-==JAS==-: My Blog Statics

-==JAS==-: My Blog Statics

My Blog Statics

1.Number of Blog Visitor  = 231

2.Number of Article Posted = 20

3.Total Number of Comments = 5

4. SEO = in the google!!! just find it!!!!

5.Number of Followers = 6

sti lucena

sti lucena

sti lucena

sti lucena

sti lucena

sti lucena

sti

STI LUCENA

sti lucena

STI LUCENA

sti lucena

JAS Players

Fathering Through the Son By Tom Gilbert - © June, 2004 Why is it so hard to be a dad? What are the real requirements and true skills to meet them? Where do we turn for proper training? Often I feel like singer/songwriter Loudon Wainwright III who laments in his song Being a Dad: "Being a Dad can make you feel sad/Like you're the insignificant other/Yeah right from the start they break your heart/In the end every kid wants his mother..." There’s a long history behind us, some serious baggage of unsettled and unsatisfying fatherhood. It’s a heavy burden that most men would just as soon not carry, let alone look at. I don’t think it is mere coincidence that God chooses to reveal part of his unknowable and infinite self as a Father. There is a great need, a hunger deep inside each of us, to have a loving and intimate relationship with a father. Whether your father is living or even known, the desire is real. All too often it is suppressed to hide the hurt, but this need always lives within us. It is part of our longing. Wainwright treats us to a less funny and much more heartfelt insight with his song, A Father and a Son. “Now you and me are me and you, And it's a different ballgame though not brand-new. I don't know what all of this fighting is for; But we're having us a teenage/middle-age war. I don't want to die and you want to live; It takes a little bit of take and a whole lot of give. It never really ends though each race is run, This thing between a father and a son. Maybe it's power and push and shove, Maybe it's hate but probably it's love, Maybe it's hate but probably it's love.” (Copyright ©1992 Snowden Music, Inc) A Father’s Touch Too many lives have been lived without the intimate touch that only a father can give. Too many men, women and children have been wounded and desperately need healing. So, just what is being a dad all about? Let’s examine this God revealed as a relational, caring creator. The first thing that trips us up is a Father God too big and abstract to get our limited minds around. So, we turn to His son, Jesus. The Son of Man/Son of God spent a great deal of time impressing upon His followers that He and the Father are One. What you see in Jesus is what we need and want (even if we don’t admit it). The pattern of fatherhood is revealed through the remarkable relationship of Jesus and God. Both are strong and speak with their own authority. Both are humble, compassionate, merciful and loving. Tough and vulnerable – what a combination! In John’s gospel Jesus prays that each of us as followers and disciples would come to know the great intimacy that the Son and Father enjoy. An incredible unity that is far greater than mutual respect. The son is constantly deferring to the Father and tells us that by doing so he remains in the Father’s love. Furthermore, Jesus tells his disciples that if they do the same and obey his command to love others they will remain in Jesus’ love (15:9-10), connected as branches sprouting from the vine that is continually pruned to bear more fruit (15:1-2). It seems to me that this is the heart of the difficult “father love” men are called to express. We must be disciplinarians in a totally committed and continually caring and forgiving way. We have to prune so our children will be fruitful. But we musn't kill the vine with excessive pruning. The whole point is to nurture, a trait typically associated with mothers. Over time in our society we men have come to accept the image of the stoic man. We buy into this myth so greatly that we deny both our emotions and our natural male nurturing. And it hurts each man/child, but he can’t really blame his dad who only did what he was, or wasn’t, taught. Once again it’s important to look at what Jesus teaches us about Father God. He is the Omnipotent One, yet our Lord daringly invites us to address Him as “Abba” (literally Daddy). Don’t you find it fascinating that the son is the one teaching us about the father? Why does the father wound run deep in so many? Isn't it because men rarely have the kind of close mentoring relationship whose greatest reward comes from learning and passing it on to other men, especially other sons? All of this can change. It will take a great deal of time and effort. It takes doing the internal work to discover that we are ok with God, in fact, beloved. We have to take our own wounds and become reconciled to them in a way that transforms us. When the wound becomes sacred then it has the power to help others. The pruning is painful, but the fruit is sweeter. If we don’t enter into and continue the lifelong process of fathering we will miss out on the point of our journey. All of us are sometimes the prodigal son who strikes out on his own only to discover the emptiness of living for self. All of us are also the prodigal brother, quick to self righteously accuse both father and brother. Ultimately we hope to become the prodigal father, ever watching and longing for the return of wayward sons so we can celebrate the return and reconcile sons and daughters to the unity of true relationship.

