I do know a friend whose name is actually Courage.
I thought she was kidding at first,
anyone would merely dream of displaying such formidable surname.
It was 2013 when I met her and became friends
as we served together in a restaurant at a church.
You want love, love first. You want to be heard, listen up! You want to be respected, show respect. You want to win the war, learn to lose battles. You want freedom, fight fair. You want the right example for the next generation, it starts with you at home and in serving selflessly in our communities. You want empathy and compassion, be empathetic and compassionate towards your enemies. You want grace for yourself, be ready to give it.
You want forgiveness, forgive those who trespass you even when they are not apologetic for what they have done.
LEAD BY EXAMPLE in everything you do. Work harder than anyone without always expecting anything in return.
Our reward isn’t here, but in His Kingdom.
You know summer is over when you stock up on pumpkin-flavored everything because you also know that fall will also soon be over. I mean, it may have started with pumpkin lattes at Starbucks and some delectable dessert choices, but now we have to indulge, or tolerate if you are not a fan of, pumpkin-flavored Greek yogurt, potato chips, cream cheese, cereal, English muffins, bagels, hummus, etc…
Fall season is also the beginning of a lot returning TV shows and also the new and most anticipated ones, such as Designated Survivor and did you guys get to watch my new favorite This is Us?
As we grow older and seasons come and go, time resembles more like an enemy who is constantly reminding us of how we’ve wasted it with our lack of productivity. Our reasoning? We just don’t have enough of it.
But what does wisdom tell us about time?
I told myself in order to be successful, I had to be perfect.
But that was a lie. In order to be successful, I must be wise.
Joey Tribbiani (Matt LeBlanc, Friends) once said,
When the package is this pretty, no one cares what’s inside.
I know one person who cares.
His name is Jesus.
When we’ve been left astray with life’s disappointments, humility will not demand an apology when we’ve been wronged, but will meekly guide us to forgive in obedience to the economy of love. If we allow Mother Wisdom’s compass to direct us through the path of humility, then we will be taken to new and exciting places we had missed if we continued down the same road of pride and arrogance.
I realize we don’t always have to “win” in order to win. In life, we will always lose battles; but what will always be remembered is how we behaved despite the final results. Our reactions will determine our victories, but some people reverse this. To them, their results will determine their reactions.
Finding inspiration can be the beginning of something great that only God can use for the sole purpose of expanding His kingdom. He created us with different gifts so that we could be the blessing others can experience as we live in the here and now. God had used Switchfoot to further my search of Him; their songs have carried a tune in my hopes, my fears, my dreams, my joys, and my sorrows. Through their songs, I have experienced both laughter and tears in my journey of faith.
Often times, we are so blinded by our plans, our friends, our families, our small circle that we don’t care to practice hospitality to strangers or unbelievers. We are too concerned about what movie we should rent or what we should have for dinner that we forget there are others who don’t have the luxury of a TV or the opportunity to enjoy a hot dinner, or even worse…they don’t have a place they can call home. And that, my friends, is what the Pope meant. Let us love. Let us heal. Let us forgive. Let us not be obsessed with sin. Let us care for the sinner. Let us be a light in this world!
Ally Velsor 