I remember attending several Christian events as a teen. There was always vibrant worship, excellent speakers, calls to action and the sharing of personal testimonies. I remember sitting and listening with rapt attention to the personal testimonies that were shared.  Stories of people who went from party-goer to all out Christ-follower. Stories of people who went from drug addicts to totally sober and clean. Stories of people who were wretchedly sick and God miraculously healed them. Even the story of the Apostle Paul, whose radical testimony declares him transformed from the biggest persecutor of Christians to one of the leaders of the very Church he once persecuted. It seemed like everywhere I looked, I heard radical stories of change and transformation that left me breathless and in awe of the powerful saving grace of Jesus Christ. And, if I’m being honest...these stories also always left me a little deflated. That’s amazing! That’s wonderful! That awe-inspiring! And then...there is me, and my story.

I was saved at the age of 4. I don’t even remember my “conversion experience,” but my Mom told me that I prayed with her. I grew up in a Christian home (as a missionary kid, no less). I had a rough patch in junior high where I was mean to other girls and too interested in other boys (you know, from a distance). Then, throughout high school, I always received awards like “Christian character” or “leader in service.” I then attended a Christian college, where I was involved in Bible Study leadership and any service opportunity I could get my hands on. At this Christian college, I met my Christian husband and we got married at the young age of 21. Obviously, we were virgins at our wedding. Our vows were Christian and our wedding was, too. Basically, I have always been the “perfect” Christian. With a really, really boring testimony. 

Or, so I thought. Until I come across a passage in Ephesians 2. At first glance, I find my thoughts surge with selfishness and a lack of understanding. Surely, this passage doesn’t apply to Christians like me. Dead in my transgressions? What transgressions? An object of wrath? For what? God’s enemy? Yeah, maybe when I was 3 and I wasn’t officially a Christian yet. 

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ…
ePHESIANS 2:4-5

And then it all comes to my mind - my testimony has nothing to do with me, namely what I have or haven’t done. It has nothing to do with my list of good deeds, or even bad deeds. It has nothing to do with how drastic the lifestyle change in my life may have been or not been. Instead, it has everything to do with Christ… - Him changing me at my deepest core.

Before the grace and sanctification of God was realized in my life (whether at 4 or 104!), I was dead (Eph 2:1). I was without hope. I was, by my very nature, an object of God’s wrath (Eph 2:3). I deserved NOTHING. My very existence meant that I was separated from God. Apart from God, I followed and would continue to follow the ways of the world (Eph 2:3), and my own evil thoughts and desires (Eph 2:3). Not only was I, by my very existence, an enemy of God, I was also a follower of Satan. It seems hard to picture this in someone who was saved as a young child, but even now, apart from Christ, I am all of those things.

BUT PRAISE GOD...Ephesians 2 goes on to explain to us that through Christ (2:5), I am made alive! Through Christ, I am shown God’s great mercy and given salvation. Through Christ, I can and will stand for the ways of truth. Through Christ I am no longer a slave to Satan, but am a child of God, free to love, serve, and sit with Him.

Now that is a testimony that does not sit in the past, with a one-time conversion experience. That is a testimony that does not just apply to those who had a life-changing, radical transformation. That is a powerful and life-changing testimony that every believer can shout about from the rooftops. That is a testimony that unites every believer, whether their previous lifestyle looks more like the apostle Paul or the missionary kid Suzanne. That is a testimony that instead of pointing to a personal transformation, points to the power of being “in Christ.”

So, sisters, let us be unafraid of sharing our personal testimonies - no matter how radical or “un-radical” they may appear to us to be. Let us share what Christ has saved us from, and what He continues to lead us to - being God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do (Eph 2:10).

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 Suzanne Hines wants to live in a world where sunflowers bloom in eternal summer, where her children play instead of argue and where her family has an endless budget for travel. When she's not loving her husband, training and teaching her three children, and spreading education on the foster care system, you can find her writing, reading or running outside!

Her favorite Scripture is Romans 12:12 "...be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer..." (NIV)

Fistfuls of silverware clatter to the floor with a clamor of youthful surprise. Eager to help, but underestimating the capacity of their little hands, my children have joined in the ritual of emptying the dishwasher. Some days it goes without incident. More often, the task is marked by a childish zeal that lands the forks and spoons near our feet before they end up returning to the silverware drawer.

It’s in considering the unfolding of such mundane acts, like children putting away dishes, that Paul came to mind. Paul served as a spiritual father to so many: guiding, correcting, and encouraging. He was a vibrant conduit for the message of God’s kingdom, God’s unrelenting grace, and the ultimate Lordship of Jesus. How many moments of youthful zeal did he witness yield unintended outcomes? How many opportunities did he have to offer guidance and reassurance to those young in their faith as they grew in maturity? What was it like to see that generation of God’s children grow up?