JAS Players

Come As You Are An article by Tom Gilbert — June 2005 As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector's booth. "Follow me," he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him. (Matthew 9:9 NIV) Come as you are, as you were, As I want you to be As a friend, as a friend, as an old enemy. — Nirvana from “Come As You Are” When Jesus walked the Earth he went about bringing Good News to others, especially for the downtrodden, the hurting, the sick and, of course, sinners. He wasn’t going about condemning these people. His criticisms were mainly toward the religious leaders of the day and towards the self righteous. This is an interesting thing. Christ came to call sinners, but he didn’t make it a requirement to get your life together first and be righteous. Instead he offered compassion and the invitation to follow him. He accepted them for who they were and he didn’t demand immediate change. How very different from what people then, and now, expect of God. Most of us tend to think God won’t love us unless we are “good”. And since no one can measure up to the high standard of goodness we wallow in our unworthiness. We are insecure. We keep trying to get it right, but without realizing that God and Jesus are freely offering the help we so desperately need to live our lives. This is why grace is such an amazing thing. It is commonplace Christian theology that we are “saved by grace, not by righteousness” and yet we still attempt to live up to high moral standards without surrendering to this grace. Or worse, we simply compromise; believing that all will be forgiven without ever having a transformational change of heart. I Can't, He Can, I'll Let Him It seems to me that the transformation takes place by first admitting we can’t do it on our own, accepting God’s love and mercy (the grace), and then doing what Jesus taught. In the Gospel of Matthew the religious leaders of the day ask Jesus why he was eating and hanging out with sinners (like tax collectors who were considered most unclean). Jesus answers the question by telling them that sick people are the ones who need a doctor. He quoted Old Testament prophets when he instructed the Pharisees to find out what the verse from Hosea 6:6 means: “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” Who is more Christ like, the preacher who condemns or the person who spends time helping the poor, the hungry and the downtrodden? Surrender gave His life for you He loves you Here Comes Everybody Maybe one of the challenges we have with this “come as you are” teaching is that it means God’s invitation is for everyone. It is all inclusive, not exclusive. This means there will be people at the banquet table of the Lord that we would prefer not to sit with. If it was good enough for Jesus to meet people where they were and offer compassion, forgiveness and love then it should be okay with us. How differently the message of the Gospel (which means “Good News”) sounds when we don’t demand that people accept it right away or tell them they are condemned to hell. People need to see our love in action and they need to know that God loves everyone in spite of their shortcomings. Making a decision to follow Christ might take some thought, but if we welcome others in Jesus’ name without demanding immediate conversion then we give people the opportunity to consider the message first. Rules and regulations miss the point. Yes, we need order and good orderly direction and the kind that you find throughout the Bible is practical and proper. Maybe we could spend more time suggesting that seekers consider the message first and then share our own experience of God’s love in our lives. As I’ve heard a friend share, “I was once where you are now. Come find out where you can be.” "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30 - NIV)

JAS Players

Misunderstood Messiah Article by Tom Gilbert — January 2007 Christians profess a faith in One God. This is foundational, but we also believe that God sent His only begotten son to us to redeem us from our sin and to show how us both His great love and what it means to be human. The Incarnation – the Word made flesh – is a great mystery. God becoming human and yet remaining God, a divine man, is not something we can reason out with any logic. It is mind blowing. Yet, we as believers have faith that this is a great Truth for us. Despite this wonderful and good news it seems that Jesus is misunderstood. He is the Messiah; he is the King of Kings. But his whole message for how to live (see Matthew 5, the Beatitudes) is counter-cultural and counter-intuitive. The very circumstances of Jesus’ birth should clue us in to the importance of real humility. Scripture tells us that Mary gave birth under very difficult conditions. She and Joseph had to deal with a premarital pregnancy, travel a great distance while in the final stages of her pregnancy, and then give birth in a cave or stable. Through the years Christianity has often been packaged to be more acceptable to the culture or the ruling powers. While this has helped spread the Gospel it has also painted a distorted picture of the Christ. The Savior is not exclusive to a particular country or people. He is not meek and soft. He is not a constantly condemning and critical Lord that keeps score over sin. And he is certainly not a militaristic “might makes right” kind of king. This is Not New Misconceptions and misunderstandings about Jesus Christ are nothing new. According to the New Testament Gospel of Luke even members of Jesus’ own family didn’t understand what he was about. Do you recall the story in Luke 2 of Jesus staying behind in Jerusalem and Mary and Joseph were frantic when they discovered he wasn’t with them on the way home. They returned only to find him in the Temple speaking with great knowledge to the religious teachers (Luke 2:46-48). There is also the intriguing account in Matthew’s Gospel when Jesus is told his mother and brothers are outside wanting to talk to him (Matthew 12:46-50). Jesus replies that anyone who does “the will of my Father in heaven” is a brother, sister and mother. It’s another way to say Jesus came for everyone. God is the God of everyone. In this New Year we have an opportunity to recommit our hearts and minds to God and to Jesus Christ. This means letting go of our self-control over people, places and things. It means taking responsibility to find out more about who Jesus is and asking Him to guide us, teach us and live in us. It means keeping an open mind about what God through Jesus is teaching us. Remember, Christ said he would send a helper – the Holy Spirit – to teach us all things.

