9-29-13 “Sounds Weird”
John 3:9
“How are these things possible?” Nicodemus asked.

Yesterday at church, Pastor Dean had the best paraphrase for Nicodemus’ statement, “How are these things possible?” = “This sounds weird.” Good and accurate translation, Dad!

This is what sounds weird:
Jesus told Nicodemus, Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life.  So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.

You must be born again just sounds weird. But the reason it sounds weird is because all we have is human understanding; it is our default setting and the first thing our brains have access to. 

Here’s something else that sounds weird too.
1 Thessalonians 4:17-18
Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. So encourage each other with these words. Encourage other Believers with these words because to an unbeliever this sounds like crazy talk. 


Caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air? That’s not normal. I’m thankful that when this actually does happen I won’t be on earth to see what people think about this, but I bet they won’t give credit to the Lord. Instead they’ll give credit to the one who invented the idea of alien invasion and prove their theories true. Why not? Over the years, science fiction ideas have slowly become realities: cel phones, skype, body scans, computers... all things that used to be imaginary now realities.  

Also weird (from John 6:53) 
Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you cannot have eternal life within you.” In fact, the response from many of his followers was, “This is very hard to understand. How can anyone accept it (v.60)?” And then many of them took off. Translation? This sounds weird.

There’s lots more weird verses in the Bible that Christians like to keep under raps until they’ve ‘roped’ somebody in. I used to panic when I’d invite a friend to church for the first time and it happened to be communion Sunday, or a message about the rapture or submission. Let’s just sell the love and forgiveness first, Mr. Pastor, and then break out the weird stuff.

Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit... or anything else that is spiritual. That’s just it; it’s not for me to explain the rapture or communion or anything else. It is for the seeker to experience; it is for them to believe for themselves. God does that through his Holy Spirit. Humans, being control freaks by nature, can’t stand this. We want to know, understand every bit, and be certain before we jump on board.

Dean concluded his message by encouraging us to just be faithful to share. He shared his own experience about sharing what the phrase “born again” means to his own mom one day. It didn’t seem to affect her much at all, but he did it anyway. 

Likewise, I shouldn’t worry what the message will be on a Sunday, I should just be inviting people no matter what. The neat thing about things that sound weird is that it gives people something to think about, ponder, and research.

When I’m channel surfing on tv and see something strange on TLC or something coming on next, I tune in out of curiosity.  What if an unbeliever hears about the rapture, communion, or being born again just enough that it makes them curious and check it out for themselves? I’m not going to be frustrated or embarrassed that I can’t explain some elements of the Good News. But I am going to just believe and repeat.

Dear God,
I thank you for appealing to our curiosity with weird spiritual things. But I thank you even more that even though I can’t explain how your Holy Spirit works at all, I have experienced it, and that is the proof! I pray for my dear family and friends who are still trying to find proof without experience because they are trapped in their own human understanding. Help them (specifically Jim and Steve) to let go of what they believe to be control and just believe in you with all their hearts.  I love you and pray in Jesus’ name, amen.

9-27-13 “A Great, Big, Fat Heart”
Matthew 6:33
Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

When Believers say they "seek God" or "give a problem over to Him," I like to ask them what they are physically doing when they do it. Seriously, what does seeking God look like?

Seek the Kingdom of God above all else... We choose how we prioritize our day, week, month and life. If my relationship with God should be above all (more important than) all other relationships and activities, what does that look like?

We know what is important to us by how fast we get to it. When I went into labor with our first kid, my parents dropped everything and got in the car. They arranged life so this event could be the priority for them. It didn’t matter that she was born at 2:00 in the morning or that they had to work the next day or that they were hungry or tired or anything else. They were determined and excited to meet this new person beyond their usual habits and comforts.

