Love Your Enemies

Let’s talk about loving your enemies.

I have struggled for years with someone in ministry who is just the oil to my water. We do not mix at all. They have a completely different mindset, thought process, and way of life than I do. They go out of their way to bring strife into the ministry and I’ve almost quit so many times because of them. But ultimately I am serving for the Lord in this ministry and not for that person.

How do I move past the “kill them with kindness” mindset and into the mindset of actually forgiving them and praying FOR them instead of praying for them to change. I need to be praying that I see them through God’s eyes. I can’t change the narcissistic or misogynistic tendencies. I shouldn’t be praying for them to change. I need to pray that I can forgive them and love them how God loves them.

Harder than it looks.

Jesus wasn’t always respected. Yet He still loved those who disrespected Him. If Jesus can die on the cross for people who cursed Him and beat Him and betrayed Him, than I can learn to love my enemies too. Actually love my enemies. Not just say I love my enemies. Not just say that I forgive them. Not kill them with kindness. But actually have a change within my own heart.

Luke 6:27 “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you.”

Romans 12:14 “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.”

1 Corinthians 16:14 “Let all that you do be done in love.” (This is my email signature, so I should probably start living this verse.)

1 Peter 3:9 “Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.”

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Blessings on Blessings PT.1

I know I am not alone when it comes to the rush of excitement I get when I receive this in the mail. Every single year I look forward to what awesome stuff I can get for a family who genuinely needs it. After seeing first hand what World Vision and Compassion do in third world country’s – I make it a point to carefully and mindfully browse this catalog. Think about how you can stretch your money to make the most life lasting impact on the lives of these people.

World Vision, Compassion, Operation Christmas Child, Angel Tree changes lives! So don’t scoff at the thought of sending money to an organization that won’t use it. Or better yet, get rid of the thought that, “my five bucks won’t make a difference so I won’t waste my time…” NO! It’s the dollars donated by multiple people that add up to a life changing impact! It gives these organizations the ability to give food, wells, animals, clothing, school supplies, etc.

If I could afford it I would give money to every single thing in this catalog because my heart cry’s for the thousands of kids I saw in Uganda and on the Mexican border. Kids that will never see an obscene amount of toys under the tree on Christmas morning, or a huge Christmas feast. These kids are in survival mode, they are desperate, they are hungry, and they need to understand that there are people who care for them, and love them.

Growing up we didn’t have a lot of money at all. During the winter months we would all live in one room, with heavy tattered quilts covering the doorway, and a small kerosene heater in the middle of the room to stay warm. We couldn’t afford heat. We could barely afford food. My parents sacrificed just to get enough fuel to put in that kerosene heater. They made sure my brother and I had enough blankets so we could stay warm at night. We would wake up and be able to see our breath in the room it was so freezing. But we were blessed compared to a lot of families across the world. Even families in our own neighborhood.

The past two years have been decent for our family. We still pinch penny’s but we have heat. Tears are streaming down my face right now, I’m praising the Lord at the top of my lungs so grateful we can afford heat! I’m also grateful I can give back. A lot of people helped my family out over the years, and I just want to be able to give back in some way. Whether that’s buying coats for families in my town, or donating money to organizations like World Vision that will impact lives in third world countries, I just want to give back!

So please join me, join me in my steps to keeping a minimalist Christmas so I can bless other’s the way we were blessed for so many years.