Often after children have grown, there comes a time when they are ready for greater independence. In Acts 20, there is such a time in Paul’s missionary journey. He summons the church elders from Ephesus to come and see him in Miletus. He reminds them of his mission to testify about the good news of God’s grace; to declare to Jews and Greeks alike, their need to turn to God and have faith in Christ alone. At this time, the Holy Spirit is compelling Paul on toward Jerusalem. Regardless of the cost, he refuses to resist the direction of the Spirit and the calling to testify of Christ.

He calls them to seek God and His Spirit to work in them and through them. He calls them to remember what Jesus has done…

Though he loves them dearly, Paul knows he will not see the Ephesian elders again and shares this reality with them. In the last face-to-face exhortation Paul extends to these church leaders, he calls them to cling to the truth of the gospel of God’s grace and to be carefully attentive to themselves and the church in which the Holy Spirit has made them overseers. Paul calls the church elders of Ephesus to a task they cannot complete in their own power. He calls them to seek God and His Spirit to work in them and through them. He calls them to remember what Jesus has done, what His death has accomplished, what His blood has redeemed.

So often I try to pick up as much as I think I can carry only to find that I am unable to do what I thought I could. Writing, mothering, homemaking, teaching; the list goes on and on of things I grab by the fistful to tuck into the rows of hours, days, and weeks that line my calendar. Like my children, I underestimate my own capacity. Though my body feels grown, I have much growing yet to do. My good intentions clatter to the floor, like silverware, as I have picked up too much with the excitement that accompanies possibility. In the face of that possibility, I am inclined to forget my greatest need: guidance from the Holy Spirit.

It is in the space of falling short, that I better understand the good news of grace and the redemption of Christ. I am not called to perfection or performance, but to reliance on the Spirit of grace. What I have been given to oversee and care for are not tasks, but people and hearts and souls. The reach of my words and attitudes carries farther than I realize. My mission is not one of accomplishing or cleaning or cooking, but of caring for, listening to, and mothering the people that intersect my days. My calling is love. In the midst of the day-to-day, my prayer has become:

“God, help me to dwell on the reality of Your grace. Jesus, keep me mindful of what Your incarnation and death has meant for the world. Spirit, teach me how to love and speak and act out of Your abundance.”

Lord, may we be women who love well, who seek to fill our hands with Your good news of grace, that we may share it readily. May we be women who listen, who incline our hearts to your Holy Spirit and His promptings, that we may walk in obedience to You and the hope of Your truth. Amen.

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Robin Zastrow wants to live in a world where coffee never gets cold and kindness abounds. When she's not discovering the wonders of construction paper and cardboard tubes with her two little ones, you can find her sneaking in another few pages of a book or jotting down bits of writing on scraps of paper.

One of her favorite Scriptures is:“Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name. Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you.” Psalm 33:20-22 ESV

In 2 Corinthians 6:11-13, Paul speaks to the idea that our hearts can grow cold and calloused to the community of Christ: “We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians; our heart is wide open. You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted in your own affections. In return ( I speak as to children) widen your hearts also.”

In 2 Corinthians 7:2-3, we see the heart addressed again: “Make room in your hearts for us. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have taken advantage of no one. I do not say this to condemn you, for I said before that you are in our hearts, to die together and to live together.”

We are called both to live and die together… We are called to love

Our relationships with one another are eternal! Get ahold of that! Not only will our relationship with Jesus be eternal but our relationship with His people is eternal as well. We are called both to live and die together. I think part of that dying process is forgiving those who have either intentionally or unintentionally hurt us. 

We are called to love. As 1 John 4:19- 21 says: “We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.”

We find an exhortation in 2 Corinthians 6 and 7 to widen our hearts, make room in your hearts (2 Cor.7:2), and admonition from the apostles to the church that “you are in our hearts” (2 Cor. 7:3). 

As the body of Christ, we are called to function as a body and 2 Corinthians 1 is filled with the very intentions and purposes of what our lives together were ordained by God for……

EACH OTHER, not self!

• Comforting each other (v.4)

• Sharing abundantly in Christ's sufferings (v.5)

• Share in comfort (v.5)

• Share in affliction for the sake of comfort and salvation (v.5)

• To see a purpose to our affliction (v. 6)

• Hope for each other (v.7)

• Tell each other our burdens and afflictions (v.8)

• Encourage each other (v.8)

• Rely on God, not ourselves (v. 9)

• Remind each other  (v.10)

• Help each other by prayer (v.11)

• Visit each other (v.15)

• Work together for joy (v.24)

2 Corinthians 21-22 encapsulates God’s intentions for US! 

“And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.”

Who are we to hold on to unforgiveness and distance ourselves from God’s gracious provision for our lives? The body of Christ is a supernatural community that is ordained by God for our good and His glory! We cannot treat the grace of God like a smorgasboard where we pick and choose what we like, disregarding the very things that will nourish us and build the body of believers up into the head which is Christ. 

