When we were newly married, I traveled with Rick to a church meeting where he had spoken previously, but I had never been. They had known Teresa, his first wife of 34 years who had passed away from cancer. I was nervous but excited to meet this special group of people.

When Judi and I were getting to know each other, we had fun revealing everything about ourselves. Judi would ask me all kinds of questions and I was happy to answer them because I wanted her to know me. She later said that most guys try to present themselves in the best light possible, but she liked that I didn’t do that. To which I replied, “Well, I wanted you to know the real me, even my weaknesses.”

Like an electric current, the Holy Spirit has come into us and connected us with God, the Source. The current/power is within us now. We are no longer trying to get God outside of ourselves to do something for us. He’s given us everything already. He’s given us Himself.

Did you ever see the little “Christian” comic booklet titled, “This Was Your Life”? 

It was horrible.  It depicted a dead man watching his life as a movie. He was shown telling a dirty joke, leering at a woman, and smoking and drinking.  Obviously, he went to hell in the story.

In “Star Wars”, they often say, “May the force be with you,” but the true Force, God in us, is always with us, so it’s not something to hope or wish for.

In fact, we can confidently say, “The SOURCE is with us.”

I’ve often heard that God is a God of justice. This is usually used as an argument for punishing sin, but maybe we misunderstand the whole idea of God’s “justice”. From what I see in the Bible, and from what I personally experience with my Father, His justice is completely different from a human idea of justice.

As we look at the beauty of the gospel, we become truly awestruck by the goodness and copiousness of God’s heart. We come to realize that He is Love, and nothing less. 

We begin to notice that so many things that once seemed vital, even urgent, become small in the light of Love.  The knowledge of good and evil gives way to a higher life and a higher cause. 

Let’s talk about that poor, misunderstood word in the Christian language: obedience.  It somehow carries a connotation of drudgery and sacrifice, when in fact, it’s not a sacrificial act at all.  The Bible even shows the difference between the two, stating that, “Obedience is better that sacrifice” (1 Samuel 15:22).

When I grew up I (Judi) was told that God loved me. But it didn’t mean much to me because I didn’t really believe it.

Too many bad things had happened to me. Too many mean people. Too many mistakes others had made. Too many mistakes I had made. Too many problems in front of me.

“Who is my neighbor?” the lawyer asked Jesus.

He wasn’t asking out of humble sincerity, wanting to learn. The bible says he was trying to test Jesus and justify himself.  Jesus responded with the parable of the Good Samaritan. 

Forgiveness is the anecdote to a wounded soul. But how do we get there when we are so hurt? The way of the world is to shame those who wound us, to try to get “justice”, thinking it will validate the harm we’ve been put through, but this is only a mirage. Man’s justice and condemnation never bring true healing or life. It simply digs us deeper into the pit of wounding. 

When I (Judi) was a little girl, I sucked my finger. Not my thumb, but my forefinger. It was my preferred, go-to self-soothing practice. 

My mother tried everything to get me to stop sucking my finger. She reprimanded me, she said it made me look like a baby, she applied very yucky, bitter-tasting liquid to deter me, she explained to me why it wasn’t good for me to continue sucking my finger as it could interfere with my speech development, cause orthodontic issues, and even lead to me being made fun of/bullied by my peers. All to no avail. I was entering the fourth grade still sucking my finger. 

My first sermon was titled “Love is Perfection”.  Forty years later, that is still my message. There is just nothing better. I have been blessed to spend my life telling good news about the heart and power of God. I’ve seen it heal and encourage countless souls.

I was twelve years old, pitching in a Little League game that wasn’t going well.  I felt that the umpire was calling a bad game.  I thought I was throwing strikes. He would call them a ball.

I was a kid who was easily frustrated and angered, kind of a hothead.  I’m sure that my attitude was sometimes embarrassing to the adults in the bleachers, as well as my coach, who understandably, probably didn’t like me much.

Something wonderful is happening in many hearts today.  I’ve wanted to see it for years.  We are truly taking on our Father’s heart.  We are learning His ways, and we are starting to act and think in accordance with His nature. 

God is Love.

Recently in a bible study, Judi was talking about how the diet culture is wrought with failures, how diets are based on pure will power.  If it fails, the blame falls all on the person desperately trying to live up the standard of the program.  Any success is not sustained, because the body simply can’t operate correctly with those restrictions.

Recently a man approached me on my way into Walgreens. He appeared to be someone who was asking for money. Many times I will stop and give money if I have it, but that day, I was in a hurry and knew I didn’t have any cash on me. I ignored him and kept walking towards the store. Then I heard him. He asked forcefully, “Do you see me?” His question and his tone made me stop in my tracks. I thought about what it must feel like to be in his shoes.  I remembered living on the streets myself when I was a teenager.  

 “Speak kindly to Jerusalem; And call out to her, that her warfare has ended, That her guilt has been removed…” – Isaiah 40:2

I have good news!  We are not on the verge of losing godliness in this world.  We are not losing a war to the forces of darkness.  Darkness is not overtaking the earth, nor will it ever.

Think about what "eternal life" means.  To think of it makes your brain widen it's scope in a huge way.  We begin to conceive of something so big that we can't see the beginning or end of it.  Something this big must be superior to anything that is limited to a temporary existence.

If I told you that I was sending a package to you.  You would not jump in your car and drive to my house in order to get it.  All you would need to do is to stay home and receive it.  

The beauty and power of being in Christ, is that we initiate none of the goodness that has come to us.  It’s all given, or sent by God.  We simply receive.