Day of Love: Do We Love All?

I know it's been a hot minute but I've been diligently attending to ministry, as well as my new website for you all. Which is now ready...http://www.freewebs.com/ninaneen
However, after a few thoughts about this day, I decided to write something juicy for you. These topics could easily become a sermon and be broken down even further but I chose to keep it very sweet and uh, kinda short and to the point. Feel free to comment.

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Everywhere you look, we see what season it is. Chocolates delicately wrapped in red heart boxes, red roses worth more then your car insurance and diamonds exquisitely advertised as the key to her heart. Let's talk about the heart.

// THE HEART
Recently, speaking with my Pastor and the leadership team, we went on one of our rabbit trails but this one was different. Pastor brought up how scientists are discovering that the heart is the main place where our feelings, emotions and decisions come out of...not our brain. Beautifully enough, the Bible has shown proof of this way before any scientist could...in scriptures like:

"The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked...who can know it?" - Jeremiah 17:9

"Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me." - Psalm 51:10

"I will bless the Lord who guides me;even at night my heart instructs me." - Psalm 16:7

"How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart? Cleanse me from these hidden faults." - Psalm 19:12

"May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer." - Psalm 19:14

"For out of the abundance of his heart his mouth speaks." - Luke 6:45

Okay so I think you get my drift...clearly in these scriptures it shows we think with our hearts not with our minds. Our minds are simply a second base, a storage place for feelings, emotions and decisions that have collectively come together over time. When I examine that it's like man God has to be real for one because something so astounding can only come from a God as equally astounding. The second thing that comes to my mind is...my God, when we want to see change no wonder you ask us to make a decision in our heart to turn from our wicked ways, our situation, our struggle, our mountain. It's evident in those scriptures above, the change must come from our heart...we need a renewing in our heart first, not in our mind. It's interesting a person can function with brain damage but not without their central source...their heart. I challenge you to ask God to start changing your heart in your trials...surrender your heart to him...and I know you'll see change if you do it...well...whole-heartedly.

// THE SEASON
My faithful God has me in a glorious and celebratory season. It's a season to live the single life. Now by living up the single life it's quite different from the world's way of looking at it. First off let's start from the beginning...when I entered this season, I must admit, I wasn't the happiest camper at the camp site. I was like, umm, why am I here? I had my own plans, my own desires, to take it to the next level in my relationship...engagement, marriage...the whole shabang! However, isn't it a lovely and non-subtle thing when God pumps the brakes on your own plans! Shame on us when we complain, for he is only saying..."Wait up!! You ain't ready for what's ahead, let's take it back to the lab and prep you up little mama." (I don't know about you but God has to talk to me like this sometimes lol.) And so, as I examined this season in my life, I quickly thought to myself...ahh, I won't be here long...this is gonna be a quick little scrub down, a little tweaking here, a little tweaking there and I am ready to go back at it!! My heart was made up, naturally. Tisk tisk for me. Little did I know I'd be walking this bad boy out for a long season and you wanna experience the shock factor in this little story of mine...?

I TRULY ENJOY BEING SINGLE!

I'll give you a minute to compose yourself, to take your hand from your mouth and shut your jaw. That's right folks, I enjoy it. Being single is something that is to be celebrated and I always wondered why...I'm going to break down why...

1. It's a time of true intimacy (who better to show you what love, intimacy and romance is other then the One who created it?)
   
   
2. It's a time of dying (ladies, gentlemen, know when you get married it is not going to be peaches and cream all the time. You will need to sacrifice, compromise, submit and love unconditionally your spouse...who better to get that practice in when then with the One who gave the greatest sacrifice?)
   
   
3. It's a time of renewal and restoration (if your ways were once impure, broken, taken from you then who better then allow the One who brings purity, makes whole and gives back do what He does best?)
   

I wouldn't be telling you how wonderful it is if I wasn't feeling it myself. In this season God is showing me how to crucify my emotions and feelings, simply because I could be led by those things...but TRUST me when I tell you...being single could be and is a wonderful thing. To know that God is restoring, destroying, creating habits, unlearning bad habits, marinating and saturating me with His goodness TO BETTER prepare me for my husband is a great and totally satisfying thing. Honestly, though, I'm satisfied first with the fact that I could give my God all of me without interruption or distraction. Sadly enough, the world looks at celebrating the single life as a way to get the buddy and the booty...I'm just keeping it real...with no strings attached. In God's eyes...it's a time to take it deep with Him and soar. Only good can come from sacrificing your own desires and feelings for companionship with God.

One other challenge I'll offer is...I named this DAY OF LOVE: DO WE LOVE ALL? because God'll show you how to LOVE yourself but first off...ask Him to change and dwell in your heart. You're bound to see results.


Alas, on this day of love...I'll say this:

1. Know the condition of your heart and ask God what season he has you to be in.
2. Tell Him to teach you what REAL LOVE is...He's the author of it.
3. Be ready for what's to come ahead when you surrender your desires...the blessings come in abundance.

Have a great day and spread God's love! Yes, this is a man-made holiday that makes men go insane but God's day of love started the day he created us...and it continues every day until His return. God Bless You All!!