Category:Love Stories

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Jesus tells a story …

There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.

“Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need.

“So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him
to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods
that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.

“When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’

“So he got up and went to his father.

“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

“The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.
I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.

No blame. No shame.
No questions asked.

“Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked what was going on.

‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has
killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’

“The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’

“‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours.
But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’” Luke 15:11-32, NIV

He’s back! And that’s all that matters.

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Sometimes It’s the Girl

sometimes it's the girl

Women make a lot of assumptions – filling in the blanks with thoughts that paint a negative picture. We usually do it because we’re actually afraid from the beginning … afraid that something will go wrong. So we’re almost relieved when it does. Then we can blame the guy. And that’s so very wrong!

Romance always comes with a test.

Wrapped up in the wonder of Love, we try to protect our precious possession. In doing so, we begin tiptoeing around. Which will raise questions for our partner, of course. Soon they start to wonder about our actions … or our motives … or both.

[callout]Questioning one another’s goodness – or at least
their good intentions – will always lead us down the path to failure.[/callout]

We miscommunicate and don’t know how to untangle it all. We misinterpret. Jump to false conclusions. We “knew it was too good to be true” and begin to seriously doubt Love. We fail to believe the best and begin to assume the worst. We start guessing about everything …

He loves me? He loves me not?
Daisies don’t tell.

Sometimes it’s the girl who messes up. Remembering past pain and disappointments, we withdraw … or we attack. We start guessing – or asking our friends –what we should do next. It’s like we can’t see the forest for the trees. And we don’t even realize it’s our fear – and more particularly, our defense against feeling afraid – that keeps us from having everything we’ve been hoping to have in Love. So we erect walls that no one could possibly hope to scale. The ultimate in self-protection.

[callout]It’s not your fear that ruins your relationship.
The only problem couples ever have is … Defensiveness.[/callout]

If you struggle to create or maintain a Healthy Romance, you are probably afraid of being hurt or getting dumped. And instead of having a healthy conversation about your fear, you’re defensive, building self-protecting walls that not only keep out what’s potentially bad or hurtful, but also everything that’s right and good for you.

[callout]If you are Christians, never forget that you are now saints,
learning to walk in Newness of Life. And behave accordingly.[/callout]

This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. (Romans 3:22-24)

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

  • Looking at people around you – or in the movies or on TV – do you notice a tendency (a) to blame men or (b) to blame women for relationship failure?
  • Why do you think that is?
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He loves me!

Yesterday I ran a few errands on my way to work. I stopped off for a fill-up. And slipped my credit card into my pocket. Then I went to the market to pick up a few things. Ahead of schedule.

Let’s see …
What needs to go in the fridge?
I switched things around in my bag.
The day flew! I fetched my perishables
to put in the fridge and headed home.
A highly efficient day.

Early this morning, waiting in line at Starbucks Drive Thru, I realized my credit card was missing. A brief car-search ensued. Waiting for my coffee (I was trapped between a bazillion cars so I couldn’t bail), I mentally retraced my steps. No luck.

I’m practicing patience – which means I make no provision for panic – so I began to pray. Not with importunity, but with thanksgiving as I’m learning:

Thank You, Lord, that You have me in Your Loving Hands.
I don’t know where my credit card is, but You do. And You take care of me.

Then I began to praise Him with a childhood favorite. “I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever. I will sing. I will sing!” (Psalm 89:1)

Then another old favorite: Victory in Jesus, My Savior Forever.
And there in the midst of the 2nd chorus, I suddenly remembered
where I’d left my card: in the bag – with the non-perishables.
Non-perishable. Like The Lord’s Love. How cool is that?

Suddenly I was flooded with gratefulness for His Goodness.
And that’s when it hit me Big Time …

he-loves-meThis is love: not that we loved God,
but that he loved us and sent his Son
as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
(1John 4:10)

That may seem like a no-brainer to you, but sometimes the Truth of that overwhelms my soul. I hope it does yours, too.

Because when you fully realize how much He loves you, Friend
life gets sweeter – no matter what’s happening around you –
and all you want to do is live for Him!
… with or without a credit card.

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