JAS Players

Knowing God God does not make it hard to know Him. He desires a personal relationship with each one of us. We don't mean, of course, that you can really know God – no one can truly know and comprehend Him – but that you can know of Him and know that God is real and cares about you. By "knowing" God you can discover this relationship. It includes the inspired Word, a personal Savior and a loving Spirit. THE ONE Society teaches us that we should assume responsibility for our own actions. Basically, that's true — we should be held responsible. The problem is that most of us don't know how God desires that we live. While we can and should be held accountable God doesn't make us earn salvation. As you get to know God you'll find out He's more about mercy and forgiveness than condemnation. Long ago we turned away from God. Despite our turning away God still loves us and all along had a plan to return us to Him. It's a choice God created us and gave us free will. He knew we'd use that choice to make some bad decisions, but He also knew our love for Him is worthless unless it is a free choice. Man's original decision resulted in our fallen nature. We chose to disobey God and as a result sin and death entered the world. Fortunately there is a way out: God's salvation plan. The Way Let's break it down to some simple components. * There is a defect in all of us. We are prone to sin-doing what we want (self-centeredness). Even when we want to do the right thing we often fail. We don't have the power to live right, apart from God. * God created us. He gave us the choice between good and evil, between perfect fellowship with Him and going our own way. * By ourselves we are incapable of achieving perfect fellowship with our Creator. * Jesus is the bridge. He showed us what God is like and what it means to be truly human. Because He is divine and perfect (sinless) he is able to be the way of truth and eternal life. * We get the free gift of redemption by believing in God's salvation plan. All you have to do is believe Jesus is the Christ, the eternal Lamb of God who lived and died for the love of all of us. Believe that and (important) choose to love and obey His commandments to love God with all your heart and soul and to love others in the same way Jesus loves. It's a beautiful plan, simple and elegant. It's awesome in its magnitude. It was mentioned in the Old Testament and the New. It does place a decision in your path. Once you have this knowledge you are faced with a choice. It is much like the original choice Adam and Eve faced. Are you willing to accept the free gift of salvation? If you do you will be born again and eternal life will be your reward. If you don't then eternity will result in separation from God. It's personal God wants everyone to be saved. It comes down to one person at a time. It's an individual choice. No one can make it for you. We can (and do) want it for you and the whole reason for this web site is to bring this message to others. Think about it. Open your heart and pray about it. Make a choice. If you are ready you can pray something like this: "Lord Jesus, I need You. Thank You for revealing the perfect love of the Father. I open the door of my life and receive You as my Savior and Lord. Thank You for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Take control of the throne of my life. Make me the kind of person You want me to be." If you prayed that and were sincere then you have received Jesus Christ personally into your life. You are no longer alone and you've been reborn in Spirit. Ahead of you is a new life, full of challenge…and triumph. In order to live this life to the fullest you will need to grow in spiritual maturity. It's a Relationship What it all boils down to is not religion, per se. It's a relationship. You and God, forged through Jesus Christ and his death on the cross and resurrection from the grave to bring us eternal life. Each day has real meaning as you follow Christ. You are knowing God through the Son. He leads us and He is returning on the Day that God, the Father, has determined. Jesus is coming back for us and to judge the world and all people. We urge you to discover the truth and make your choice. We are in this together. Choose God and know this new relationship. It is something wonderful and personal. The goal is to share this Good News with others. You can't keep it if you don't give it away. How you go about doing that,however, is really important. The best way to share you faith is by living it.

