Category: Love

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Alone

As America is locked down to mitigate the spread of the Coronavirus, it has become apparent that Easter will look much different this year. Consequently, churches have been worshiping online for several weeks now as we practice social distancing. Though I have enjoyed attending the worship service in my jammies, I sure do miss the face-to-face interaction with my church family…and the hugs! How about you? Are you feeling isolated these days? Lonely? Afraid? If so, I have good news if you continue reading.

The Cost of Sin

Today is Good Friday, a remembrance of the day Jesus died on a cross to pay the penalty for our sin. Just the other day when I was talking with my cousin about celebrating Easter alone this year, she reminded me that Jesus was alone on the cross.

Separation At Its Worst

Unlike us, it wasn’t the separation from people that broke Jesus’ heart. But rather, it was being separated from His Heavenly Father. God cannot be in the presence of sin for He is holy. When the sins of the whole world—past, present and future, were heaped upon Jesus, God turned His back on His Son and allowed Him to die a criminal’s death on a cross. Jesus, who was without sin, went through all that for you and for me. Why? Because He came to do His Father’s will.

“He appeared as a man. He was humble and obeyed God completely. He did this even though it led to his death. Even worse, he died on a cross!”

Philippians 2:8 NIRV

God’s Redeeming Power at Work

Jesus’ death was part of God’s redemption plan for His people, for Jesus was the final and perfect sacrifice for sin. His blood was shed for you and for me. God loves us so much that He sacrificed His Son to redeem us. And Jesus loves us so much that He gave His very own life for us. He was separated from His Father momentarily so we would never have to be.

Ever Present

As isolated and fearful as you may be right now in the midst of this pandemic, please know that you are NEVER alone. He said so! Fear not, for God is bigger than COVID-19 and He is with you.

“Don’t be afraid. I am with you. Don’t tremble with fear. I am your God. I will make you strong, as I protect you with my arm and give you victories.”

Isaiah 41:10 CEV

Stay tuned for the rest of the story…

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Where Dreams Come True…and More

Disney World—-it’s a magical place! As the sign at the entrance states, it’s “where dreams come true.” As a part-time Florida resident and annual pass holder, I had the opportunity to spend my fair share of time there during the winter months. The place has an uncanny ability to make everything right with the world. As amazing as Disney World is, it still doesn’t hold a candle to the place God has prepared for His children to inhabit one day.

Here’s a little snapshot of what it will be like according to Scripture:

“He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”

Revelation 21:4 NLT

“They will not labor in vain, nor will they bear children doomed to misfortune; for they will be a people blessed by the Lord, they and their descendants with them.”

Isaiah 65:23 NIV

“Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy. Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert.”

Isaiah 35:5-6 NIV

Sounds heavenly, doesn’t it? My dreams aren’t THAT good. Are yours? It’s better than anything we can wrap our minds around.

“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.”

1 Corinthians 2:9 NLT

The best part—-God will be there! I look forward to spending eternity with Him in such a place. My reservation has been made. Has yours? If not, it’s not too late. There’s room for you. I hear you can contact the Front Desk 24/7!

These are some of Jesus’ words to His disciples the night before He was betrayed:

“My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.”

Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

John 14:2-6 NIV

The only way to secure a room in our Father’s house is through Jesus. He is there right now at God’s right hand. As I sit here writing this on Good Friday, I am very mindful of what Jesus went through to get there. The sinless Son of God died a criminal’s death on a cross for you and for me to pay the penalty for our sins. He did this out of love to restore us to a right relationship with the Father. But death did NOT have the last word. As I’ve heard it said so many times, “It’s Friday, but Sunday’s comin’!”

“They killed him by hanging him on a cross, but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen.”

Acts 10:39-40 NIV

The resurrected Christ walked the earth for 40 days before ascending to His heavenly home. Because He defeated death, we too have the opportunity to spend eternity with our Heavenly Father…if we just believe.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

John 3:16 NIV

I got a chuckle at Disney World one day when I overheard a dad say to his young son, “Now, (insert child’s name here), we need to have fun.” God’s children won’t need such direction in our eternal home because, unlike Disney World, everything will be perfect. Our dreams and so much more will come true!

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Now THAT’S Love

Love is in the air, especially this week, right? I find it fitting that my first shift as a Bradenton Booster Club Spring Training Volunteer lands on Valentine’s Day. If you know me, you are aware that I LOVE the Pittsburgh Pirates…even when they don’t deserve it! In a twist of fate that only God could have orchestrated, I was able to connect with a Booster Club member from back home and he invited me to get involved. I am very excited to be an official member of the club and part of the Pirate family. As my daughter often says, “I’m living my best life!”

