to me, and I will remain united to you. A branch cannot bear fruit by itself; it can do so only if it remains in the vine. In the same way you cannot bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine, and you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will bear much fruit; for you can do nothing without me.” (GNT)

Modern Day Dilemmas

/ Linda DeLay Wallace / Leave a comment

Recently, I experienced a full two days of not having internet access at my home. It was an interesting time to say the least. It is hard to realize how dependent we have become on technology, until we no longer have it! No internet meant no computer internet access, no Alexa, no television streaming, no telling my RoboVac Bradley to clean.

It is kind of sad that I have become so used to these amenities that I no longer appreciate them like I should. I take them for granted and when they disappear I am made acutely aware of how heavily I rely on my modern day conveniences. Luckily, I enjoy reading or doing crafts so while I was home I did that. But I did miss my internet access.

Photo by bruce mars on Unsplash

It would seem that while technology is great for us, in becoming dependent on it we have lost some very precious gifts. I only need to look around at an event or in a restaurant and I see people constantly looking at their phones. Research has shown that excessive screen time creates additional anxiety and depression, interferes with our social skills, and disturbs our sleep patterns–just for starters. For teens, cell phone usage becomes a minefield, especially if the teen is portrayed negatively by peers on Instagram, TikTok, and SnapChat. Suicide rates have rocketed and I believe some of that can be attributed to cell phone usage without being judicious about what you are reading.

In the past, societies built relationships with one another by spending time together, working alongside of each other, and having immediate and extended families in a somewhat close proximity. Today when I watch families together, many of them are sitting in the restaurant with their phones out. Instead of talking with one another across the table, they frequently text instead. I confess it is refreshing when I see a family who has their cell phones put away during a meal together (including Mom and Dad!).

So as Christians how does this impact the church? It is great being able to use technology to communicate with church members and visitors alike. There is no doubt that during the Covid epidemic, churches keeping in touch by using technology and streaming their services live, was a huge blessing. Unfortunately many churches never reached their pre-covid attendance when things started going back to normal (whatever normal is!). Luckily my church not only did that, but we also have been having a very healthy church growth spurt.

The fact that we are raising generations to depend on technology is kind of frightening. Many newer homes are built as “smart” homes, with locks that are voice activated, and lights that come on automatically when programmed. Even stoves and ovens can be programmed with cook times and temperatures now.

But this is the thing. God made us to be relational people. He created Adam in order to have a relationship with him and then created Eve so that Adam would have companionship. Mankind has been shown to be relational through the generations. Sometimes those relations have been good, and occasionally bad once sin entered the world, but the fact is they are important.

It amazes me for all the technology in the world, you still have to be connected to something that drives the technology in order to communicate via cell phone, computer, or tablet. There must be a power source.

It just reminds me that our power source is God. By his death, Jesus tore the veil of the temple and became our high priest. He made it possible for us to come into the presence of God through our worship, prayer, and praise. We can be connected to God by prayer, not by anything electronic, but by the power of God’s Holy Spirit.

So when I am surrounded by people who are attached to the phones like it is another appendage, I am grateful that I have a relationship that is not dependent upon technology, but rather upon truly fostering one-on-one relationships, and most of all, a relationship with God.

The Lord Is Good to All

/ Linda DeLay Wallace / Leave a comment

It has been a while since I have written in my blog. I could make excuses and say it is because I have been super busy, or traveling, or working. But the fact is I have been struggling just to keep my head above water. Have you ever been there?

This year has been filled with multiple health challenges for me and it is starting to take a toll on how I think, what I do, and what I don’t do. So many of my plans and goals for this year have taken a back seat to dealing with physical issues. Since the end of February, I have had ER visits, a hospitalization, CT scans, tests, a biopsy and multiple x-rays—all of it is more than I care to think about. Some of the things were serious bumps in the road, and others just little annoyances. I feel like my life has been consumed by them and I am just now starting to see light at the end of the tunnel. In the meantime, my blog has taken a back seat.