JAS Players

Finding God It's all about seeking and finding God. If you are willing to look then you will find God. We believe we can help in your search. Read the articles below, meditate on the content and be open-minded. Finding God is not hard. Remember - you are not alone. HOW? Article by Tom Gilbert — © LivingTheSolution.com How do you go about finding God? Start by recognizing that it is natural for all of us to wonder what the meaning of our life is. Haven't you wondered why you are here? What's it all about…the Big Picture? Did it all just happen? Some people believe that everything is basically a result of random circumstances. We're born into life and what we do with it is up to us. This presupposes that there is no design or master intelligence behind it all. Life just came into existence, starting with basic matter and evolved over eons. If so, there is no need to discover who or what is behind it all. Personally, I find this harder to conceive and believe in than a master plan. Others believe in a creative intelligent design that is more "hands off". We were created by something or someone, but that is as far as it goes. Then we are left to our own devices to do the best we can. The Creator is not personally interested in us. This is also pretty tough to accept. It means there isn't a lot of help outside of our best efforts. A Fundamental Belief We believe that deep down inside us all is the fundamental belief that there is a God. A loving, caring and deeply concerned Higher Power that wants us to know Him and turn to Him for all our needs. This belief can easily be obscured by life's struggles. Calamity, stress and self-centeredness shut us off from a relationship with God. If you've tried this way of living and found it wanting then we invite you to find the One who has all power. He will readily reveal Himself and His truth. All it takes is a willingness to believe in the possibility of a loving Creator. God comes to all who seek Him. ask, seek and knock I caution you to seek with a sincere heart. It's ok to be skeptical as long as you are willing to believe the truth when you are confronted with it. You'll benefit if you are open-minded and humble. It is not a difficult thing to see God's handiwork. In Psalm 19 David proclaimed, "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth his handywork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night showeth knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard." If you are struggling in your search then try looking within. Can you find the answers and meaning for your life there? You won't when you realize you are separate from God. All you discover there, like Solomon before you, is that just filling that hole with knowledge, power, lust and pleasure is ultimately…empty! Nobody's Perfect Here's the rub: by ourselves we are incapable of being what God intends us to be. He wants us to be perfect. That's a tall order. We always miss the mark. Perfection is impossible…on our own. That is why God, in His infinite love and mercy, provided a way. As Jesus said two thousand years ago, "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect" (Matthew 5:48). I hear you crying out, "Who can be perfect?" Don't be discouraged. Of course you and I can't be perfect, not in this life. But we strive for that high ideal, focusing on Jesus Christ. He renews us in mind and spirit. We become a new creation when we believe in Him and love Him and turn to Him in all things. Eventually we will be transformed. Don't give up. The toughest thing to do is to stay on the path! When you totally surrender your own will and ask Jesus to be your personal savior then God will see you perfect in Christ. We hope that you are looking for answers. We hope you want to find out why you are here, what the purpose of life is for you. If you are even slightly interested in these things then you have a great opportunity. You can seek God. In seeking you activate the process of finding God. It all begins with you. You get to make the free choice to discover God. Throughout God's word-the Bible-are numerous references to seeking and finding God, among them 1 Chronicles 28:9; Acts 17:27; Matthew 7:7-8. One of my favorites is Jeremiah 29:13--And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart (NKJV) Because it is a free choice to choose God (or not) is why forcing it upon people is so unsuccessful. Sure, there are many examples of heavy-handed preaching. Most people are very turned off by that. Yet, if you find you are frustrated with life today we can help you in your search for meaning. Discover the plan and purpose for your life. Find what truly fills that inner need in all of us. God loves you personally. He wants you to know that and discover the meaning of life. He went so far as to come to this world in human form as Jesus to redeem and reconcile all of mankind to Him. When you do seek God with all of your heart and mind you will discover that He has been calling you. It's a great revelation to discover that your seeking is a result of God awakening you to His presence! Long before you began seeking God He was seeking you. The paradox is how finding God helps you find your true self. Are you ready to see where He is?

