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Archive for the ‘From My Heart’ Category

The Gift Of Grace

Posted in From My Heart, tagged , , , on December 17, 2016| Leave a Comment »

grace

 

I am reminded in this holiday season of those who may be hurting. Christmas is a time that seems to bring our pain to the surface and there are those who don’t know how to deal with that pain, other than to hurt themselves. Broken hearts can feel like they will literally break in two. I know. I have been there. I know what pain feels like. You feel like you just can’t go on. The only way you feel you can cope is to hide in the bottom of a bottle of alcohol or stay lit up on drugs. Maybe, you feel like no one will ever accept you, so you hang out with people who lead you down the wrong road. Whether your pain is from childhood abuse or adult trauma, I get it. My heart has been ripped in two on more than one occasion and I have felt like going to sleep and never waking up.

I want you to know that God gives us the gift of grace. Grace is the freely given, unmerited favor and love of God. God loves you, regardless of past mistakes or things that happened to you that were out of your control. If you have been abused, let it go. You were a victim and you have lived imprisoned in the shame for far to long. God loves you beyond what any words can express and He can heal your broken heart. Allow Him to start chipping away at that wall that you have built up around your heart and accept God’s gift of grace. God gives it freely, but you must accept it. It is your choice to accept God’s love and let that love wash over you and heal you. Accept the freedom from your past that only God can offer. LET GOD SET YOU FREE!

Don’t let the anger, bitterness, and shame keep you from living a life you were designed to live. You are one of a kind and you hold a very special place in God’s heart. Put down the bottle. Put down the drugs. Get away from those who are out to hurt you and surrender your pain to the one who truly loves you, God. Open up your heart and let go of the pain you have carried for so long. He is waiting. I know that God loves me and I am so glad that I let Him wash away the pain in my heart. I am loved. I am accepted. Not by the fleeting acceptance of people, but by God, who will never leave me nor forsake me (Deuteronomy 31:6). YOU are loved. YOU are accepted. Not by the fleeting acceptance of people, but by God, who will never leave you nor forsake you.

If you are feeling alone or simply need someone to pray with you, please contact me via my contact page. I would love to hear from you. I would love to pray with you. You are NOT alone, my friend. YOU ARE NOT ALONE!

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Tithing vs. Giving

Posted in From My Heart, tagged , , , , on December 2, 2016| Leave a Comment »

giving

 

I know that we are told that we are to tithe 10% of our income to the church. As Christians, we are bombarded with church leaders “reminding” us that it is our duty to tithe to the church. But, where do these tithes go? What does the church do with the money? Unfortunately, all too often, our tithes go into maintaining buildings, property, programs and salaries. Our tithes aren’t going where God intended them to go: to those in need.

The question is: Are we still under the law to tithe 10% or are we to follow the Holy Spirit and give as He leads? I am not saying that we are not to give. Jesus tells us to give generously. I just don’t believe that we are still under the law to tithe 10%.

The other question is: Are we required to give our tithes to the church?

The answer to the first question is in the following verses:

 

Galatians 5:18

18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

Matthew 23:23

23 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.

2 Corinthians 9:7

7 Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

As Christians today, we are led by the Holy Spirit. We are not under the law, like the teachers of the law and Pharisees, in Matthew 23:23. We are to give as the Holy Spirit leads us to give. Be warned though, that the Holy Spirit often leads us to give more than 10%:

2 Corinthians 8:3

3 For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, 

They gave even beyond their ability. They gave entirely on their own. Yes, sometimes we are asked to give even more than we are able. Matthew 6:19-21 tells us:

19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

I attended a church for several years and had questioned some of their practices. I had come to care about these people, but some of things being taught raised some red flags for me and what I believed to be biblical. I was sitting in our bi-monthly after service lunch and business meeting, when the subject turned to the church savings account and the amount $28,000. They were discussing a purchase or some such. They ultimately decided against the purchase so they could “store up their treasure” in case the roof leaked or the furnace gave out. Their decision was to keep saving for a rainy day. I was dismayed. $28,000 sitting in a bank account, being saved for a rainy day, when there were so many people in need that could have used some help. I attended another church right after they moved into their large, brand new church building. I was overwhelmed by the non-stop plea for money. The entire service was one giant commercial to support the church. I did not return.

My second question was: Are we required to give our tithes to the church?

I believe the following scriptures answer this question:

Matthew 19:21

21 Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

Acts 2:45

45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.

