3 Times God Reminded Me that Love is Important

"Love for others is the indicator that 

the Holy Spirit 

is really at work in your life."

     This is something my pastor said this morning during his sermon. And it stuck out to me because just yesterday I wrote this to a dear friend,

"The remainder of the year

I will prayerfully seek to be

a vessel of God's love to those 

around me who appear 

broken, defeated, and hopeless."

     Our conversation was sparked by a post I contributed to at the beginning of the year where I committed 2014 to pursuing intentional relationships in order to encourage and uplift those around me. 

     A few weeks after making that commitment on Bonnie's blog I received a letter in the mail that I had written to myself after returning from a summer spent in Zimbabwe. I had forgotten most of what I had written in that letter which I supposed was the point of sending it six months after we got back- so that we could be reminded of everything we had learned and experienced while overseas. At the very end of my letter to me I wrote this reminder to myself,

"Love on my roommates 

even when it hurts."

     And let me tell you something, I didn't know it then but it would hurt. I didn't know how much I needed that reminder at the time, sitting in my room, at the beginning of the year. But looking back I see how God was at work in my life even at the end of last summer when I wrote that. God knew what 2014 had in store for me; He knew I would need to be reminded to love my roommates even when it was hard, even when it hurt me to do so. God knew the roller coaster of a semester I was about to embark on and because of His grace, and by His strength, I was able to love on those around me in the best way I knew how.

     God was working in my heart, and in my life, way back at the end of last summer only I didn't, couldn't, see it until now. God was preparing my heart even then for the experiences I had at the beginning of the year. He laid on my heart a need to love my roommates "even when it hurt". Six months later He laid on my heart a desire to be intentionally seeking out Christ-centered relationships that build one another up in love. Then yesterday, six months later, He laid on my heart a desire to be a vessel for His love to those around me no matter who they are or what they've done. 

"Love for others is the indicator that the Holy Spirit is really at work in your life."

     Today God showed me that I have grown a lot over the course of a year. Its crazy how much God stretched me this past year. But I am a work in progress. Even today as I saw how God used me over the past six months to love on those around me He made it clear to me that I have also failed in this area as well. I have been unforgiving. I have been rude. I have been jealous. I have lied. I have not loved. I am not perfect. I have a long ways to go in learning how to love like Christ loves, BUT I am learning and growing, and my heart is changing because every day I see how much God loves me and I want others to know that love too. 

"Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things." 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

-Amanda

PS. Check out my dear friend Bonnie's blog, Strong+Sweet. She is such and encouraging, uplifting woman of God.

New Year... New Adventures

     A friend of mine has recently started a blog that is designed to encourage and empower young ladies in Christ. Check it out, its called Strong + Sweet and has already been a great encouragement to me.

     Today I started my internship that will lead to the completion of my degree and graduation in May! This is an exciting time, but it is also a time of nerves and uncertainty. I have no idea what May will hold for me or where God is going to take me within the next few months but I have been thinking about what God is placing on my heart for this New Year. This is something that I can do no matter where I end up after graduation because it comes right from God's Word.

"And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the day drawing near." - Hebrews 10:24-25

     I have been prayerfully considering this upcoming year and asking God to show me how He wants to use me. This is what the Holy Spirit has been teaching me the past few days: be intentional with relationships. To me this means more than just making time to spend with family and friends. This means seeking out those around me who need to be encouraged by the gospel, people who need prayer, or people who just need a hug. 

     I want to be intentional in the relationships that I have and in relationships I form with those God will bring into my life in the next few weeks or months. I want to do this the time I spend with others is done is such a way that we are both being drawn closer to Christ.

     My time here in Lock Haven may be coming to an end but I'm sure gonna be using as much of it as I can for the advancement of the Kingdom. I interact with a lot of people on a daily basis; if I am intentional in those relationships I will have a ton of opportunities to share the gospel and to encourage + empower my Christian friends.

     Pray about how God is going to use you in this upcoming year. Welcome 2014, and as they say in Zimbabwe.... PARTY VIBES. Its going to be a great year. 

"Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another" - Proverbs 27:17

Highlight of 2013 was these precious kiddos and the chance I got to meet them and spend my summer in Zim.

- Amanda