Our experiences are to be shared with one another for one another.

So, let us submit to God’s Word. Let us respond in maturity today by praying that He would widen our hearts for His people because we are in this thing together for the long haul! 

Our experiences are to be shared with one another for one another. We must lay aside any weight that would hinder us from running the race with endurance. Unforgiveness is a heavy burden that will ensure a root of bitterness. Bitterness and unforgiveness will not be allowed in our future heavenly relationships, so why would we allow them in our earthly kingdom minded relationships if we are serious about our love for God? 

Above all else let’s LOVE! 1st Peter 4:8 attests to the importance of our relationships with one another this side of heaven: “Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins.”

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Karen Savage wants to live in a world where Christ is Glorified. When she's not serving her family, you can find her serving others. Her favorite Scripture is John 15:7-8 ESV. 

I am a small group facilitator at my church. While it sounds like it just means I lead the group through the lessons, it really takes on a much deeper meaning. My co-facilitators are a couple from my church, and we spend a great deal of time in discussion & prayer for our group. We want to ensure that we are speaking God’s truth over their lives, that we are listening to His guidance and inspiring proper behaviors.

The small group consists of a wide variety of backgrounds, personalities, and faith levels. Some have church backgrounds that did not lead to a relationship with Christ, some came to church and went away, and some have been walking with God for years and are quite solid. As Paul states in 2 Thessalonians 1:3 this group exhibits the sentiment that “the love [they] all have for one another is increasing” - this group has referred to themselves as a family since day one.

To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his poweR
-2 tHESSALONIANS 1:11

We often find ourselves discussing the various aspects of the lives of the people among our group. As facilitators, we attempt to guide the group into Christ-centered behaviors. We encourage seeking God amid the storms they face. This reminds me of Paul’s letters to the Thessalonians. He encourages them to stay the course in 1 Thess. ch. 1 by reminding them of their previous examples in the faith (Paul, Silas & Timothy). Paul states that he and his ministry colleagues continually thank God for them, for their faithfulness. In 1 Thessalonians ch. 3, Timothy brought the good report back to Paul regarding the church at Thessalonica’s faithful love. Each of these is a precious example of the church loving on one another. Why? So that they may be brought to a place of security and trust in each other and in Christ.

We, too, have opportunities to encourage or breakdown one another through a newer avenue - social media. Following Paul’s example, rather than hiding behind the anonymity of the screens, we should find the beauty within others. We should be available to others in their times of need and be guiding them back to the Word of God for hope and instruction. As in 2 Thessalonians 1:11, we need to pray constantly for those within our influence, whether that be children, siblings, friends, or small groups we are leading.  The Word of God does not return void, seeking the truth from God changes us. We begin to lose the sense of despair that hovers over us like a storm cloud. Instead we see the light of God, bringing hope to what may otherwise be a dark situation. We must remember that God uses all our experiences for His good, allows us to see these moments as just that, a moment in time. We can encourage our believing family to trust that God’s plans always prevail. As people see this time and time again throughout their lives, their mindset can begin to shift from reacting with desperation to responding with “God’s got this, He and only He will carry me through this and every day.” This begins to radiate out from us. Our authenticity to God’s faithfulness to us begins to make others around us question how we can possibly maintain such a spirit of courage during trials and tribulations. When we are able to proclaim “God is good” in any given scenario, those words place a seed of hope amongst anyone in earshot or readership.

I find my role as a facilitator both rewarding and challenging. As someone who has walked my share of fires, without always seeking the Word of God before I bury my face under the covers for a few weeks, I try to encourage the group to spend time in God’s Word, worship, praise and pray as their knee-jerk responses. I know first hand how these habits are truly the best path that God has given us to walk through any fire. However, as the precious people in my life continue through their lives, both beautiful and difficult, many are overwhelmed and easily resort to the comfortable habitual ways of coping. I find myself battling their logic and reasons for not seeking Christ, for not having time, energy, or motivation. While I was once that girl, I now want to jump up on top of my chair and shout “YOU JUST DON’T UNDERSTAND!! THIS WORKS!! GOD IS THE ANSWER!!” As their teacher, I want to see revelation and change in their lives. I don’t want to see the enemy continue to defeat what God is trying so hard to reveal to them.

The Word of God does not return void, seeking the truth from God changes us

But I’ve learned that beating people over the head with my Bible is not the answer to changing their habits. This only causes them to feel judgment and conditional acceptance. Instead, we issue challenges to worship, to spend time in prayer, to spend time in the Word. We check in on them throughout the week, we post encouraging Scriptures and love to them in the private Facebook group. We hold them in prayer every day, praying for God’s mighty love to break the shackles of their past. We pray for their hearts to develop a desire to seek Him that is so strong, they run for their prayer closets every free minute of their days. And I listen. I listen intently to the words God gives me to share with them each week. I thank God for trusting me with their precious lives and their journeys to find a deeper relationship with Him when not so long ago, I was the girl hiding under the covers with excuses oozing out of me for why God didn’t love me or had abandoned me. I find it such an honor to be given the blessing of pouring into their lives.