Well, quiet time (Bible reading and prayer) should be the first procedure of the day. It doesn’t matter if I have to set the clock early in order to make spending time with God first each day a reality. I am excited to be with Him, to hear from Him, to thank Him. Just because I have responsibilities doesn’t mean God takes a back seat to my schedule. It means I build my schedule around set and uninterrupted time with Him. And should I miss my regularly scheduled time with God, I get to a point in my day where something else will take a backseat in order to get to Him same as I would if I were rushing off to the hospital to see a new baby - as soon as I can get there I will! It may make for extra chores or errands tomorrow, but it’s something I just can’t put off today. Considering God as important as a seeing a new baby is what “above all else” looks like.

And loving God the most doesn’t mean loving others less. I love my husband and my children and my family and friends as much as I possibly can. I make time for them, I think about them, I do things for them to my fullest capacity and capabilities. Then on top of that - love God more.

My heart is not finite. In order to give God the biggest space in there doesn’t mean the other special places decrease. It means my heart expands. And it continues a life of expansion as I mature and love others better and more, and as I love God better and more through the years.

Above all else...Could be mistaken for there’s not room for anything else, but this is not the case. Ezekiel 36:26 explains how this is possible. And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. 

Other translations call the new heart “a heart of flesh.” A “stony” heart has no capacity for expansion. A “heart of flesh,” a “responsive heart” certainly does. Think of trying to pour water into a stone container vs. pouring water into wineskins or some other expansive material. The stony vessel only has room for a certain amount and nothing more.The new heart I get not only has “a new spirit” but also new expanding capabilities.

That’s how I know that loving God the most doesn’t require loving others less. Love the people in my relationships as much as I possibly can and then simply love God more. That’s what “above all else” looks like... a great, big, fat heart.

Dear God,
Thank you for expanding my heart’s capabilities rather than make life less. Thank you that these words are so true and how I know firsthand that you do provide everything I need including the ability and desire to have a relationship with you that is above all my other priorities. You are great and greatly to be praised and I have loved our time together this morning, and I am so glad you are with me all day long. And I pray in Jesus’ name, amen.

9-26-13 “He Will Do It”
Hebrews 10:30-31
For we know the one who said, “I will take revenge. I will pay them back.” He also said, “The Lord will judge his own people.” It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

I know a couple of families who have recently been mistreated. Unfortunately, their lives now have to be tangled up in our court system as a result of other people in their lives making poor choices. It’s so easy to get angry at the mistreat-ers. It’s so easy. I want justice for my friends. I am angry with those who “play the system” and angrier still when the “system” doesn’t work towards true righteousness. Very frustrating.

But the good thing to remember is that God sees everybody and everything that goes on (Proverbs 15:11). And he explains his timing very well in 2 Peter 3:8-9. But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.

It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God... God knows that full well, and it is out of GREAT love and mercy that he is patient and holds back judgment. But that doesn’t mean he loves the mistreated ones less. And so for the people in that category who tell God what (they) need, and thank him for all he has done. He lets them experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard (our) hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7) This is no consolation prize; this is just AWESOME!

No matter how mad I get at a person or group of people or “the system,” it is not for me to get even or exact revenge. I think it might feel good, but since God clearly states this is not my job, it wouldn’t be good. Treating someone who is nasty in kind wouldn’t be giving them what they need. They need God. They need him desperately or they wouldn’t be in the nasty subset of humanity to begin with. 

I choose to trust God. For He also promises this: “The Lord does what is right and fair for all who are wronged by others.” (Psalm 103:6) If the wicked won’t use the consequences of their actions to turn their hearts towards God, God promises to make things truly right. Whether it’s on this side of Heaven or the other; it doesn’t matter. He will judge, He will make it right. He will - no matter how badly I may want to do it for Him - He will do it.

Dear God,
Forgive my strong desires to often times take matters into my own hands. And thank you for the countless times you have intervened for me and for people I love. Help me to be patient so that you can work through an entire situation that I can’t even see. I pray specifically for people like Riley and like Kaylee right now who are so loved yet so incredibly deceived. Help them to get the consequences they deserve as a means to finally turn their hearts towards you. And should they refuse that opportunity don’t let any of their evil, selfish, ungodly plans prevail. Protect their families from their bad decisions and the inevitable failure of our current justice system. Lord, we tell you what we need and we thank you for all you have done, and we trust you with all of our hearts to pay back or be patient as you see fit. I love you so much and pray in your Son’s name, amen.

