It's All About Love

I too have been able to do a lot of thinking and learning over the break. My goal was to look back at Fall term and think about what went well for me and what I could improve on. I feel so blessed and honored that God has placed me in this position of leadership but so often I wonder, Lord, why me? I admit that I sometimes feel inadequate.

Throughout my times of reflection and prayer over the break the Lord has made clear to me what the purpose of my leadership position all boils down to...LOVE. He has called me to love my sisters at Trinity, my brothers at AO, my fellow CCF staff members, new people at CCF, people on campus, and the list goes on. He has called us to love. "Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another" (1 John 4:11).

But what does that look like? I came across several commands about love that have given me insight into how I can love others. I want to share a few of them with you.

Ephesians 5:2 (The Message) Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn't love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that.

Romans 12: 10 (NIV) Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.

1 Thesalonians 5:13-15 (The Message) Gently encourage the stragglers, and reach out for the exhausted, pulling them to their feet. Be patient with each person, attentive to individual needs. And be careful that when you get on each other's nerves you don't snap at each other. Look for the best in each other, and always do your best to bring it out.

To me, all of these verses say that loving others means serving others, encouraging others, and making sacrifices for others.

This is my prayer for the term: Love others. It sounds so simple but we all know how challenging it can be. I want to put others above myself. I want to be able to sacrifice things (like my time) in order to be available for others. I want to love and not have to expect love in return.