I was so greatly encouraged by my reading of Paul’s letters. I was reminded that the love of God showing through us, as His heart on earth, is so powerful. I was reminded that human nature has been the same as far back as Adam and Eve. We are profoundly in need of encouragement and grace to move beyond the mistakes and the broken places within us that we believe keep God far from us. Yet in reality, those mistakes and broken places are what should drive our hearts to seek Him with a fervor - so much so that we  jump up on top of those chairs shouting for all to hear: “GOD IS THE ANSWER!!”

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Sonya Gentry wants to live in a world where being kind and loving means that when we encounter a need or brokenness, we say yes first and think about it second. This would be a world where walking with Jesus means trying to act like Jesus through loving, relevant acts of service; where Christians put their hands and feet in the dirty situations of the world in order to show people God’s love and grace; where we understand that comfort zones are meant to be broken because people need us to show up and be be the best portrayal of God’s love we can be. When she's not working, you can find her being silly with friends and family, playing games with her nephews, volunteering for various organizations and events with her church, or relaxing with a movie.

Whenever I read Acts 8 and 9, I wonder if Saul felt the Lord’s eyes on Him. In my Bible, the ESV translation, the title of chapter 8 of Acts is “Saul Ravages the Church,” and I can’t help but think about the Lord waiting patiently to ravage the heart of this man determined to dismantle the church. And as I consider all of this, I replace my own story with Saul’s. I am not out ravaging churches and persecuting Christians, but are all my words and actions always in line with the Lord’s will?

The easy answer: no.

Yet, I feel confident that the Lord’s eyes never waver from me – or from you. He looks at the long history of my story and, while He may feel sadness over decisions I’ve made or lies I’ve believed, I trust that He smirks and thinks, “Yep, she’s still my girl.”

Saul is literally uttering threats of murder against God’s disciples (Acts 9:1) when Jesus approaches him. I don’t know about you, but I struggle to wrap my head around this most days: even as we are fighting against the Lord’s will, He is always in pursuit of our hearts. And He’s not just taking our hearts for His own – even though He certainly could (He’s the King of Creation). He stops to ask questions before He goes about the work of dazzling us into a love story.

He comes for His kids and transforms their stories, breaks new ground in the Kingdom through them, and reminds each of us what a best friend really is.

“Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” (Acts 9:4) In Jesus’ question to Saul, I hear tenderness, an acute desire to understand His children, even as they are breaking His heart, and the ability to both ask the hard questions and love without restraint. While Saul’s eventual conversion is both miraculous and awe-inspiring, I also think it is in this space of the story where we can see ourselves and our own conversion stories.

The Jesus who pursued Saul on that road and began to write a love story Saul couldn’t have seen coming is the same Jesus who waits patiently when we hit the snooze button and opt for sleep over time with Him. He is the same Jesus who has more clarity than anyone about the proverbial stains on our manuscripts, yet He still offers His arms when we call to Him. He is the same today as He was then.

He is the only constant in a world filled with people who are constantly changing. He knows the changes coming down the road, He anticipates when we might consider turning away, He knows when we prioritize Him below other things and when the ugliness of humanity will try to get the best of us.

But He does not stop.

He asks the tough questions, He cradles the weak, He comes for His kids. He comes for His kids and transforms their stories, breaks new ground in the Kingdom through them, and reminds each of us what a best friend really is.

So, in this season of life where I’m thinking a lot about pursuit and what it all means for healthy relationships, I’m grateful to Saul, for allowing the Lord to use him as a tangible example of just how feverishly the Lord comes after me. And after you. Hallelujah.

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Steph Duff wants to live in a world where every human, whether small or regular-sized, learns to use their voice and is seen and known. When she's not traveling and story telling with Back2Back Ministries, you'll likely find her drinking excessive cups of coffee, with her nose in a book, or daydreaming about India. Her favorite scripture is Habakkuk 1:5, and she prays for a world in which Jesus is the name on every lip. Learn a little more about her love for semi-colons, what stirs her blood, and the yearnings of her heart over at www.stephaniduff.wordpress.com.

I do not know where to begin.
I do not know what it is to hear a last breath.
I do not know what it is to witness death’s arrival firsthand.
I do not know what it is to lose an only child or a dear friend.

I do know an adult takes 12 to 20 breaths in a minute.
I do know there are 9 to 12 pints of blood in the human body.
I do know grief cannot be contained by words.

