“Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other…

Be glad for all God is planning for you…”

Romans 12:10 &12

These words are packed full of good vibes…

It’s so so good to love others with genuine affection…

To delight with others, and honor them.

But I also know that this can be a real struggle…

Sometimes I find myself holding back because of what others may think of me…

I want to reach out in joy and be happy for a friend or acquaintance, but, at that same exact moment, I find my heart holding back…

“Will I sound too mushy.. too dramatic?  Am I too much?  Maybe it’s not my place…!”

The list can go on and on…

But.  For me.

It’s my heart’s desire that love wins…

That I be my best self..

That I choose to live a life of love, hope and encouragement…

That I live to please my Heavenly Father…

That I can look in the mirror, and know I am loved by my Father, and beautiful in His eyes…

That’s the stuff :)

We are all in this thing called life together..

Why do we hold back?

The truth is.  In my inner most depths.  I am so over joyed when some one reaches out to me in love…

I never think it’s too much, too mushy or overrated…

Their loving gesture always gives me hope, and strengthens my weary soul…

So prayerfully, I choose love.

Prayerfully I will choose genuine affection, and encouragement for those in my life’s circle, and beyond…

I truly don’t want to hold back what is good, especially for fear of being judged or condemned.

God knows our hearts.  He knows our thoughts, and our very soul…

Let’s not hold back in doing good :)

Let’s honor those who we love.. who cross our paths, or maybe just make us smile…

Let’s be open, honest and transparent with what is good, and trust God’s generous heart for us in loving so unconditionally…

I know that brings a smile to God’s face…

” For we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do..”

Ephesians 2:10

Dear Heavenly Father, Oh how I thank you for all the good, sweet and kind gestures you unlock for me in my days…

May you give me the strength and conviction to trust in that goodness.. that I would let it be an overflow from my heart to this world that can be so harsh…

My heart cries out for kindness… may I not back away from sharing what You have instilled in my heart…

Your beauty and grace overflowing…

I pray this in Jesus Holy Name,

Amen

Live in Love,

Lisa

“Don’t just pretend that you love other.  Really love them.  Hate what is wrong.  Stand on the side of the good..”

Romans 12:9

Let your love light shine :)

One can seem like the loneliest number, but we are never alone in doing good!

“But there will be glory and honor and peace from God for all who do good… for God does not show favoritism…”

Romans 2:10

Every, little, sweet, and good thing you do is seen by the eyes of God…

He smiles with joy, and claps with enthusiasm as He watches us pour out our lives for His glory, His honor, and His name’s sake…

Our heavenly Father loves watching His children do good…

Oh, Father, how I pray for unity and love for those who seek to be in Your presence… May we encourage each other with hope and gladness.

Help us to be united by the common good of seeing the lost found, cheering each other on as we as we see hurting hearts touched by Your grace, Your love.. Your  tender mercies…

Ministry starts in our homes, and bleeds through the walls of our lives…

May we be encouraged today to not stop doing good…

Keeping our eyes fixed on You.

May we be a blessing to those in our world…

How I love You Jesus…

In Your Name I pray,

Amen

“For I long to visit you so I can share a spiritual blessing with you that will help you grow strong in the Lord. 

I’m eager to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours. In this way, each of us will be a blessing to the other…”

Romans 1:11 

Oh, Lord, how we need each other…

“Love the Lord your God with all of your heart, and with all of your soul, and with all of your mind. 

This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: “Love your neighbor as yourself… All of the law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments…”

Matthew 22:37-39

My heart is heavy this morning.  Sadness wants to overtake me, fear wants to control me…

I hate worrying about what others think of me… I am a peace maker through and through.

I struggle with emotions of people pleasing, and boundaries..

Just sayin :)

  Hahaha Glad to get that off my chest!!

Anyway…

When I read that scripture about 10 years ago, I knew God was penetrating me heart.  He was speaking softly to my soul with a whisper that only I knew was God’s voice…

He was giving me purpose and direction.

“Love me, Lisa…love me big, and don’t turn back… I will be with you, and I will help you to love others….”

There’s been so many ups and downs since that day…

I have been put to the test in so many different areas of my life..

We have moved all around the world… well at least it feels like it!

Maybe just to Texas, and Arizona…

Life can be so hard, but knowing and believing we here for a reason, that God has a purpose for me, and for you, gives me the strength to lay the pieces of my heart at His feet.

Knowing that all Jesus did was love, love, and love some more gives me the hope and reassurance that I am not crazy… lol

He was mocked, ridiculed, judged and watched by those who couldn’t … or wouldn’t see the beauty of God’s love overflowing from this beautiful man from Galilee…

Living a life of love.

Pouring your heart and your life into God’s greatest commandment is a journey… not a destination…

How I need to be reminded of that today…

So, today, if you too are struggling with feelings of insecurity and heart ache…let’s remember how badly Jesus was treated.  How sad it must have felt to have so much hate thrown at Him…

All He was here for was to love us back to God…

He is my biggest hero ever!

Live in Love,

Lisa

“Do not fear, for I am with you, do not be dismayed for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand..”

Isaiah 41:15

“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.  For God did not send His son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him..”

John 3:16-17

I woke up this morning thinking about how easy it is to hurt someone with our words, carless gestures, or selfish desires…

How easily we can be self consumed and negative.

I sooo never want to underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, or the smallest act of caring…

 Each of these, sweet and selfless acts, has the ability to penetrate deeply into someone’s heart, and give them hope to carry on…

People matter.  You matter..

How we live each day matters…

Oh Lord, give us the strength to see beyond ourselves.  Fill my heart, my mind and my thoughts with the desires of Your heart…

Guide my steps, reminding me that today matters. Help me to be present, hopeful and helpful…

Please give me the wisdom

to live in the moment, not worried about tomorrow, or burdened with yesterday..

To know that my purpose in this world is to rock my world with love..

Lord, I depend on You for the courage and strength I need to live my life in the present…

Lord, You are my God, and I will follow You…

I give You my day, Father,

May I glorify you in all that I say and do…

In Jesus Name,

Amen.

Live in Love

“A wise woman builds her house; a foolish woman tears hers down with her own hands.  Those who follow the right path fear the Lord; those who take the wrong path despise Him.”

Proverbs 14: 1-2

Every kind word.

Every thoughtful note.

Every sweet hug, and  every kind touch…

Is a gift of hope and inspiration…

You have the capability of pouring hope and sweetness into someone perfectly awful day…

Don’t let the opportunity escape you…

Love someone today.

Dear Father, Thank you for my sweet niece… her words of hope and goodness lifted my spirit and encouraged my heart.  Father, only you knew how much I needed to hear her kind words.. How truly amazing is love.

I pray Your blessing of favor, hope, and inspiration all around her life…

Thank You for her.  Thank You for her presence in my life.

Thank You for all that You are doing, and thank You for drawing our lives so amazingly woven together..

Lord, may we not miss one single opportunity to love someone today…

I love You, Heavenly Father,

In Your Name, I pray,

Amen

Live in Love,

Lisa

“I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.  I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me..”

Matthew 25: 35-40

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up..”

Galatians 6:9