"Alainn Anam"

"Everything has its beauty, but not everyone sees it". ~Confucius

 ^"…honor your father and mother,' and 'love your neighbor as yourself.'" Matthew 19:19

As humans we are social beings. We learn and grow through our relationships with each other as well as everything around us. Life seriously wouldn't be the same if we didn't have each other to help us through.

"Consider the following. We humans are social beings. We come into the world as the result of others' actions. We survive here in dependence on others. Whether we like it or not, there is hardly a moment of our lives when we do not benefit from others' activities. For this reason it is hardly surprising that most of our happiness arises in the context of our relationships with others."- The Dalai Lama

Today is nationally recognized Mother's Day; but not every Mother will be honored, nor will every son or daughter be doing the honoring. Many people no longer have a Mother; others may not even have a good relationship with their Mother.

I met a young teenager recently who was one of the latter. She was only 17 years old, and the only life she knew was this miserable relationship with her Mother. Neither really knew the other, and neither either didn't want to admit that, or didn't want to try to mend things. The daughter's solution was to move out and live on her own—which if you have ever done that at such a young age, well one can only imagine how difficult that must be. But moving out only strained things more—her Mother doesn't seem interested in trying to get her daughter back, and her daughter certainly has no intentions of doing so. As I listened to such a tale from this young woman, my heart kept squeezing with pain. I had no idea what to say to her so I kept quiet. I had never experienced what she was going through—I have been fortunate to have a Mom (and family and friends) who have always been there for me. The way she told her story was in an off-handish way, as though her situation with her Mother was nothing. And this girl isn't the first to express so. I've met many others who also acted like nothing was out of the ordinary in such situations. It seems as though it is a way to block off the pain and emotions because they feel it may be easier than actually feeling what they might inside. Not only do we often fear feeling pain, but we are also often afraid to lose control of ourselves in it…

Relationships for many are no longer intimate, trustworthy, respectful, loving. They are broken, abused, pain-filled, lost… It seems that many of us are no longer looking for fulfillment wherever and however possible; it seems instead that it's 'easier' to just wall off the hurt.

I believe I wouldn't have become the woman I am today without the constant love and support from my family and friends, and I am deeply thankful for them. If I had been the girl above, I probably would have acted much the same way she did. Even though I am fortunate to have love in my life, does not mean I get to ignore the fact that there is still pain in this world. For me, I depend strongly on genuine relationships; and when I lose a relationship with someone, I create the potential to be bitter and frustrated with the rest of the world. I invite the fear that someone else will walk out of my life and leave me standing alone. Which is interesting, because I admit that I am often responsible for relationships changed; but playing the 'blame game' isn't the point. We have to change our attitudes instead, looking at ourselves and those we interact with to determine what we may learn in order to better ourselves and our world. My hurts may be very different compared to the girl's above, so why should I complain at all? (I don't mean to sound selfish either). Well, it's not for justification. For after all, no one deserves to go through pain of any kind, and yet all of us are up against something, whatever it may be.

"Beauty is not in the face; beauty is a light in the heart". ~Kahlil Gibran

Despite what many of us in our bitter states may believe, beauty, can still exist.

What determines a 'beautiful person'? They are people who are loving, genuine, caring, and intimately sincere in who they are and in what they do. They are people who don't just ask how you are, but REALLY WANT to know how you are. They are people who won't settle for a simple answer from you; they are people who want to take the time to get to know the real you, even if, no, especially if, you are discovering that for yourself.

I am thankful for all the beautiful people in my life; the ones who have supported and encouraged me to be where I am today, the ones who have listened to me when I needed to talk to someone, the ones who visit me because they want to, the ones who really care about me and show their love and interest. These are people who don't want to just be a good friend, but actually show it.

There is one such beautiful person in my life who constantly shows her sincerity—and with everyone, not just with me. She is beautiful on the inside and out, and I see in her eyes a depth of love for those she meets that I can't even begin to accurately describe. I don't think she even knows just how beautiful she really is (or at least might ever admit to).

Every relationship should be reciprocated. Most people do things for others not seeking something in return; if you do it from your heart, you don't do it for want of anything. But it doesn't mean you shouldn't be loved in return. We all should love and deserve to be loved, no matter what our backgrounds may be. I hope you know that the most beautiful of us all is God and His love is incredible and never runs dry; and He wants to share that love with all of us…

Many times we forget to share our appreciation for those wonderful people in our lives. So to all of you shining lights out there, know that your hearts are truly appreciated. If you have such people in your life, be sure to tell them how much they mean to you. But they deserve so much more than perhaps we can show by saying a simple thank you. But, it is a step forward.