But the thing is, I have learned some valuable lessons along the way. The first one I knew–God is in control and he is good–but I had it reiterated over and over again. No matter how much we think we have it all together, life sometimes gives us curve balls, and the one constant is God. Putting your trust in God during scary diagnoses and unknown territory isn’t always easy—but it is always worth it.

The next thing I learned (and really have always known) is that support of family and friends is important. Although my son did tell me if he was going to be taking me to the ER all the time, I would need to move closer to him, he was willing to go the extra mile for me. My daughter sat with me while talking to the doctor about a potential negative diagnosis (luckily, while it is something rare, it is not life-threatening and didn’t involve chemo!). A good friend has taken me to Urgent Care more than once, and I am extremely grateful that God has put her in my life.

I also learned that I need to take better control of my health. Last year I was able to go off my diabetic medications which is a win, but this year I need to eat even healthier and exercise more! Sounds like a new year resolution, doesn’t it? But seriously, I think God expects us to use common sense and avail ourselves of the resources he gives us.

Like many people with chronic illness, it is easy to dwell on my problems, rather than my blessings. I have always known that if you think more about God and others, and less about yourself, your outlook changes for the better.

So, I think I am on the upswing here, and hopefully, you will see more frequent posts from me in the future. And they won’t involve all of my physical complaints, but instead will focus on how good the Lord is! He truly is, isn’t he?

The Lord is good to all, and His tender mercies are over all His works. Psalm 145:9

When the News Is Good or Bad

/ Linda DeLay Wallace / 2 Comments

Yesterday was an emotionally challenging day for me. As I woke up anxiety surrounded me. My heart beat faster, my thoughts raced, and even though I kept telling myself, “God has you in his hands” my anxiety level soared.

Then I got on Facebook. And guess what? God even uses Facebook posts to send me reassurance that he loves me and cares about my challenges. First, I read some scripture someone posted about God’s presence. Then a friend of mine posted a skit. The skit was about the very issue I was facing and even more amazing, one of the key players, Mrs. Linda, shared my name.

Then one of my friends posted a podcast where her husband was the keynote speaker for a fundraising event at a hospital. He related his journey and how God put him in the path of people who were just what he needed. He shared how God was with him every step of the way.

After hearing his story, I bowed my head and prayed, as tears rolled down my cheeks. I asked God to reassure me that no matter what the outcome of this visit, I would use it to glorify him and share his blessings with others. I surrendered my heart (which I seem to find myself needing to do on a frequent basis) and my health to God during that conversation. I had a sense of peace and knew that God’s presence was surrounding me. My anxious heart was beating normally and my thoughts focused more on God, who knows my every need and loves me with a great depth of love. God got my attention and reassured me that all my cares could be cast on him.

My daughter picked me up and as we drove to the doctor’s office, I sensed God’s presence with me even as we discussed the possible scenarios that may be before me. As I talked with her, I replayed in my mind the months that had led up to this day, including the hospitalization that resulted in a CT scan of the abdomen, which surprisingly showed a spot on the left lower lobe in my lung. This was followed by a regular CT scan a couple of weeks later, and then a wait of a month just in case it was an infection that needed to clear up. Then another CT scan with contrast followed. Then came the recommended PET scan. The PET scan came back with some red highlights.

By this time, a lot of options had been discussed and my doctor felt strongly that I needed a biopsy done. As he discussed the one-inch mass with irregular borders, I followed along in my mind. I knew he was convinced it was the dreaded word–CANCER. By this time it was a primary concern for me also. Because of the location, my only option was to have needle biopsy. The radiologist, too, felt we were dealing with possible cancer. Lung cancer. I never smoked. How could this be happening?

As the day of the biopsy came, my sister (who is a nurse) accompanied me to the hospital. I survived the procedure despite my rising anxiety levels, and then the waiting began. In the scheme of things, five days is not long. But when you are waiting for what could be life-changing news, it seems like forever.