Acts 4:32-37

32 All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. 33 With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all 34 that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales 35 and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need. 36 Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means “son of encouragement”), 37 sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.

I don’t believe we are under any obligation to give our tithes and offerings directly to the church. I don’t feel it is good stewardship of my money to give to maintain buildings, programs and to pay salaries, when Jesus made it clear that we were to give to those in need. I know that if church leaders actually read this post, I will hear about it, but God cares about people. The buildings could go up in flames tomorrow and what do you have left? You have people who still need to be cared for. Give to those in need. This is the most important thing.

These scriptures also, provide an answer for question number one. They tell us to sell our possessions and property to give to those in need. The early believers didn’t hold anything as their own. They gave as there was need, sharing EVERYTHING they had. They were not greedy. They were not selfish. They didn’t care about having the grandest church building or the most programs. The early believers cared about each other. They cared about everyone having enough. WOW! What a concept! Where is that spirit in the American church today? Unfortunately, almost non-existent.

If you are reading this post, I want you to feel the freedom from the guilt trip you may be under to tithe only to the church. I want you to be free from the guilt of having to tithe 10% and no less. Give as the Holy Spirit leads. What you give is between you and God and no one else. If the Spirit is leading you to tithe 10% to your church, then by all means, do so. I just know that there are many people who feel like I did. You aren’t sure what the truth is. I hope I’ve helped. If you still aren’t sure, do your own research. Dig into the truth, found only in the Bible. You can always contact me and we can search together. If you need prayer, I am always here to pray with you. My priority is that my readers know the truth of what the Bible says. You will ALWAYS find the truth here. That is my promise!  God Bless!

 

 

 

 

 

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Defeating The Devil

Posted in From My Heart, tagged , , , , on November 2, 2016| Leave a Comment »

jesus-victorious

 

1 Peter 5: 8-9

8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

The Warning:

Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

Satan is waiting for us to let our guard down, so he can destroy us. He is waiting for that one moment for us to slip up, so he can slide in and destroy us, our families and our communities. It takes one slip up, one sin, one time of giving in to temptation for our happy, wonderful lives to be over. He is ruthless. He is evil. He does not care who he takes down. Don’t let it be you.

The Battle Plan:

God does not give us a warning, without giving us a battle plan. He tells us exactly how to defeat the devil and send him fleeing:

Be alert and of sober mind. Resist him, standing firm in the faith.

Be alert. Be watchful. We need to keep our mind clear of drugs, alcohol and other substances that alter our mind. We need to let go of worry, anxiety and fear. We need to have clear minds, so that when temptation comes, we are ready to resist and be victorious. Be in prayer continually. Hide God’s word in your heart. Abide in Jesus. Stand firm in the faith, so that when you are in the midst of spiritual warfare, you can say, “flee from me, Satan” and he will have to flee.

The Encouragement:

because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

God reminds us that we are not alone in our sufferings. We belong to a family. A family of believers that know what suffering is. We can find courage and strength in knowing that we are not alone. Trust that God will never leave us nor forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:6). Find your place in a body of believers. We can resist Satan more effectively when we have a family of believers fighting for us through intercession, encouraging us, and giving us the strength to keep going. We need to be involved in a local body of believers to keep us strong in our faith. Never think that you are too weak to fight the devil. We are not alone. God is fighting for us and when God is for us, who would dare to stand against us (Romans 8:31)?

 

 

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Make America Great Again

Posted in From My Heart, tagged , on October 30, 2016| Leave a Comment »

pray-america

 

2 Chronicles 7:14

14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

 

I realize that the title of this blog post is the campaign slogan of a current Presidential candidate, but I’m not talking politics here. We have had enough of that. God has given us the secret to making America great again and it has less to do with one person and more to do with living for Him. The above scripture tells us exactly what we need to do to heal this great country, if we listen and obey.