I’ve read of Jesus’ death through the accounts of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. These are stories I have heard for far longer than I have understood their gravity. They tell of Jesus being whipped, a cruelty shaped by leather lashes studded with bone and metal (Mt. 27:26, Mk. 15:15). They speak of a twisted, thorny crown forced upon His head (Mt. 27:29, Mk. 15:17, Jn. 19:2). They recall a wooden crossbar and Jesus’ beaten body hung from it. They recount the darkness, His forsaken cry, a last breath. Death.

And in the wake of a torn curtain, I am undone.

I know what it is to exalt myself at the cost of another. I know what it is to accuse innocence. I know guilt intimately. My hands have dripped with it. Like Lady Macbeth, all the perfumes of Arabia could not sweeten these hands. The stains run too deep; I am marred with an inheritance of fault and a livelihood of selfishness.

I’m loved because God is worthy of it. I am loved because of who He is. As deeply as this shatters me, it was never about me. It’s about Him.

Yet despite my guilt before others - but more importantly before a God who is wholly other - someone else has come to take the punishment that I deserve. How could I be loved like this? Why would someone innocent take on my guilt? Why did Jesus choose to endure the pain I deserved, the death that was meant for me?

And I realize my focus is misplaced. I’m loved because God is worthy of it. I am loved because of who He is. As deeply as this shatters me, it was never about me. It’s about Him. It always has been. And it always will be. God alone is deserving of our affections and attention. And to make a way for me to love Him rightly, to glorify Him as He is worthy, He sent Jesus to do the very thing that I cannot do for myself.

I cannot restore what has broken, I cannot mend my own heart, I cannot correct the course of sin and send hope ahead to forge a new way. But a way of hope has been made, born of the blood Jesus; the only thing that could fully absolve my guilt. Because He bled, I can know life; I can know love.

What do I do with a love like that? A love that offers forgiveness in the dark. A love that gives peace knowing it will cost an innocent life. The life of a Son. Jesus. Only Jesus.

I now know where to begin.

While grief cannot be contained by words, Love cannot be contained by death. And as there is hope woven into the future, it is also anchored in the past. In the silent three days of death that then erupted in life. Life renewed in the broken body of a Savior, the Christ, God with us. Life restored to my guilty heart through pain I cannot understand.

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 Robin Zastrow wants to live in a world where coffee never gets cold and kindness abounds. When she's not discovering the wonders of construction paper and cardboard tubes with her two little ones, you can find her sneaking in another few pages of a book or jotting down bits of writing on scraps of paper.

One of her favorite Scriptures is:“Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name. Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you.” Psalm 33:20-22 ESV

As we have added children, we have also added baby gates. We now have one baby gate per child in our home. If you lost count, that’s four. We don’t even notice their presence anymore, as we have become so used to them. Yet they keep our children safe, from falling down the stairs, from going into areas that are not “baby proof.” Not to mention, they keep my kids from the stash of birthday and Christmas presents I have hiding in those sections of the house! 

Recently, my nine-month-old snuck through a gate that was left open at the bottom of our stairs and crawled all the way to the top without us noticing. I know it was quick, but at that time he could have been seriously hurt if he fell. My husband found him and quickly returned him to the safety of the lower level and shut the gate behind him. The thought occurred to me that gates are only helpful if you actually use them. They do no one any good if they aren’t put into action.

Upon reading Matthew 22:41-46 and Mark 12:38-34, I came across a gate of our Christian faith. In both of these chapters, Jesus quotes the Shema from Deuteronomy 6:4-5 to the Pharisees who were questioning him:

“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.”

Faithful Jews would have known this passage well, as they quoted it twice each day. It was a landmark passage for their faith. What strikes me as so radical is that the people that knew this phrase intimately would not know, indeed, not even recognize, when the God they were supposed to love with everything in them was standing right in front of them! Much like my open baby gates, the Law that was meant to point them to Christ was leading them to danger.

As I observe modern Christianity, I see this passage as a landmark passage for our faith as well. We do not necessarily ritually repeat this verse as the Jews did, but we do summarize Jesus’ teaching on the greatest and second greatest commandment. We put it simply into four words: “Love God. Love others.” I’ve encountered this phrase in multiple church mission statements and painted on church walls, labeled on Christian mugs and t-shirts, and tattooed on the arms of brothers and sisters in Christ. Yet, I’m afraid that we are opening a gate to the life of a Pharisee. It may be so commonplace to us that it has become useless. Claiming to be mature with our catchphrase, we actually become more prone to folly. We are the babies. We climb the stairs only to fall.

Sisters, it is worth your time to pause and meditate upon Jesus’ words here. These words from Jesus should be familiar to you, but never useless, never ho-hum, never tired to your convictions or to your prayers. May the challenge to love God and love others never become so cliche that it is just our cultural background noise.

God is calling us to an all-encompassing love, and this love is a response to His all-encompassing love for us.

To truly love God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind means to love him with your everything. When God says “all” in Scripture He means ALL, no part left out or forgotten. That means our total and complete love is to go to Him.

