love

Love Keeps No Record of Wrongs

/ Susie Stewart / Leave a comment

Love keeps no record of wrongs…

– 1 Corinthians 13:5 (NIV)

 

It is impossible to love somebody and think well of them and at the same time hold the bad things they may have done in the past against them like a register of unpaid debts.

– Richard Savage

 

Everyone says forgiveness is a lovely idea, until they have someone to forgive.

– C.S. Lewis

 

But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.

– Matthew 6:15 (NLT)

 

Only when we humble ourselves before God, recognizing what He did for us, can we truly offer that same forgiveness…

– Ken & Pam

 

You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for He forgave all our sins. He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross.

– Colossians 2:13-15 (NLT)

 

Photo by Susie Stewart

 

 

Love Is Not Easily Angered

/ Susie Stewart / Leave a comment

Love is not easily angered…

– 1 Corinthians 13:5 (NIV)

 

The Lord is compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.

– Psalm 103:8 (NLT)

 

Be not angry that you cannot make others as you wish them to be, since you cannot make yourself as you wish to be.

– Thomas a Kempis

 

Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires.

– James 1:20 (NLT)

 

There is nothing that so much gratifies an ill tongue as when it finds an angry heart.

– Thomas Fuller

 

Fools vent their anger, but the wise quietly hold it back.

– Proverbs 29:11 (NLT)

 

Anger itself is not wrong. All emotions are created by God – It’s just that sin taints emotions. Sort of like fruit that goes bad. Worry is concern gone bad. Fury is anger gone bad.

– Jennifer Smith

 

Sensible people control their temper; they earn respect by overlooking wrongs.

– Proverbs 19:11 (NLT)

 

Photo by Susie Stewart

Love Is Not Rude

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Love is not rude…

– 1 Corinthians 13:5 (NIV)

 

Rudeness always occurs when selfishness reigns. Being rude means I’m not concerned about others.

– Elizabeth Marks

 

Rudeness is the weak person’s imitation of strength.

– Eric Hoffer

 

It only takes a spark, remember, to set off a forest fire. A careless or wrongly placed word out of your mouth can do that. By our speech we can ruin the world, turn harmony to chaos, throw mud on a reputation, send the whole world up in smoke and go up in smoke with it, smoke right from the pit of hell.

– James 3:6 (MSG)

 

To exude the nature of Christ in the face of rudeness, insensitivity, or cruelty is a supernatural ability that the Holy Spirit gives, not something we can muster up in our own strength.

– Leslie Ludy

 

Photo by Susie Stewart

 

Love Is Not Proud

/ Susie Stewart / Leave a comment

Love is not proud…

– 1 Corinthians 13:4 (NIV)

 

 

Godly love acts in humility,

but with confidence.

 

This confidence is not in self,

not a prideful confidence,

but a confidence in your position in Christ

and who He created you to be.

 

He created you for this – to Love God, love people, and bring Him glory.

– Susie Stewart

 

A proud man then is a kind of glutton upon himself; for he is never satisfied with loving and admiring himself; whilst nothing else, with him, is worthy either of love or care.

– William Penn

 

In pride we become the objects of our own love; in humility we learn to love others.

– S. Michael Houdmann

 

Pride will create contempt, arguments, misunderstandings, resentment, loss of community, and indifference…We need to seek others first and their well being, not our arrogance and egocentric mentality. Love lifts up God, not us.

– Richard Krejcir

 

Photo by Susie Stewart

Love Does Not Boast

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Love does not boast…

– 1 Corinthians 13:4 (NIV)

 

Godly love isn’t boastful and arrogant.  It seeks to build up others, not to brag about one’s own accomplishments.  It seeks to make much of God and to bring Him glory.

– Susie Stewart

 

Boasting is the voice of pride in the heart of the strong. Self-pity is the voice of pride in the heart of the weak.

– John Piper

 

Grace puts it’s hand on the boasting mouth, and shuts it once for all.

– Charles Spurgeon

 

Photo by Andy Stewart

Love Does Not Envy

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Love does not envy…

– 1 Corinthians 13:4 (NIV)

 

Envying someone else’s life doesn’t make your life better like actually enjoying your own does.

– Ann Voskamp

 

It is a very human trait in us to feel that another’s advancement is in some way a blow to ourselves. It is equally a human trait to feel that another’s downfall and disgrace in some way adds a bit of luster to our own crowns. Of course, nothing could be more utterly false.

-Clovis G. Chappell

 

In some dispositions there is such an envious kind of pride that they cannot endure that any but themselves should be set forth for excellent; so that when they hear one justly praised, they will either seek to dismount his virtues, or, if they be like a clear light, they will stab him with a “but” of detraction.

-Owen Felltham

 

The cure for the sin of envy and jealousy is to find our contentment in God.

-Jerry Bridges

 

Whenever people are jealous or selfish, they cause trouble and do all sorts of cruel things.

– James 3:16 (CEV)

 

Photo by Susie Stewart

Goodness

/ Susie Stewart / 1 Comment

 

God promises to work ALL things for the GOOD

 

for those of us who love Him

and have been called by Him

 

He takes our mistakes

our heartache

our everything

 

and brings purpose and good

 

Beauty from ashes

from all that happens in our lives

 

No exceptions

because of unconditional love

 

How unimaginably gracious!

 

 

So, what if you and I sought to do that

for people?

 

What if we were to respond with grace

when wronged,

bringing the good

to that situation?

