Don’t give up a walk before trying. In order to try you need to take the first step. Once you have taken that first step, why not take the second?

Never stop before you have started. The end of the road may look a great distance away, but every step gets you closer to the end. You will never know how good a place really is, until you get there yourself. You can hear reviews from friends and family, but how it really is, depends on if you actually decide to take a step, towards your destination.

Sometimes the path can be rewarding. The beauty of getting somewhere is often times the traveling. Don’t be afraid to observe your surroundings. Admire all that is around you. It is all amazing but again, you will never experience the beauty of the walk or the excitement of arriving, until after you take that very first step. More Here...

Christ Jesus dwells in all hearts; it is when we understand this that we can begin to comprehend the statement of Jesus: “Whatever you do to the least, you do unto me”.  It is about the radical immanence of God. 

For Catholics the Eucharist points to this reality, often hidden from our understanding, the infinite love God has for his children. Each human being is a Tabernacle, the dwelling place of divinity, a light often hidden but there none the less. Love draws out love. 

When another human being knows he is loved and accepted, this brings about healing, a lessening of fear. It is sad that many fear Christians because they can come across as hateful and judgmental in ways that we are commanded not to be. One of the greatest forces that impedes the Christian faith and knowledge of Christ Jesus is we Christians. More Here...

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If love is the greatest spiritual gift, then it would seem that, if Christians want to be healers of hearts and souls, then we should pray for this gift, greater even than miracles, which can be flashy and then forgotten in time. 

However, to experience being seen and loved by another, to understand that ones depths have been gazed upon and still loved, brings about the deepest of healing; for nothing needs to be hidden.  There is no one outside of God’s love, because God sees the depths of the heart and loves what is seen. 

It is true that Jesus got angry at some of the Jews of his time, but his anger was a tool to shake up those who thought themselves the top of the religious ladder.  Many of them did after all come to believe in Jesus; perhaps for the same reason the Samaritan woman became a believer.  They understood that his anger was a form of teaching, trying to unmask what was keeping them isolated from others and unloving.  More Here...

By Sharon at She Worships

Today Her.meneutics published a post of mine about why Ike and I go to marriage counseling. In the post I referenced a recent wedding that Ike officiated (pictured left), in which he preached on wisdom. I really loved what Ike said that afternoon, so in conjunction with the Her.meneutics post I thought I would share more excerpts from his message.

What follows are some of his reflections on the importance of seeking counsel, and what it means that Jesus is our definitive example of wisdom for marriage. The opening excerpt picks up about half way through his charge to the bride and groom.

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I would like to offer one piece of advice:

Seek Wisdom.

The book of Proverbs often contrasts the wise person with the fool, and I have always found the difference in this comparison to be extremely profound.  Proverbs tells us that fools think their own way is right, but it is the wise person who listens to counsel. More Here...