9-23-13 “The Ultimate Trial”

Romans 5:3-4

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.




We can rejoice too... In the two verses before this one, Paul is expressing the reason for our great joy: Since we have been made right with God through faith, we have peace with God. We’ve received an underserved privilege, and we have confident hope for all the wonderful things to come. (Romans 5:1-2) So, because of these truths it doesn’t matter if life is rosy or we have problems. Either case doesn’t change the facts from verses 1 and 2. We are safe from the scariest thing of all... unforgiven sin and certain death... because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.




Then Paul goes on to explain a behind the scenes look at problems and trials and the real results they produce regardless of their momentary uncomfortable byproducts. Trials help us develop endurance. If I go jogging every morning and quit the moment I get a little winded each time, I will never get passed my block, right? Endurance develops when we pass our level of comfort and security. And it’s ok.




Endurance develops strength of character. How many movies, books, or news articles have been written about a child actor or famous person whose life is made comfortable for them so they will continue to do what they do or be like they are? The character they lack is due to everything being handed to them freely. It’s so ironic how many of the famous and the wealthy, who want for nothing and “have it made,” ruin their own lives by their own vices; they have no character.




And character strengthens our confident hope... The only people who have hope in stories and in the news are the people who have been through a trial or two. They know there is another side to it by experience. 




And because God generously sees us through our trials we can be confident about our ultimate trial - death. That’s the one thing we can’t look back on with previous experience. But I know that the trials and problems that pop up on the road of life just paves the way to the certainty that we have been made right with God...because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us!




Dear God,

I love being certain! I love people with strength of character and hope! I love being one of those people. Thank you that trials and problems do not come up in life for no reason. Help me to see them as constant opportunities to make my faith in you bigger. I love you so much and I just can’t thank you enough for what Jesus has done for us. Amen!

9-18-13 “Wouldn’t That Be Nice?”
Philippians 2:3-4
Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.

At church on Sunday, we were studying the book of Esther. Mordecai is a protective father figure to this poor Jewish girl, Esther, now taken from her family and in possession of the king. But there was a time, we can infer, that Mordecai was selfishly thinking of only himself and how hard it would be to start all over again with his family by going back to Judah with the other Hebrew people when a king finally came to the throne that would let them all go back from whence they came. Mordecai chose what he knew. He chose to stay as a foreigner rather than take his family to go be free people. 

The result was his family living under the control of King Xerxes who is now looking for a new wife, and his young ward, Esther, is subject to being taken by force to the palace with about 400 other unfortunate girls.

NOW. Now that this has happened to his daughter, Mordecai is now taking an interest in others too. He probably deeply regrets not taking his freedom when he had the chance to take it, and he certainly can’t take it now and abandon Esther. So he is now found pacing the palace gates every day. This is not something he did before. It is a new custom of his born out of worry. Every day Mordecai would take a walk near the courtyard of the harem to find out about Esther and what was happening to her. He now spends so much time near the palace he becomes a palace official (v. 19). He wasn’t a palace official before Esther was taken.

See what has happened? Mordecai was not thinking of his family when he had the opportunity to go back to the land of his people and didn’t take it. He was thinking of himself and how hard and uncertain it would be to live there. Staying behind was not God’s intention for Mordecai or any of his people or he wouldn’t have provided the opportunity for them to go. But since Mordecai did stay, since Mordecai did see the error he made on behalf of his whole family (or why would he have gone to the courtyard every single day?), since Mordecai’s heart changed to having more of an interest in Esther than for himself now, God worked stuff out for this guy and his family. God gives Mordecai a position as a palace official, and God makes Esther stick out in the king’s mind against the odds since there were 400 other women from which to choose.

