Nurturing: Give It and Receive It

All healthy relationships require nurturing, both from other people and from the Lord God. Nurturing that feeds the soul is driven by deep-seated love and affection. Yet nurturing should be multi-dimensional, given that other people’s needs will vary according to each one’s experience and  personality.

                              

We can become too busy or too guarded to give or receive nurturing meant to strengthen our relationships. Failure to give or receive nurturing can leave you weak and vulnerable to temptation that promised, but failed, to satisfy your need for love and acceptance. Nurturing is giving yourself in ways that fulfill another person.

The Apostle Paul asked, "Don't you know your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you received from God?”  Your body here is more than its physical form. Your body contains the very essence of your complete being created by Christ Jesus and filled with the Holy Spirit to serve and honor the Lord God and others. 

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We know that God not only loves you but has selected you for a special purpose. For we remember how our gospel came to you not as mere words, but as a message with power behind it – the convincing power of the Holy Spirit. You know what sort of men we were when we lived among you. You set yourselves to copy us, and indeed, the Lord himself. You remember how, although accepting the message meant serious trouble, yet you experienced the joy of the Holy Spirit.  

~1 Thessalonians 1:4-6 Phillips – New Testament in Modern English 

So continue encouraging one another and helping one another in character building.

~1 Thessalonians 5:11 Williams – New Testament in the Language of the People

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The Power of Patience: Taming the Temper - Part 2

Special family gatherings like Christmas or birthdays test our capacity to get along with others, even those we love. God creates us with the capacity not only to survive family gatherings, but to thrive and abound in love for each other. Deuteronomy 4:33 tells us how: "Walk in the way God has commanded so that you might prosper and prolong your days." You can do this with God's help.

To thrive in ways God intended, make a thorough examination of yourself and your lifestyle. Remember, your body is the temple of God. You may need to change some habits that are detrimental to your emotional and spiritual health. Do you live under too much stress, worry, and anxiety? Are changes needed?

Thriving includes seeking peace with God and others while there is time. Energies used in striving for power can be used to rebuild your emotional life, family life, and spiritual life. Listen to a choice St. Paul extends to you. "Let the mind of Christ Jesus be in you." This change is possible, so permit this choice be a first step for a new beginning. God bless you.