ch.3 cont'd

On page 46 its talking about what Gods love is like. And one of the lines is amazingly encouraging to me. Sometimes I doubt myself. But God knows He made me fearfully and wonderfully with amazing care. He knows if I give my all to Him what I could be in Him! "God hopes and believes- He sees our potential even when we doubt and despair of ourselves." Hes basing this off of 1 Corinthians 13:4-8.

I find this very exciting!!! "If God is this way with us, then as extensions of His life in us, we, too, can offer this kind of love to those around us." :-) Thats awesome!

Angie :-) I know your reading, this is one you highlighted that I agree is a very cool quote! "The branch is able to bear the fruit because it is attached to the vine, not because of its effort." It feels so good to be attached to the vine!

"It is not we who love, but it is God who loves them in us. Jesus is the vine, and we are merely the branches. (talking about John 15:5) Apart from Him we can not love"

This is a good thought "A large part of acceptance is letting people be who they are, with all of their uniqueness, all of their beauty, all of their flaws."
-Im so thankful for the people in my life who accept me like this!!! They have had the most impact in my life. Its obvious why, we need to treat others like this!

"I do not want my brothers and sisters to excuse my sin...to accept me as I am, and than leave me as I am is not love, but apathy."
-Just an interesting thought. reminds me of another quote. "A true friend stabs you in the front." Sometimes we need to grow, and we will not grow if we are not confronted when we are sinning without repentance! Sometimes the Holy Spirit is that true friend who steps in and convicts you. Sometimes God wants to use each other, to lovingly confront one another.

"⁷ But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us." 2 Corinthians 4:7 Great picture! I liked this verse, he brings it up at the end of the chapter :-)

"We may not feel like we have the capacity to accept one another unconditionally. We are right. We do not have the ability to love as God loves. But thank God we do not have to conjure up this kind of acceptance. All we have to do is carry Gods acceptance to the people around us."



(I apologize, this has been a loooooonnnnnnggggg break. But Im excited for the next part of the book :-) Its titled Receiving God's forgiveness!