As my daughter and I waited for the doctor to enter the room, I actually felt much calmer than I thought I would be. It helped that my 3-month-old grandson was with us and we watched as he cooed and smiled. The doctor greeted us and then sat down at his desk. He pulled up my files and reassured me that he just wanted to make sure he wasn’t missing anything as he reviewed the results.

Then I could hear the smile in his voice as he said, “It’s not cancer.” I could have danced around the desk and hugged him, but I managed to restrain myself. Even though I had given it to God and asked him to use me no matter what, I really was relieved that the “what” wasn’t cancer.

The doctor told me that he had been certain it was cancer and he was relieved to tell me it wasn’t. What I do have is treatable and in actuality, I had the same thing in 2015 (only then I was very sick with it). So I am extremely grateful that I have been down this road before and know how we need to proceed.

But I got to thinking about this. Would I still have praised God if it had been cancer? Would I still have had peace and put it all in his hands. I like to think I would. God is good (and he would have remained good even if it was cancer). He answered a lot of prayers that have been going up on my behalf. He led me on a journey that deepened my trust in him and made me treasure life even more.

I know there are some of you reading this who did not get the good news that it wasn’t cancer. You may be on a journey that is difficult and long. But in the midst of it all, God is there. He knows your burdens and trusting in him makes all the difference in the world. As my friend, Don Sigler, said when he had cancer, “I am in a win/win situation. I win if I overcome cancer, and I win if I die, because I will be with the Lord.” His win was to be with the Lord and cancer free forever.

Psalm 16:11 says, “You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.” I pray that I will always know the joy of the Lord, even if it is in difficult circumstances because I am in a win/win situation.

Embracing the Pause

/ Linda DeLay Wallace / Leave a comment

Lately I have been thinking a lot about “the pause.” Our church has been doing a series on the elimination of hurry in our lives and it is a big challenge in our society to even take time to rest or pause in our lives.

In music the pause is the place where there is a brief rest, a place to savor what is happening in the music before rushing in to the next notes. When you are in an argument the pause may be where the people arguing realize they need to take a break and calm down before continuing. The pause can give you time to think about what is happening and where you need to go. Sometimes the pause is when you are lost and do not know the correct direction to go in now. The pause helps you with a roadmap or recalibration on Google maps to find the correct next steps.

Sometimes the pause is actually something like menopause. As a woman, I can attest to the fact that this is a significant pause. It indicates the end of one era of life and the beginning of another (while dealing with the side effects and hot flashes that accompany it!).

Sometimes the pause is voluntary, such as a retirement or a change in your job. But sometimes it is involuntary; maybe it is an illness or a layoff. But the fact is that when “the pause” happens, it usually happens for a reason.

In 2009 I was laid off from a job I enjoyed and this put my life on pause while I tried to figure out where I was going next. A few months after the layoff, my husband passed away. As I look back on that period of time, I realize that God’s hands were all over my circumstances. I would never have been able to spend as much quality time with my spouse before his death if I had been working. And while his death caught us all by surprise, I don’t think it caught God by surprise. In his graciousness I was able to savor the last few months I had with my husband because I was in the pause.

Most of us find times in our lives where we either have a voluntary pause or we have an enforced pause. We were not created to hurry through this life with the mentality of more, more, more. Instead, we should look at the life of Jesus. What he accomplished in the last three years of his life is absolutely amazing (and we were allowed only a glimpse of it–the rest of it would have filled books). But even Jesus Christ took time to pause. Many times he would go out early in the morning and pray. Sometimes he would go in a boat (and even sleep through a storm) to obtain his pause. Frequently he talked about pausing and spending time with the Father.

In John 4 we see Jesus pause for a rest. “So he came to a town of Samaria called Sychar near the property that Jacob had given his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, worn out from his journey, sat down at the well. It was about noon” (John 4:5-6). Jesus paused. Sometimes the pause allows something to follow that can be life-changing, as it was in the case of the woman at the well.

