Category Archives: Love

Did you already build your house?

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“being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;”

 -Philippians 1:6 NKJV

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On the day of our salvation, God started a “good work” on each of us. Of course we aren’t immediately made like Christ. Instead it is a gradual process, that happens everyday. It’s not an easy process. Sometimes it hurts. Oftentimes, we have to be broken from the inside out, to be rebuilt again. And, we don’t always understand what God is doing, but He always has a plan. James 1:2-4 NIV says,  “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,[a] whenever you face trials of many kinds,  because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” We must be willing to allow God to remove and add to us. But, most importantly we must be patient and not give up.

“Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on; you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently He starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make any sense. What on earth is He up to? The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of – throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were being made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself.”  – C.S.Lewis

Have you planned out your life and what you want to be like? Did you already decide on all of the details of your future?  Proverbs 19:21 says, “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” We may have plans, but God has bigger plans. His understanding and wisdom is infinite. Isaiah 55:9 reminds us that God’s ways are higher than our ways. It says, “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” We can’t just give up, because things don’t seem to be going our way. We need to trust God to not only mold us, but lead us to where He wants to take us. Hebrews 10:36 NIV says, “You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.” Are you willing to allow God to mold you and change you from the inside out? Are you willing to exchange your plans for God’s plans? We may not understand what God is doing with us or our lives, but if we trust Him and cooperate, He will transform us and our lives into something better than we could ever imagine.

Dear Lord Jesus, please give us hearts that are willing to submit to Your alterations and the patience we need to wait for Your guidance. Please help us to trust You, when we don’t understand, what You are doing with our lives. Please help us to remember Your plans are always the best. Amen.

 

¿Qué es el amor?

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“En esto consiste el amor: no en que nosotros hayamos amado a Dios, sino en que él nos amó a nosotros, y envió a su Hijo en propiciación por nuestros pecados.”

 -1 Juan 4:10 RVR 1960

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¿Qué es amor? El amor es Dios. Dios es la forma más pura de amor. Como seres humanos, somos incapaces de amar de la manera que Dios nos ama. Él nos ve como somos y nos ama todavía. Ve nuestros errores, imperfecciones y defectos. Él ve nuestra naturaleza pecaminosa; Cómo fácilmente podemos caer en pecado. Él ve nuestro egoísmo, nuestro orgullo, nuestra naturaleza inflexible, nuestra deshonestidad (no solo las mentiras que los que nos rodean decimos, pero las mentiras que decimos a nosotros mismos), nuestra ingratitud, nuestro derroche, nuestra vanidad, nuestra naturaleza a no perdonar. Él ve nuestra hambre de deseos terrenales y nuestra sed de aprobación/alabanza humana. Después de ver todo esto, él todavía ama a la humanidad. Su amor es tan infinito, es incomprensible. Romanos 3:10 RVR1960 dice, “…No hay justo, ni aun uno;” Después de ver la humanidad como lo fue/es, él podría escojido/escojer no amarnos. Pero, en lugar de otro “… mostró el amor de Dios para con nosotros, en que Dios envió a su Hijo unigénito al mundo, para que vivamos por él. “-1Juan 4:9 RVR1960 Dios nos ama como somos y no como deberíamos ser. Claro, él tiene planes para nosotros y todavía está trabajando en nosotros. “… estando persuadido de esto, que el que comenzó en vosotros la buena obra, la perfeccionará hasta el día de Jesucristo…“-Philippians 1:6 RVR1960 Como seres humanos aquí en la tierra, somos y siempre seremos un trabajo en progreso. El punto principal aquí es: el sabe que somos seres humanos imperfectos. Sin embargo, él todavía nos ama. De esta manera, establece para nosotros el ejemplo perfecto de amor.

1 John 4:11-12 RVR1960 dice, “Amados, si Dios nos ha amado así, debemos también nosotros amarnos unos a otros.  Nadie ha visto jamás a Dios. Si nos amamos unos a otros, Dios permanece en nosotros, y su amor se ha perfeccionado en nosotros.” Dios nos puede dar Su corazón, para que podamos amar como El lo hace. Sólo entonces, realmente sabemos qué es el amor.

