Which is Ruling within Our Hearts?

     Which is ruling within our hearts? The way of kindness or the way of cruelty? The way of violence or the way of peace? What is happening within our hearts? Is evil and death using our hearts as a gateway into our world, bring with them a pain and sorrow that the world has never known? Who are the ones that are resisting and fighting against the corruption of the heart? Money is given as the answer as the danger increases around us. Will it be that way until all of us is gone? 
     By perpetual darkness and a perpetual night we are lured into a sleep because our eyes are becoming to accustomed to the dark. What will we do when evil has complete control and says to us all, "Do as I say or die?" Where are the ones with courage? Where are the ones who will fight for what is right? Will they be overwhelmed by their fear and do as evil commands? What will we do when it all goes from bad to worse? Will we then do something before it is to late or is it already to late? Then we will all suffer from our decisions. May there still be time for us to change.
    Soldiers marching through our streets and people's fear growing out of control. What will happen, only time will tell. Have we abandon civilization? Has chaos finally taken control? Has it become to expensive even to live? Has compassion left every heart and every soul? Life matters but I fear that a lot of people would said that money matters more. There grows the darkness and the hopelessness in our world.      

I am Thankful to God Every Day

     As I live my life, I somehow have this attitude that tomorrow will be a better day and that the answers that I am seeking will be just around a corner. This is so strange because I suffer from depression and depression is mostly a feeling of hopelessness and yet I have a positive attitude that keeps me going. I keep moving forward because I have a light within me that never goes out even when I experience my darkest days. I know out of God's mercy that he put that light within me and I am thankful to him every day.
     Most of my life I have prayed to God and believed in his word. He has been very important in my life. I have try my best to follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ and I have failed on many occasions but I have never given up. God has not given up on me and I will not give up on him. God has help me so many times and I am so thankful for his help.
     So today, I will say that tomorrow will be a better day and I will find my answers that I am looking for because what is the alternative, that tomorrow will be a bad day and I will never find my answers, never let that be so. Everyone of us must have some kind of hope because hope gives us a reason to live. I have spent many days battling hopelessness in my depression and I know that having hope can save your life. I am thankful to God every day for giving us the hope that we need to live on.
     "Lord, let my eyes see the things that I cannot see and to know things that I cannot understand. Let not this world overwhelm me. There is a darkness that is within this world but let me not be consume by it. Let my eyes see the hope and the light that still shines. Lord, take pity on me and guide my steps so that I do not get lost. Our days are numbered so let my days be of service to you. A lot of us are suffering so please help us to overcome our troubles. Lord Jesus, please help us to dry our tears and find the hope that we are looking for. We need you in our lives and your spirit of love within our hearts. Every day, I am thankful for what you have done and what you will do for us in our future, Amen."
       

  

I am Sorry

      Do you feel like some days of just saying I am sorry to no one in particular? It is a sorry that you think that people want to hear because they think you are inadequate. It is a shout to the world. I am so sorry to be so disappointing to you. I am sorry to being not smart enough, not rich enough and not coming up to your expectations of me. Sorry to being not handsome or beautiful but just being average me. Sorry for the mistakes I have made. Sorry for me being imperfect. Sorry for not reaching fame or fortune. Sorry for not doing good enough. I just try to do the best that I can and if that is not good enough than I will just say, "I am sorry."
     What more can I do if I am doing my best? Sorry for not not having a genius brain. Sorry for not being a superhuman. I am just average and looking for a place in this world. Sorry for my failings. Sorry for me, in just being an average human. So many apologies, what can I do? Maybe another sorry? Maybe our society isn't interested in an average human being maybe it wants more and more is not me. Sorry for not being somebody that you want me to be.
     A shout to the world that I am sorry until there is no more sorrys left in me. If there is no more sorrys left then what will I do? Live I guess, the best way I know how. Doing average things and living an average life is not bad at all in my opinion. I have more things in common with being one of the many than being one of the few. I feel more comfortable when there are not many eyes looking my way. I am not saying being one of the few is bad but for me just being average is fine. However, I do not like being judged that I am not one of the few. The next time someone criticize me for being average, I believe I will just say that I am sorry.