To love Him with your heart, kardia in Greek, means to love him with all your passions, desires, intelligence, will, character, and from the innermost secret places of who you are. To love Him with all your soul, psyche, means to love Him with all your breath and life, your very essence. To love Him with all your mind, dianoia, means to love Him with all your thoughts, understanding, imagination, and feelings.

Simply put, God is calling us to an all-encompassing love, and this love is a response to His all-encompassing love for us. We must realize it. We must receive it! He would not call us to this kind of love without first giving us bucketloads of it Himself. And He would not call us to this kind of love if we were not created to live it out! Yet, how in the world do we do that? We look to Christ! God gives us the most beautiful example of this love in Jesus Himself, who loved the Father and enacted this command from His own human words and deeds. And that love extended to others as well, as Jesus not only told but showed us how to ‘love thy neighbor.’

We must remember that the greatest commandment - to love - comes from a great God! He does not just challenge our lackluster love for Him but He also gave us Love Himself to redeem and restore our ability to love once again. One day, I will love the Lord my God with ALL my life and breath. Today, I see that I love Him more than the hour I first believed, but oh for grace may I love Him more! I’m praying God would help me repent of the “some” that should be “all” - that He’d help me receive His love in full and respond to it by how I love others. Help me not to fall through the gate, Lord. Teach me how to love you, great God!

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Jillian Vincent loves Jesus. She's a wife, mother of two boys and a Dayton enthusiast. Jillian currently is a stay at home mama and spends nap time writing and discipling other women. She would (almost) die for an avocado, a cup of coffee made by her husband, a novel that makes her cry, and a bouquet of sunflowers.

A man, blind from birth.
A woman, lame for years.
A child, sick with a fever that the parents knew would take his life.

The towns in Jesus time were filled with people like this. The lame, the blind, the sick. It’s safe to say that there was a lot of hopelessness, wondering if there will ever be relief from this oppression. Wondering if there is a cure, a way to find healing and hope.

The gospels are filled with stories of people facing brokenness in their lives. There are many instances of brokenness due to sin or lifestyle choices, but the brokenness that stands out in these stories is the physical brokenness that many were facing. Some of them had lived their entire lives stricken with physical illness, while some had contracted diseases that had no cure. Many were hopeless...beggars sitting at the edges of pools, marketplaces and wealthy homes, hoping that today would be the day that brings a reprieve from their symptoms and pains.

And then along comes Jesus. Walking from town to town, bringing with him a strange group of people, filled with parables and preaching. Most likely, his reputation preceded him and as the townspeople heard he was coming, they waited for him to walk into their towns. Were the rumors really true? Did he really say such strange things? Did he really talk back to Pharisees and Sadducees and religious leaders? Did he really do all those things he said he did? What is this Jesus guy really all about? And, really, when it all comes down to it- is there anything in his message for me? What can he provide me with?

it’s not just about us and the solutions we crave. Instead, it’s about gOD and using our testimony to bring glory to Him.

So, from town to town Jesus and his strange band of men stroll. Jesus brings messages that the people haven’t heard before, he stands up to the religious leaders and often makes spectacles of them. He reprimands the rich young man and tax collectors. I imagine most of the “commoners” standing in the crowd, enjoying the scene. At the same time, the words coming from Jesus’ mouth probably made many uncomfortable. How could it be possible to choose to stay married when divorce was an option? How could one worker be paid the same amount as another worker who did half the work? And really, Jesus, those words are so nice and entertaining, but- what is in it for me?

Throughout the gospels, there is a division of people after Jesus has finished preaching and teaching. There are those who scoff and walk away, there are those who listen and believe, and there are those who listen, believe and obey. Each group seems to answer “What is in it for me?” in a different way. The first group decides that there is nothing in it for them- and walks away. The second group decides that it could be rather beneficial for them to follow this man with the strange words of wisdom. And the third group? They also decide that there is nothing in it for them- that instead of it being about them, it is all about HIM.

Let’s take a closer look at Luke 17:11-19. As Jesus entered a village, ten men with leprosy approached him (vs. 12). They raised their voices, asking Jesus to bring healing to them (vs. 13). They knew who Jesus was and they knew that his reputation- he brought healing to those who were stricken with sickness and disease. They knew that there was a chance that just asking could bring relief from years of pain and living like social outcasts. Jesus’ response to them was simple- “Go and show yourselves to the priests” (vs. 14). All ten men heard what Jesus said and decided that it would be beneficial for them to go and do what Jesus said. All ten men were healed on their way to see the priests! But only one man fully understood the weight of what had happened. Only one of the ten understood that it wasn’t all about him or what was in it for him. He understood that it was about Jesus and giving glory to God (vs. 15-16). He fell face down before Jesus and thanked him, giving glory to God.