  1. Humble Ourselves– We need to confess our sins and realize that we are not above God or other people. We think that we are entitled to the best of everything, to the point of stepping on other people to get what we want. We are NOT entitled to anything! Everything belongs to God and we should be very grateful for what He gives us. Even Jesus came to serve and not to be served (Matthew 20:28). Even Jesus did not have a place to lay His head (Matthew 8:20). If the Son of God did not have a place to lay His head, what makes us think that we are entitled to so much more? We need to humble ourselves and serve, as Jesus served.
  2. Pray– we need to pray for spiritual awakening in our land. We need to pray for God’s protection. We need to pray for God to forgive us. Our Nation is in a desperate place right now. The devil is wreaking havoc on our families and communities. Why? Because WE have let him in. We gave Satan a foothold and now, he is destroying the things that we hold near and dear to our hearts. We need to be on our knees, crying out to God to have mercy on us. If we cry out, He will hear us and save us (Psalm 34:17).
  3. Seek His Face– We need to sincerely seek God’s face. We need to pray, dig into God’s word, worship Him alone and be willing to obey Him. We need to abide in Christ, staying close to the vine (John 15:4). Our thoughts, as we go about our daily duties need to be about God. Did I seek God’s will before making that decision? Do I keep God in the midst of my daily activities? Do I have a set time to Pray and read the Bible? Am I discerning God’s will for my life? We need to seek Him with every fiber of our being.
  4. Turn from Our Wicked Ways– We turn our back on God and then we wonder why our nation is in the state of chaos it’s in. We can’t keep sinning against God and expect God to bless us. We need to humble ourselves, fall on our knees, and repent, repent, repent. We need to ask God to forgive us our sins, and turn from our wicked ways. We are a nation that has fallen into moral decay and it is sad. We have so much and yet we are throwing it all away because of greed, hate, lust, and idolatry. We need to be begging God to forgive us and we need to turn away from the evil that we have allowed to come into this amazing country.

 

This verse also, comes with a promise. If we do all of the above, then God will hear from heaven, forgive our sin and heal our land. If we truly want America to be great again, we need to turn to God. We can not expect one person to bring us back to greatness. It takes all of us, caring enough about each other and America to turn away from our sin and turn back to God. We need God. It’s as simple as that. We need God.

 

 

 

 

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Lessons From Michael Jackson

Posted in From My Heart, tagged , , , on October 14, 2016| Leave a Comment »

be-the-change

Man in the Mirror

Michael Jackson

As I, Turn Up The Collar On My
Favourite Winter Coat
This Wind Is Blowin’ My Mind
I See The Kids In The Street,
With Not Enough To Eat
Who Am I, To Be Blind?
Pretending Not To See
Their Needs
A Summer’s Disregard,
A Broken Bottle Top
And A One Man’s Soul
They Follow Each Other On
The Wind Ya’ Know
‘Cause They Got Nowhere
To Go
That’s Why I Want You To
Know

I’ve Been A Victim Of A Selfish
Kind Of Love
It’s Time That I Realize
That There Are Some With No
Home, Not A Nickel To Loan
Could It Be Really Me,
Pretending That They’re Not
Alone?

A Widow Deeply Scarred,
Somebody’s Broken Heart
And A Washed-Out Dream
They Follow The Pattern Of
The Wind, Ya’ See
Cause They Got No Place
To Be

That’s Why I’m Starting With
Me. I’m Starting With The Man In
The Mirror
I’m Asking Him To Change
His Ways
And No Message Could Have
Been Any Clearer
If You Wanna Make The World
A Better Place
Take A Look At Yourself And
Then Make A Change

As I was watching the Voice Monday night, it was like I was hearing this song for the first time. I am a child of the 80’s and have always been a huge Michael Jackson fan. I have heard this song many times and it had never resonated with my soul the way it did Monday night.

This song is decades old and yet it still speaks to where we are today. This world is in chaos. This nation is in chaos. We, as a society, look to our own needs, instead of looking out for the needs of our neighbors. We live in a world where human trafficking is the fastest growing crime in the world. We live in a world where we turn a blind eye to women and children being beaten in their own homes. We live in a world where we fight violence with violence and no one is willing to compromise. We see the homeless person on the street, but ignore him as we walk by. Our hearts have been hardened by greed, selfishness, and apathy.

We complain about the crime, violence and chaos, but we are quick to blame others for the mess this world is in, “well, if she had acted differently this wouldn’t have happened.” or “he saw what was happening, he should have done something.” It is always someone else’s fault. How long is it going to take before we look in the mirror at our own reflections and decide that we have had enough? How many people will die before we decide that we, as individuals, need to start making changes in our own world?

We all have excuses. Those excuses aren’t a good enough reason to stand back and watch people suffer, when we can do something. It starts with ME. It starts with YOU. We each need to open our hearts and see where it is that we need to make a change in ourselves, so that we can make a change in this world. Are you willing to look in the mirror and make the change? I am. We can’t continue to sit back and watch as this world falls apart. We need to listen to Michael Jackson and start with the man in the mirror.