       

Flooded By to Much Information

     In his book: Every Moment Holy, Douglas Kaine McKelvey offers "A Liturgy For Those Flooded by too Much Information". Here is only what some of his liturgical prayer says.

In a world so wired and interconnected,
our anxious hearts are pummeled by
an endless barrage of troubling news.
We are daily aware of more grief, O Lord,
than we can rightly consider,
of more suffering and scandal
than we can respond to, of more
hostility, hatred, horror, and injustice
than we can engage with compassion.

But you, O Jesus, are not disquieted
by such news of cruelty and terror and war.
You are neither anxious nor overwhelmed.
You carried the full weight of the suffering
of a broken world when you hung upon
the cross, and you carry it still.

And yes, it is your good pleasure to accomplish
such works through your people,
but you have never asked any one of us
to undertake more than your grace
will enable us to fulfill.

Give us discernment
in the face of troubling news reports.
Give us discernment
to know when to pray,
when to speak out,
when to act,
and when to simply
shut off our screens
and our devices,
and to sit quietly
in your presence,

casting the burdens of this world
upon the strong shoulders
of the one who
alone
is able to bear them up.

Amen

What Matters?

      I do not like to repeat a post, however this particular post was only new for a short time. I wanted to give it more time to be read because it has a very important message for us. We do matter.

     What matters? You do and your every thought, your every word, your dreams and your hopes. Your laughter matters, your tears, your joy and your love. All that you are, matters. 
     Are you happy? Is your heart free? These things are importat and they do matter. Oh! How we suffer because we are not valued by our world. Our life maybe nothing to them but to me our life is a precious gift from God. Our life does matter even if no one else thinks so. The Lord die for me and you so he does believe that we do matter.
     Within the hard-hearted ones, there is an absence of love but within the soft-hearted ones, a heart that continues to care. Life does matter to those who can still love. Life is precious in their eyes. They cherish it just as the Lord does. The hate we carry within our heart can destroy our lives but forgiveness and the love of God can save us. What is within your heart does matter.
     We look around us and try to make sense of it. We want to find our place upon this world. I asked this question, "Why do we even exist if it does not really matter?" We exist for a reason and I believe it was not just to die. There is something here to be learned and to be found and I will try my best to learn it and to find it.
     I found these things to be true in my life. The words of God gives me comfort and his promises gives me hope. People who unselfishly reach out and help others raises my spirit. People who believe in and practices the will of God lightens my soul. A man and woman who loves each other and their children makes me happy. A friend who can understand me and still cares, brings me much joy. A good meal, good health, a good summers day, a place to sleep at night, a place to call my home and being around my family and friends are the things that matters to me.
     The things of the heart and the things of the soul really matters to me and I believe it matters to you as well. I am not an island unto myself and separated from the world. I still wish to be apart of it in some positive way. I want to feel that I belong and will be respected by others. Our relationship to each other does matter. How we are treated and how we treat others matters greatly.
     Our life matters and all life around us. All things that we do or do not do effects our life. What really matters is our continuing of our life's journey from the beginning and to the end so to find all the things that truly matters to us.
       

      

