6-12-20 THOUGHTS

Good Morning Loved Ones.  I just scanned my well worn church directory looking at first names.
You are each special!  
I was browsing through my Illustrations file on my computer (I’ve saved thousands over the years) and the one below caught my eye.  I haven’t read it in years.  My Cathy sent it to a friend as a Hallmark card.  The words were so powerful I had to save it.  I share it with you my brother/sister... my friend in the Lord.  We’ve been AWAY in a sense for some time now.

FRIENDS AWAY     From a Hallmark card...   By Alarie Tennille
Remember when we used to see each other whenever we felt like it?
It seemed we were always together...  And always having fun.
I really miss that.  It’s hard to live so far away from you.
I know we still share our big news, but it’s not the same as sharing every
little detail the way we did when we lived close. The truth is...  
I’ll never get used to missing you, and I never want to...
Because in all the ways that count, I couldn’t have a closer friend than you....
No matter how far away you are.

We read Philippians 1:3-8  this Wednesday evening in our Zoom class.
  “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4  always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all, 5  in view of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now. 6  For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. 7   For it is only right for me to feel this way about you all, because I have you in my heart, since both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers of grace with me. 8  For God is my witness, how I long for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.”
Eph 5:1-2    Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; 2  and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.

My Prayer:
Oh God of heaven and earth, you who have taught us love from your very self, teach us to love one another with a pure heart fervently.  Help us to see each other with the eyes of love. Bind us together Oh God with sincere love and faith in You.  May we continually see the love of Christ and seek to imitate that great love.