What change do you need to make in yourself to make a difference in this world?

*Disclaimer: this is not the entire song. I have condensed it to fit the purposes of this blog post.

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Live In Peace

Posted in From My Heart, tagged , , , , on September 21, 2016| Leave a Comment »

peace

 

2 Corinthians 13:11

11 Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.

Romans 12:18

18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

 

We live in a world where violence is all we see on the T.V. and movie screen, where hate and evil are the news of the day and Satan is causing chaos everywhere. Peace seems to be elusive. It doesn’t have to be. I’m not naive enough to think that we will have complete peace as long as Satan is allowed to roam the earth, but we can squash him by bringing peace to our corner of the world.

James 4:7

7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Satan does not have power, unless we give him power. If we love those around us and bring peace to our homes, neighborhoods, workplaces and communities, things can change. Satan will have to flee. If we stand together against the hate, the violence and the chaos, Satan will no longer have a foothold. If we stand together, in unity, and embrace our differences, we can bring change to a world in desperate need of change. If we can learn from each other about our different religions, cultures, races and lifestyles, without the fear that someone is trying to change us, our world can change. If we can tear down the wall that divides us, our communities can change. If we can let go of the resentments that have hardened our hearts, our children’s lives can change. We have to choose, every day to BE that change. We have to choose, one person at a time, to bring peace in the communities in which we live. We are so busy fighting against each other, that we can’t see that Satan is sitting back and laughing at our stupidity. Let’s choose to quit fighting each other and choose to fight the real enemy, the Devil himself.

I am challenging you to find a way to bring peace into your corner of the world today. What can you do to bring about reconciliation in a situation? What can you do to be a peacemaker in the lives of those around you?

God can change us, He can change this world, but He expects US to partner with Him. It starts with US.

 

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Where Is Your Treasure?

Posted in From My Heart, tagged , , , on August 21, 2016| Leave a Comment »

treasure

 

Matthew 6:19-21

19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

I have been thinking about this verse a lot lately as those in Louisiana deal with the aftermath of the devastating floods that have left people homeless and grieving for all they have lost. So, how much is to much? Where is that line between storing up treasures on Earth and storing up treasures in Heaven?

I guess for me, it is when you start working to support your lifestyle. Instead of enjoying life, you are working to live. You are exhausted from working to pay your bills and are to tired to enjoy life when you are off. When you have material possessions that you don’t need, but you had to have just because. When you buy, buy, buy just to stay up with a current fad. When your stuff starts to suck the life out of you and you have no time or energy left for what’s important.

You get stuck on the hamster wheel of life and don’t know how to get off. So, how much is too much?

Luke 9:3

3 He told them: “Take nothing for the journey—no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra shirt.

This is what Jesus commanded the 12 to take with them. Jesus, himself, owned nothing. I’m not saying that I think Jesus wants us all to be homeless. I’m saying that Jesus wants us to live simply. He wants us to live within our means. He wants us to have the time, energy and resources to give to others who are in need. Do you really NEED that big fancy house? Do you really NEED that luxury car? Do you really NEED a 60 inch flat screen T.V. with surround sound? It is all nice to have, but is it a NEED?  Could you give up those things and give the profits to those in need?

Let the Holy Spirit guide you. If you feel the Holy Spirit is calling you to downsize then do it. Let the disaster in Louisiana lead us all into reflection on how much is to much. Let the grief of millions of people in other man-made and natural disasters challenge you to live simply. It could happen to any of us. You could lose everything you own tomorrow and there is nothing you can do about it. Is it all worth it? How can you simplify your time? How can you simplify your possessions? How can you simplify your life and have more time for the things that are important to God?

I am reflecting changes in my own life. If you would like to share what the Holy Spirit is speaking to you, feel free to contact me. I would love to hear your story.

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Love Them Where They Are

Posted in From My Heart, tagged , , , , on August 6, 2016| Leave a Comment »

love2love

 