Let us also remember this lesson: that when we ask God, we can expect him to bring healing and answers to our problems. But it’s not just about us and the solutions we crave. Instead, it’s about HIM and using our testimony to bring glory to Him. How can we do that today?

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Suzanne Hines wants to live in a world where sunflowers bloom in eternal summer, where her children play instead of argue and where her family has an endless budget for travel. When she's not loving her husband, training and teaching her three children, and spreading education on the foster care system, you can find her writing, reading or running outside!

Her favorite Scripture is Romans 12:12 "...be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer..." (NIV)

If I could only convey through black and white text the sheer excitement that fills my body when I read those beautiful red words of Jesus in the Bible. The words spoken directly TO ME from Jesus. Yes, they are spoken to you as well. To everyone.

My limited human abilities to rationalize relationships requires me to generationalize God and Jesus- I know that is not a real word, but can we pretend it is? I mentally place God in the Father, or Grandfather generation. Jesus is like a brother. Anyone that knows me knows I adore my siblings so adding Jesus as a brother makes my family, basically, the best ever.

When it comes to siblings, I have more than a handful. I have seven. Seven. I adore these people and the special significant others they have. They give me so much joy there aren’t even words to describe it.

I didn’t have an easy family life growing up; there was a lot going on that left more than a few battle scars on most of us. One thing we always had was each other. The way my family is split, I have 3 of my sisters on my biological mother’s side. I lived with them, grew up with them. We did the day to day life together. I was the oldest, so I helped them get ready for dances, trained them on makeup, discussed boys.  I probably also did a bit of smothering. My other 4 siblings fall on my biological father’s side. I never lived with them, only saw them when I drove myself over there. They are quite a bit younger than me and it took until they were all adults for the relationships to really solidify.

How does this have anything to do with our current reading, you ask? I’m getting there. A few weeks ago, my precious stepmom sent me a text about my birthday. She wanted me to pick a restaurant or someplace to celebrate. I told her I didn’t have a preference, so she coordinated with my 3 local siblings from my father’s side to have dinner at home one evening. The truth is, I was feeling isolated and alone, unlovable almost. When she asked, I didn’t want to be around anyone, let alone celebrate my existence. (I do not enjoy sharing this vulnerable side of me.)

While still wallowing in this place of self-hate, I went to dinner at my beloved stepmom’s house. Based on my mood, dinner should have been a few lima beans, a chunk of gizzards with a dirty shoe for dessert. Instead, when I arrived, she had prepared a delicious chicken with mixed vegetables and cheesy potatoes followed by cake and cupcakes. My mom didn’t make a meal I felt I was worthy of, she made a meal SHE felt I was worthy of.

”But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.” Luke 15:20

In Luke 15 Jesus speaks to the crowd about the prodigal son. He explains how the youngest son is given his inheritance. The oldest son stays home, continues working for his father. The young son spends his money swiftly and quickly develops a low self-esteem. He soon feels as if he has no worth, as if he cannot return home to the family because he has done too much damage. He eventually decides going home to be an employee of his father’s would be better than starving to death. I’m sure many of you know the story, but just as a refresher, allow me to remind you: Upon seeing his son walking up the lane, the father immediately begins ordering a feast, a party for his returning son. Read that again… Upon seeing him walking up the lane! This is a crucial part of the story. The son didn’t have to apologize, beg forgiveness, work off the debt, start a charity, deliver pizza by camel. Nothing. He just had to return home.

God is quite the same with us. When we feel defeated, as if we could never show our makeup-streaked, puffy-eyed, snotty-nosed, ugly cry faces in public again, God runs down the lane to embrace us while the party is prepared. I know for me, that moment has happened more times than I care to admit. But I know how perfect it feels to just allow His glory to embrace me in my mess. Just like that night when I walked into my parent’s home and was embraced by my stepmom. She didn’t care that I had ugly cried that day. Neither did God. There was an abundance of love towards me because I existed. Even though that was the last thing I felt worthy to have showered upon me. The love God has for us was brought home again in John 11:35-36 when Jesus returns to the tomb of his friend Lazarus. He wept. The people who had followed him there said: “See how much He loved him!” No matter our place emotionally, Jesus loves us enough to weep when we die, metaphorically or physically. Can you imagine watching us make mistake after mistake as we navigate our lives? I’d want to reach down and shake us into submission!

While I completely understand why He doesn’t shake us into submission, I draw both a bit of perplexity as well as strength from Luke 10:19-20 when Jesus says, “Look, I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy, and you can walk among snakes and scorpions and crush them. Nothing will injure you. But don’t rejoice because evil spirits obey you; rejoice because your names are registered in heaven.” This brings a sense of peace to a tumultuous heart. Knowing my name is written in heaven. Whoa. Nothing can calm a racing heart like that phrase, especially one in a state of self-pity. But that’s only half. We have authority over the enemy through God. Could there be a more stabilizing phrase in the world? God has granted us the ability to cast the demons away from our lives, to bring our lives back to Him, back to His grace. I can’t lie, it almost makes me feel like a superhero. Take that, enemy! I’ve got my super suit of God on and I’m sick of you so WHAP! Back to hell you go!

