Monthly Archives: February 2016

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Decaffeinated

“In our closest relationships, we may come to know someone well enough that we see habits that could potentially hurt them. And it’s likely they will see the same in us. We may be tempted to keep quiet, thinking the loving thing is to let them go on doing whatever makes them happy, even if it leads to the edge of a dangerous cliff. But true love is honest. If we really love someone, we’ll speak up—not in judgment, but in gentle concern for their well-being.” (This Life and Beyond | Blog)

Wounds from a sincere friend are better than many kisses from an enemy. (Proverbs 27:6)

Source: Decaffeinated

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Love and the Outcome

“Our society is built on a faulty notion of a love that doesn’t intervene. We mistakenly believe that if someone is happy doing something—however self-destructive, the loving thing to do is to keep quiet. We fear being considered narrow-minded, even hateful, for saying something that could help.
Maybe there’s constant news of shootings and mass murders and other violence because no one was loving ENOUGH to say something when it needed to be said. If we had spoken truthfully, in love, when we saw a hint of a problem—or just had that gut feeling that something wasn’t right…maybe things would be different.” (This Life and Beyond | Blog)

Source: Love and the Outcome

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My Two-year Old Professional Distractor

“There are days I get so involved in the tasks before me that I forget the most important thing is to be involved in the lives of those I love… At the end of my life, do I want it to be said that I was very involved in the task at hand? No. I want to be known for being committed to the work of love.” (This Life and Beyond | Blog)

“My whole life I complained that my work was being interrupted until I realized that the interruptions were my work.” (Henri Nouwen)

Source: My Two-year Old Professional Distractor

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Sincere Love vs. Hijacked Faith

We need to admit that there are counterfeits of Christianity out there, and these counterfeits have twisted what was meant to be good into a man-made farce. The problem comes in thinking that because counterfeits exist, all must be counterfeit. In truth, having a counterfeit means the real thing’s got to be out there, we just have to take a closer look. (This Life and Beyond | Blog)

“Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil, cling to what is good.” (Romans 12:9)

Source: Sincere Love vs. Hijacked Faith

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A Love that Satisfies

“We often spend our lives in futility, running after things that only leave us weary and dry. Exhausted from empty pursuits, we collapse before the well meant to quench our thirst. Yet we keep digging, pursuing and laboring in vain—never realizing that our hearts are waiting for love…a love that completes us and satisfies eternally.” (This Life and Beyond | Blog)
“Jesus answered, ‘Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.’ ” (John 4:13-14)

Source: A Love that Satisfies

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Waiting for Spring

“We never know exactly when spring is going to come. The groundhog doesn’t determine it, God does! And it always comes, even if it’s late or unexpectedly early. But it always comes after winter. Our temptation is to give up in the winter—to become cold and die right along with it. But if we give up too soon, we’ll miss the spring that’s right around the corner.” (This Life and Beyond | Blog)

“… imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.” (Hebrews 6:12)

Source: Waiting for Spring