I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
LOWLINESS is the quality of humility, submission, and willingness to commit to Christ.
GENTLENESS is power over bringing our thoughts and emotions into control.
LONGSUFFERING is the ability to be patient, tolerant of others, and willing to suffer wrong if it is for the right reason.
FORBEARING ONE ANOTHER IN LOVE means to endure, to bear, to hold up. All actions must be motivated by proper love. (1 Cor 13:4-8)
Well I have been asked to write more on my profile. I've been virtually inactive in that department other than my testimonial. As most of you may know, as I've made it public knowledge in Shouts, I work at a homeless youth shelter. It is a Christian run facility which I couldn't begin to explain how relieving it is to work for Him! I have worked many jobs and I left work every day questioning what I had actually accomplished. I don't question that anymore. Sure there are lows at my job, I often wonder if I actually am making a difference. Just as I feel at times about my Christian walk, I don't think I've actually led someone to God. I always hear the same thing, I'm planting seeds. I used to reason with people and want them to believe just as I did. I would try and make it logical and convincing, nothing was more frustrating because a lot of the times it would end up in an argument. I realize now that I have to reach people though their hearts. After all that is where God meets me. When I feel down or alone, He comforts me. What a gift, to share His love. What else is there in life? I no longer question 'did I make a difference?' it's now 'did God reach them through me?' As long as I remain humble and show love, that's all there is. Jesus was slapped, punched, kicked, spit on and ridiculed. He died on the cross for my sins. I want to share that with everyone, that love cannot compare to anything else. Just as Jesus is hated by the world, I know I will be under the same scrutiny and it will be a battle every day for the rest of my life. So every day I see these kids who have nowhere else to go. How can I not be affected? At times it doesn't seem so bad, I am getting used to seeing it I guess. I don't know all of their stories. What I do know is that it's come to them living on the streets. How did it get to this point? They must feel so alone and let down. Then I imagine my son knocking on that door and I am brought to tears. I think of my son when a young man knocks on that door looking for somewhere warm for the night to sleep, looking for protection from whatever is waiting for them outside that door or when they just simply need to be heard. It's the least I can do, give them shelter, protection or an ear to listen. Maybe that's all they need, it is all they ask for. When I see my son, all I want to do is hold him and just simply let him know he is loved. He deserves no less. The kids who come knocking on that door deserve no less. Jesus loves them. They need to know that. So say a prayer for them. Say a prayer for me, I don't want to be hardened, I need to be reminded that it could be me at that low point. Thank you for reading and taking the time to come to my page. If you need someone to talk to, my door is always open, drop me a line. God bless you. In Christ, Kevin
Romans 12 6-8 If you preach, just preach God's Message, nothing else; if you help, just help, don't take over; if you teach, stick to your teaching; if you give encouraging guidance, be careful that you don't get bossy; if you're put in charge, don't manipulate; if you're called to give aid to people in distress, keep your eyes open and be quick to respond; if you work with the disadvantaged, don't let yourself get irritated with them or depressed by them. Keep a smile on your face
I finally have gotten around to writing something in my blog. It's only been 8 months :P. I guess I will start with how I became Christian. I was born and raised Roman Catholic. My mom is still Catholic, she came from a Roman Catholic background. My grandfather was a brother in the Catholic church. So I always had a pretty good understanding about Christianity and God's word. Growing up, my father left for long periods of time and wasn't really around much, he literally disappeared and didn't support us, so my mom did the best with us she could. I am the youngest, my twin sister is 30 minutes older than me, I have 3 other sisters and 1 brother. So my mom had her hands full to say the least but she always managed to take us to church. I remember feeling very scared at times and in particular there was one night when I was around 8 years old that I was upstairs running a bath before bedtime. I felt an extreme amount of fear, I went to tell my mom who was downstairs with my sisters. She told me everything will be alright, just leave the door open and if I need anything, just holler down the stairs. Well I got in the bath and in the window a demon appeared and I screamed. My mom and my sisters ran upstairs. I was never so scared in all of my life. Many nights after that I had extreme insomnia and anxiety but I never told anyone. It haunted me for a very long time. In 1991 my friend Ken at that time had explained to me about the Holy Spirit and invited me to come to his church. I was very intrigued because I already had faith in God but the whole Holy Spirit idea was new to me. When I went with Ken to his church, I loved it for many reasons, the people who attended were mainly from the Carribbean, the music was full of feeling and the people there accepted me with a lot of love. I was one of two white people in that church, it was amazing that they accepted me. Colour had nothing to do with anything there. Well I felt God there in a way I never knew existed. I walked out of the church feeling hopeful and strengthened. I had attended several other times. That same summer I remember laying in my bed, I called on God and accepted Jesus into my life, I felt a rush come over me. I was never the same after that. I had always had dreams where demons would torment me, I dreaded going to sleep sometimes. In particular one night a demon lifted me up and choked me, I really thought I was going to die in my dream. I called upon Jesus and I was delivered from the demons that haunted my dreams. I now sleep at night without the dread of being tormented. When I accepted Jesus Christ as my own personal saviour, it was in music that God spoke to me. My oldest sibling Janet was 13 years older than me, she had been diagnosed with lupus when I was 2 and it was an extreme case, she was given a few years to live. It inflicted her entire body, different parts were attacked in the course of her life. I was a very serious guy growing up and I was very shy. Janet had a contageous laugh that made everyone else around her laugh. I remember going to visit her when I was in my late teens, she always asked me to make her laugh when she was in great pain. I obliged, she really did get her pain taken away when she laughed, I could feel it. There were many times where her disease was in remission, but it always came back and seemed tougher to get through it each time. She lived until she was 37 years old. (I value every moment I have on earth and when I turned 37 a few weeks ago I value it more). I was devastated when she died, I took it very hard. I was at Ken's band practice and I was really still down about Janet dying, God spoke directly to me in the music, I was broken and He revealed Himself to me. I never looked at music the same again after that. Janet was very important to me, I often think about how selfless she was with others when she was going through what she did. I realized how important laughter and joy is to others in their life as pain is everywhere and how God can heal others through joy and laughter. God is so good to me I want to share it with everyone, very recently God has been working on my heart. I really am thankful that I am saved and I hope that this inspires anyone who reads it to call on God and accept Jesus Christ as their personal saviour. Thank you for taking the time to stop by and read my blog, if you want to talk about anything, I will always be here, feel free to add me as a friend or just IM me or message me. I will always listen and pray with you. God bless you.
The Bible says that God’s Word is water and when you speak the Word, you are watering your seeds. Ask the Lord today to show you what seeds you have in your hand. He’ll show you where to plant them, and He’ll watch over those seeds to produce an abundant harvest in every area of your life!
You make it so easy for me to be good, Jesus. I just have to love You, obey You, look to You and cling to You, and You've promised that You'll do everything else. Thank You, Lord, for the power of Your Spirit that strengthens and changes me.
Trust that I know best. Trust in My wisdom. Trust in My ability to lead you and guide you and use you to the fullest. Trust in Me for the future. Trust that I will not fail you, and that I will fulfill all of My Words to you. Trust that I will not leave you comfortless. Trust that you will indeed feel My love and know My love in a greater way than before.