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. Philippians 2:3-4

My lovely friend mentioned already, brought me a lovely bouquet of flowers not too long ago, just because she had been thinking of me and felt I needed to be shown some love (she brings me flowers to reflect me—and she does this a lot too!). How beautiful is that?? Someone who took time out of her busy life to bring me some love—she saw that I needed something, and she took action. And more importantly, she WANTED to do so; she wasn't looking for anything in return. That, I believe is the difference between a friend and a GENUINE friend. We all can have friends—people we can do stuff with, talk to, etc. But there are typically only a few that we could all say that are truly a great friend—someone who takes things to the next level. Someone who sees needs in others and takes time to address them. Someone who cares about you, and really means it (like bringing you flowers just because). Someone who doesn't just say the words 'I love you', but makes those words come alive. Because anyone can speak; but taking words to the next level means a level of commitment and genuineness that often times few of us are willing to go to. For me personally, I find that while I mean well in a lot of the things I say (like the words in these Daily Breads), I still find myself not fully living the thoughts I pen…

Now, don't get me wrong. While we may see beautiful people as 'angels', or 'perfect beings', we all know even they have issues. But that's why relationships of any kind should be 50/50. It's nice to have someone see you as beautiful; but we should also take the time from our lives to see them in similar lights…"Love consists in desiring to give what is our own to another and feeling his delight as our own." ~Emmanuel Swedenborg

We can't say others should believe a certain way or think a certain way if we don't have it established in our own lives first. For example, I so often find activists that seem very passionate about what they are fighting for. But when intimately questioned about why they believe, you might find them floundering. Often times people seem to only believe things because it's easy, or that's all they have ever known (like many Christians), or have never thought to question otherwise or even realized that there may be other perspectives out there. It's easy to say what the group may feel about it as your own thoughts. But break it down, and I find more of us don't really know WHY we think or feel the way we do as individuals. We often do not take the time to figure out just what that might be to us. This doesn't make us bad or non-caring or even stupid. That doesn't really matter anyway. What should matter is being real, and that means sometimes having to ask the tough questions you all know I am so fond of.

So then, go ahead and ask yourself: do you consider yourself a genuine person? Why? When it comes to your relationships, how do you do? When it comes to your beliefs, who are you and why?

If it's not sincere in your own life, then trying to contribute sincerity to others is very difficult, if downright unfair to them.

So to conclude—it's Mother's Day. A national holiday where Hallmark probably makes a fortune in cards. But look at honoring our Moms outside of that scope. Forget the card for the moment. What is your relationship with her really like? Do you mean what you say when you say 'I love you Mom'?

If you don't have a Mom, or your relationship with her is strained like the young woman's I met is, ask yourself if you are willing to do something to change that. Showing love can often go a long way; it may take time, but it could very well be worth it when the relationship is no longer broken and filled with hurt… Besides, even if you couldn't affect the other, your life may just never be the same…

Dear readers, you ought to know by now how much I advocate for showing genuine love outside of the holiday spirits. Mother's day shouldn't just be for showing Moms appreciation. We ought to be working on our relationships with all those we encounter, every single moment of our lives. We are each important in our own ways; we lean on each other often for support and understanding, for love and trust, to learn and grow. Hey, sound familiar? Yep, God is good to lean on too. =) Even in those dark moments when we don't want to feel, and we believe no one else cares about who we are, there will always be one who does. But whoever loves God is known by God. 1 Corinthians 8:3 He knows you. He wants to explore just who you are with you. Having someone who not only knows you inside and out, but WANTS to love you and be with you, well, that's both cool and scary. It can be hard to trust others, and to allow ourselves to be that vulnerable with them. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up. James 4:10 But love; it is a beautiful thing to behold. My beloved spoke and said to me, "Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, come with me". Song of Solomon 2:10

If you take nothing else away from these daily breads, at least take this; God is not just some invisible being stuck up in the sky. He is someone whom we can have a relationship with too; and we can apply what we experience of strong relationships to ours with Him. His love is powerful; and the best part is, no matter what, His love for each one of us will never EVER leave, fail, stop, break down, or abuse us…

God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." Hebrews 13:5b

Life isn't perfect. Neither am I or even my own Mother whom I love dearly. But that's not the point--even in the midst of darkness we can find beauty; in the midst of our pain and suffering, we can look up, and see Him reaching out His hands to help us stand again.

How beautiful is that?*

But I trust in You, Lord; I say, "You are my God." Psalm 31:14

Once again find this daily bread dedicated to all the Moms out there. May you bless others and in turn be truly blessed.

