He who walks with the wise grows wise,

but a companion of fools suffers harm.

Psalm 13:20

Who are my walking buddies? Who are the people that I really let get into my head…that I listen to for their opinions and learn from them even as we walk through life experiences—the Big Ones and the Daily-Day Ones.

Am I getting wiser…am I becoming more like Jesus, more loving, more honest, more whole, more balanced—because of what I am learning or, at least, what I am being reminded of by my life-walk walking buddies??

If my answer is “Yes!” Well, let’s keep on walking together sharing the wisdom, the love and the grace and truth of Jesus Christ.

If my answer is “No.” I’ve got to look at where I’m being foolish…where I may be suffering harm…or, even, causing harm to others in any way at all. I need to think about what is talked about, what activites are done…or not done…with the companions I choose to walk through this life with me.

Now, I’m not talking about being in a ridiculously, tight, self-protecting, self-righteous bubble surrounded only with Christian friends standing firm against this world’s evils in a mind-set of condemnation rather than compassion. That ain’t gonna do a whole heck of a lot for being the light and salt to the world that we have been called to be…nor will it allow us to be authentic ambassadors of Christ to the precious people around us who do not yet know of the love, hope, grace and truth of our Lord Jesus Christ.

But, we do need to check out who our daily-day walking buddies are? Do our walking buddies make us look and act, love and speak more like Jesus? These wise ones would be God’s loving choice to be our walking buddies!

In love, peace and purposeful passion,                                                               Sylane

…a smoldering wick He will not snuff out…Isaiah 42:3

I love to burn candles, especially ones with deep, earthy fragrance. The other night, just before I went to sleep, I blew out the candle by my bed. But it didn’t go out for a long time. And I was so glad it didn’t.

From that smoldering wick went up circling rings of smoke, filling my nose and filling the room with a fragrance that seemed even stronger than when the flame was fully burning. And it made me think of how God likens the burning of incense—with its rising fragrant-filled smoke—to the prayers of His people.

It is often when we come nearly to the end of ourselves that we finally turn our heads, hearts and habits to God—lifting our prayers to Him. Seeking God’s help. God’s forgiveness. God’s love. God’s mercies. God’s way and truth and life.

And our Holy, Sovereign God does not turn away from us when we humbly and honesty seek Him. No matter how sinful or shameful we have been…no matter how broken or burned out we are. Our God will hear…our God will smell our fragrant-filled, honest prayers. And not only will we not be snuffed out, but our God will rekindle, renew and fill our lives with the light and the fire of His Holy Spirit. 

In love, peace and purposeful passion,                                                               Sylane

I need a drink! A deep, long, thirst-quenching drink from the fountain of life!

The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life,

turning a man from the snares of death.

Proverbs 13:14

The greatest wisdom of ALL comes from God and from God’s Word. And God’s wisdom teaches us that we all have two basic, fundamental choices to make about how we live–how we think, speak and act as we live out our daily-day lives. We are either choosing life OR we are choosing death.

…I set before you life and death, blessings and curses…Now choose life…

Deuteronomy 30:19

We either bring more life into our relationships in the way we think, speak and act OR we bring more death into our relationships. And this is true for even how we care for (or don’t care for) ourselves. Everything we do either brings more life—brings more wholeness and health to our bodies, minds and spirits OR everything we do brings more death—brings more deterioration and weakness and pain to our bodies, minds and spirits.

In choosing to follow the wisdom of God—to choose life—we are choosing to take a much needed drink from the fountain of life! 

I’ll have another round, please!

In love, peace and purposeful passion,                                                               Sylane

It does not, therefore, depend on man’s desire or effort but on God’s mercy.

Romans 9:16

Our salvation and our transformation depends on God’s mercy. Completely.

There are so many precious people in my life that I want for them to take fully hold of what God is holding out for them to receive. Jesus has salvation and eternal life. So many precious ones that I love are still without this assurance and peace…some reject Jesus completely.

And my heart breaks for them because they don’t know the absolutely all encompassing love and eternal hope Jesus offers to them. 

