Valentine's Day

Today has been Valentine's Day, the day that people send cards of love, buy chocolate, go out to eat dinner, etc. It is a day of love. I heard on the radio that the day was originally designated to honor St. Valentine, a martyr who gave his life for the faith. Jesus said that no one can have greater faith than this, to lay down his life for his friends. (John 15:3) So, all love ultimately leads back to God, who in his Son, gave his life for us. I didn't research the truth about Valentine's Day - maybe I heard correctly, maybe the information was correct. Maybe not. But the fact remains that Jesus not only is the model for great love, but he is the very reason and power for love.

I have found great love in the church I attend and pastor. Our family came to the Clintondale Friends Church in August of 1986, and we were embraced by a loving congregation. We were not in the best of shape, and over the years we have been able to grow healthier through the love around us. God has shown up in the people of this church. I am so grateful.

One of the movements that I have been a part of is called Tres Dias. It is a renewal movement for Christians. The main purpose of Tres Dias is to develop leaders in the church. We encourage believers to listen to God for what he might want them to do - not just to be busy with church work, but to be about the business of the Kingdom. The heart of Tres Dias is the love of God shown through believers. Our local Tres Dias community is called Mid-Hudson Tres Dias and can be found at http://www.mhtd.org.

As mentioned in earlier posts, our son Dan has been living and working in Haiti at Pwoje Espwa, found on the web at http://freethekids.org. This is an orphange where over 650 boys live, and many, many more attend school. They have vocational schools, a clinic, a farm - so much going on, all to show the love of God in tangible forms. I have been to Pwoje Espwa three times and can testify to the the love there.

There are many other ways that God shows his love, but it is always through people. Jesus came to seek and save the lost, and he does it through love. May God's love continue to be shed abroad the earth.