But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God's unfailing love forever and ever. Psalm 52:8

Let us be Alainn Anam--

Let us be a Beautiful Soul.

Whitney

"Knowing Love"

"She said she usually cried at least once each day, not because she was sad, but because the world was so beautiful and life was so short." ~Unknown

I often think of the lives that have appeared in my own. Some of those people have blessed and honored me by remaining, while others, for various reasons have not been able to. You wish that you could keep all those you meet that you connect with, but the truth of the matter is, you won't be able to. Some will stay, and some will move on. You may stay, and sometimes you may move on. Life is full of all kinds of change.

I often shed tears over those I have lost—either some in death, or others on to other avenues of their lives. It's never easy to lose a beautiful relationship of any kind once it's been established. 

Sometimes it hurts to love someone. Sometimes we hurt those we love. We humans are such complex creatures that way—capable of so many different things. So why then do we risk loving one another at all if we are often so disappointing? Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 1 John 4:7

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. 

This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in His presence: If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and He knows everything. Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from Him anything we ask, because we keep His commands and do what pleases Him. And this is His command: to believe in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as He commanded us. The one who keeps God's commands lives in Him, and He in them. And this is how we know that He lives in us: We know it by the Spirit He gave us. 1 John 3:16-24

"Perhaps our eyes need to be washed by our tears once in a while, so that we can see Life with a clearer view again." ~Alex Tan

This life of ours is full of risks to take. Sometimes we will win, and sometimes we will lose. Sometimes it's worth it, sometimes it's not. However we'll usually never know till we try at all; and we'll probably not get very far without risking at least a little. But such is life. 

Loving people is a huge risk. As humans we long to be loved in return and our hearts are often broken and scarred when it isn't. But again sometimes we'll get it, and sometimes we won't. Either way we may never know for sure unless we take that first step, which is often scary and intimidating…

Love can be a beautiful and harsh thing—at times it can be healing, while other times it can be downright dangerous. I can't guarantee human love is always good as I wish I could. But I will say so of God's. In terms of my own life He's been the only hope and comforting need for me to hold onto at all times. He's there even when I don't call for Him. He's there for me for both the good times and the bad. I fall down, and He's the one beside me to help me back on my feet. That's a rare thing to say of anyone. So it makes me genuinely happy knowing there is at least and always will be one kind of love out there that is always true…God's love for simple, broken, and tainted little me… I sought the Lord, and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to Him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. This poor man called, and the Lord heard him; He saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and He delivers them. Psalm 34:4-7

Though our feelings come and go, God's love for us does not." ~C.S. Lewis

I think it is safe to say we will all love at least some point in our lives. I believe it is as natural to us as breathing. But the question is how will you love? Or rather, what will love mean to you? 

God is my Hope. It's a feeling I just know. It's a relationship I've discovered, and I firmly believe it's the real deal. As for the love between you and God, well that is something you'll have to examine for yourself. 

I pray you each find genuine love in your relationships with your friends, families and significant others. However, I caution you. We all want to feel loved, valued, and appreciated by others; yet sometimes in our rush to feel so we take the risk in order to search it out, and at the first small sign of it, jump on board. But sometimes what we think we need might not necessarily be beneficial. Sometimes what we want might not necessarily be what we truly need. This can be a tricky area, for the feelings of being loved can often 'hinder' our perceptions of our reality. When we are confronted by such moments, my advice is to attempt to ask ourselves if such love opportunities are the true kinds of love we need (is it genuine love?). Another good idea is to evaluate what genuine love really is. So therefore assess the risk factor beforehand (it also helps to procure others' opinions); try to determine whether the risk is worth taking (for not every risk or opportunity will be)--but you most certainly could explore it. 

If you choose to give out love, and receive it yourself for awhile, realize there is the unfortunate possibility that you might be disappointed at some point. If that does happen to you, (or it already has), I pray you are not embittered because of it. It is an easy thing to do, to build up walls around your heart—but as C.S. Lewis put it, it is not healthy, and it most certainly isn't something God longs for you. "To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket- safe, dark, motionless, airless--it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable."~C.S. Lewis

Whether you find genuine love or not, I hope and pray you do find it with our Father. God loves you unconditionally, and truly values you His creation; He alone knows your full worth and potential. And above all, He knows your heart; He can help fill it and mend it whole again. How many can say that and really mean it? 

