DO YOU every wish for something soft? Something kind. Something sweet. Something warm and fuzzy? I do. Right now, in fact. I want to write a cheery word to brighten your world. The world isn’t a very kind place. But I don’t like to live in that reality.

What cheers me up might be a good place to start. I could write a long list but that would be rather boring! So I’ll spare you. Here are the first ones that come to mind.

1. A GOOD BOOK
2. DELIGHTFUL MUSIC
3. FRIENDS TO TALK TO
4. FAMILY (of course!)
5. DELICIOUS EATS
6. WRITING (my passion)
7. A CLEAN HOUSE
8. COFFEE
9. A HUG, A SMILE, A KISS
10. A PHONE CALL

Those are just some of my cheerful-to-me-givers. I wonder what are some of yours? Picking delicious, ripe produce off the vine? Soaking in a tub? Going for a walk? Eating out with a friend? Having uninterrupted time to yourself? Receiving a kind note? I’m sure there are many ways you can cheer yourself up.

Another thing that cheers me up is reading God’s Word. His Word comforts me. I like to pray and meditate off and on while I am reading. I’ve had a longing in my heart lately. Now that I have time to soak in God’s presence, to re-enliven my walk with him, I want to go deeper and deeper and grow closer and closer until I feel his closeness. That happens when I pursue God and have time to wait, and not rush, the process. I can truthfully say, my times alone with God where I seek his presence and learn of him are the most blessed of all times. There is nothing quite as meaningful to me as spending time in intimate fellowship with God.

A little girl asked a well-known minister, how she could learn to love Jesus. She was confused. She said she didn’t love Jesus, but she wanted to. The wise minister told her to say “Jesus loves me” throughout the day. He knew this would increase her awareness of Jesus’ love. The following Sunday the little girl joyously ran to the minister and said, “I love Jesus. I know I love Jesus now.” Then she explained how as she went home she kept repeating “Jesus loves me.” Something began to immediately change in her as she thought of many ways Jesus loves the world. Love and appreciation grew in her. In a few day’s time Jesus’s love became very real to the little girl. When she invited Jesus into her thinking, he made himself known to her. We can do the same.

The other night I woke up at 4:00 a.m., wide awake and unable to sleep. I spent the next two hours in prayer praying for everyone I could think of, including some of you. I prayed the same phrase for all. I asked that the Christ Light would touch whomever, you, others. For the Christians, I prayed that the Christ Light would manifest its presence in them, that Christ would make himself known to them. I prayed for my extended family, the world, our politicians, the suffering Christians, the marginalized, the people in ungodly nations, refugees, the persecuted, homeless, the LGBT community, the abused and neglected, hungry and in distress, those doing wrong and those doing right. It is a privilege to pray for others. I believe it is a prayer that God welcomes with tender love.

God bless you today. Make it a beautiful one. Praise and Thanksgiving. I’m grateful for you in the Beloved, who loves us with his everlasting love.

Jesus loves YOU. He loves you more than you can imagine. Be of good cheer, Christ has overcome the world.

XXXXXXX

BLOGS OF INTEREST THIS WEEK

Why People Leave the Christian Faith Dr. Claude Mariottini

When Leaders Fail by Dr. Claude Mariottini

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