JAS Players

F.E.A.R. by Tom Gilbert © livingthesolution.com 2003 Acronyms can be wonderful tools. They help us remember the names of organizations. They can remind us of things we ordinarily forget. They can drill into our conscious mind helpful statements to address our frequent irritability and distress. Fear is a good instinct – at times. When we are in clear and present danger fear brings awareness of the hazard and stimulates adrenaline. However, fear is more often an evil and corroding thread, a soul-sickness that blinds us to the constant comfort and love of God. Often my fear makes me want to run away. F.E.A.R. becomes forget everything and run. At other times it is false evidence appearing real. So many fears are imaginary. The answer is: face everything and recover Contrary to popular opinion, the antidote to fear is not courage. It is faith. Faith tells me that there is someone and something that stands by and with me. Yes, I need courage. I need it to face the fear. Faith encourages. The human condition we all share demands self preservation. It is one of our highest instincts. Despite self destructive streaks we ultimately all want to live. Where we tend to get bent out of shape is in the proper balance of instinct. Somehow we must reconcile our wants and needs. We can’t demand more than our fair share and we must learn to sacrifice for others. Know Fear The great definition of fear for me is the concern that I won’t get what I want or lose something I already have. There it is: self centered justification and absence of compassion. Our country, our world, is so very fearful. This cannot be healthy. Like cornered badgers we hiss and strike out when our backs are to the wall. Or worse, we act like sharks, in perpetual motion, devouring those in our path so we can maintain that movement. Rare, indeed, are those who choose the third way – a willingness to passively resist evil, even to the point of death. This has been the path of saintly martyrs. It was the way to Calvary: “Like a lamb to the slaughter.” Doormat Mentality Critics will shout this submissiveness is wrong. They mistake the passive resistance as weakness, but it is in our weakness that God’s strength shines. We need not be ashamed when we are afraid. We will have fear, but we need to learn to turn to God and trust in his loving power whenever fear threatens to overwhelm us. It’s quite amazing how frequently fear is addressed in the Bible. Over and over again we are told to not be afraid by God speaking through the prophets, angels and his messengers. (See Matthew 8:26; Luke 12:4; Matthew 10:31; Luke 12:32; John 14:27; Romans 8:15) We are told to simply believe and trust in God. Even when death is all around us and we fear for our lives (Psalm 23). The fear that God wants to free us from is the kind of fear that freezes us, which shuts us down. God’s Spirit should flow freely and wonderfully through us. Jesus was pretty clear about his desire that we be one with him and the Father. He knows that fear can hold us back. Yes, we will be afraid when confronted with our weakness and sin, because if we are honest we recognize our guilt. However, God is the king of mercy! He wants transformation and for this we must fearlessly live a changed life. Face everything with confidence and love. Face everything and recover because your faith will make you well.

JAS Players

A Channel of Peace Article by Tom Gilbert — © Copyright livingthesolution.com 2002 (Author's note: I wrote this article back in October, 2002. I think it's still pertinent. Certainly, it is timely given what is going on in the world. May you take the message to heart. Peace — Tom Gilbert) Most people greet each other with a "Hi, how are you?" or a "How ya' doing?" Sometimes it is even expressed with enthusiasm or kindness. Jesus, on the other hand, greeted his friends differently: "Peace be with you" (Luke 24:36; John 14:27; 20:19,21,26). The early believers continued this practice. Paul, in his New Testament letters, regularly sent blessings of grace and peace from God and the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 1:3; 2 Corinthians 13:11; Philippians 4:9; 2 Thessalonians 3:16). Society has made various expressions of peace trendy. "Peace, brother" was often said in the cultural revolution of the sixties/seventies. "Peace out!" has been heard more these days. Perhaps some people say it with meaning and sincerity, but my suspicion is it's more often just a catch phrase. The peace Jesus gives is not the same as ours. In fact, he tells us in so many words. Read John 14:27 — " Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." There is something significant here Christ is giving us His peace and this peace is not given to us the way the world gives it. It is the "peace that passes all understanding" (Philippians 4:7). These thoughts are present with me of late. The drums of war are beating loudly in the United States and Great Britain. There is a great deal of evidence and justification being presented for military action against Iraq and the removal of Saddam Hussein. Granted, the world is in a precarious situation if evil men with weapons of mass destruction are allowed to use them. However, as a Christian it is not so easy to jump on the bandwagon. Struggling over the concept of war is something we all should do. Everyone recognizes that the death and suffering caused by war is atrocious. Still, wars happen. And, unfortunately, there will be more war. The reasons behind them will sometimes sound justified and other times absurd. A Better Way? I was reading about St. Francis of Assisi recently. His feast day is October 4th. You probably know that this once medieval playboy rejected a life of wealth and egotism and took to heart the Gospel message to deny his self and follow Christ. He was very humble and lived a simple life. He loved and respected all of God's creatures. He's even considered the patron of animals. I discovered something I never knew about him. Francis lived during the time of the Crusades. Christian European armies were warring with the Muslim forces in the Middle East. Francis' response was to go on a peace-seeking mission. In 1219 he traveled to Damietta, Egypt, near the mouth of the Nile, and met with the Sultan of Egypt, Malek-el-Kamel. He delivered a sincere and earnest message of the Gospel Good News and the love of Jesus. The Sultan was impressed with the courage and faith of this messenger and listened with courtesy and admiration. It didn't result in conversion, but at least it was heard out. The ruler was impressed enough to guarantee Francis safe passage home. A Prayer for Peace A good daily reminder of what we are called to do as a follower of Jesus is aptly summed up in St. Francis' Prayer of Peace. Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love; Where there is injury, pardon; Where there is doubt, faith; Where there is despair, hope; Where there is darkness, light; Where there is sadness, joy. Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled, as to console; to be understood, as to understand; to be loved, as to love; for it is in giving that we receive, it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Does this prayer accurately reflect my attitude? I have a long way to go. However, the truth of those words cannot be denied. We are told in the Bible that the Holy Spirit will teach us and remind us of all truth. Like the Sultan of Egypt in 1219, at the very least I can hear these words with courtesy and admiration. Perhaps they will even enter my heart and help change me.

