Consumer Lending

Lending - A word that until the recent economic crisis was associated positively with helping another person. I had that word jump out at me when praying the other morning when I read in our Peace Lutheran devotional an entry by one of our members,"We LEND each other hope by coming together and sharing in the Communion of His life."

My awareness of the importance of fellowship with my church family has been heightened lately and even moreso this morning when reading in 1 Thessolonians 5:11 that "we must build each other up". One of the easiest ways to build up and restore hope is simply through fellowship together.

This reinforces my recent conviction not to be a consumer of God, but to diligently seek to bring something to Him instead. Besides my daily worship and praise to Him, I can also do this simply by meeting up with my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ and cheering them on with encouraging words, hugs and laughs...lending hope.

Are you going to be a consumer or start lending your hope through Christ?

The Search is over?

"Love the Lord your God with all of your heart..."

Purpose. Who hasn't wrestled with that? Us ponder-ers make it our life quest to figure out our purpose in the universe. Why am I here? Yes, I'm 37 years old and I still don't know the color of my parachute! (Incidently, I never read that book in high school which might explain my current quandry). I can't tell you how many hours of my life I've whiled away wondering. To make matters worse, I'm a poor decision maker so choosing just one purpose is very daunting indeed. My ego looks to grand ideas that will bring me satisfaction like aspiring to be a good mother, or wife or even a successfully published author or artist (the good ole' name in lights dream). However, the Holy Spirit has been whispering something much simpler..."love God." That's it. That's all. If you do nothing else today, just love Him. Phew! My search for purpose is suddenly over! Now the challenge becomes...How?