1 John 4:7-8
King James Version (KJV)
7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
I'm always amazed even when I began writing to you...I'm so amazed to be here where I am ...in this time...on this day...
I call you beloved because the LORD calls us...we who love Him with all our heart, mind, and soul...and who love our neighbor as our self...
Jesus calls us the beloved!!! He tells us to love one another ... why?
... for love is of God ...
Not only is love of God...
God is love!!!
Every one that loves is born of God
and knows God!!
You know, as a sister, mother, aunt, friend, teacher, cousin, niece, and even grandmother...I've always thought of myself as loving...and quite frankly, most people that know me would have said the same...
But, I have a confession to make...I have not always loved!! I mean I haven't!
God and I know this to be true...He and I know that I have not always loved Him with all my heart, soul, and body...all my mind...I have not!!
I mean I love my husband...I am a submissive wife...I know that won't make all of you happy, but...I believe the WORD about marriage. I believe that God hates divorce. I believe that my husband has been given the place as head of the home, and as the heart of the home, I am his helpmate...he's not mine. God made man first and created woman for man. If I can't believe that...throw it all away! God's Word is true from the beginning to the end. Jesus is Faithful through the old and New Testament...He who was here from the beginning...only joined us here in earth a little over 2000 years ago...coming to show us how to obey God!! Woo Hoo!!
Not until I almost lost him...soooo close when he hemorrhaged after a surgical procedure...and ....well you don't need all the details...but when he said, "It's ok..." and I screamed, "No, it's not ok...LORD it's not ok." I know that after units of blood and several hospital days that God heard me...I have loved my man differentlly since then...and through the hard times...when he was so much stronger than me dealing with family when my parents lived with us...and strong again when divorce hit our family...more than once...
And loving adult children...was easy to love little ones for me...but through all the times when all did not go my way...you see those 2 words...
M Y W A Y ! ! !
Though, I would be angry or disappointed for righteousness sake...or so I thought....the LORD would say,
What has this got to do with eternity??
I'd say, "Nothing, LORD."
And, He would say, "Then.....
D r o p I t ! ! !
To love HIm...the LORD...with all my heart, soul, and mind...I had to drop it!!
To love my neighbor as myself...my husband, my child, or any other neighbor...remember the story where this is given in scripture with the Samaritan helping the man that was on the road beaten up and the religious people passed by...all are our neighbor...
To love others...I have had to Drop It...time after time after time...
It's practice now...the practice of walking in forgiveness...
I can't walk in disappointment...or anger...or closed up...or closed in...and walk in the agape that our LORD is speaking of in His WORD...
What's sooo wonderful is that as I'm walking deeper now...I've got ones walking with me...
Ones walking behind me...Ones walking ahead of me...
Sooo Wonderful is this walk of love!!!
A new way of looking at things...this mind of Christ! This loving the LORD with all my mind...
No time for fantasy...to much wonderfully real...no time for magazines, novels, games...don't need anything to take up my time...
Praying the WORD every morning...come rain or come shine...in sickness...or in health...irregardless to what the enemy would like to do to get my attention...the LORD is waiting on me when I get there every single day...and the WORD is more precious to me 9 years later...than it was the 1st day...
Just like marriage should be...better every day!! Just like motherhood...and friendship...all relationships should be better every day!!!
I'm still walking this out...still working things out as I go...
He's not through with me yet...
But what He's begun in me...He will finish!!! Woo Hoo!!!
Let me just give you one week of this love walk I'm in...
Just see if you can get a glimpse...
I'll look back a little further than a week...
Spent time in FLA...on vacation with a son and his family...loving on each other the whole time...Great!
Hubby joined me and had one of the best of all times...they just continue to get better...
Loved on my bff as she's going through a time herself...but being there and loving no matter what happens...forever friends...that's what it is all about!
Returning and keeping my grand daughter who I just enjoy the pieces out of every day!! Seeing the other 4 also each week...going to special days and programs...having sleep overs...keeping for children to celebrate anniversaries...taking to Awanas and having sleep over so children have date nights...
Being glad to see hubby every day when he gets here...usually riding mule (4-wheeler to river each evening...having dinner before the tv...and to bed...
Being invited to a ...I'll call it what I believe Jesus would have called it...a "love feast" with the Shinegirls group that I read the Bible with and pray daily... I went to love...but I was so loved on!!! Tears in eyes even now!!
Preparing now to give a "love feast" to ones with me today...ones who got me here...and ones who are far-reaching past my days...as they are younger...
Realizing today that this day is extremely important to God...I mean today!!! Regardless the date...Today is the Day of Salvation!!! Woo Hoo!!!!
I used to think that I had to sin many times a day...I mean even if I didn't know it...but walking in and praying the WORD...remaining in the Secret Place all the time...if I have time to read...or to listen...to fill my mind with God's WORD...with His praise...
Why do we hide the WORD in our heart...that we not sin against God!
Let's see how do we hide it...We take it in and we apply it to our lives...we live by it...
The LORD is the perfect one, but His WORD is perfecting us! Perfect means complete. He's finishing us. He's the finisher of our faith!
It's funny...we see models or movie stars, etc. and we see something to model after...when the LORD says it's the heart that we should be modeling after...the ones like David...who pursued God! David was a man after God's heart!!
I'm excited to awaken every morning to WWPray prayer warriors ...rejoicing with me the WORD of the LORD!!
I meet on womenwho pray on fb with daughters and sons all over the world...they exhort me and wwpray...or ask for prayer...or just bless my socks off with the WORD...it is on-going...
Then, I meet on website with Shinegirls...blessed every day by this ministry...with mostly women younger than me...as they share...and as they teach...and as they ask for prayer or pray for others...
LOVE is abundant on with both these ministries!!
If you are not rejoicing every day all day long, then, you need some of this good stuff...
If you are around those that are glum...or if you are choosing to be alone in your depression...I'll share all this love with you!! I am around the young old and the mature young...hallelujah!!!!
I am covered over with the LOVE of JESUS wherever I am all the time. If I am not being ministered to or ministering to...I'm in the WORD...or hearing praise and worship.
My mind is older...I am determined not to let it stagnate...or not remember...
I will tell my story...His story...to all that will hear...until He takes me home..
When I think it can't get any better...the LORD surprises me!!!
He says, "We haven't seen anything yet!!"
The Best is yet to come!!!!
Woooooo Hoooooo!!!!
Love you for real,
Teddi
beautiful, aunt teddi!! LOVE you!!
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