April 3: LOVING PEOPLE THE WAY JESUS DID WILL TAKE LEAPS, NOT STEPS.

Affirmation: I am gentle with myself and my mistakes. I treat my body with love and respect.

Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;”‭‭ 1 Corinthians‬ ‭6:19‬ ‭NIV‬‬~~~~~~

Ponder, Practice: Recently I lost my mom and a friend lost her 27 year old son in a car accident, another friend lost her 25 year old grandson. All this loss makes me gratedful that I can still rely on God who made me and gives me breath to move through the heartbreaking loss of loved ones and friends.


“The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life.“ ‭‭Job‬ ‭33‬:‭4‬

~~~~~
Wholehearted Guidepost from Brené Brown 
Cultivate Authenticity.
Let go of what other people think. Be your authentic self. (“The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life.“ ‭‭Job‬ ‭33‬:‭4‬ Just be you!)

~~~~~
Mastering the 7 Decisions from Andy Andrews 
The Responsible Decision 

The Buck Stops Here!
Each of you must be responsible to do your creative best with your life. Gal. 6:4

If decisions are choices…and our thinking dictates our decisions—then I am where I am because of my thinking.

~~~~~
Reading for Today
Walk in Grace. Live in Love. by Bob Goff

April 3

LOVING PEOPLE THE WAY JESUS DID WILL TAKE LEAPS, NOT STEPS. 

You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me. LUKE 18:22 

Confession: I'm a little ambivalent about personality tests. I don't mean the kind that tell you if you're a Griffyndor or a Slytherin or what your rapper name would be. At the time I was writing this devotional, one test called the Enneagram was all the rage. People can't tell if it's a cult or something. People are always asking me what "my number" is or they're telling me what my num­ber is, they're just sure of it. While I'm not against a little self-understanding, knowing more about yourself should never head-fake you into thinking you've become more like Jesus. 


A test might help you take steps toward a healthier and more well-balanced life. But loving people the way Jesus did will take leaps, not steps. 


Jesus said to take all our time, our energy, our dreams, and our things and to handle them like gifts for others to unwrap. He invited us into a selfless way of life that changes where we live, how we live, and who we love. Loving like Jesus means having a spirit of welcome for everyone-even the people who talk too loud and drink straight from the carton in our fridge. It means our first response is “yes” when we're asked to help someone move on a Saturday morning. 


I think if Jesus came up with a personality test, it would ask all about how we love sacrificially. And if we're looking for something to improve or a way to grow, Jesus' life is the only test we need. 


What feels uncomfortable inside you as you ponder going all in with Jesus? 

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