It only takes a spark...

Compassion and passion go hand in hand.

Merriam-Webster dictionary defines compassion as
"a feeling of wanting to help someone who is sick, hungry, in trouble, etc..."

What is passion, then?
It is "a strong feeling of enthusiasm or excitement for something or about doing something."

What do you care deeply about?

What injustice or statistic makes you angry?

What makes you tick?

What can't you go one day without doing?

Ephesians 2:10 says,
"For we all are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."

When we discover what God called us to do, we can't help but get excited about it, because it's always going to bless someone else.

Our purpose is never about us.

It's always about someone else.

God is so awesome that He gave us a desire to fulfill our purpose by putting gifts and talents in us that we enjoy doing!
Yes, we might enjoy them temporarily when we are the only ones who benefit from them.
BUT I GUARANTEE that we will definitely enjoy them permanently when they benefit someone else.

Let's say you like to paint.
Painting a beautiful masterpiece to hang in your own house is nice.
There's nothing wrong with admiring your own work.
But painting that picture for a friend who needs a reason to smile is even better.
When she hangs that beautiful masterpiece in her house, she will be reminded of how much you care for her.
Joy will enter into her sad heart.
You see her smile and you smile.
You paint more pictures for other people in need of hope, love and joy.
And God gets all the glory!

You could be a great cook.
Maybe you are an awesome listener.
You may enjoy writing poetry.
Maybe you love to pray for people.

Whatever it is, God put it in you to bring life, joy, hope, peace and love to someone else.

Passion is a flame that fuels compassion.

Compassion is flame that fuels passion.

Together...miracles happen!

1 Corinthians 10:31
"So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."

One True Love

What does love look like to you? 

A rose, maybe?

Dinner for two by candlelight?

Oh I know! "THE NOTEBOOK"!

(Yes, I'm a huge fan of THE NOTEBOOK in case you were wondering.)

And I do believe that all of these things are representations of earthly love.

But, you see, we only know what we've learned here on earth.

We understand only what we've seen and experienced throughout our lives.

Our idea of love is full of limitations, conditions and imperfections.

But the perfect example of love ....love that is limitless and unconditional ....is JESUS. 

God sent His son to earth to die a horrific death for you and me.  

That kind of sacrificial love is so amazing and unbelievable.

But, I believe it!

Do you?

Do you believe in His never-ending love?

Have you accepted that He loves you no matter what you've done?

People won't always accept you, by the way.

We all hurt eachother- sometimes on purpose- often times by accident.

We all say one thing and do another at some point in our lives.

We all break hearts and have our hearts broken.

The best of intentions is still no match for God's perfect love.

The only way to really know love is to embrace what our Saviour, Jesus Christ, did for us.

As we approach Valentines Day, I want to challenge you to really look at the Cross.

Take your eyes off the earthly things that are dragging you down. 

Look up into the loving eyes of your Faithful God today.

Feel His arms wrap around you and reassure you.

God says:

YOU ARE PRICELESS.

Because Jesus paid the price...for you to know true love.

1 John 4:7-12 

"Dear friends, let us love one another, because love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born again because of what God has done. That person knows God. 

Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.

How did God show his love for us? He sent his one and only Son into the world. He sent him so we could receive life through Him.

What is love? It is not that we loved God. It is that He loved us and sent His Son to give his life to pay for our sins.

Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we should also love one another. No one has ever seen God. But if we love one another, God lives in us. His love is made complete in us."

Only Hope

“Hope” is the thing with feathers -

That perches in the soul -

And sings the tune without the words -

And never stops - at all -

And sweetest - in the Gale - is heard -

And sore must be the storm -

That could abash the little Bird

That kept so many warm -

I've heard it in the chillest land -

And on the strangest Sea -

Yet - never - in Extremity,

It asked a crumb - of me.

- Emily Dickinson

I love this poem. 

It paints a beautiful picture of HOPE. 

It gives us a visual that can't be easily erased from our minds.

The author, Emily Dickinson, gives HOPE such tangible qualities.

It just makes me want to reach out and touch it.

HOPE IS:

Weightless as a feather floating on the wind.

Carefree as a bird chirping its morning song.

Comforting as a hug given at just the right time.

HOPE BRINGS:

Light to the dark places of our hearts.

Joy to the sadness that envelopes our souls.

Freedom to the thoughts held captive in our minds.

HOPE REPLACES:

Emptiness with Overflow 

Sadness with Laughter

Silence with Song

HOPE HAS A NAME....JESUS.

Only HOPE can take away the pain of yesterday.

Only HOPE can show you a way out of your pit.

Only HOPE can bring you relief and healing.

ONLY HOPE.