Let go of the hurt and the scars. Let Him come into you and let His love set you free and wash you clean. Let Him show you what real Love is.* The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them…The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:17-18

…let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. Hebrews 10: 22-25

"If you find the mirror of the heart dull, the rust has not been cleared from its face." ~Rumi

"Love takes off masks that we fear we cannot live without and know we cannot live within." ~James Arthur Baldwin

"For every beauty there is an eye somewhere to see it. For every truth there is an ear somewhere to hear it. For every love there is a heart somewhere to receive it." ~Ivan Panin

Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and His love is made complete in us. 1 John 4:11-12

Enveloped in His Love, 

Whitney

"My Valentine"

I have been privileged to grow up in a world of love. Not many can say that.

I was checking out a non-profit organization called "To Write Love On Her Arms" (http://www.twloha.com), and was reading the stories about the depressed, hurt, and lost individuals who found Hope again. These stories of redemption inspired me to write this particular Daily Bread.

There are so many people out there who are alone and hurting. Maybe it is even you. And while I cannot offer you all the answers that you seek, I can direct you to One who can: Jesus. He wants to be your Valentine. He wants to give you Love. But not just for one day. He won't be the guy who is there for you one day, and gone the next. He won't be the girl who says she loves you and then dumps you for someone else. He won't abuse you, He won't abandon you, He won't hate you, or cause you pain. He is Love, and He is Hope.

How do I know you ask? Well to be honest I haven't experienced the same painstaking stories as so many individuals out there, but I have experienced a Gift that would change my life forever. And this gift is for everyone.

Gift, you ask me? Flowers? Chocolates? Oh goodie you think.

No, this is not a worldly gift that only satisfies for a moment. It is not the kind of gift you only get once a year on the world's version of Love Day. Nor is it a gift that leaves you feeling even emptier inside. This is a gift that cleanses your heart, your mind, your spirit, your life. We can't erase from memory what we have done in our past. But we can be made new again, with a new purpose in mind, and grow from the hurt and pain we have experienced into beautiful people of God.

If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting mens sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:17-21

This gift is True Love. Jesus gave it when He died on the cross for you. For all of us. He gives it day after day as more and more are drawn to Him. He gives it 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. He gives it to all of His loved ones, because He loves us. He loves you.

God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

This love is so true, so holy, so genuine, that you want it to fill you up forever. You want to it to overflow and you want to drink it up.

So while some of us may not have experienced such soul-wrenching feelings as many out there have, we often find ourselves drifting away from Him regardless. Not drinking in the Love anymore. Why? How could we stop? Is it because we are not as "lost" as others? Phishtosh. The reality is, we are all lost.

We all need His gift of Love. There is hope for all of us. So if you are searching for something, and you don't know what it is, come to the Father right now, and He will give you what you seek. He will fill you up with the fire and love that will heal you and restore your broken pieces.

He restores my soul;
     He leads me in the paths of righteousness
     For His name's sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
     I will fear no evil;
     For You are with me;
     Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. Psalm 23:3-4

The question is now, what are we going to do about it? Will we take His gift? What will we do with it? Will we take Him as our loved one? He did. And He is ready when you are ready to come to Him.

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39

So if you fear you are lost, and that no one cares for you, and all you want to do is make it all go away, just remember that there is One who will always hold you in His arms and tell you how much He loves you. It's not a fluke, it's genuine. Once you experience it, His Love will help set you free from the shackles holding down your soul.*

Feeling the love,
Whitney

"Embracing the Beautiful"

"Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile". ~Albert Einstein. 

Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends. John 15:13

What does it mean to be a true friend?

Our history, culture, religion, actions, feelings, etc., play large roles in who we are as individuals. Without any of that, we may feel lost or lonely—with an identity, we can feel complete, secure, confident, etc. Identities help us to determine our thoughts, fears, choices, motivations, etc. But even well rounded identities that we create for ourselves don't have to define us; even if most of the time we allow them to.

Identities can help us in connecting with others of similar backgrounds--most of us enjoy the company of others--The Lord God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him." The man said, "This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called 'woman,' for she was taken out of man." That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh. Genesis 2: 18, 23-24--so it makes perfect sense that we long to connect with others. For one thing, it gives value to our lives. "Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy ... it has no survival value; rather it is one of those things that gives value to survival". ~C.S. Lewis

For a species that longs for one another, sometimes how we can treat each other is alarming. Our actions and emotions often run away with us. Sometimes these actions get so out of hand, that we allow them to tangle with those we love…How could we allow that to happen? How could it be fair to take out such anger on each other, whether we feel the other deserves it or not? It doesn't seem that anyone should deserve such kind of abuse, and yet we all have been on both ends….Bottomline it's mostly due to the fact that we humans are fallible--we will fall and we will fail at things. We aren't perfect. But of course we can always strive to be better....

