Yesterday, when I sat down to write this blog, I titled it "Praise the Lord, still going strong." As I sit down tonight, I still praise the Lord, but I am not sure I am so sure about still going strong. This is the 18th of April and it in between two anniversaries for me. 34 years ago, April 17th, I accepted the Lord as my Savior and my life has never been the same and I praise the Lord. One year ago April 19th, many who read this blog may not know, I had a heart attack. I was actually at a board meeting for our ministry, Northern Light Ministries and it hit. I thought it could not happen to me. I mean I exercise, ride bikes and do many things to stay in shape for that ministry; but it did. It is interesting, that my heart doctor told me that 30% of the people who enter a hospital with a heart attack like I had never leave the hospital alive and 60% never live a year afterward. Well today I had a three month visit with him today after I rode early this morning and rode 33.9 miles in 1 hour and 35 minutes and averaged 21.3 mph. Never done that before! Well at my visit today I found out I have to go back in next week for my fourth heart cath in the year since my heart attack. He also put the clamps on my pushing too hard on my rides. Doesn't he realize I have to get across our land. But for now I will not push as hard and will have to extend my trip another week. I will behave myself to a point but I will keep riding. Please be patient with me. I will also have a put the ride on hold for a few days after the cath. I will keep blogging though. I obviously have some things to learn through this too. One thing you must know; I will still praise the Lord for this too and look for what I am to learn. Today's ride left me about 20 miles west of Fort Worth and still looking forward to making it to the Dallas area.
I have still been thinking much about John 15 and verse 12 is one of those verses that should reach out and grab ahold of each and every one of His children. Verse 12 says this, "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you." He just said, "if you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love." First He tells us what the command is, "to love one another." In Matt. 22, He tells us to love out neighbor as we love ourselves." My neighbor is anyone out there; the person I work beside or the person who owns the house across the street. I am suppose to love that person in the same way I love myself. Okay, I can do that. But verse 12 is different, we are to love one another. One another is our family in Christ. Those others who should be closest to us - other Christians. But those people, we are to love not like I love myself, but the way Christ loves. His love is pure, whole, and complete and that is how how I am supposed to love other disciples in Christ. Can we ever reach that level of love perfectly? - NO! But I can work, I can strive, I can put forth all the effort I can to "love one another" in that way. Jesus stresses this idea to His closest followers in the last few hours He would have a chance to teach them what was most important to Him before He went to the cross and demonstrate what that kind of love was all about. We can all learn from His example.
Please check out our website and pray about whether you will help us make our goal to purchase a lodge in Canada.
northernlightministries.org
Talk to you tomorrow.
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