Love from the Heart

Brothers and sisters...

In the USA today we are all full of different emotions... elation, uncertainty, joy, sadness, calm, anxiety, fear, comfort...to name just a few. No matter what our opinions are (not a post for those, please) we are feeling one or more of those emotions.

Today is an example of one situation, one event, one moment in time that is the same but viewed very differently by each person.

The cool thing is that, in this very moment, we have a CHOICE... to LOVE , to HATE or to be APATHETIC.

Now, let be clear... that means LOVE from the heart, not that we do so back handed, in a passive aggressive way, but truly LOVING one another, using our filters, using compassion, understanding, empathy, and the like as we connect and communicate.

Today I encourage us to all to turn to follow the One... Jesus. Let’s reflect on what He chose amidst all the adversity He faced right up to death. How did He navigate when feeling some of those very REAL feelings I listed above (joy, fear, anger, happiness, sadness, etc.) always come back to choose LOVE? What did Jesus do? Would would Jesus do (WWJD) in this exact moment, today if He were walking in our physical realm with us?

I will leave the following with you all to sit with, to ponder, to percolate, marinate in, meditate with, to pray over. I don’t want to “should” anyone but merely encourage the choice of LOVE toward our brothers and sisters, no matter what, and always. It doesn’t mean you have to agree, but it does mean you are honoring God with your LOVE for His other children, your neighbors. It also means you LOVE Him in doing so.

I leave you with two scriptures. The first scripture is the encouragement Jesus shared with His disciples and, as He did, their “grief turned to joy”.

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” - John 16:33 NIV

and the second scripture comes from Paul’s letter to Corinth outlining what LOVE is and how they should LOVE one another. Perhaps today we use it as our litmus test, a filter if you will, as we navigate forward to unity, toward LOVE as we interact with one another.

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.” - 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 NIV)

The Viking Rick Ingraham and I send you all BIG LOVE today. We are praying for all in our community, cities, nation, and world.

If you know someone that would benefit from this post and/or our community, please invite them in at www.TheVikingAndTheLioness.com.

xo, The Lioness