Señor Jesucristo, por favor ayúdanos a amar como tú. Como vemos a otros en sus imperfecciones, ayúdanos a amarlos todavía. Llena nuestros corazones con tu infinito amor. Amén.

 

 

What is the Best Season?

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“There is a time for everything,
    and a season for every activity under the heavens: …a time to weep and a time to laugh… He has made everything beautiful in its time…”

Ecclesiastes 3:1,4, 11 NIV

 the-four-seasons

There is a time and a season for everything. We can’t rush through the stages of our lives. Just as we cannot live in the past, we can not live in the future. This is particularly difficult to say, because I’ve learned that some people are more past oriented while others are more future oriented. I can relate more to the latter. As a more future oriented person, I can tell you it is difficult not to live thinking about the future. But, I think it’s important for us to take a deep breath and take it all in on a daily basis. We need to live in the present. American historian and author, Alice Morse Earle, wrote, “The clock is running. Make the most of today. Time waits for no man. Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That’s why it is called the present.” In truth, all that we have is today. And, that’s why it is important that we know where we stand in God’s eyes. Today, the most important thing to know is that we will spend eternity in heaven with Jesus Christ. “Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” -John 17:3 NIV If you are not confident of your salvation in Christ Jesus, now is the time to change that [Please read Romans 3:23, John 5:24, and Romans 10:9]. “I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.” -2 Corinthians 6:2 NIV. We don’t know what tomorrow holds. But, as Christians, we can trust that is it is all in God’s hands. Matthew 10:29-31 NIV says, “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care.[b] And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” As children of God, we can trust Him with our future. “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life[a]?” –Matthew 6:26-27 NIV  So, if we are spending our time worrying about the future, then we can’t truly enjoy the present in its fullness. Furthermore, in today’s society, there is also a huge focus on technology. And, technology can do many beneficial things. But, we need to be careful not to become so distracted by it, that we fail to see and experience all of the beauty that God has for us, today. Today, we need to appreciate not only God’s many blessings in our lives (ie. health, people, nature, music, etc.), but also the lessons God has for us today. Society may tell you, that your life needs to fit a template and you need to do things when everyone else is doing them. But, who are they to define our life stages and experiences? Aligning our lives with God’s plans is what we really need to do to avoid missing out on everything that He has for us. If we rush into tomorrow, we might miss out on the lessons we need to know for tomorrow. “Today is a gift.” We might miss the simple joys and gifts God has given us for today. “There is a season for everything.” We just need to trust God, knowing that if something isn’t in our lives at the moment, then it’s not its season. We entrust our lives to God everyday, by seeking His will and patiently taking our lives one day at a time.

“He has made everything beautiful in its time”

Now is the best season!

Dear Lord Jesus, please open our eyes to see all of the joys and blessing you have for us today, in this moment. Please help us not to get so caught up in our pasts or future that we fail to enjoy the gift of the present. Amen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

¿Cómo sabes si tienes un amigo(a) verdadero?

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“Son más confiables las heridas del que ama, que los falsos besos del que aborrece.”