-=JAS Love=-

Ten Things to Love Each Day by Tom Gilbert © livingthesolution.com 2010 Lists are popular and "top ten" lists are used to help us prioritize, ponder meaning and find humor. After October 10, 2010 (10/10/10) I found myself considering ten things to love each day. It's not meant to be a "top ten" list, but perhaps you will find it worth considering (consideration, by the way, is #8 and curiosity is #6). 1. Awareness Instead of "coming to" each morning, awake to the awareness that you are alive. Let your senses inform you - eyes to see, ears to hear, fingers to touch, tongue to taste and mind to know, but most importantly, heart to love. 2. Gratitude Be filled with thankfulness, for an attitude of gratitude cannot be angry or bitter. 3. Humility Don't think less of yourself. Instead, be humbly aware that you are a child of God, but so is everyone else. That makes you special, but not better than anybody else. True humility is an awareness of who you really are and what you can become. 4. Breathing Breathe in and out, slowly, deliberately and peacefully. 5. Open-mindedness Just as we need to fill our lungs with oxygen, we need to fill our minds with knowledge, wisdom and mystery. Knowing that we don't know is a gift. Having a "beginner's mind" is keeping wonder alive, open to possibilities. 6. Curiosity How do things work? What's it mean? Where does it lead? What should I do? Questions are important and seeking answers helps us grow. 7. Generosity Give because you want to. Give because others need help. Give so that others can experience gratitude. Discover the paradox that you can't keep it unless you give it away. 8. Consideration Become aware of life around you, including plants, animals and other people. Everything is connected. Everything belongs. Treat all people and things the way you want to be treated. 9. Humor Laughter is good medicine. But don't laugh at the expense of others. See humor as part of wonder. Things are funny when we don't take life or ourselves too seriously. 10. God To love God is to love everything, for God is in all things. God is with all things. God lives through all things. You can't comprehend God. But you can love God and that leads to acceptance, peace and the comfort of knowing that all will be well.

-=JAS Living=-

Welcome to the Christian Articles Section Throughout the Living The Solution site we have many articles on various topics, such as seeking and finding God, knowing Jesus as your personal Savior, the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives and the importance of putting your faith into action with various articles on Christian living. And, of course, articles on love. In this section you will find links to all our Christian articles listed under helpful headings. We also have a feature area for new or timely Christian articles. It is our hope that your reading will stimulate you to deepen your faith. That is certainly a result for us in both the reading and the writing. If you would like to see articles on a particular topic or you have comments please let us know. We welcome and appreciate your feedback. We also welcome your interest in using our Christian articles for other web sites or publications. However, you must receive permission first. Our articles are copyrighted. Most of our writers will grant permission in return for a link and credit for the material, but each instance in unique. So, if you are interested please email us and we will gladly consider your request.

God Bless!!!

-=JAS=-

Welcome to my Blog!!

Flancia Family!!

My School

www.sti.edu