I have questions that I ask myself from time to time when I question my motives in a particular instance—for example, are we longing for companionship for all that that word means, or do we long for others in order to eventually further our own selfish desires? If we are going to show the world that we are "good Christians", shouldn't we show it through everything that we do and are? 

If we are striving to truly love one another on this earth, should not we do the same in our relationship with God? After all He should be our ultimate best friend. I know He wants to be with us—so are we ready to embrace such an amazing identity? One in God…beautiful…true…Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. Hebrews 12:9-10

Now, don't get me wrong—we will have problems with each other. Sometimes we have reasons, sometimes we don't. Does it have to mean we love those around us any less? No—but sometimes we do hurt them more than we may realize, even if all intentions were pure. If you do have a moment with someone, where you allow your emotions to be taken out on them, and you realize what you have done, don't wait. Talk to the one you may have hurt (even if you don't think they were)—discuss what happened, and share each other's feelings. Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. "In your anger do not sin": Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. Ephesians 4:25-27. Allow each other to learn and grow through such situations. 

But you know though, because we are all individuals with our own unique identities, we will all act and react differently. Something I say to a friend could be taken the wrong way, even if my intentions are pure. Sometimes it's really hard to strive to be a better individual and friend—for our pasts, presents, and futures are all and will be different somehow, and so we will all be affected differently.

How we express ourselves is unique as well. Being a true friend for example doesn't mean you have a guide book to refer to for every need your friend may have. Everyone is different. Some may choose to study their friend to see what they may need; still others may be there to cheer their friend, while still others could call their friend or write letters of support or good wishes. There are millions of ways to show you care, and still more millions of different/appropriate situations. None should be considered less than someone else's way. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents. Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, "Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on." Mark 12:42-44

So, how could anyone ever live up to the title of a 'true friend'? It seems almost depressing to think about how much we sometimes are not. Even if you don't mean anything by what you say or do towards someone, does it still make it right that it happened? Does any reason at all justify such hard actions toward others? Regardless, I think it is really important to talk about these things with one another as soon as possible. Don't let things sit or simmer. Don't carry grudges. Just show love whenever you can.

Examine your hearts today—see if you can understand who you are, especially in your relationships with others, and subsequently, they as well. Embrace the beauty of true friendship. Embrace true love. Embrace HIS love.*  

But the man who loves God is known by God. 1 Corinthians 8:3

Embracing the beautiful,

Whitney

"From Fathers to Daddys"

As we honored our Mothers during the month of May, so we honor our Fathers during the month of June.

The bond most of us hold with our mothers is usually different than that with our fathers; but they are still equally strong. Mothers usually hold the more affectionate and emotional role in our lives, while fathers usually hold the stronger more foundational role. Nothing can replace the roles of a mother and a father, and a good strong family cannot be without them. For even though mothers and fathers hold different roles in our lives, we need what they both have to give. They balance out the family atmosphere to build healthy relationships.

Not that our parents are perfect. No family is perfect for that matter. Don't look to "Leave It To Beaver" for a good role model family, for indeed today there are probably more "broken" families (parents who have split up, abusive parents, or abusive kids, etc.) than families with both parents still together.

The bond I have with my mother is a close one. I can talk to her about just anything, and she shows more love to me than I most likely deserve. My mother and I do many things together like shopping, cooking, and many other "feminine" activities.

Even though I am a young lady, the things I do with my father are much different than those of my mother, like bonding over fishing, hunting, and even watching TV. Being a girl who has grown up out in the sticks, running around acting the tomboy is not at all out of the ordinary.

People say when they see me with my dad how I look like him. When I hear that, it makes me feel so proud inside. I feel that because I look like "daddy's little girl" this is just one more thing to make bond between father and his only daughter that much stronger.

I love my father, and even though to outsiders it may seem I have a closer relationship with my mother, I still have a close one with my father. We just show it in different ways, which makes sense, when after all, mothers are females, and fathers are males.

For someone like me, being born into the family that I have has been such a blessing. My parents were both believers who brought up my brother and I in the faith, giving us a good foundation to live upon both spiritually and morally. While my family is not at all perfect, (indeed we act just as weird as the next family), I love them better this way, for their faults make them real and relate-able, unlike Beaver Cleaver's family.

There is the saying, "Anyone can be a father, but it takes someone special to be a daddy". Today, like Mother's Day, we set aside time nationally to celebrate our dads, pops, and fathers. We take them out to dinner, to the show, get them a "manly" gift, call them up, etc., showing them some sort of way of how much we love them. For most of us, our dads were not just the father who provides us food to eat. No, our fathers are the all-around dads who took the time to play catch with us as kids, work on cars with, go camping with, (in my case a few tea parties), and so on and on. Our dads took the time to get to know us, to nurture the love bond between father and child. They were no longer just a father. They became our dads.