 -Proverbios 27:6 RVC

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¿Usted ha sido herido por un amigo(a)? ¿Cómo se siente? A nadie le gusta oír cosas desagradables sobre a sí mismo. Pero, si tienes un amigo(a), esa persona va a ser honesto contigo y te va decir la verdad (aunque te duela). Sinceridad es una cualidad importante a buscar en amigos. Un amigo(a) sincero siempre te dirá las cosas tal como son, porque se preocupan por ti y te aman. Y ese amigo(a) no tiene miedo de decirte la verdad, porque sabe que te hace más daño a no decirte la verdad. El no tiene miedo de perder tu amistad, porque el se preocupa más por tu bienestar. El sabe que al final del día, te resienten más por no ser real con ellos que por decir la verdad (no importa lo feo que puede ser). El amigo(a) real sabe que adulación (definida como alabanza excesiva o insincero) perjudicará a más largo plazo. Proverbios 29:5 RVC dice, ” El que prodiga lisonjas a su prójimo sólo está tendiéndole una trampa.”. Adulación lastima las personas más que la verdad, porque les da una vista de aire inflado de sí mismos. Un ego sobrevaluado perjudicará a una persona más que la verdad, porque piensan más de sí mismos de la que debieran. Romanos 12:3 RVC dice, “Por la gracia que me es dada, digo a cada uno de ustedes que no tenga más alto concepto de sí que el que debe tener, sino que piense de sí con sensatez, según la medida de fe que Dios repartió a cada uno.” Por supuesto, no hay nada malo con felicitar a un amigo(a), si es verdad y usted sinceramente quiere compartirlo con su amigo(a). Pero, si encuentra a un “amigo(a)” a quien solo elogios y alabanzas le da, debe de tomar precaution. Tal vez, esa persona no es un amigo(a) verdadero. Si ese individuo es siempre de acuerdo con sus opiniones, motivos (quizá egoístas) y acciones; que dé usted aún más razón debe evaluar su “amistad” con esa persona. Sin embargo, si encuentras a un amigo(a) que le dice las cosas tal como son, entonces eres afortunado de haber encontrado a un verdadero(a) amigo(a). En ese caso, debe ser receptivo de lo que tiene que decir. Proverbios 17:10 RVR (1960) dice, ” La reprensión aprovecha al entendido, Más que cien azotes al necio. “. Le advierto, sin embargo, que no siempre es fácil oír la verdad. Sin embargo, ser capaz de tomar franca reprende, exhortación, crítica (constructiva), y consejo de un amigo(a) real no sólo fortalece/mejora tu relación con ellos, sino también fortalece/mejora a ti como individuo. Proverbios 27:17 RVR (1995) dice, ” El hierro con hierro se afila, y el hombre con el rostro de su amigo(a).” Un amigo(a) va a empujarte a la mejor versión de ti.

“Amor puede perdonar todas las enfermedades (debilidades) y amar aún a pesar de ellos: pero amor no puede dejar de querer su eliminación.”

 – C.S. Lewis

Señor Jesúcristo, por favor darnos el discernimiento para saber la diferencia entre un amigo(a) real y un amigo(a) falso. Por favor, darnos todo lo necesario para ser totalmente receptivo a lo que tienen que decir. Y, por favor, ayúdanos a ser amigo(a) reales, que “afilan” (mejoran) los que nos rodean. Amén.

 

 

 

How to be Ambitious Without Falling into a Trap

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“Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life[f] will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?”  

-Matthew 16:24-26 NIV

tightrope

What does it mean to deny yourself? I think denying yourself means being willing to give up your life desires and ambitions. What are ambitions and aren’t they good? 1 Thessalonians 4: 9-11 NIV says, “Now about your love for one another we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other…. Yet we urge you, brothers and sisters, to do so more and more, and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life…” This is a very different picture of ambition than what the world paints for us. The world portrays ambition as aggressively pursuing riches, power, and recognition. It almost justifies chasing after earthly ambitions or relentlessly climbing the corporate latter: not stopping until you have the best job, the best house, the best car, the best of everything, and all of the fame and admiration from the those around us. But, God didn’t intend it to be that way. God gave us gifts and talents to bring Him glory by pleasing Him and serving others. 2 Corinthians 5:9 NASB says, “Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him.” God gave us passion and drive to use our talents for His glory, not just for our own gain. Of course we need to work to provide for ourselves and our families, but He doesn’t want us to become so caught up in our talents and our abilities, that we fail to remember where they came from. This reminds me of walking on a tightrope. We need to be ambitious, but not so ambitious that our goals, jobs, accomplishments, and fame become more important to us than serving God and others. But, I do understand that sometimes humans fall into the trap of using their gifts and talents to gain recognition, approval, and/or attention from others. And in these cases, if others cease to give us that attention, we end up feeling empty, unappreciated, unsatisfied, insecure, and/or angry. But, we never should have been relying on other people’s approval in the first place (we were mistaken into seeking human approval over God’s approval).

“Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.”- Galatians 1:10 NIV

Furthermore, Philippians 2:3 NIV says, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” We must strive to use our work and ministries as an opportunity to bring glory to God and improve the well being of other’s lives.

“My purpose remains
The art of losing myself
In bringing You praise—Everlasting
Your light will shine when all else fades
Never ending
Your glory goes beyond all fame”

-Hillsong United

Dear Lord Jesus, please help us to use Your gifts and talents to bring You glory. Please help us not to use your gifts solely to receive recognition, praise, and approval from others. Help us to remember, that You gave us unique gifts and talents to serve You, and not solely for our own gain. Amen.

