Well, a month has gone by since our last newsletter.  Not much has changed….or has it?  We are still  in quarantine…still ‘social distancing’…..still wondering how all of this is going to turn out. But in the midst of all the uncertainty, I have had some of the deepest and richest prayer and reading times with the Lord, that I have had in years.  I’ll let you in on a tidbit, as I have been diving into Jesus’ conversations with the disciples, in the book of John, right before He was crucified.  I hope it lifts you up as well, and deepens your walk with the Lord:

Jesus told the 12 that they were to LOVE one another.  He said this was a new commandment, which He, Himself, was giving.  John 13:34

Jesus said all people would know that we are His disciples, By our love.  Johnn 13:35

Jesus said that if we loved Him, we would keep His commandments.  John 14:15

Jesus said that he who has and keeps His commandments, he loves Jesus and will be loved by the Father.  Johnn 14:21

Jesus said if we keep His commandments, we will abide in His love.  John 15:10

Jesus reiterated that His commandment was to love one another, just as He loves us.  John 15:12

Jesus commanded AGAIN, to love one another. John 15:17

See a pattern here? He gave a commandment  (which He deemed as new), that we are to love one anther. If we love Him, we will keep His commandment (to love). People would know His disciples, by that love. If we keep His commandments, it shows we love Him, and the Father will love us. He also said, if we keep His commandments, we would be abiding in His love…..and again, we should love one another.

So if we love Jesus, we will follow His command to love one another, and this will proves that we love Him, and then the Father will love us, because we love Him, and keep His commandments to love.   Wow!

I have a confession: sometimes when I read the letters that the apostle John wrote, I find them very circular, and I have a hard time grasping the deeper meaning.  But this time, during this Covid19 lockdown, I am really taking the time to read, re-read, and put it all together.  The upshot of this for you and for me, is how do we love?  That will take a little more time to figure out.  There are different ways.  Right now, loving the people in your own household, is probably the biggest need.  Treating them well, being patient, saying kind words, honoring each other.

This is all love…this is Jesus.  Let’s do this!

 

 

 

 

 

From the Worship and Compassion front:

We have been hunkered down, as have you most likely, this last month. Well Wayne has as much as he can aside from the food pick ups needed. There is still a lot of food to collect and technically he provides an essential service to the restaurants, grocery stores and bakeries by picking up the extra food. A burden they did not need to deal with in addition to all the radical changes in their businesses. The photo above was just today of bread he bagged and loaded from just one bakery. Also, though the border crossing has been restricted to normal travel, our ministry is allowed as humanitarian aid to cross back and forth. Of course Wayne continues to take extra precautions. Carol has stayed plugged in leading worship and prayer with some live Facebook video posts as well as some collaborative worship times on virtual video with other worship and prayer leaders around the nation and the globe. The screenshot above was from last Wednesday. You can see some of these video highlights and more Mexico photos on our Facebook pages below. We would love for you to visit and share your feedback. 

https://www.facebook.com/voiceofthebrideministries/

http://www.facebook.com/voiceofthebride