But dads aren't perfect, just like mothers aren't either (no matter what they tell us). But there is one who is. God our Father. In the moments when it feels we have no father, or for many of us who have never known what it was like to have that father figure in our lives, we can know that we will ALWAYS have God. It might seem different because, well, God isn't here physically, to play ball with and eat s'mores with. But that is exactly why God gave us mothers AND fathers, so that we could grow and be nurtured physically. God shows His love for us through our parents. Through everything that surrounds us. Through every way we can think of, and in every other way we can't. God our Heavenly Father is that amazing and complex. And yet He simply loves us for us.

May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by His grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word. 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

God is for sure always there mentally and spiritually. He is there in the moments when we are kissed by our mother. He is there when we are hugged by our father. He is everywhere. He is both our mother and father.

Yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live. 1 Corinthians 8:6

We can look at our dads as reflections of God our Father. We are disciplined by our dads, and loved by them. God does the same thing, just in a different way. Dads will do anything to protect their children. They don't want to see us get hurt, but they know that no matter what they do, many times we will be. So is the same with God. If there is anything at all that I could for sure definitely say without a doubt, it would be how much God LOVES US.

But the man who loves God is known by God. 1 Corinthians 8:3

Have you talked to your father today? And told him you loved him? Because even though we know they love us, and vice versa, it is nice to hear it aloud. There is such power in the words, I LOVE YOU. Father's Day may only be recognized for today, but really, it should be every day. We don't often realize how HUGE a role our parents play in our lives. So the least we can do is show them our love. For in everything they do, it too is done in love.

Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. Hebrews 12:9-10

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. "Honor your father and mother"—which is the first commandment with a promise— "that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth." Ephesians 6:1-2

If you are in the position where your father isn't really in your life, my only advice to you is this. If God our Heavenly Father loves us even if we hate Him, shouldn't we also love those who can't seem to love us? Even if it seems unfair to do so. For let me tell you my friends, love really can change people.

In closing, I would just like to say, thank you to all the dads out there—thank you for being everything to your children; we love you so much.

I would like to dedicate this daily bread to all the fathers, especially my own dad. Most of us could never have made it without you there for us.

To Timothy, my wonderful father and crazy dad, who took me on so many adventures to so many places, who took me hunting where we could spend quiet moments together, for your encouragement, protection, and love whenever I needed it, and even when I didn't. Your jokes always bring a quick smile and a laugh from me, and indeed life is never a dull moment with you around. I've certainly been blessed having someone as special as you as not just a father, but as my Daddy.*

And last but definitely not least, have you shown your love and appreciation to your Heavenly Father? How is your personal relationship with Him?

…always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5:20

To those who have been called, who are loved by God the Father and kept by Jesus Christ: Mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance. Jude 1:1-2

Honoring ALL our Fathers,

Whitney

"A New Beginning"

We all have a beginning and an end. We are born, and then eventually we will pass on from this life. It is something we cannot nor ever will escape and while the topic of our death seems a depressing one, it should not be.

For death is but simply another beginning.

Many of us lead great lives; we love everyone, support our Churches, volunteer, help the homeless, go to church, witness to others, pay tithes, etc. etc., anything to show we are "good" people by what we do. And to live this way is great; we should help were we can and love those around us. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:8-10  

But if we truly want to be "good people", we really need to live it. We shouldn't do "good works" without having a meaningful reason behind them. What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. James 2:14-2

God didn't just create us on a whim. He had a reason, and while we may have to wait until we meet with Him to ask just what that reason was, we do know that if we were created by a powerful God, He must have done it with love in mind. For each one of us are so different, and yet "God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them." Genesis 1:27 If God were so loving as to create each one of us, and give us such a beautiful planet to live upon, we ought to show how much we love him back by living our lives justly so. 

God needs to be the reason behind why we do the things that we do. But not for a "get into Heaven ticket"; God doesn't measure you on your "how good you were on earth" status, but rather on whether you genuinely love Him or not. God gave us the freedom to choose how to live our lives; with or without Him. God loves us unconditionally, whether we love Him back or not. A beautiful God who invites us to spend eternity with Him once we die, again, if we want to or not. I'd say that's a pretty awesome God folks. He doesn't force us to love Him, but He loves us regardless of our choice.