Chins up, ladies!! You are precious and loved! Snotty-nosed, ugly crying and broken. God still thinks you are beautiful, amazing, and unique. He is RUNNING down the lane to embrace you in your mess!

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 Sonya Gentry wants to live in a world where being kind and loving means that when we encounter a need or brokenness, we say yes first and think about it second. This would be a world where walking with Jesus means trying to act like Jesus through loving, relevant acts of service; where Christians put their hands and feet in the dirty situations of the world in order to show people God’s love and grace; where we understand that comfort zones are meant to be broken because people need us to show up and be be the best portrayal of God’s love we can be. When she's not working, you can find her being silly with friends and family, playing games with her nephews, volunteering for various organizations and events with her church, or relaxing with a movie.

What comes out of our mouths on a regular basis? Are we speaking life into situations and people or are we speaking death? Are we missing the mark as far as recognizing what words or actions would be most helpful and encouraging at any given moment? 

In Matthew 15:16-20, Jesus explains how what comes out of our mouths is of greater importance than doing what appears to be the right thing as He addresses His disciples about the Pharisee’s criticism: “Do you not see whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled? But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person.”

Let’s not just look into the mirror of the Word today and forget what we have seen after we leave.

We have a great opportunity to learn from what He is saying here. Let’s not just look into the mirror of the Word today and forget what we have seen after we leave. Let us allow it to impact our hearts and minds, as well as the lives of others. The Pharisees were continually scrutinizing what Jesus said and did or did not do based on the law. They failed to see the real importance of God’s commands and chose to view their age-old traditions as the primary focus of their lives. They missed the whole point!

Jesus was and is more concerned with our hearts than our performance and He is certainly much more concerned that we set our minds on the things of God, not on the things of man. (Matthew 16:23) I am reminded of the time when my husband and I visited a church and upon being greeted by an older gentleman, he asked us if we were saved. I responded ‘yes’ and at the time my husband was an atheist so he answered ‘no’. To which, the man immediately responded, “Your marriage will never last.”  This man thought he was doing his duty for the Lord by speaking critically over our marriage.  Could he not see that we had come to church together? He missed a great opportunity to encourage us but rather out of tradition, not even from a scriptural standpoint, he proceeded to speak a curse over our lives. He had missed the point altogether because his eyes were focused on the things of man. 

As Jesus addressed the Pharisee’s concern about hand washing he made it very clear that they were missing the point: “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? For God commanded, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’” (Matthew 15:3-4)Their mouths revealed that they were only thinking of themselves in their attempt to do the right thing. They were trying to catch Jesus up and prove him wrong, all for the sake of their own law. How often do we criticize others while they are speaking, weighing what or how they said something, trying to catch them up in some fault. Christians too can be Pharisees in practice.

Will we expose our hearts to the scalpel of the Word, in order that we would be wholly honoring to our Father in Heaven by honoring others with our mouths?

Are we quick to criticize and slow to show the love of God, thinking that we will not be honoring our Father in heaven if we don’t say something for fear that we will “miss an opportunity”? Or are we looking for opportunities to point out in others, with our speech, what we see that is good and glorifying to our Father? Thankfully the lovingkindness of the Father indeed led my husband to repentance despite the efforts of a modern day Pharisee. 

When we honor others with our mouths we honor God in heaven. So let us look into the word of God which is quick and powerful and sharper than any double-edged sword, able to penetrate and divide the thoughts and intents of our hearts so that we will be a well-spring of encouragement and grace to those around us. As women of God we have a great responsibility and opportunity to encourage those around us.  All too often we look for what is “not right” in other’s lives and we miss the opportunity to show real genuine love, the kind of love Jesus displayed toward a Canaanite woman later in Matthew 15. Jesus forsook the view that the house of Israel took precedence over all other people, and He listened to what came out of the woman’s mouth and recognized the faith that was in her heart.

“But she came and knelt before him, saying, ‘Lord, help me.’ And he answered, ‘It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.’ She said, ‘Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.’ Then Jesus answered her, ‘O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.’ And her daughter was healed instantly.”  Matthew 15:25-28

Will we choose to be sanctified by His powerful Word in order to expose our traditional patterns of thought that are contrary to a mind of the Spirit? Our thoughts come from our heart and they affect our attitudes and speech as well as our approach toward others. Will we expose our hearts to the scalpel of the Word, in order that we would be wholly honoring to our Father in Heaven by honoring others with our mouths? Lord, help us not miss the point!

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 Karen Savage wants to live in a world where Christ is Glorified. When she's not serving her family, you can find her serving others. Her favorite Scripture is John 15:7-8 ESV.