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R E C O R D • O F • W R O N G S Keep record of wrongs⇢ unforgiveness, judgement, bitterness, unwilling to let go • DEFINE IT: Love does not keep record of wrongs – it does not dwell on past hurts and judgements, but forgives and gives one the benefit of the doubt. • LIVE IT: Next time you're in a conversation with someone or maybe at home alone and your mind starts to wonder to those past hurts, take a second to pause. Remember the weight of being "judged" doesn't fall on your shoulders; remember how much you've been forgiven; remember the grace you've been shown. In releasing the control of having to remember and judge all wrongs, you'll have freed space to truly and deeply love another well. • VERSE: Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. - 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 NIV
F O R G O T T E N • G O D #forgottenGod by @francischan dramatically changed our lives! If you want to know more about the Holy Spirit and come to know Him personally, we highly encourage you to read this book. Knowing the Holy Spirit is like a wild goose chase; there is never a dull moment! Once you encounter the Holy Spirit, your life will be radically changed!
N O T •  I N V I T E D A couple of weeks ago I was on social media, and I saw a picture from a party that I wasn't invited to.  I was crushed. My feelings were hurt. I was mad. • Here are the thoughts that went through my mind as I was staring at the photo, "I thought we were good friends." "How did SHE get invited!?" "It doesn't even look like a good turn out!" "I probably couldn't have even gone anyways." "Kind of looks lame." • As I was analyzing the photo and getting all bent out of shape, God asked me to look at the situation from a different angle. Here are the new thoughts that went through my mind, "What if someone else planned the party and they didn't know we were close friends?" "What if they simply forgot to invite me… we all forget things sometimes." "What if they did send an invite and I never received it?" "How many times have I had a get-together and left special people out?" • As I started seeing things from a different perspective, I was able to calm down and have feelings of love, not hate. It also helped me to fight the lies that were arising (others do not like me & people don't care about me), and I was able to see the truth of the situation and of myself. • We love social media, but we know it can be hard. Let's be a tribe that gives people the benefit of the doubt, and let's see life through other people's perspectives and not just our own.
E A S I L Y • A N G E R E D Angered⇢ bitter, resentful, heated, irate • DEFINE IT: Love is not easily angered when a person has a “short fuse." The Bible says "be slow to anger" and "In your anger do not sin." God is not saying that anger is wrong, but He is saying that we should be careful with our anger because being hot-tempered usually involves making snap judgments, seeking instant vindication, and refusing to grant second chances. • LIVE IT: When you are angry, walk away. It is best to give yourself time and space, even if it is just 60 seconds, to breath and let your emotions calm down. • VERSE: Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. - 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 NIV
Have you ever had a bad day, been really anxious, worried, or felt super stressed out and found it SO HARD to talk about?! The other week I was experiencing a lot of fear, but instead of voicing it, I decided to keep it all in. That just made my fears escalate even more! I didn't want to "burden" someone else with my concerns or bring down the mood of a conversation. • If I'm being honest though, I was afraid of showing weakness. I felt ashamed. One evening, I saw a friend, and I decided to do a very brave thing... I told her I had been struggling with anxiety that week. At that moment, two things happened: • 1. My friend didn't freak out or look at me like I was some crazy person. No! Instead, she listened to me and encouraged me to honestly share how I was feeling... and then she went on to share about some things she was experiencing and a hardship that had even taken place that day in her life! 2. In admitting my imperfections to my friend, I could feel a little burden being lifted from my shoulders. • No one expected perfection. It was ok not to be ok. I wasn't alone, and I wasn't meant to deal with these things alone. That's why Jesus continually reiterates the importance of the body of Christ. • Did you know that redwood trees are unique in that their roots grow horizontally rather than downward? One would think they would need to grow WAY down for such tall trees to be stable, but actually, they find their support and impeccable strength in intertwining their roots with their fellow redwoods. Just like redwoods, we NEED each other to withstand hardships that come our way! • 📸: Thank you @annaleabartels !!
H O L L Y N Hollyn is one of our favorites! She's young (only 22), has a heart for God, and her music is both fun and powerful! At the moment, our favorite song of her's is called "LOVELY!" Go check out @iamhollyn and her incredible music!
S E L F – S E E K I N G Self-seeking⇢ self-absorbed, selfish, concentrated on one's own advantage • DEFINE IT: Love is not self-seeking – it does not take advantage of a situation to better oneself or for personal gain. • LIVE IT: Often, we don't even realize the true intent of our words and actions. What's helpful, in any situation, is to take a quick gut check... are you saying or doing this out of care and genuine love for another person or are you trying to gain something from that person or circumstance? Taking a few seconds to reevaluate our motives is the first step to truly loving the other. • VERSE: Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. - 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 NIV
W E ' R E • G O I N G • B A C K We're headed BACK to Mexico with @unity4orphans, and we could not be more excited! We would LOVE for you to join us for a ONE-DAY trip to Mexico on Saturday, April 27th. Don't miss out on this life-changing opportunity! Comment below or DM us if interested!
H E L L O The other day I was in line at the store, and there was a woman in front of me playing on her cell phone. I judged her. I judged her body, her outfit, her hair, her demeanor... I judged everything about her. • All the sudden God nudged me and told me to talk to her. "Hello!" I abruptly blurted out. She turned around, smiled at me, and greeted me back. My simple hello turned into a 5-minute conversation. • Here is what God taught me: 1. When I was judging this woman, it was ugliness in my heart arising. It had nothing to do with her; it was all MY insecurities coming to the surface. 2. The best way to break judgment is to get to know the person. By the end of our conversation, we were both smiling, laughing, and all judgment I had made toward this woman was gone. • Let's be a community that fights against judging other women. Instead, let's get to know each other and lift each other up!
D I S H O N O R Dishonor⇢ offend, disgrace, rude, disfavor • DEFINE IT: Love dishonors others when you seek to cause problems with someone or belittle them. • LIVE IT: When you are irritated or frustrated with someone, and tempted to be rude, remember that love has good manners. Love is courteous, polite, and sensitive to the feelings of others. Look at the situation from their perspective and think to yourself "How would I want to be treated?" That might mean smiling when you don't want to, walking away when you want to mouth off, or sharing something that you don't want to share. • VERSE: Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. - 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 NIV

 

 

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