Greetings Church Family,
I love _______ – fill in the blank! Consider all the answers you could give! We use that phrase, “I love ____” all the time! Whether it’s a food, sport, or relationship, we always toss out the word “love.” This may sound crazy, but love is the glue that binds us together! Love compels you toward joyful celebration and holds you up in bitter pain. Love compels us to sacrifice for one another, and give our best effort when we have nothing left to give. Without love…you have no family, no church, nothing…
Remember the story about Armando? Let me share it again…
A few years ago, there was a severe earthquake in Turkey. Many buildings and homes were leveled. Among the thousands of casualties, a 6-year-old boy named Armand was missing. His father, knowing his son was at school the time the earthquake hit, raced to the collapsed structure. Climbing to the top of the pile, Armand’s father began to pull off the shattered mud bricks. The sharp corners of the bricks sliced up his hands as he carried them down the pile and tossed them aside. He continued to offload the bricks. Every time people would try to stop him and tell him it’s useless, he’d reply: “Join me or leave me alone!” I love that statement – JOIN ME OR LEAVE ME ALONE! Well after forty-seven hours of consecutive digging he heard a voice: “Daddy, is that you?” Armand’s father exploded with joy as he found his son along with his classmates huddled together under collapsed walls. Armando kept telling his school companions: “I told you my daddy would come! I told you my daddy would come!” And indeed he came – a father’s relentless love.
If you were in Turkey, and you were in this story – which person is you?
Are you the child? You feel trapped, waiting to be rescued? You are in a dark place in life, wondering if anyone loves you. If you’re like the child, know this, you are loved! Don’t believe me? Go to www.morethanwinning.org
Are you on of the bystanders? You are not willing to help, questioning “why try?” You are more worried about yourself than others. If you are like the bystander – time to wake up! Get your eyes off you, your stats, and yourself…and start caring about others.
Are you like the father? You have relentless love! You’ve invested in relationships and you’ll do whatever it takes to help those you care about! If you’re like the father, keep it up! Sacrifice, work hard, and keep showing love to others! Have the attitude “join me or leave me alone” when it comes to showing love towards others.
You can give without loving, but you can never love without giving. Anonymous
Imagine a church, a family, or a team that tried to out-love one another…you now have a COMMUNITY that will look out for each other, take care of each other, and refuse to let another be alone or make bad choices.
I encourage you this week to keep on loving one another! WE are part of a special church family. A community. We want you to feel like you BELONG to this church family, and a great way to BELONG is to love others.
I love _______ – fill in the blank! Consider all the answers you could give! We use that phrase, “I love ____” all the time! Whether it’s a food, sport, or relationship, we always toss out the word “love.” This may sound crazy, but love is the glue that binds us together! Love compels you toward joyful celebration and holds you up in bitter pain. Love compels us to sacrifice for one another, and give our best effort when we have nothing left to give. Without love…you have no family, no church, nothing…
Remember the story about Armando? Let me share it again…
A few years ago, there was a severe earthquake in Turkey. Many buildings and homes were leveled. Among the thousands of casualties, a 6-year-old boy named Armand was missing. His father, knowing his son was at school the time the earthquake hit, raced to the collapsed structure. Climbing to the top of the pile, Armand’s father began to pull off the shattered mud bricks. The sharp corners of the bricks sliced up his hands as he carried them down the pile and tossed them aside. He continued to offload the bricks. Every time people would try to stop him and tell him it’s useless, he’d reply: “Join me or leave me alone!” I love that statement – JOIN ME OR LEAVE ME ALONE! Well after forty-seven hours of consecutive digging he heard a voice: “Daddy, is that you?” Armand’s father exploded with joy as he found his son along with his classmates huddled together under collapsed walls. Armando kept telling his school companions: “I told you my daddy would come! I told you my daddy would come!” And indeed he came – a father’s relentless love.
If you were in Turkey, and you were in this story – which person is you?
Are you the child? You feel trapped, waiting to be rescued? You are in a dark place in life, wondering if anyone loves you. If you’re like the child, know this, you are loved! Don’t believe me? Go to www.morethanwinning.org
Are you on of the bystanders? You are not willing to help, questioning “why try?” You are more worried about yourself than others. If you are like the bystander – time to wake up! Get your eyes off you, your stats, and yourself…and start caring about others.
Are you like the father? You have relentless love! You’ve invested in relationships and you’ll do whatever it takes to help those you care about! If you’re like the father, keep it up! Sacrifice, work hard, and keep showing love to others! Have the attitude “join me or leave me alone” when it comes to showing love towards others.
You can give without loving, but you can never love without giving. Anonymous
Imagine a church, a family, or a team that tried to out-love one another…you now have a COMMUNITY that will look out for each other, take care of each other, and refuse to let another be alone or make bad choices.
I encourage you this week to keep on loving one another! WE are part of a special church family. A community. We want you to feel like you BELONG to this church family, and a great way to BELONG is to love others.
God bless you all,
Pastor Rex
By the way I remembered the quote from Disney’s movie “Lilo & Stitch” (Doug I needed your help!)
“Ohana means family. Family means nobody gets left behind, or forgotten.” Stitch