"For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love." 2 Peter 1:5-7

Love....Love wraps it all up in the end. As I grow older, I have come to realize that the reason God says over and over in His Word that we are to love others and love Him is because He has to. He has to repeat it to us continually, because it may be the most difficult act (and the most important action) for us to do and live out. The stirring up of this understanding is vital in our Christian walk. Without it, we are just annoying screeching voices clanging in the wind, we are blind, we are cold.....without love, we are nothing and of no use to anyone.

As I meditate on these verses and walk through my daily devotion, it is clear to me that God loves us, not because we are worthy or easy to love, but because that is what He does, that is who He is. He calls us to that same character trait that He displays in overwhelming abundance to us. 

My prayer today is this "God, let it be in my nature to love the unlovable the way you love me, simply because I can't help it. Amen." 

A little prayer with a world changing impact. Pray that you will be able to love your neighbors to Jesus. Love as we have been loved, the way He first loved us. You know, He laid down his life for us and He is just asking us (He's asking me) to simply love a few more people that happen to cross our paths.

I love you in the Lord, Mia

(Again, this is one of those "I'm preaching to myself" kind of posts...can I get an AMEN!)

I have not talked to this gal, Shannon (the white girl in the picture who played the black street smart girl way better than I did in this production, lol) since November of 1998 when we did the show "Little Shop of Horrors" together. I am so grateful and a bit overwhelmed with joy to have been able to talk and share with her the impact she made on my life.

During the run of this show, when I was living in complete disobedience, she was the only one who knew about my sin. She had the courage to tell me I was wrong, that I needed to repent and had the decency to speak truth to me as an ambassador for Christ, all while extending her love and friendship. She was a great example of speaking the truth in love!

In a day when so many are scared to speak truth, this spunky, lover of Jesus, showed no fear in confronting my sin. That seed, her voice, rang in my heart for YEARS. Every time I share my testimony, still to this day, I remember her voice of truth, her courage and lack of fear......Today, I got to thank her for being a light in my journey. I praise God for her and the courage she dared to show in my life.

And if I can quote her as she again encouraged me today and reminded me of the new creations we are and our need for daily renewal...our daily bread.....she so eloquently said........"We all have a floater, that one piece that just won't flush"  (I remember why I loved this gal so much.) Thank God that he flushes it away and makes us new!!

So, my friends, don't forget to flush daily. 
Remember we have the Master Plumber waiting to renew us and make us new!

You can check out Shannon's career and follow what she's up to these days. God continues to use her in the church, in her family, through her creativity and her gift of entertainment and more energy than I will ever have!