A Great Day for Love

"Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God." (1 John 4:7)

Today is a day for LOVE! Sappy, cute, sweet, snuggly, unimaginable love! God loved us first...and taught us what perfect love looks like...and therefore, we can do nothing but love one another! What a wonderful thought that keeps me smiling on a day when I wish I could be with my loved ones. Now, normally I might bemoan the fact that I can't celebrate with a nice dinner with Weston, or even get mail from him since Valentine's Day is on a Sunday...and tomorrow's a holiday...but instead, I woke up this morning, walked down the street to First Presbyterian Church of Deland and heard God loud and clear ask me to be His Valentine!

God blesses us when we least expect it. He is the King of Kings and our Heavenly Father. Praise Him in all that you do today...I know I'm going to try. Everyone needs to see Christlike love. Who have you showed it to?

LOVE & Miss you all...xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

C

Pray for the World

It's not easy to forget that the world needs prayers when you have a news feed on your desktop, and work off of your computer all day every day. I have the news feed flashing up-to-date headlines so that I remain connected with what's going on...but sometimes I wonder why I even want to know. It's a daunting task sometimes not to become jaded by the behaviors and lack of values I see on a daily basis at college campuses across the country. Add this to the headlines barging into my peripheral vision, and I can't help but stop and pray for the world.

"John Edwards proposes to mistress Rielle Hunter, buys $3.5 M beach house"
"Two Injured in Tennessee School Shooting"
"John Mayer compares Jessica Simpson to Sexual Napalm"
"Balgojivich pleads not guilty to new charges"

...and those were just in the last hour...

Last month when the Tiger Woods scandal unfolded, I made some Facebook comments about how the blessing of marriage was being degraded, and how the entire situation was yet again a reminder that values are no longer "valuable." Frustrated and discouraged, I didn't know what I could do in response to the disgusting headlines unfolding. Then it occurred to me that God put me in my job for a reason this year. He sent His son Jesus Christ to model a perfect life for us, so that we might aspire daily to live like Him. 12 revolutionary women, 143 years ago, founded Pi Beta Phi on the basis of six core values:

Integrity
Lifelong Commitment
Honor and Respect
Philanthropic Service to Others
Personal & Intellectual Growth
Sincere Friendship

Although sometimes it feels like a daunting task, I have an OPPORTUNITY every day to model strong, Christian values for the women I work with. I am not perfect, and am NOT claiming to be. I have lived through college and made decisions that make me cringe. I get what they're up against...and I wouldn't be good at my job if I didn't get it.

The definition of jaded is "to become weary or spiritless." I refuse to let the world win and do that to me. God has filled me with his Holy Spirit, and the world cannot take that away from me. So next time a headline flashes across my news feed...instead of feeling defeated...I will bow my head and pray for the world.

"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith."
(2 Timothy 4:7)