In John 11 we see that Jesus paused before going to raise Lazarus from the dead. He delayed going to Lazarus when he was told he was ill. When he finally left and went to Jericho, Lazarus was already dead. But we find that it is in the pause that faith happens. And when that pause ends, frequently miracles happen. We see that when Lazarus was raised.

Photo by Priscilla Du Prez on Unsplash

So I would encourage you to savor the pause when it occurs in your life–whether voluntary or enforced. Occasionally we need to make room for the pause by eliminating something from our to-do list. Because it is in the pause that Christ can do some powerful work. It is in the pause that we can slow down enough to spend more time with our heavenly Father. It is through the pause that we can hear God’s voice more clearly.

It is interesting that just today I read about Elijah, who was feeling like he was the only one left to stand up for God (1 Kings 19). His life had been threatened and he was on the run from Jezebel. God appeared to him. But it wasn’t through the winds, the earthquakes, or the fires that he appeared. It was through a quiet whisper. How can we hear God when we are in the midst of busyness and chaos? It is through the quiet that we can hear his whisper the most. So embrace the pause and take the opportunity to hear God’s whisper to you.

Spewing Is a Nasty Thing

/ Linda DeLay Wallace / Leave a comment

When my oldest son was about three-months-old, we decided to go on a three hour trip to my brother’s house. We were only about thirty minutes into the trip when I heard my son throwing up. I am going to be graphic here for a reason. By throwing up, I mean literal projectile vomit spewing from his mouth hard enough to hit the seat he was facing. Needless to say, it was horrifying to watch my little baby throw up in such a way. I knew something had to be drastically wrong. (It turns out that he experienced motion sickness, which explained why I never could rock him to sleep without him crying harder!)

Photo by engin akyurt on Unsplash

Today I experienced something just as horrifying as watching my little boy spewing vomit. I opened up my Twitter. As I read I was appalled at all of the hate and vitriol literally spewing out of the mouths of most of the people on there. The right wing, the left wing, the LGBTQ, the anti-LGBTQ, the politics, the hate for Trump, the hate for Biden. I was sick to my stomach and closed my phone after 10 minutes of reading. All I really wanted to do was look up the people I follow, and yet I was caught up in reading comments I never should have started reading.

I understand that in America we have some significant divides and ideologies. I worry for the state of America and my heart is saddened for the people who continue to propagate all the hatred. I fear for where America is headed.

However, as a Christian, I need to realize that no matter what happens here on earth, God is ultimately the one we will answer to for our behavior. What he has asked of me is that I love the Lord, my God, with all of my heart. Then he has asked that I love my neighbor. He did not say, “Love your neighbor if he thinks the same way you think.” He did not say, “Love your neighbor unless he is a sinner.” (We all are.) He did not say, “Love your neighbor only under certain circumstances.”

He said, “Love. Your. Neighbor.” I know it is easier said than done. Loving someone does not mean condoning their lifestyle and choices. It does mean showing them kindness, goodness, and the light that Christ brings in your life. It means trying to develop a relationship of respect so that you open the doors to have candid conversations. It means listening to them and understanding what has shaped their lives. It sometimes means inconvenience and messiness and hurt.

Frankly, there will be times you will need to walk away. But walk away with dignity instead of hurtful words, slurs, and hatred in your heart. Those things will never lead someone to the Lord. But your gracious words, your humble heart, and your prayers for someone will yield far more positive results than vindictive and hateful words and actions.

Spewing. It is distasteful, no matter where it is coming from. It is time to start loving God and then loving your neighbor in such a way that you are a light to the world around you–no matter how dark it seems.

