Life Together

Well what can I say? NY is a big change from California and life here has been a big change as well. I am so thankful that we did not get just sent out in 2's but in a family of 7 this time what a blessing. God is teaching us all so many new things about things like "love, sacrafice, humility, joy in all situations, compassion and mercy on a truly broken world." Those are just a few great things that God is teaching all of us about.

Ponder thoughts...

Love is not an emotion but a choice of action..
I am realizing more and more what love really is and what it isn't, this is the conclusion that I have came to lately about love. It is not a warm feeling that you have for someone, but rather it is when you orientate your decisions around what will benefit and bless this other person. Love may not be love until it is tested. I am learning to love and I am so thankful for this because I desire to understand better the love that is extended to us by God and I may only come to understand it by first learning how to really love, by choosing to.

I have had opportunites to really think through the nature of sacrifice, and what really constitutes sacrifice?
I have been able to determine in myself that there are things that I will gladly sacrifice for and others that I have to struggle through, this has been humbling..

I have seen so much beauty in my fellow servants in Christ that live with me, we all are growing and changing and embracing a life that is unlike anything else we have yet expereinced. There are so many things that come from community and living and loving each other that you really can't ever know without it. Living in community is incredibly hard, painful, beautiful, fulfilling, humbling, sacrificial. I think that what I am trying to say is that in community you experience both ends of the spectrum, both great pain and hardship, and great joy and blessing. Those people that rub you the wrong way and force you to deal with all the ugliness inside your own heart are the same one's that offer up prayers for you while you walk it out. They are the same people that love you inspite of the ugliness and offer grace to you. They are the one's you celebrate with and laugh with. I have lived with people and without and even though I have seen more sin in myself being forced to the surface, I thank God that he has blessed me with people to really share life with. Humility is a much more joyful walk than loneliness. May our love for each other show others Christ love for the world...