For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. — 1 John 3:11
We have written it in our hearts.
And bind it around our foreheads.
And post it on our doorposts.
So that at all times we can be reminded to love others.
Just as God has commanded us from the beginning.
You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. — Matthew 5:42-45
He sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
And He commands us to love our enemies.
And to pray fort those who persecute us.
So that we may be children of our Father in heaven.
He causes the sun to rise on us all.
Here we are with some friends, enjoying a time of fellowship.
As it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”— the things God has prepared for those who love him. — 1 Corinthians 2:1
Even things we cannot know, such as "will Punxsutawney Phil see his shadow" are known by God.
He has prepared things for us that we cannot comprehend.
Things we have not seen.
Things we have not heard.
Things our minds haven't even conceived.
These are the things God has prepared for me and you.
All because of His love for us.
Amazing grace!
Since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives. — Colossians 1:9 |
And we ask God dto fill us up with His Holy Spirit.
And with the knowledge of His will through all the wisdom of the Holy Spirit.
Giving us the understanding that the Spirit gives.
How great you are, Sovereign Lord! There is no one like you, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears. — 2 Samuel 7:22
And there is no God but the Lord.
He is Sovereign.
We have heard with our own ears.
And seen with our own eyes.
That God is great and glorious!
What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us. — 2 Timothy 1:13-14
It was more a worship service than a concert.
And it was fun to attend as a family.
Singing praise songs together and praising God.
And watching hundreds of people sign up to sponsor a child with Compassion International after hearing the testimony of a mom who was sponsored by Compassion when she lived in the Philippines.
A wonderful time a worship.
Thanks be to God!
I love the Lord, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy. Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live. — Psalm 116:1-2
He hears my voice each time I call to Him in prayer.
God heard my cry when I begged for mercy.
He turned His ear to me.
And He answered me in love and mercy.
I will call on Him as long as I live.
For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. — 1 John 3:11
And we have known it from the beginning.
He has written it in our hearts.
But we still manage to ignore it.
God commands us to love each other.
Even those who appear to be unloveable.
Help me, Lord, to love others.
My friend Lainie created this garden installation in her yard for Valentine's Day.
Too cute!
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. — Matthew 5:43-45
She and Max are now engaged!
And they're planning a wedding for next year in Vienna.
We are thrilled for them.
And we're looking forward to seeing my sister and her family.
It's been 11 years since we've seen them all.
We can hardly wait.
Such exciting news.
However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”— the things God has prepared for those who love him. — 1 Corinthians 2:9
How great you are, Sovereign Lord! There is no one like you, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears. — 2 Samuel 8:22
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| La Jolla Shores Beach |
He is Sovereign.
There is no one like Him.
And there is no God but the Lord.
How great you are, Sovereign Lord!
What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us. — 1 Timothy 1:13-14
A welcome rest from the work week.
Yesterday, our pastor gave an inspiring sermon from 2 Thessalonians 2.
And our Sunday school teacher encouraged us to share the gospel with others by getting to know them personally.
A rich day of teaching from God's Word.
God asks me to keep His Word as the pattern of sound teaching.
To hold fast to the faith and love of Christ Jesus.
To guard the good deposit that was entrusted to me.
To guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in me.
Help me, Lord.
I love the Lord, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy. Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live. — Psalm 116:1-2
God's majesty and glory was evident in the architecture, the music, and the sculptures.
I love the Lord.
He heard my voice.
God heard my cry for mercy.
He turned His ear to me.
And He answered my cry.
I will call on Him as long as I live.
This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. — 1 John 1:5
God is light.
In Him there is no darkness at all.
One day last week we headed over to this pool.
We arrived about 9:05 in the morning, and we had the whole pool (three of them, actually) to ourselves.
I went over to another pool to swim laps while Kirk and Abby enjoyed floating around this one.
God is good.
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. — 1 John 1:1
I love the reflection of the Palm trees in the water.
And the pinks and blues of the clouds.
It reminds me of God's creation.
That which we have seen with our eyes.
Which we have looked at and our hands have touched.
This we proclaim concerning the Word of life.
That Jesus is Lord and lives in heaven.
If you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven. — Colossians 1:23
Moving toward faith in Jesus.
And to the hope held out in the gospel.
This is the Gospel of Christ that we have heard.
His gospel has been proclaimed to every creature on earth and under heaven.
These are the Easter tulips our friends brought to decorate our dinner table.
We were blessed with lots of bouquets.
He is risen!
They believed. And when they heard that the Lord was concerned about them and had seen their misery, they bowed down and worshiped. — Exodus 4:31
When they heard that the Lord was concerned about them, they paid attention.
I know God cares about me, too.
I believe He is concerned about me.
He guides me through the day.
And He watches over me at night.
He sees my misery when I'm worried or distressed.
Help me to bow down and worship you, Lord.
You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. — Matthew 5:43
And to love our enemies.
Plus, to pray for those who persecute us.
When we love God first,
He helps us to love our neighbors and our enemies as well.
