"Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, hopes all things, endures all things.  Love never fails."

1 Corinthians 13:4-8

    Sometimes, well always, but sometimes I think it is so necessary to have practical application of, well, life really.  Let me attempt to explain.  I think it's necessary for me to sometimes practically explain how Scripture is playing a role in my life.  I'm going to use today a topic that has come up so much lately in my life.  Maybe because I have a difficult time accepting it myself so it stands out to me, or maybe because God is really just laying this on my heart.  Maybe both, but in any case, it's LOVE.  It would be a lot to do each point of love, so I will take a few and follow through those in my life in ministry here in South Africa.

    Love is patient.  Oh Ithemba.  As much as I love the children there, I can get so frustrated.  The children don't understand my English and I, obviously, do not understand their Xhosa.  However, God has given me a love for the children, especially those in my class where language can really be a big issue, and I am able to stick it out with them through patience and get to what needs to be said, taught, and done.

    Love is kind.  I feel like this is a big thing in our house.  Living in community is not easy.  There are times when people do things we do not like or when we're having bad days and just want to be alone but can't.  God's love is revealed in each of us through the kindness we show between each other.  We value and love each other with such a deep love, that we really are family, and kindness just falls into place.

    Love is not jealous.  I don't feel like this has been an issue much at all on our team, which is good.  Honestly, I can't think of anyplace where jealousy might come into play.  I think the only thing would be jealousy with the relationships people are building, but none of that really matters as we love each other and love God and, as long as He gets the glory, it doesn't matter at all!

    It does not seek its own.  I think the best way to see this would be through a servant's heart.  My team is amazing.  Honestly.  There are so many days when I have gone downstairs to see someone doing someone else's chore or to find my own chore already done.  There have been nights when my teammates will take their time to talk through things with each other instead of worrying about what they should be getting done at that moment.  It seems that our love for each other takes over everything else, and it's more important than everything else because love is the main point.

    Love hopes all things.  When we talk to our friends in the community or in the streets, what we have to offer them is our love.  And, in that, they are able to find hope.  I can see it a little that way, but in a bigger way, I see it when you flip the situation around.  So often, I find it that our friends, who have so little, are often so filled with hope.  And along with that comes their love and trust in God.  So often, we are not required to trust and love in God completely because, in America, we are so blessed (or should I say burdened) by the ability to have anything and everything we could possibly want.  We don't need God to meet our needs because, through our jobs we can do it on our own.  The people we meet here don't have that freedom (or bondage).  They have to trust in God to meet the payments on their bills, to heal them when they are sick or injured...  for everything.  Through that, and Him meeting their needs, they have a hope that can last forever, because they truly know what it is to love God and find hope in Him (did I mention that Ithemba means 'hope' in Xhosa?  Also, this point could probably go into my blog on why we need Africa more than Africa needs us.  To teach us to love and trust and hope in God to meet our needs).

    Love endures all things.  With everything going on with the people we are ministering to, as well as our friends and families back home, the one thing we have to make it through is love: love for each other, love for our friends and family, and love for God.  No matter what, we will be able to make it through each step in life because, with love, we can make it through everything.

    Anyway, random thoughts once again.  I hope God has opened your eyes from me opening my mouth (or rather my...  fingers?  since I'm typing).  Lately I've been convicted to speak more.  So, hopefully you'll be hearing more of what God is revealing to me! 

"What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim upon the housetops."  Matthew 10:27