Words of Love

     Words of love are very special. They can affect you deeply and even to cause you to change your life in a positive way. There are different types of love: Ludus - Playful Love, Eros - Romantic Love, Philia - Friendship Love, Storge - Familial Love, Agape - Unconditional Love and Devotional Love. There are more different types of love that I did not name but I wanted to use these for my examples.      
     When we are worshiping and praying to God, we are using our devotional love. Devotional love is selfless, spiritual, unconditional with deep commitment and reverence. It is faith, sacrifice and loyalty without end. Through our devotion to God, we cultivate a heart of apage love, love that is unconditional and mirrors God's love for us. These are words of devotional love and thankfulness that you may have said to God.
     "Dear Heavenly Father I pray this prayer of love to you. I am most thankful for all you have done. You have taken away all of our sins through the love of your son Jesus Christ. We have a future in your kingdom because of his sacrifice. You loved us even though we were undeserving. Your love is so great and I am so thankful for receiving that love. All the world is in your hands and I am like a tiny grain of sand upon it and yet you can still see and hear me. You are a wonderful and magnificent God, who deserves all of our love and devotion. May all of us continue to have faith in you and to love you just as you loved us. In Jesus name I pray, Amen."
     When we try to make a new connection to someone that we like, we will use Ludus - Playful Love. It is flirting, light-hearted teasing and just having fun. It is playfulness in a relationship. After Ludus Love comes Eros - Romantic Love which is romance, passion, desire and attraction. Your love may even deepen and become Agape Love. Agape love is selfless, sacrificial that involves forgiveness, respect and a commitment to the well-being of the other, even through difficult times. Love makes us want to express ourselves through our words. These are the words of love that you might of have said to your husband or wife.
     "I am thankful for everyday that you are with me. You are the light of my life. Your love has made me into a better person. You have stood with me through the good times and the bad. Everyday that I look at you, I love you even more. I want to be always with you and to grow old with you. Let us love each other until the end of time. I give you my heart because when I am around you it is filled with much joy and love. You are everything to me. I never want to be without you. You are my sunshine that makes me feel happy and loved."
     Our love for our family is Storge Love. Storge Love is a natural love with deep affection between parents and children, sisters and brothers. It is instinctive affection that arises from shared history and deep connection. We love our family and we want to tell them how we feel. These are the words of love that you may have said to your son or daughter.
     "When I first saw your face, when you were born my heart leapt with joy. My heart felt like it was overfilled with love. Your are my child and I will always be with you. You can count on me to be there, when you need me. I will always love you no matter what happens. I will believe in you and support you throughout your life. You are a precious treasure to me and I care about you more than you can imagine. You can always tell me the truth, even if you're scared to, and I will still love you. I will love you always and forever. You are important to me and the world is better a place with you in it."
     The love between friends is called Philia Love. Philia Love is friendship love. It is a platonic, respectful and deeply caring type of love. This love creates a trust and loyalty between friends. These are words that you might have said to your friend.
     "Hey, I just wanted to say that you have been a good friend to me. You have been there when I needed you. You have listened to me and have helped me when you could. My hard times was made easier with your support. We played sports and done many other things together. It was fun and I hope that we do many more other things in our future. I just wanted to say, "Thank you for being my friend." 
     The love that we have within us is from God. 1 John 4:7,8 "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love." God put the ability to love within us. We can express that love through our words and by our actions. Our words of love can reach out to God and to our family. The love that is within us can go beyond our family and touch others in a comforting way. Our words of love can warm people's hearts and maybe change them for the better.

               

Enduring Our Hardship

     Life can give you much happiness but it also can give you much sadness. You can try to prepare for every disaster however life has away of coming at you in a unexpected way. I do not think that anybody is protected from the hardships that life will sometimes bring. We just have to hang on and endure until our life becomes a little bit more livable. We have to hold tight to our hope that tomorrow will be a better day. Romans 12:12 says "Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer."
     When hardship happens, we may find our strength has weaken because of our sadness. In times of disaster, we do not have to rely on our strength only, we can rely on God's. Psalm 73:26 "My flesh and my heart my fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." We can put our hope in God and that hope becomes our strength. He is our portion meaning he is our hope and happiness. He is the one that we can rely on to help us through our troubles.
     When we are at our lowest, we may think that God might have abandon us. God said in Isaiah 41:10 "fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." We can see that God will not abandon us but he will help us in our time of need. Even if we are at our lowest, we must not be overcome by our doubts but to hold strong to our faith in God because he cares for us. 1 Peter 5:7 "casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you."
    We can endure our hardship with God on our side because he gives us hope. His Holy Spirit can strengthen us when we feel that we can no longer endure the suffering. We can trust in the Lord to hear our prayers.  Psalm 22:24 "For he has not despised or abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, and he has not hidden his face from him, but has heard, when he cried to him." Psalm 46:1 "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." When we are enduring a hardship we can count on God to be by our side. We can count on God to hear our prayers and to help us in our time of need.