 

And what if we loved

when it makes more sense

to hate?

 

And what if we took awful circumstances,

and inserted compassion

and truth

instead of criticism?

 

What if we responded with patience

when it isn’t warranted?

 

What if we sought,

by God’s Spirit,

the good

in everything?

 

What if we showed His goodness,

by His power,

with His Light,

in the darkness?

– Susie Stewart

 

 

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.

– Romans 8:28 (NIV)

 

…we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.

– Romans 8:28 (MSG)

 

And we all, with unveiled face, continually seeing as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are progressively being transformed into His image from [one degree of] glory to [even more] glory, which comes from the Lord, [who is] the Spirit.

– 2 Corinthians 3:18 (AMP)

 

To all who mourn in Israel, He will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair.  In their righteousness, they will be like great oak that the Lord has planted for His own glory.

– Isaiah 61:3 (NLT)

 

Photo taken by Susie Stewart

 

 

 

Authentic

/ Susie Stewart / Leave a comment

Throughout history, an authentic faith has been marked by a compassionate response toward those the world tends to forget.

~ Gary L. Thomas

 

This is the kind of fast day I’m after:
to break the chains of injustice,
get rid of exploitation in the workplace,
free the oppressed,
cancel debts.
What I’m interested in seeing you do is:
sharing your food with the hungry,
inviting the homeless poor into your homes,
putting clothes on the shivering ill-clad,
being available to your own families.
Do this and the lights will turn on,
and your lives will turn around at once.
Your righteousness will pave your way.
The God of glory will secure your passage.
Then when you pray, God will answer.
You’ll call out for help and I’ll say, “Here I am.”
– Isaiah 58:6-8 (MSG)

 

His is a loving, tender hand, full of sympathy and compassion.

– D.L. Moody

 

Biblical orthodoxy without compassion is surely the ugliest thing in the world.

– Francis Schaeffer

 

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Photos taken by Susie Stewart

Beautiful Love

/ Susie Stewart / Leave a comment

The colored sunsets and starry heavens, the beautiful mountains and the shining seas, the fragrant woods and painted flowers, are not half so beautiful as a soul that is serving Jesus out of love, in the wear and tear of common, unpoetic life.

– Faber

 

Be sure to fear the Lord and faithfully serve Him. Think of all the wonderful things He has done for you.
– 1 Samuel 12:24 (NLT)

 

…What is important is faith expressing itself in love.

– Galatians 5:6 (NLT)

 

 

Photo taken by Susie Stewart

Romance

/ Susie Stewart / 2 Comments

Admittedly

I’m a romantic

 

and when I heard the words to the song recently

 

about how

 

She is his life

and She is his whole world

 

it sounded so beautiful

and so

 

well,

romantic

 

but I thought about

how my stance has changed

since I was young,

a young romantic

 

Truth be told

when I met Mr. Wonderful

and started dating Mr. Wonderful

and married Mr. Wonderful

 

he was my whole world

 

I could barely think of much else

 

I loved God too

but I cared more about seeking Andy’s attention

than seeking my God

 

But of course

 

earthly affections do not completely satisfy

they don’t completely fill you

 

and when a person is your whole world

you can’t help but be disappointed

 

it’s inevitable

 

because that’s not how it’s meant to be

 

No one fills and satisfies

a soul’s longings

 

even for romance

 

like Jesus

 

He’s the heroic groom

for His bride,

His follower

 

And as I’ve gone through the ups and downs

of life

I am thankful to have gone through them

with Mr. Wonderful

 

and yes, I’m thankful for romance

in my marriage

 

but

 

my love for my Savior

my focus on His affections

my longing to do His will

to do what I do out of love for Him

has surpassed all other loves

 

I’ve come to realize

that He has been pursuing me

romancing me

loving me

all this time

even since the womb

 

And when I focus on Him

other relationships in life pale in comparison

 

but then all is as it should be

 

and I am free to love people

without expecting them to be God

 

 

– Susie Stewart

 

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…Then I gave you My divine promise to always be your Beloved, and I entered the sacred covenant of marriage with you. I wed you, and you became Mine.

– Ezekiel 16:8 (VOICE)

 

As a young man marries a young woman, so will your Builder marry you;

as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you.

– Isaiah 62:5 (NIV)

 

For your Creator will be your husband; the Lord of Heaven’s Armies is his name! He is your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, the God of all the earth.

– Isaiah 54:5 (NLT)

 

I will be faithful to you and make you mine, and you will finally know me as the Lord.

– Hosea 2:20 (NLT)

 

I am overwhelmed with joy in the Lord my God!
For He has dressed me with the clothing of salvation
and draped me in a robe of righteousness.
I am like a bridegroom dressed for His wedding
or a bride with her jewels.

– Isaiah 61:10 (NLT)

 

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone.  And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.

– Revelation 21:1,2 (NLT)

 

“Go and shout this message to Jerusalem. This is what the Lord says: “I remember how eager you were to please me as a young bride long ago, how you loved me and followed me even through the barren wilderness.

– Jeremiah 2:2 (NLT)

 

The marriage covenant of a husband and wife is to be a beautiful representation of Christ and His beloved, the church.  The earthly relationship should never overshadow the Divine.

– Susie Stewart

 

For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her…

As the Scriptures say, “A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.”  This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one.

– Ephesians 5:25,31,32 (NLT)

 

Photos taken by Bob Karraker