What if Mordecai was too proud to admit looking after his own interests was just wrong? He himself tells Esther he believes deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise, but that maybe God let Esther be queen so that she and her family might saved presently. 
(Esther 4:14)

This is a giant case of Romans 8:28 right here. God can make the most amazing things happen from even our hugest mistakes. But that doesn’t mean it’s his will for us to mess up in the first place. It just means for those who do realize their sin and then seek God out, he will do this: cause everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. 

Had Mordecai taken his family back to Judah when he had the chance, deliverance and relief for the Jews would have come from someone else just like Mordecai said. But since Mordecai now has taken an interest in others too, God used him and his family for this purpose and turned a big mistake into a big blessing.

I know God has done this for me time and time again: turned a big mistake, a big regret into a big fat blessing. Yet, he doesn’t do that if there is no repentance and if I stay proud and selfish. But I am so glad he can. Nowhere else in the world is it possible for blessing to arise from a mistake. Typically humans just live with their mistakes and live every day with regret, discouragement, and shame.

But not so with God. God just wants me to admit, “See what I did? I am so sorry.” And then watch HIM work it out for good.

For example, there’s countless numbers of babies alive today to prove this is true. A proud young girl who didn’t heed her parents’ instructions turns out to have the baby that family can’t imagine life without. But there’s also families where this is not the case and those parents become resentful, the daughter bitter, and her child scorned. 

I prefer the former to the latter. Give God my mistakes and let him Romans 8:28 them out. And, furthermore, I’d like to Philippians 2:3-4 all the time and avoid messes in the first place. Wouldn’t that be nice?

Dear God,
Thank you for what you can do for me when I mess up! Thank you for this historical account of you working things together for the good of those who trust you on a huge scale like you did in Esther’s day. Thank you for also doing it on a much smaller scale for little me all the time. Thank you for your instructions to keep me from getting into trouble, and thank you for not holding it against me when I do. I love you and praise you and pray for your help and guidance in Jesus’ name. Amen.

9-17-13 “Options”
Ephesians 5:1
Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children.

Before someone lets God change their life, they only have one way of thinking, only one way they know, only one way they behave. But the Word of God and the Life of Jesus changes everything because now we have options.

BC (Before Christ) all a person knows is a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions according to 1 John 2:16. And the problem with these things is that they fade away (v. 17).

But the things of God are eternal, never disappoint, and do not disappear. 2 Corinthians 4:18 confirms: For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever. 

How important it is for me to trust the One who has seen what I haven’t yet seen? He knows all that I do not yet know. He understands all that I don’t even yet fathom. If I rely only on all I see and know, I’ll miss out on so much. In fact, it’d be outright dangerous for me. 

Where else in life would a person apply absolute faith-less-ness? I have never seen exactly how an antibiotic goes after a germ under a microscope, I take the guy’s in the lab coat word for it. These type of things are on uTube, I’m sure, but I’m too busy or lazy to check it out for myself. I have faith that some smart people have figured all that out for me.  I accept the medicine that will fight infection NOT based on my own knowledge or experience, no problem.

Likewise, I have faith that God has figured things out for me. He doesn’t need to prove it on a uTube video, I probably wouldn’t watch it anyway. When you just know that someone has worked it out, you let them.

So, if God’s Word tells me to simply imitate God in everything (I) do, then ok. I don’t have to copy that behaviors and customs of regular people (Romans 12:2). All they know is their own physical pleasure and achievements, remember? But God, who sees what I don’t, offers options. His way based on his infinite wisdom vs. my way based on not much. I can let God transform (me) into a new person by changing the way (I) think and become one who imitates HIM because I am his dearly loved child.

And that because you are his dear children phrase makes me think of one more thing...

Almost every single adopted child I’ve met has physical characteristics of their adoptive parents. They unintentionally adopt the behaviors, mannerisms, and even facial expressions of the parents who gave them a family and a home, not the parents who brought them into the world.

This has always fascinated me. Twentysomething years ago, I was a nanny for a little boy named Bradley. No one could tell the parents he lived with since his birth weren’t his biological parents. His face mimicked and imitated the ones who loved and cared for him. His inquisitive look looked just like his dad’s and his smile looked just like his mom’s. He couldn’t help looking and acting like them even if he tried. 

