Gods Love

To increase my FAITH

When we look at the world around us, sometimes it's difficult to understand the unfairness of life. It's not fair that the young should suffer. It's not fair that the innocent should go hungry. But not is it fair that a God would have to come to earth and hang on his own cross to protect us from the evil one. It's not fair....but that's love. And that's God.

God's love for you is not dependent on how you look, how you think, how you act, or how perfect you are. His love is absolutely nonnegotiable and nonreturnable. Ours is a faithful God. No matter what you do, no matter how far you fall, no matter how ugly you become, God has relentless, undying, unfathomable, unquenchable love from which you cannot be separated. Ever! Run to Jesus. Jesus wants you to go to him. He wants to become the most important person in your life, the greatest love you'll ever know. He wants you to love him so much that there's no room in your heart and in your life for sin.

If you haven't all ready, invite him to take up residence in your heart.
by Max Lucado

To pray with our FRIENDS
Father, We look at your plan and it's all based on love, not on our performance, and we pray that you'd help us to understand that. To be captivated by your love. To be overwhelmed by your grace. To come home to you in that beautiful path that you've already carved our for us.
In Jesus' name, Amen.

DAILY BIBLE CHALLENGE ~June~
Luke----------Ephesians------------Psalms----------1 Kings
12. 4:13-30----------6:1-9-------------119:89-96---------19-20
13. 4:31-37----------6:10-24----------119:97-104--------21-22

~PHILIPIANS~
Perhaps the symbol of this generation is the exercise bike.
It represents what most have---excess weight.
It represents what most want---to be different.
It represents what most people spend most time doing---pedaling furiously and getting nowhere. High activity but low achievement. Car pools, diapers, bills, time clocks. Office walls painted grey with routine. Houses framed with wooden humdrum. For many, life is lived on the exercise bicycle. Day after day in the same seat, doing the same thing but seeing the same scenery. Is there any end to this tunnel of greyness?
There is.
Go with me back in history a couple of thousand years. Let's go to the city of Rome. The thrilling metropolis of gladiators, chariots, and empires. But don't stop at the coliseum or palace. Go rather to a drab little room, surrounded by high walls. Let's imagine that we can peek into the room and look. Inside we see a man seated on the floor. He's an older fellow, shoulders stooped and balding. Chains are on his hands and feet. And chained to him is a guard from the Roman army.
It is the apostle Paul. The apostle who has traveled all over the world. The apostle who has liberated people in every port. The apostle who was bound only by the will of God is now in chains---stuck in a dingy house---attached to a Roman officer.
Here is a fellow who has every reason to be in a slump!
He is restricted by walls. He is afflicted by friends (v. 15). He is conflicted by danger (v. 21).
He is writing a letter. No doubt it is a complaint letter to God. No doubt it is a list of grievances. No doubt he is writing the New Testament version of Lamentations. He has every reason to be bitter and complain. But he doesn't. Instead, he writes a letter that two thousand years later is still known as the treatise on joy.
Sound interesting? Of course it does. Who couldn't use a guide to joy in this world? Why don't you spend some time with it? Dismount the bicycle to nowhere and follow Paul as he guides you down the trail to peace.


To share our love of FOOD
Garlicky Sesame-Cured Broccoli Salad
From the NY Times
Time: 10 minutes, plus 1 hour marinating
1 1/2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste
2 heads broccoli,
1 pound each, cut into bite-size florets
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 fat garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
2 teaspoons roasted (Asian) sesame oil
Large pinch crushed red pepper flakes.
1. In a large bowl, stir together the vinegar and salt. Add broccoli and toss to combine.
2. In a large skillet, heat olive oil until hot, but not smoking. Add garlic and cumin and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in sesame oil and pepper flakes. Pour mixture over broccoli and toss well. Let sit for at least 1 hour at room temperature, and up to 48 (chill it if you want to keep it for more than 2 hours). Adjust seasonings (it may need more salt) and serve. Yield: 6 to 8 side-dish servings or more as an hors d'oeuvre

FUN or at the least, something to make you smile...... A man appeared before St. Peter at the Pearly Gates.
"Have you ever done anything of particular merit?" St. Peter asked. "Well, I can think of one thing," the man offered. "Once, on a trip to the Black Hills out in South Dakota , I came upon a gang of bikers, who were threatening a young woman. I directed them to leave her alone, but they wouldn't listen.
"So, I approached the largest and most heavily tattooed biker and smacked him in his face, kicked his bike over, ripped out his nose ring, and threw it on the ground. I yelled, 'Now, back off! Or I'll kick the stuffing out of all of you!'
St. Peter was impressed, "When did this happen?"
"Just a couple minutes ago".