I will share about Christian books I have read or listened to.
I will be sharing about my life before and after Christ. I will include stories about my pet and other pets I have encountered.
Cultivate Healthy Relationships
Imagine planting a flower seed...
If you want the seed to grow into a healthy flower, you have to care for it properly by giving it enough of what it needs to live—good soil, water, sunshine, attention and care.
Now think of the people who are there for you during hard times. The ones who love and encourage you, the people you enjoy experiencing life with. These relationships are much like seeds—we need to care for them properly if we want them to not only grow, but thrive.
"I thank my God every time I remember you."
Philippians 1:3 NIV
In the Bible, we learn that Paul started a church in Philippi. While he lived there, the people were generous and kind to him—partnering with Paul to share the Gospel. But even when Paul eventually continued on with his travels, the Philippian church continued to support him.
And so, after he was put in prison, Paul wrote them a letter. He could have chosen to write about his troubles, but instead, Paul prayed for his friends and encouraged them to continue to live God-honoring lives in the face of hardships and persecution. Paul recognized the sacrifices they were making, and chose to appreciate and encourage them.
In a similar way, we can help our relationships grow by expressing gratitude and appreciation for the people who impact us.
This could look like praying for them, giving them a word of encouragement, or going out of our way to serve them. It could mean slowing down to truly listen to them, or expressing thanks for something that might otherwise go unnoticed.
God gave us the desire to pursue relationships with the people around us. This means that, like Paul and the Philippians, we have an opportunity to encourage one another and pursue God together.
But in order to do this, we have to be willing to care for our relationships and be intentional about helping them grow and remain healthy. One of the best ways we can do this is by pausing to appreciate the people who support and encourage us.
So today, take some time to thank God for the people who’ve poured into you and, if you're able, let them know how they've impacted your life.
Are You Ready?
The greatest measure of who we are and what we love is how we spend our time.
Where do you spend most of your time? Most of us spend the majority of it with family, at work, or on hobbies. All of those are important things that we should invest in. But Jesus says there’s another thing that we need to spend time doing.
There are a lot of different ideas people have for when Jesus will return, but ultimately, Jesus says that nobody will know the time and date. He will come at a time when we least expect Him.
So until He does come, He says that we should be ready. We tend to spend most of our time working on finding the right career, or pursuing certain relationships, or building wealth and possessions. And yet, none of those things will prepare us for when Jesus returns.
So what can we do to prepare?
The first thing is to put your faith in Jesus, by believing that He gave His life so that you could have eternal life. Next, commit to spending time with Him, confessing your ...