I want my face, my habits, and my ways to imitate the One who loves me most too!

Dear God,
I thank you so much for options. I thank you that I can imitate YOU and your ways through your Son and by the power of your Holy Spirit. I thank you so much that you are reliable; you see what I don’t. You know best. I must obey your Word; acting on my own is only from my limited scope. But you have my best interest at heart. Help me to simply imitate your Son, to change the way I think, and to not crave my own desires and possessions like those with no options do. I love you and pray in your Son’s name. Amen.

9-12-13 “Experiment With Joy”
Philippians 4:4
Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again - rejoice!

I think sometimes I read Paul’s words and think: “Oh, that would be nice to do that.” But consider where he is in his life when he says this... in prison. Um, I’ve never been in prison. I’ve never even been to a prison. Why can’t I take his instructions to heart every single day. They are instructions certainly born out of personal experience.

I must not reserve rejoicing for just when I’m in the mood. I can’t imagine feeling like rejoicing from a prison cel. I know I would not. I get grouchy from the flu or a lousy news article; I’m pretty sure my response to unjust incarceration would not be that of joy.

But thank God Paul experimented on himself. He chose to take time out from his situation to reflect on the goodness of God and found that it changed his heart regardless of his surroundings. And THEN he took the time to write letters to encourage present and future Believers to do the same.

This is a good practice. In a hospital, at a graveside, before a job interview, at the desk going over monthly bills - take a second and reflect on things for which I am truly thankful. It’s the perfect time to do that. I do it automatically when things are going swimmingly, I just need to choose to do it the times as well. That is how I will always be full of joy.

Dear God,
I thank you for your servant, Paul, who experimented with joy. And the only reason we find that it works is because the Source of our joy, which is YOU of course, is so faithful and good. And there’s not reason not to celebrate that all the time regardless of my circumstances. Help me not to fall into the trap of waiting till I feel joy. YOU are my joy and I love you and thank you with all my heart. Amen.

9-11-13 “Today is Patriot Day”
Psalm 121:1-2
I look up to the mountains— does my help come from there? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth!


I love this passage of Scripture! It brought me so much comfort when my husband was in the hospital last January. I’m so glad I knew these words so I could say them over and over again. I’m so glad there’s a Bible ap on my phone so I could read them over and over again. I’m so glad people have made songs from these words so I could sing them over and over in my head. For two very uncertain days, a week in the hospital, and for the long recovery afterwards, I clung to these words. And I would still cling to these words and to the God who gave them to us even if my husband hadn’t recovered because I found that they are just as comforting on those sad uncertain days as they were on those happy, thank-God-Rob’s-alive recovery days. These are good words!

Today, being September 11th, the 12th anniversary of the Twin Tower bombings, what is becoming known as Patriot Day, these words are comforting. Today, this day, is an uncertain day. Do our enemies have an attack planned for us today? These are uncertain times. Our very own President wants to help the very people responsible for the reason we have even had to give September 11th a title in our country. It’s ironic, crazy, and absurd? What is going to happen to us?

Whether we are destroyed or fully recover as a nation, I know this: These words are still true and comforting. I am NOT going to get my help from the President. My help still, and always will come from the Lord. And that’s it.

Here’s the rest of Psalm 121.

I look up to the mountains--
    does my help come from there?

My help comes from the Lord,
    who made heaven and earth!

He will not let you stumble;
    the one who watches over you will not slumber.

Indeed, he who watches over Israel
    never slumbers or sleeps.

The Lord himself watches over you!
    The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade.

The sun will not harm you by day,
    nor the moon at night.

The Lord keeps you from all harm
    and watches over your life.

The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go,
    both now and forever.

Notice, Barak Obama’s name is never mentioned. Neither is a doctor, a medicine, a credit card, or a yet to be invented invisible force field. It is the Lord himself watching over me both now and forever!