Another thing I’ve gotten involved with during my time in FL is the Women’s Bible Study at the church we’ve been attending down here. We are studying the Fruit of the Spirit. One of the characteristics of that fruit is LOVE. We learned about different types of love last week, one of which is agape. It is described well in a familiar passage often read at weddings—1 Corinthians 13.

“Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.”     

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 NLT      

I can’t speak for you, but those four verses point out how terribly short I fall from demonstrating agape love. There’s a reason—only God is capable of that kind of love! The Holy Spirit working in me and through me is the only reason that I ever get it right. I guess that’s why it’s called the “Fruit of the Spirit”—the source of our “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” is God in the form of the Holy Spirit living inside each of his children.

Agape at its best is in another familiar Bible verse:

“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”

John 3:16 NLT

Now THAT’S love! God went to the greatest of lengths to give us the privilege and honor of being part of His family. I certainly don’t deserve such love. That’s called grace!

“Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has become a child of God. And everyone who loves the Father loves his children, too.”

1 John 5:1 NLT

As excited as I am about the opportunity to be part of the Pittsburgh Pirates family, it pales in comparison to being a child of God and part of His family. The Pirates sacrificed next to nothing to invite me into their family; however, God made the ultimate sacrifice—His One and Only Son, Jesus Christ. He doesn’t discriminate—the invitation is there for ALL of us. Have you accepted it? If you haven’t and you’re reading this, it’s not too late. Come, be part of the family. You won’t regret it!

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The Journey

On Sunday we will celebrate another big milestone in our daughter’s journey through life. These occasions always cause me to be reflective and highly emotional. As part of my therapy, I had determined to share part of that journey with you through my writing. I found that was easier said than done yesterday. I didn’t know where to start and where to stop. After many hours and countless words, I scrapped the whole thing and went to bed late last night. The truth is, I cannot condense what we’ve been through with Hillary in her 21+ years to a blog post. It deserves a book! Maybe someday….

For those unfamiliar with her story, Hillary Jayne is our miracle baby. You’ll have to wait for the book to fill in the gaps, but I’ll paint the big picture now. She was diagnosed with a congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) in the womb. The hole in the left side of her diaphragm allowed her abdominal organs to come up into her chest cavity and take up the space where her left lung was to be developing. She was given a 50% chance of surviving IF she was born in the right place at the right time. By the grace of God, she was. She came out fighting and has been fighting ever since! Hillary had her hernia repair surgery when she was 6 days old and spent the first 88 days of her life in intensive care at Allegheny General Hospital. I remember the neonatologist describing Hillary’s hospital stay as a series of three steps forward and two steps backwards. That’s a net gain of one, right? We’ll take it! Even with the medical advances today, 50% of babies born with CDH do not survive.

CDH isn’t just a hernia. The 50% that do survive live with the threat of complications of it for the rest of their lives, including the very real possibility of reherniation. So, as they say at CHERUBS, the CDH Support Group, “Just because the hole is fixed, doesn’t mean the battle is over.” For instance, Hillary recently spent a whole year on three high-powered antibiotics to rid her good lung of a serious mycobacterial infection that was indirectly related to her CDH. It hasn’t been smooth sailing for Hillary. Far from it! I guess that’s what makes each milestone that much sweeter!

I believe God has lessons for us in each of our life experiences. Nothing comes to us without a purpose. Without question, Hillary’s story is the experience that has had the greatest impact on my life. I look at life differently now because I realize just how precious it is. Each day is a gift from God, not to be taken for granted. In the words of Jesus:

I have come so they can have life. I want them to have it in the fullest possible way.”  

John 10:10b NIRV

Jesus went to the greatest of lengths to give us life. It would behoove us to make the most of it. Let’s not squander today, for tomorrow isn’t guaranteed. Live life….enjoy it…celebrate it…and give God thanks for it!

On Sunday we will celebrate the college graduation of our precious daughter. This milestone, like every other one before it, will be magnified times one hundred because of the journey that brought her here. I couldn’t be more proud. She has overcome so much adversity in her 21+ years and has excelled in spite of it all. Or perhaps BECAUSE of it all. When they call Hillary Jayne Leipold on Sunday and she crosses the stage with numerous cords and medallions draped around her neck to collect her diploma, her devoted fan base will be there leading the cheering. That is, all except her mother who will be too choked up to muster a WooHoo!