Hello!!  Happy new Year to everyone.  That’s to Trump supporters as well as Biden supporters.  May this new year bring in peace.  And, a new found love for others.  May we also pray for each other through whatever means we pray.  I am a Christian.  My prayer life is centered around God’s Word.  I believe in Gods salvation plan.  I believe it’s for everyone.  Not everyone agrees with me or the salvation plan.  Let me extend my hand, arm and life in peace.  Let me extend my ears and my eyes as well.  May I listen to people around me no matter their beliefs.  We all come to our places through experiences, trials and choices.  To say someone is wrong is to close your ears and eyes.  I choose to keep open.  I will listen.  I’ve made my choices.  I stand by them as others stand by theirs.  No one wins who wants to tear someone else down.   That’s not what Jesus told us to do.  He told us to love one another as He loved us.  He hung with sinners and laid down His life for all.  
 

This is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us. – 1John 3:23

 
     With the new year coming in slowly, like an awakening bud, may we feel a rebirth from within.  A renewal that holds new hope, trials and most likely, persecutions.  I had an aide once tell me “thick skin, thick skin”.  I wish he knew how often I chant that to myself.   It means we press on knowing that this world is broken and that we can be a mending piece.  A smile, kind word, a phone call or letter of encouragement.  We can shake off the anger and bitterness of others!  We can seek justice without malice and we can stop now and then to pray for those whose struggle is intense.  There are people on our prayer list, believers or not, who struggle with separation, divorce, addiction, cancer, loss (homes, possessions, food, security, family, etc.) and death.  Many of us may not have such drastic changes in their life but we are cut off, hanging by other threads.  Maybe we face doubts, fears, worry, anxiety and a new frightening darkness.  These are becoming a spreading norm. 
 

Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.”  -John 8:12  NASB

 
     Reach out!  Find a support group, small group, neighbor, pastor, counselor or a cousin, aunt, uncle, classmate, someone who can share and uplift!  I began calling a friend from Bible study who I moved away from a year ago.  I miss her and we recently started making two week dates to call each other to support and uplift.  We don’t agree on everything but there is love so strong that we have never let that separate the bigger picture God holds up for us to see and to share.  I don’t know why we waited so long to make such a pact.
 

and may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another, and for all people, just as we also do for you; – 1Thessalonians 3:12

     Jesus loved us enough to drag a big wooden cross to Calvary where He knew He would be nailed and surely die.  God loved us enough to send Jesus knowing full well His purpose.  Why?  LOVE.  Many have not felt this beautiful gift.  From humans or God.  Why not?  Back to the broken world reality.  My heart aches for those who have not experienced such a gift.  Such a basic human need.  We need it, crave it, seek it, try to understand it, all the while not really understanding how damaging it is to the soul to withhold it.  To squelch it is to remove a vibrant chunk of the heart.  So many spend their lives just wishing for their definition of it.  My prayers and love for those who truly need it most.  
 

We love, because He first loved us. – 1John 4:19

 

     So. I have this blog for another year.  My purpose will be to spread the gospel message of love and hope.  To offer prayers should anyone ask or need them and to give short lessons from books of the Bible.  My first book will be Ruth.  I have often revisited this marvelous book and journey of loyalty and great love. Prayers and peace to all.

 

“Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part; but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away. When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known. But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.”

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭13:4-13‬ ‭NASB