Dear God,
Thank you for this extreme, personal attention you give to each one who trusts in you. I love you and I thank you. Thank you for healing my husband, thank you so much! And please continue to protect me and my family from horrible decisions made by the leaders of my state and country. In Jesus name I pray, amen.

9-10-13 “God’s Job”
Isaiah 46:4
I will be your God throughout your lifetime— until your hair is white with age. I made you, and I will care for you. I will carry you along and save you.

No one else can make promises like this to me. I know my husband will be my husband throughout my lifetime, but what if he dies before I do? (Morbid thought, but true.) I know my kids will be long gone and out of my house when my hair is “white with age.” I wonder which one of my poor kids will get stuck with caring for me in my old age? Maybe they’ll pass me around? The same One who fits the bill for me in these areas of life is also the One who can carry me and save me. I love a lot of people, and I am blessed with a lot of people who love me. But as much as they love me, none of them can see me through everything and indeed save me.  

I need God throughout my lifetime. That’s it. Everything and everyone else he has given me is just in addition to His kindnesses and blessings. I don’t say this to boast, I’m writing this thought down because it’s true.

I made you, and I will care for you... Am I not God’s daughter? Is this not how I feel about my own children. I didn’t come home from the hospital with my daughter and expect someone else to nurse her, change her diapers, and rock her. I took care of what is mine - 4 times.

God made me. HE will care for me. He’s not leaving that job to credit cards, government officials, doctors, or mortal relationships. He made me and will care for me.  There is nothing but joy and comfort in my heart when I reflect on this truth about God, and I am truly thankful.

Dear God,
What a simple scripture this morning; what a simple truth! Thank you so much for making me stop and think that my anxieties are fabricated. You will never leave, you will never die, you will never be too tired, or unequipped to meet every single one of my needs for as long as I live and beyond because you are God. You are MY God! Thank you SO MUCH! I love you and praise you in Jesus’ precious name, amen.

9-6-13 “The Boss of Me”
John 14:23
Jesus replied, “All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them.


“All who love me will do what I say...” This is so true! When we hear children interacting with other kids or talking to a babysitter or, unfortunately, even to a step parent it is possible one would hear the following phrase: “I don’t have to do what you say.” Or the more popular: “You’re not the boss of me!” These kinds of statements are not communicating love. We don’t say stuff like this to people we really, really love.

When you really love someone, your desire is to please them. You sacrifice and choose their preferences all the time - and willingly. I’m not talking about indulging someone, I’m talking about truly loving someone as much as you can. So, I do understand Jesus’ words here in John 14. Don’t say, “You’re not the boss of me, Jesus,” because if I truly love him, and I do, then I really don’t mind obeying him at all. My responsibility and my privilege is to know what he likes and do those things.

On Sunday at church, Rob was made a reference to Isaiah 44:18-20 while he was teaching. What a fabulous, insightful, embarrassing little passage of scripture!

Such stupidity and ignorance!

    Their eyes are closed, and they cannot see.

    Their minds are shut, and they cannot think.

The person who made the idol never stops to reflect,

    “Why, it’s just a block of wood!

I burned half of it for heat

    and used it to bake my bread and roast my meat.

How can the rest of it be a god?

    Should I bow down to worship a piece of wood?”

The poor, deluded fool feeds on ashes.

    He trusts something that can’t help him at all.

Yet he cannot bring himself to ask,

    “Is this idol that I’m holding in my hand a lie?”

I do not want to be a deluded fool who doesn’t think and never stops to reflect, that’s for sure! I don’t want to be guilty of trusting in something that can’t help me at all just because society cringes at letting someone be the “boss” of them. I don’t want to fool myself thinking anything I focus on or think is so important is what I need to service and make happen for myself. Why not have a Boss and let HIM decide for me and then DO what HE says???

Dear God,
Thank you for your Word. Thank you for the Truth that is fellowship (FOREVER) with your and your Son! Help me to love you through obedience as well as with my heart, mind, soul, and strength. I think that covers everything! I love you and praise you and pray in your Son’s name, amen.