HOW ARE YOU DOING WITH THIS THING CALLED LOVE?

HOW ARE YOU DOING WITH THIS THING CALLED LOVE?

A number of years ago our Board mapped our our ministry core values. We
established a list of 10 non-negotiables that must never change at
America's KESWICK. They are benchmarks to guide us into the future years
of ministry.

A list of core values are of no value if you never review them. For me,
as the Executive Director, I must go back to them almost weekly to see
how we are doing. In a sense, they are a part of my "report card" (now
for some of you those two words send shivers up your spine!). The review
process is good.

Today's passage from 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 is one of the CORE VALUES for
all us -- LOVE. Paul gives a pretty strong statement on what love looks
like -- how we should love our spouses, our kids, and others for that
matter. Eugene Peterson in his paraphrase, THE MESSAGE, lays it out this
way:

Love NEVER gives up.
Love cares more for OTHERS than for self.
Love doesn't want what it doesn't have.
Love doesn't strut.
Doesn't have a swelled head.
Doesn't force itself on others.
Isn't always "me first,"
Doesn't fly off the handle,
Doesn't keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn't revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end!

So how are you doing today? Would you pass the test? Allow Christ to
love THROUGH you today. This would be a great portion of Scripture to
commit to memory and meditate on daily. I know that I need some work on
this today.

COLONY GRADS: We are building a "Grad Web Album" on our website and
would like to include your picture along with a couple lines about when
you graduated and what you're doing. You can email your pictures to:
bwelte@americaskeswick.org