Death comes to us all sooner or later, and we need to make sure our hearts are prepared for whenever the time will come. "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour." Matthew 25:13 (read also Matthew 25:1-13) We can show how great we are during our lives, but if spiritually we aren't ready, it won't matter that we were "good people"; spiritually we need to be prepared, so how we physically and mentally live our lives will reflect the meaning that we find spiritually; God Almighty Himself. That personal relationship with Him must be forefront in everything we do. He gave us life; now we need to show that by putting Him into what we do; this then will give all that we do or say genuine meaning. A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment? To the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. Ecclesiastes 2:24-26

When my grandmother passed away, we remembered her life by ways of a small memorial service. She was a mother/grandmother who truly did it all—a wonderful loving icon for our society. But now that she is gone, is the legacy she left behind no longer matter? Is her death truly her end? 

Jesus was in her life and legacy; He gave all that she did a beautiful meaning. And even though she is gone, the people she touched still live on and thus will carry the spirit of her embodiment on into the years to come. Jesus and all the rest of us show how death is really just another chapter in her life. She is in Heaven now, and beginning her eternal life. You can look at earth as a practice run for when she was offered the choice of God or no God. If she hadn't accepted Him here on earth, would she have when death came along? Would her heart been prepared enough to know which to accept?

Will WE ever be fully prepared? Will we always strive to be prepared? If you strive for that personal relationship here on earth today, then when the real test comes along, you will be more ready than you ever could be.

For death is but simply another beginning.*

Life; gone in an instant,

gone in the blink of an eye.

Life; cherish the moments,

they could be short or long.

Life; never waste it,

too precious to just let go.

Life; with every beginning,

there must be an end.

You never know when your moment

just might be around the bend.

Do you know where you're going

when that time comes before you,

beckoning your soul within reach?

Don't put it aside;

Don't delay--

You don't know at what time a day,

Your life just might float away.

I am Heaven-Bound.
Where will you be found?*

I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed—in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”
“Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?”
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:50-57

Beginning anew,

Whitney

"A Beautiful Love Story" 4-18-08

I love the way Singer/Rapper Toby Mac describes God's love:

"This ain't no ordinary, its extrordinary love!"

God's love is indeed extrordinary. To think that He gave up His life on the cross for our sins, when we were so undeserving...This is the Greatest Love Story of all.

Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. John 15:3

But this incredible love does not stop there. The story continues. God still loves us, and no matter what we continue to do today in sin, His love is still waiting to envelope us. Such grace and mercy....such love. In other words, He loved us then, and He loves us now. What a beautiful love story.*

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. 3 John 1:4

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.1 John 4:7

But I am like an olive tree
flourishing in the house of God;
I trust in God's unfailing love
for ever and ever. Psalms 52:8

Cloaked in His Love,
Whitney

The Nature Of Love - 3/22/08

Hello everyone!

I hope things are well with your lives today, and that in all the Easter hype, you're finding time to reflect on the true meaning of the holiday - the resurrection of our Lord.

Tomorrow, many of us will be going to church for an Easter service and will undoubtedly learn of the great sacrifice and resurrection of Jesus Christ, how He was delivered into the hands of evil men, crucified, and then how He died for our sins, only to rise having "defeated death and the grave" in glorious victory. So, keeping this in mind, I won't preach your Easter Sunday message on Saturday afternoon - I'll leave that up to the more capable and more knowledgeable. However, I would like to point out one thing, and that is the nature of love which Christ demonstrated perfectly on the cross. You've probably heard this countless times, but it is so very important that saying it just once doesn't do it justice.

Greater love has no one than this, that someone lays down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. John 15:13-15, ESV

Greater love has no one than someone laying down his life for his friends - and this is exactly what Jesus did for us. We have no greater love in our lives than the love of Christ. No one has ever loved you, nor will ever love you, as much as Christ does - never let anyone tell you otherwise.

So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. 1 John 4:16-17, ESV

God is the very nature of love. As we abide in Him, the nature of love is perfected within us as well. Do you want to learn to love more? Look to God, abide in Him, and this will be perfected in you. As the source of all things good, He is the only one we can look to for both the example, and the empowerment, to love more - both of which are given freely at the cross. Let us keep this in mind as we prepare to celebrate the anniversary of our Lord's resurrection, and I pray that you all have a blessed Easter Sunday!

Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. James 1:16-17, NKJV

Blessings,
Andrew

Giving Your All - 3/21/08

The Christian Band Flyleaf wrote a song inspired by the Columbine Shootings. In the song, the chorus goes

"Do you believe in God?
Written on the Bullet
And Cassie pulled the trigger."

In other words, this girl Cassie was asked a simple, yet life-changing question: Do you believe in God? She said yes, and the gunman shot her.