 

 

How do you say the word “forgive” in American Sign Language?

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“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

-1 John 1:9 NIV

This week, we are having Vacation Bible School at my church. The children are learning a song with American Sign Language (ASL) signs, that mentions the word, “forgive.” I remember learning this word in the past. I’ve always thought the word was very meaningful in American Sign Language.
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To do the sign for the word “forgive” you must: “Hold left hand in front of you, palm upward with fingers pointing away. Hold right hand with palm facing down and brush fingers across left hand, starting at palm and moving toward fingertips. Repeat motion a few times.” (“ASL Dictionary of Religious Signs.”) The motion done reminds me of something being wiped away or erased. And, that’s exactly what God does. He wipes away (expunges) all of our sins forever.

“Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away.”

– Acts 3:19 NLT 

“I, even I, am the one who wipes out your transgressions for My own sake,                    And I will not remember your sins.

-Isaiah 43:25 ASV 

 References:

 “ASL Dictionary of Religious Signs.” Deaf Missions:. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Aug. 2016. http://www.deafmissions.com/?PageID=18&SubpageID=27

“The Lord’s Prayer.” The Lord’s Prayer. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Aug. http://www.geocities.ws/frankcchurch/lordsprayer.html

Why you may be keeping yourself from being free?

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“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’[h] But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles.”

 –Matthew 5:38-41 NIV

 broken-chains

When was the last time you were hurt by someone? Was their harm intentional or not intentional? Do you still hold that hurt against that person? Under Old Testament law, people had to pay for every harm they did, especially if it was intentional.

“But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise.”

 -Exodus 21:23-25 NIV

Exodus 21:23-25 reminds us of the emphasis on justice in the Old Testament. But, when Christ came a lot of things changed. He came to pay the penalty for all of the offenses ever made. When Jesus came, justice was replaced with mercy. Bitterness was replaced with joy. Bondage was replaced with freedom. But we can’t find freedom if we don’t let go of the bitterness that binds us. We need to forgive that person, regardless if their harm was intentional or not intentional. “It has been said that bitterness is a pill we swallow, hoping someone else will die.” (Nortker, 3-Minute Devotionals For Women, p.333) But, the reality is that we are the ones, that bitterness destroys. While those, who hurt us, go on living happily and free of the pain they inflicted on us. But, mercy changes everything.

mercyJesus Christ set the ultimate example of mercy. By sacrificing His life on the cross for us and atoning our sins, He painted the most beautiful picture of mercy that exists. As they tortured Him on the cross, “Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”…”- Luke 23:34 NIV We need to forgive that person, regardless if their harm was not intentional or intentional. But, Jesus went one step further. He loved us. He loved the ones, whose sins nailed Him to the cross. He said,“But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,” –Matthew 5:44 NIV The point is mercy in the form of forgiveness and love changes everything. It gives us freedom from the pain our enemies/haters/abusers/accusers inflicted on us. Jesus intended for us to live free of resentment and bitterness. Our freedom is in mercy. It frees us from bitterness and hate. It gives us a whole new ability to love. Amen.

Brigitta Nortker, comp. 3-Minute Devotionals For Women. Uhrichsville: Barbour, Ohio. Print.

Good Fruit

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“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.” 

–Galatians 5:22-23 NKJV

fruit

“For a short time each fall, apple orchards are full of sweet, ripe fruit ready to be enjoyed. The rest of the year, though, the trees spend time growing, taking nourishment from the sun, soaking up water through their roots, and waiting for the fruit to grow and ripen. Picked too soon, apples are bitter; too late and they’re overripe and mushy.”(Nortker, 3-Minute Devotionals For Women, p.300) Think about the analogy here. The Bible talks a lot about fruit; not only the fruits of the Spirit, but also the fruits of sharing the Gospel and instructing others in the faith. But, we can’t produce any fruit on our own. We can’t be good or do any good work on our own.

