By Daneen James 

​“Love is not jealous”, another translation reads, “Love does not want what it doesn’t have.” You’ve probably seen this before, part of the infamous bible passage on love, it's found in I Corinthians 13:4-7. Although, I’ve read this verse more times than I can count, I never saw it the way I see now. When we want to be something other than who we are, want someone else’s relationship and experiences more than our own, we are not living in love. We fail to love ourselves and God by dishonoring who He made us and discounting what He gave us.  

By Daneen James 

As parents, we often believe (as it relates to our children) that we have the monopoly on knowledge. But without a doubt, my daughter has been one of my greatest teachers. When we pay attention, being a parent creates some of the most meaningful “mirror” moments of our lives. Here are a few of the things that I have learned, see if any of these resonate with you. 

​You don’t have to be carried away by your thoughts and feelings. A bad mood doesn’t have to dictate your day...

​You asked for it, God wants to do it, but are you willing to wrestle for what you want?

Our creator's love for us is incomprehensible. It's too big and wide to understand and there is nothing you can do to lose or earn it. What God wants is relationship. He wants you to extend to Him, the same faithfulness and love that He extends to you. You love Him by looking for ways to please Him. There is no better way to please Him, than to live like Him. 

Everything you do either builds a bridge or creates a barrier to right relationship with God. We can't expect to experience God's best unless we're willing to follow His direction. Our creator knows what we need to grow and live well, His word tells us. Countless scriptures outline what we can expect from God, when we do what He expects from us.  Let's explore a few examples. 

​Too often we let the enemy make a merry go round of our minds. But God says we don’t have to ...

Do spiders "creep" you out? They're not my favorite creature either, but there's something about spiders that fascinates me. Even in the strongest winds and hardest rains, spider webs don’t falter. Though tossed and blown, they don’t break. Somehow, amidst the harshest circumstances, spiders find a way to sustain themselves. They persevere and even thrive despite their environment. Oddly enough, if you think about it, spiders represent the resilience life requires.
  
Adapt Don't Abandon
How many times are we rejected; told we don’t fit. And that what we have to offer isn’t valuable. People often dismiss and even destroy what they don’t understand. When you’re criticized, don’t let it derail you. ​Treat criticism like a shopping trip. Look for something you can use, if you find it, keep it. But whatever doesn't fit or can't help you, leave it on the shelf.