©Lindadelaywallace.com 2023

Gloomy weather

/ Linda DeLay Wallace / Leave a comment
Photo by Callum Blacoe on Unsplash

I enjoy springtime in Missouri. But more times than not, that means gloomy, cloudy, windy days versus sunny days. I would assume most of us prefer sunshine and warmth, versus cloudy and chilly. While I occasionally enjoy curling up with a book and reading during a thunderstorm, I would not choose that on a daily basis. I would choose sunshine. But the fact is we need the rain on a regular basis. If not for the rain, our world would be in dire need.; a desert wasteland, with the lack of water causing drought everywhere.

Isn’t it a little like that in our lives? None of us would choose the bad days and would much prefer the good days. The difficult days are the ones that challenge our patience and even our faith. They bring bad news, health challenges, job issues, and more. And yet, without those we would not have an appreciation for the good days.

The fact is our challenges and trials make us into wiser, more mature individuals. In fact, Romans 5:1-5 says, “Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory. We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.” (NLT)

We become people of character and hope when we encounter the trials and difficulties of this life, if we rely on Christ and stay strong in our faith. The bad days will undoubtedly come occasionally to all of us and, indeed, some of my friends seem to get more of them than others, But those times of testing and trials serve to help us develop character and wisdom. They also gives us hope for the future of heaven, where all of those trials and tribulations will be gone. The tears will be wiped away, and we will be living in the presence of a holy God. That makes the gloomy weather worth while in the end.

Loving My Neighbor

/ Linda DeLay Wallace / Leave a comment

When I sold my old house the one thing I missed was my old neighborhood. I knew every family on my block and we frequently would have impromptu potlucks in the cul-de-sac at the end of the street. One person would send out the call, and we would all show up with whatever we had decided to fix for dinner that evening. Two of the families would pull out tables and chairs between their houses. Sometimes the grills would be fired up and we would gather around. There was always a good assortment of foods. We had a variety of ethnicities on the street and one of them made the best potstickers I have ever had. One of the neighbors was a food critic (he has articles published routinely in the St. Louis Magazine) and you never knew what he was going to cook. One time it was fish with the head on. In some cultures eating the head is common and considered a delicacy. My husband was game to try anything, but I think he may have been the only one to eat it!!

It has been slower to get to know my neighbors in my new subdivision. It is mostly older adults. I have gotten to know the neighbors on both sides of my villa and there are four of us who routinely get together in the warm weather, sit on our decks, and have snacks and beverages. I live in an attached villa, where I have a neighbor on the east side of my house. She is delightful and I have gotten to know her well. She just lost her husband a few months ago, and it has been a difficult adjustment for her. I was glad that I could share with her my experiences of losing a spouse and some of the resources that are available to her.

The things is, loving your neighbor is easy when your neighbor is a delightful widow. It is more difficult when your neighbor is belligerent, plays loud music into the wee hours of the morning, or just downright rude. But this is the thing about neighbors–Jesus said, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Wow. That is a a direct command coming right after “Love the Lord your God with all your heart.”

Photo by Nina Strehl on Unsplash

A young man who graduated from the same college I did, decided he was going to take the task of loving his neighbor to heart. He and his wife and children moved to one of the poorest neighborhoods in the city of St. Louis. Their children go to the public schools. They have made a point of getting to know everyone in their block. They have hosted block parties, babysat, and helped their neighbors. It has made an impact on their street. Suddenly, people were taking more pride in their properties. Programs were started to help young men and women learn skills, and educational tutoring was provided. The resulting ministry called “Love the Lou” has made an impact in the community and they have received publicity for the difference they are making in an area many people have written off..

But the young man would tell you out of all the lives changed, his has changed the most. The world looks different to him now and he recognizes that by loving his neighbors, his life has been enriched. It hasn’t all been sunshine and roses, but the lessons he has learned about loving others with God’s eyes has been invaluable.

What about you? Have you learned to love your neighbor in such as way as to enrich the lives of the people around you? If you are like me, getting out of my comfort zone is difficult, and yet my life becomes blessed when I take God’s words to heart. Think about ways you can show love to your neighbors today. You will be glad you did.

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.” — Mark 12:30-31 (NIV)