John 13:34-35

34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

There has been a phrase running through my head lately, “Love them where they are.” We, as Christians (and I’m talking about myself here too), are in a bad habit of only loving those that we perceive as being like us, or on our level. We have a tough time of loving those that we think are less lovable; Alcoholics, drug addicts, the mentally disabled, homeless, or poor. We say that we will love them when they are sober, on medication, have a home or when we don’t feel so uncomfortable around them. Our discomfort is OUR problem. We ALL have skeletons in our closets that we feel would make us unlovable. We are ALL imperfect. So, why does it cause us discomfort to love those who may be different than us? We all have sin in our lives. Is it fair of us to sit in judgement of another human being who may simply want to be loved? Is it fair of us to withhold love from one of God’s children, because he or she is not “worthy” in our eyes? We are to love one another. Period. No conditions. We are to love them where they are right now today, sin and all. Isn’t that the way God loves us? What if God decided that we weren’t “worthy” of His love? What if God decided we needed to be perfect in order for Him to love us? Fortunately, He won’t ever withhold His love from us. Jesus loved the Woman at the well in John 4, even though she had had 5 husbands and was living with a man that was not her husband. Jesus loved the woman in John 8 who had been caught in adultery. Jesus never judged anyone. Jesus was about building relationships with people where they were and encouraging them with love to be better. He encouraged them to want more for their lives than what they were living. Jesus was all about loving people where they were.

We are not in the position to love people when they are “fixed” or “living up to our standards.” We are in the position to love one another NOW. I am challenging you to reach out and love someone this week right where they are, without judgement, only with love. Open your heart and allow God to love others through you, right where they are now.

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It’s a Beautiful Day

Posted in From My Heart, tagged , , , on May 22, 2016| Leave a Comment »

its a beautiful day

Psalm 118:24

This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.

When trouble seems to rain on my dreams
It’s not a big, not a big deal
Let it wash all the bugs off my windshield
Cause You’re showing me in You I’m free
And You’re still the refuge that I’ve just got to get to
So I won’t let a day go won’t let a day go by
So put the drop-top down turn it up I’m ready to fly!

I’ve got no need to worry
I’ve got no room for doubt
No matter what’s coming at me, you’ll always be the beautiful I sing about
There ain’t no limitations to Your amazing grace!
Your amazing grace

I love the song “It’s a Beautiful Day” sung by Jamie Grace. I can’t hear it and stay in a bad mood. It reminds me that no matter what I’m going through, it is my reaction to it that counts. I may not be able to change what is going on, but I can change my perspective and my own reactions.

There are times when I let my circumstances over run my emotions and I get into a funk and can’t seem to pull myself out. Sadly, more often than not, I let my emotions run me and I worry about things I can’t change or I hang onto things I should let go of. I become angry and it starts to effect my whole outlook on life. I get into this mood that I can’t shake. God doesn’t want us to live like that. He is in control. My negativity isn’t going to change a thing, so I might as well trust God and know that He has my back. There are so many blessings in life! There are so many ways that God shows us He loves us. Even in the times of trouble. Every day is a beautiful day simply because I am alive!

Challenge: If you are feeling down in the dumps, I encourage you to count your blessings. If there are things in your life that aren’t going your way, make a list of the things that are. God is good! He loves us! There will always be reasons in life to rejoice. Start focusing on the positive. Become an optimist instead of a pessimist. Try it and see if every day doesn’t become a beautiful day!

 

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You Are Worthy

Posted in From My Heart, tagged , , on May 1, 2016| Leave a Comment »

you are worthy

 

Ephesians 1:5

Having predestined us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 

There have been times in my life when I was called worthless, selfish, a drain on the family, lazy, inconsiderate, and many words that are to inappropriate to mention here. I will honestly admit that I am not perfect. I make mistakes, just like everyone else. I don’t deserve to be judged for every little mistake I make. I don’t deserve to be criticized for doing something differently than someone else. I don’t deserve to be spoken to like I’m stupid and unworthy. I have been called pathetic and a bad mother. I know that despite my flaws that I am none of those things.

Remember the old rhyme, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me”? That is so not true! Words hurt! I know from experience how words can cut into the very core of your being. After awhile, you start to think that maybe you are that person. You start to question everything you do, every decision you make. Every negative word against you chips away at your heart, your spirit, until you are just a shell of who you were meant to be.

If you identify with anything written in this post, let me assure you, dear friend, that God NEVER wants you to feel unworthy or unloved. It was God’s will that we become His children. As long as you believe that Jesus died for your sins and paid the ultimate sacrifice, then you have been adopted by God. You are part of God’s family and He loves you! The Bible is full of truth about His feelings for us. Check it out and see for yourself that you are fearfully and wonderfully made(Psalm 139:14).

Before you let the negative words of someone else bury themselves in your heart, find the truth in the Bible. The truth of how God feels about you is there and His opinion is the only one that counts. Stay close to the one who loves you, my friend. Abide in Him and He will never depart from you.

 

 

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