TRUE LOVE

Our newest grandson Samuel all dressed up for his court appearance to officially become a Clark.

The care of a helpless baby helps us understand a bit about the selflessness of real love--nights with little sleep as their needs are attended to and days of changing diapers, feeding, and clothing the little darlings. Last night Mark and I watched a few minutes of Wuthering Heights.  Heathcliff who is the main character in the story has what appears to be a great love for Cathy, but when she marries another man Heathcliff shows his true colors--he actually had a very selfish "love" and so this becomes a very dark story.   Real love isn't about us, it is about giving, even sacrificially, to others.  What brightness and beauty is seen in true love.  Of course the truest love was shown in Christ giving His life for us. Happy Valentine's Day!

We are off to a good start studying 1 John.  Join us this Thursday as we discuss chapter 2 of our books (1 John 2:3-17)  on "Obedience and Love." 

ENCOURAGEMENT TO CONTINUE ON

Our grandson Leo about a year ago doing dishes.

We have all experienced the enthusiasm and vigor with which we pursue a new skill or habit we want to develop.  But, most often the passion fades unless we have consistent input that cheers us on.  I've noticed that similarly we tend to lose our delight in all that God has to say about life if we are not faithfully, regularly having good input from His word.  That is part of the reason I'm excited about our new Ladies Bible Study pursuit in the books of 1,2,&3 John and Jude.  This Thursday we begin 12 weeks of encouraging studies together.  Plan to join us--even if you have never been part of our study time before. 

Amanda will be caring for our little ones in the nursery.  So, bring the kiddos along.

BEING AN EXTRAORDINARY WOMAN

As we complete studying our last "extraordinary" woman of the Bible this Thursday morning we will dig into the beautiful life of Lydia.  Like all the other women we have studied, she is not known because she was a wonderful business woman, had an powerful husband, or hobnobbed with the affluent of her day.  No, her greatest strength was in her "spiritual character" and her "feminine virtue;" and this was true for every one of the women we have studied.  What is preventing us from being extraordinary women?  It isn't complicated; in fact it is very simple (not easy, but "simple").  "Bear in mind: faith was the root and the quintessence of everything that made these women extraordinary.  But in no case did their excellence stop with bare faith.  The fruit of their faith was virtue."  John MacArthur

See you Thursday morning. 

Beginning on Thursday February 9th we will begin a new study of the books of 1,2,3 John and Jude.  I want you to be part of the this encouraging study.  Plan to pick up a book on Sunday in the foyer and be ready to discuss the first chapter on Thursday morning.