In the Bible we read about Stephen, the first Christian Martyr. He was not afraid to proclaim his faith. He was willing to give up everything, including his life for Jesus. Cassie was too.

Now Stephen, a man full of God's grace and power, did great wonders and miraculous signs among the people. Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called)—Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia and Asia. These men began to argue with Stephen, but they could not stand up against his wisdom or the Spirit by whom he spoke. Acts 6:8-10

Read Acts 6:8-8:3

So think about this personal question for a moment: are you willing to give your all, even your life for Christ?

Many would not hesitate to say yes. But let me tell you, we here in America don't face the Christian persecution like so many other countries do. We take life for granted. So if we were asked the question knowing our life was on the line, what would we really say?

We are weak compared to those persecuted around the world. They are so Christ-focused they are willing to give their all, when we are afraid to share our faith openly with a non-Christian friend. We have no reason to be afraid. Yet we are.

So lets get back on track with Him, knowing in our hearts there's no need to be afraid, for we know where we are going once we die. Let me tell you, it's a much better place there than here! If you do not know where you are going, pray right now to Jesus.

"The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,"that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame." For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." Romans 10:9-13

Will you pull that trigger?

"And I will pull the trigger." (Cassie, Flyleaf)

Giving it all up,
Whitney

Broken to Beautiful Roses - 3/16/08

Hello Everyone,

I would like to do something a little different here, and share with you a poem I wrote several months back.

In June of 2007, I joined a group from my Church excited about going to Mexico. Our mission was to build two small, one room houses for two families there. After I arrived home I was given the words for the following poem you are about to read.

Broken Roses

I walk down the dusty streets
And what do mine eyes see
But a once bright rose lying there
Exposed as all could be.

I pick up in wonder
At how such a thing came to be
There in such a desolate place
It seemed so strange to me.

Then comes along a stranger,
"Hello there," He greets.
"May I ask what it is with your rose?
It looks as though it were beat."

"Yes indeed it is badly broken,
But I just found it here," I say.
"I was wonderin' how it had come to be
Lying here this way."

Staring at it for a moment
He then begins to say,
"It's here to signify a life;
Like yours, if you may.

You've always thought you had it all
Until some time ago,
Your life turned all upside down
Ending up like this here rose.

Look all around you and see
These people have nothing and yet,
They are happy and thankful;
Some things you have yet to get.

To you their lives seem broken,
But they have seen the Light,
They do not rely on themselves--
Rather on Mine, their Father's Love and Might.

So by finding this forsaken rose,
I have given you a choice:
Either to feel as a broken rose can feel,
Or you can heed the words of my voice.

There are many who become a broken rose,
Feeling helpless and alone,
Their eyes are wet with tears,
And their hearts heavy as stone.

If only they knew of the Love and Hope
That only the Father can give,
No longer a broken rose are they
For now on, they can live."

So saying He looked me in the eye,
Then turned and went on His way.
He was right, I was a broken rose,
It bein' revealed to me that day.

I fell down onto my knees
There in the midst of that barren street,
With tears in my eyes
I prayed to Got to restore my faith so weak.

Too long I took my life for granted
Thinking my life was better than theirs.
By they had joy, hope and peace,
Trusting in God to answer their prayers.

My people had not, including myself,
And I finally saw it that day--
From then on I was resolved to be
A happy, wholesome, and thankful Rose in every God-given way.

*******

While this is only inspired, the people did look to be a "broken rose" of sorts. In reality, they had more than I could ever hope for. We think we are better off in the way we live, but our lives are actually void of not physical things, but spiritual and emotional ones. These people were content, not worrying as we who take everything for granted do. These people trusted in the Lord, while we who consider ourselves "good little Christians", hardly ever do. So they are not the broken roses; instead, all the rest of us are. We are lost in our blindness, in our wants, desires, sins, in everything but the Lord. We do not trust, nor have we faith; we are never satisfied, yet they are content with the simplest things. The family we had built a house for were so ecstatic over this simply made structure, it was hard for any of us to believe. But it did cause joy to fill our hearts...

Later I meditated on our reason for going. We left to build two houses, and to minister to the people there, but instead came home the ones having been ministered to....

So that is how I came to be inspired to write this poem. Below are some verses I wish to share relating to my themes discussed above.

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life. And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matthew 6:25-34

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30

Do you feel like a "broken rose"? Go to God now, He will heal and restore you.*

"From then on I was resolved to be
A happy, wholesome, and thankful Rose in every God-given way."

Let's go from Broken Roses to Beautiful Roses!

Whitney