Love

At the beginning of this year, I chose a word. I word to describe 2011. How I wanted to live, what I wanted to change, A sort of prophecy if you will. And that word was heart.

The bible says to love one another as Jesus once loved us. This statement has taken a whole new meaning to me. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. If he did such an act for us before we believed in him, loved him, followed him, then why are we so cautious with giving out the same love he has for us? Over the past two weeks, I have been in Florida for vacation. Well, it was originally supposed to be vacation, but it defiantly turned out to be a mission trip. My family arranged for me to spend a week with my brother Nick and cousin Paul. Paul, who works at the renaissance fair there, suggested I help out with the knights by squiring. When I first arrived, the guys were wary, assuming I was like every other girl they probably had squire for them. (For those of you who don’t know, squiring is.. It’s when you’re basically the knights assistant, handing them stuff, grooming the horses, tacking up, etc.) But over the next weekend they saw the difference in me. I talked, I listened, I laughed, joked back, loved them for who they were, supported them, helped them when they needed it. I could imagine so many “Christians” showing up and judging them for cussing, or smoking, or hanging out at the bar after the show. But I didn’t. It wasn’t because I felt like I shouldn’t.. It wasn’t because I felt like I had to be Miss Super Christian. It was because the Lord gave me a word. Love. Just love them.

Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek it’s own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Wednesday finally rolled around, time to go home. But it just felt like my job wasn’t done. I talked to my mom and sister, and checked into plane tickets for a later date. Mom booked a flight for 6 day’s later. This gave me another weekend of opportunity to minister. Just to show God’s love. I can hardly describe it. The Love that flowed through me was so supernatural it was something only God could have done. The guys saw 

 the difference. They commented on it. Everything they said is listed in Galatians.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control. Galatians 5:22-23

Throughout my trip, the word I received was confirmed. When we hung out at Borders to enjoy the air conditioning, I cruised over to the “Christianity” section, and I spotted The Love Revolution by Joyce Meyer. I thumbed through it. (I thoroughly recommend it).  Then as I kept looking, book after book was about the same subject; love.

A couple days before I left for this trip, I really felt like this trip was going to be a test. Not one of those scary ones like in High School.. But more along the lines of “I have been teaching you through my people, my word, my mouth, now here is your turn to go with it. Take what you know, and go tell it on the mountain. Set the example, show my love, my heart for the world. Here is your first step. Trust me, there will be more.” And true to his word, throughout the trip he gave me opportunities to share about a relationship with Jesus, encourage with scripture, answer questions, defend my faith, and support others in theirs. Another scripture that I was hanging to was 

…do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak, for it is not you who speak , but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you. Matthew 10:19-20

God was so faithful. As always! At first I spoke because I felt like I had to. But as the days went by, I listened to Solomon when he said “A fool has no delight in understanding, But in expressing his own heart.” Proverbs 18:2. I learned to speak when I had something to say.

As expected, this was a huge learning experience for me. Kind of like after you take college classes, you do an internship. Well this was a mega internship, led by the guy who really know’s what he’s talking about. After all that, all I can say is; God rocks!