“I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” Philippians 4:11 (NIV)

Did you know…children laugh more than 400 times a day? Imagine that. Four hundred times a day! And adults? Studies have confirmed adults laugh…15 times a day. What has happened in the period of time between our start-up in childhood and our entry into adulthood?

Little children have this innate joie de vivre. They lead carefree lives. And why shouldn’t they? They have no worries. No responsibilities. No stress. They don’t need to be concerned with putting food on the table and paying the bills. That’s what the adults in their lives do. Children just need to live and enjoy life.

And adults? We find ourselves becoming burdened with the reality of our responsibilities. We have children to care for, elderly parents to assist, groceries to purchase, mortgages to pay… And eventually, we lose the joie de vivre. We begin to take our lives and ourselves too seriously. We begin to be more negative than positive in our outlook, in our conversation. We…often mistake happiness for joy.

Happiness depends on externals. We will be happy if…we have a great job…we are earning a lot of money…we drive a high-end vehicle…we have a healthy bank account…we have the ideal weight…we experience fabulous weather…we benefit from good health…we are in blissful relationships…

Joy is being happy whatever the situation. Joy is a fruit of the Spirit that God wants to cultivate deep within us. Joy does not depend on the circumstances in our lives, but arises from our deep, intimate relationship with God. As He nurtures this inner delight, joy bubbles within us, filling our mouths with laughter, flowing through our lips with songs, brightening our countenances with radiance, smoothing out our scowl lines, and shining in our eyes with brilliance.

I’m reminded of a song I learned in church a long time ago:

I’m a bubblin’, I’m a bubblin’, I’m a bubblin’ in my soul.
I’m a bubblin’, I’m a bubblin’, since Jesus made me whole.
Folks can’t understand it why I’ve got to shout it.
I’m a bubblin’, I’m a bubblin’, I’m a bubblin’, I’m a bubblin’, I’m a bubblin’ all day long.

Is joy bubbling within you?

God Bless!
Love & Prayers,
Anna

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrong.”
I Corinthians 13:4-5 (NIV)

I checked the thesaurus for the definition of the word love? It lists these words: affection, adoration, friendship, tenderness, fondness, devotion, passion, ardour. While all of these are true, I couldn’t help thinking they somehow fell short, didn’t quite reveal it to its fullest extent. Something was…lacking.

The Bible explains love as being patient and kind, not envious or boastful or proud or rude or self-seeking or easily angered or keeping a record of wrongs done against us, but says love is…a decision and a commitment to put others first.

God put us first. When our forefather Adam and his wife Eve sinned and were expelled from the Garden of Eden and we, their ancestors, inherited their sin and thus deserved an eternity in hell because we are sinners, too, God put us first. He made a decision and a commitment to provide a plan for our salvation—His Son, Jesus—so that we can receive what we do not deserve—a new, full life here on earth and an eternity in heaven.

Jesus put us first. When we could not pay the price for our sins that a Holy and Righteous God demanded, Jesus put us first. He made a decision and a commitment to set aside His privileges and rights and leave the glory of heaven and provide Himself as the Sacrificial Lamb, to bear our sins on His shoulders, and pay the price on our behalf by dying on the cross so that we can experience life in Him now and enjoy the glory of heaven as His co-heirs later.

Love is…a decision and a commitment to put others first, even when it hurts, isn’t convenient, or we simply don’t want to. The world system says, Me first. God’s system says, Others first.

I have to admit…it isn’t easy to look at love in this way. I mean, if people are nice to me, sure, I am nice to them, also. They respect me, I respect them. They do for me, I do for them. No problem there. But, what if…they’re not so nice to me…ignore me…don’t care about me…hate me…hurt me…spread rumors about me? Lo-o-o-o-ord! You can’t possibly mean I have to show them love, do You?

Yes!

Loving the loveable is easy. Loving the rest…is more demanding. Jesus’ own example of love—selfless, self-giving, self-sacrificing—is what we need to make a decision about and a commitment to…imitate. It won’t be easy. Sometimes, even putting the needs of our family members first won’t be easy or convenient.

But, if we allow the Holy Spirit to grow in us the kind of love Jesus showed us, we will be able to be a gracious servant to our friends and family members and reach out with grace to difficult people.

Are you willing to let God express His love through you to all the people who cross your path today? Let’s try.

God Bless!
Love & Prayers,
Anna

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” Galatians 5:22, 23 (NIV)

Did you know God has a garden?

Yes, He does. And He’s a Master Gardener Who loves all aspects of gardening, like tilling the soil, uprooting the weeds, nurturing the plants. He especially enjoys growing fruit. He loves the whole process of growing fruit: the budding, blossoming, ripening, growing, and maturing.

We are His garden and He loves growing fruit in us. This garden isn’t completed in a day, or a week, or a month, or even a year. In this slow, gentle, life-long process, He nudges, prods, moves, and shapes us until the desired fruit matures, until, we, His garden, mirror Christ-like character and love.

What fruit is He growing in the garden of our hearts and lives?

Here’s a quick overview:

Love making a decision and commitment to put others first


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

it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily

angered, it keeps no record of wrong.”

I Corinthians 13:4-5 (NIV)


Joy being happy whatever the situation


“I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to

be content whatever the circumstances.”

Philippians 4:11 (NIV)


Peace acting in humility, seeking forgiveness, burying pride, reaching out

to those who have hurt us


“But I tell you: Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do

good to those who hate you.”

Matthew 5:44 (NIV)


Patience waiting for good things to come


“Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the

farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient

he is for the autumn and spring rains.”

James 5:7 (NIV)


Kindness responding with mercy and compassion


“But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and

when he saw him, he took pity on him.”

Luke 10:33 (NIV)


Goodness having the courage to do the right thing even when wrong

surrounds us


“At this, the administrators and the satraps tried to find

grounds for charges against Daniel in his conduct of

government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They

could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy

and neither corrupt nor negligent.”

Daniel 6:4 (NIV)


Faithfulness being steady and dependable


“Now it is required that those who have been given a trust

must prove faithful.”

I Corinthians 4:2 (NIV)


Gentleness having a humble spirit and a meek attitude, bearing injuries

with patience and without resentment


“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in

humility consider others better than yourselves.”

Philippians 2:3 (NIV)


Self-Control the defense against ungodliness and worldly passions and the

quality to live temperate, honorable, and righteous lives, allowing

Christ to have control over the whole being: body, spirit, h