“Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” 1 Peter 4:8
Love isn’t just a feeling—it’s a deliberate act of the will. To love deeply means to love beyond mistakes, beyond faults, to love in a way that forgives and heals. This kind of love is robust; it doesn’t ignore sin but covers it in grace, offering forgiveness as freely as God offers it to us.
Continue reading “Building Bridges”
The word beatitude refers to a state of deep happiness or joy. The beatitudes are taught by Jesus as the foundation for a life of authentic Christian discipleship and the attainment of ultimate happiness.
Continue reading “Ultimate Happiness”
What is the guiding force in your life? Do you make plans for your day according to your desires and what you want to accomplish? Or do you invite God into the conversation and conform His desires to your day?
Continue reading “Doing What Matters”
In the gospel of Mark, he tells us the story of Jesus taking a deaf man him “off by himself away from the crowd.” Jesus “puts his finger into the man’s ears and, spitting, touched his tongue; then he looked up to heaven and groaned, and said to him, ‘Ephphatha!’ (that is, ‘Be opened!’).” Looking up to his Father and inserting his fingers into the man’s ears, Jesus establishes, an electrical current, literally plugging him into the divine energy, compelling him to hear the Word.
Continue reading “Can You Hear Gods Voice?”
Faith is a gift as well as a virtue. It’s a gift of God in that it’s a light infused by him into our souls. But it’s a virtue in that our soul must exercise itself to practice it.
Continue reading “A Lively Faith”
In just a couple weeks, we’ll enter the desert when Lent begins. It’s a season where we’re encouraged to quiet the distractions around us so that we can better hear the voice of God and grow closer to Him.
The Lord says, “My sheep know my voice.”
Continue reading “Knowing God’s Voice”
With lent around the corner starting on March 5, it’s time to start asking in prayer what small sacrifice we should make in order to tame our physical desires and symbolically share in Christ’s suffering. This biblically based practice comes from the 40 days Jesus went into the desert prior to his public ministry. All this is for the greater love of God.
This year I’ve been contemplating from what I need to fast. I wonder if this dish towel that caught my eye at Cracker Barrel is telling me something?
Do you live a life of freedom, allowing yourself to accept God’s divine love?
Many of us live as slaves, to the past or to the idea of how we think our life should look.
Continue reading “You Are Free”
If we let it, love can be the journey of our lifetime. This is actually the fire of spirituality placed with each of our hearts. What we do with this fire is up to us. A life of love takes effort and discipline. It is a practice and a state to which we must strive.
Continue reading “The Task of Love”
Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day where we honor our love relationships, whether a spouse, trusted friend or child. As you prepare your cards, gifts or make reservations for a special dinner, have you taken the time to reflect on the quality of the relationship you are celebrating?
Relationships are not to be understood and fixed and solved. They are the mysteries of life to be enjoyed and help us grow.
How are your relationships helping you stretch and grow into the best version of yourself? If not, where is the love?
Smitten With Goodness 