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The only way to be good and bear good fruit is to keep our gaze focused on God. If we lose our focus on Him, we cease to be good. We must be faithful and remain in Christ. He has already redeemed us by Salvation, but we must remain in Him. In John 15:3-5 NIV, Jesus says, “You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” When we can’t see good fruit in our lives or the lives of those around us, we need to be patient. It takes time for us to soak up the light of the Father, receive nourishment from His Word, and for the Holy Spirit to work within us. But, if we remain completely rooted in Jesus Christ, we will bear fruit. Maybe not right now or tomorrow, but when the time is right. “For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven….A time to plant and a time to harvest.” –Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 We just need to trust God, while remaining patient and persevering in our faith. Amen.

Reference:

Brigitta Nortker, comp. 3-Minute Devotionals For Women. Uhrichsville: Barbour, Ohio. Print.

Song Reflection: Flawless by MercyMe

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white lilly

Flawless, by Mercy Me, is a really awesome song, that I was introduced to at Spirit West Coast. The lead singer gave a talk about how sometimes Christian leaders give us “guilt” messages. But, as Christians we  aren’t supposed to walk around feeling guilty. God’s grace is bigger than that. It would be foolish to think that we aren’t going to sin, make mistakes, or have problems after we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Saviour. We are still human. Sometimes as Christians, especially those of us with more years in the faith, we place impossibly hard expectations on ourselves. One school of thought is: I am a Christian and if I sin, make mistakes, let people down, or unintentionally hurt them; something must be terribly wrong with us. I must be a “bad” Christian. I must be a disappointment to God and a bad testimony to those around us. We let guilt and shame consume us. But, God doesn’t want us to do that. He doesn’t want us to walk around with our heads hanging down and frowns on our faces. He doesn’t want us to feel like we are worse Christians than other Christians. See, the reality is that we ALL mess up. This is pointed out in the line: “Come on get in line right behind me You along with everybody.” This truth is made clear in the Bible. “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:” –Romans 3:10 KJV In the official music video to this song, which is also worth checking out, the people struggle with a number flaws: illnesses, weaknesses (ie. “prone to selfishness”), physical flaws, workaholic tendencies, “spiritual leadership” inabilities, doubt, and fear. Without Christ, we are imperfect, wretched human beings. We all struggle with something or another. But, we can’t let our struggles, guilt, or past haunt us. Because, “No matter the bumps No matter the bruises No matter the scars… No matter the hurt Or how deep the wound is
No matter the pain Still the truth is…The cross has made you flawless.”

It is by God’s grace alone that we are made righteous.
“For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.” –Romans 5:19 KJV

If you haven’t heard the song, you might want to check it out.

Here are the lyrics to the song:

“Flawless”

There’s got to be more
Than going back and forth
From doing right to doing wrong
‘Cause we were taught that’s who we are
Come on get in line right behind me
You along with everybody
Thinking there’s worth in what you doThen Like a hero who takes the stage when
We’re on the edge of our seats saying it’s too late
Well let me introduce you to amazing grace
 No matter the bumps
No matter the bruises
No matter the scars
Still the truth is
The cross has made
The cross has made you flawless
No matter the hurt
Or how deep the wound is
No matter the pain
Still the truth is
The cross has made
The cross has made you flawlessCould it possibly be
That we simply can’t believe
That this unconditional
Kind of love would be enough
To take a filthy wretch like this
And wrap him up in righteousness
But that’s exactly what He did…Take a breath smile and say
Right here right now I’m ok
Because the cross was enoughThen Like a hero who takes the stage when
We’re on the edge of our seats saying it’s too late
Well let me introduce you to grace grace
God’s grace

No matter the bumps
No matter the bruises
No matter the scars
Still the truth is
The cross has made
The cross has made you flawless
No matter the hurt
Or how deep the wound is
No matter the pain
Still the truth is
The cross has made
The cross has made you flawless…”

 

 

Updates!

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Dear viewers and subscribers,

I am very excited to announce that there will be new and upcoming changes to my website! First, today I am introducing a trial Spanish translation version of my first blog entry! Secondly, I am considering adding a prayer wall. Also, I would like to request feedback from you, the viewers. Are there any verses, topics, or songs that you would like to read about? Comments are welcome. And, if you are too shy to comment, feel free to message me. Thanks!!!