Yet, I’m so thankful that their salvation does not depend on me…not in any way. Oh, I am to desire salvation for them. I am to make a loving, sincere, compassionate (and, being me, passionate) effort for them to know of the salvation of our Lord Jesus Christ.

I also absolutely know that I save no one. Never could. Never will. It is ALL up to God…it all depends on God’s mercy and the salvation that Jesus offers…and, then, is received by the person. Just as I had to receive and yield to God’s perfect love gift of salvation for my own eternal life.

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There are so many precious people in my life that I want for them to take fully hold of what God is holding out for them to receive. Jesus has transformation and freedom, healing and power for each of His followers…right now…not just on the other side of Heaven. So many precious ones that I love—even those who have already accepted the eternal gift of salvation—are still without any real transformation of their hearts and habits as they live out their daily lives. Jesus is just kind of a side note…instead of the honored Savior. Jesus is more of a luxury…instead of Lord.

And my heart breaks for them because they don’t know the joy and strength, power, passion and purpose of being truly transformed …more and more into the likeness of Jesus—in a committed daily dance…loving journey with our Lord Jesus Christ.

Yet, I’m so thankful that their transformation does not depend on me…not in any way. Oh, I am to desire true transformation for them. I am to make a loving, sincere, compassionate (and, being me, passionate) effort for them to know of the transformation of our Lord Jesus Christ.

I also absolutely know that I transform…free…heal…empower…no one. Never could. Never will. It is All up to God…it all depends on God’s mercy and the transformation that Jesus offers…and, then, is received by the person. Just as I must receive and yield to God’s full love to me that purposes to transform me every day of my life on this side of Heaven.

It’s ALL up to God…and not me…and I’m so very glad that it is!

In love, peace and purposeful passion,                                                               Sylane

I absolutely believe in being present in the moment.

It is so important for each of us to really embrace the life we have right now. To be thankful for all that is good…and all the  beauty there is…even in the midst of difficult, uncertain or sad times. We are lifted up in heart and head when we choose an attitude of joy and thankfulness as we look at our life and the world around us.

It is so important to love, treat kindly, appreciate and enjoy the people in our lives—our families, friends, neighbors, co-workers, acquaintances and even strangers—even those who challenge, annoy and hurt us. God can use them to really grow us up to be more like Jesus!  It is so important to not take anyone or any moment with them for granted. We are strengthened and encouraged when we choose an attitude of love and kindness towards the people put in our life intimately and in the world around us.

And it is so important that we do what we know is right and pleases God. Love God…Love others…Love ourselves. Give Grace. Tell Truth. Honor All. Respect Others…their rights…their lives…their relationships…their things. Be full of Integrity. Give and Live Generously. Choose Peace.

Consider the blameless, observe the upright; there is a future for the man of peace.

But  all sinners will be destroyed; the future of the wicked will be cut off.

The salvation of the righteous comes from the LORD.

Psalm 37:37-39

Yes, I do believe in being present in the moment…God’s way!

 And I thank God for the promise it brings to my future…because of the salvation of Jesus Christ!

In love, peace and purposeful passion,                                                               Sylane

Many of you know that I am writing a book, CONVINCED!—my story…and really, it is GOD’s story of His love, grace and truth which brought healing and transformation into my life! The end is in sight for the writing…and I am so humbled and thankful for all that God has done in me, through and in spite of me!

I am CONVINCED, more than ever before, that this truth-telling, evil-uncovering, JESUS-glorifying story will be used by God to free, heal, save and transform many, many lives! And in that—the work of God through CONVINCED! has just begun!

This is NOT…NOT…NOT…because of me! This is ALL…ALL…ALL…because of the power of the LOVE of Jesus Christ! I am CONVINCED of it!!

In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

For I am CONVINCED that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord!

Romans 8:37-39

I am CONVINCED! And I just had to tell you that…AGAIN!

I pray that each and every one of you are absolutely CONVINCED, too!

In love, peace and purposeful passion,                                                               Sylane

Sometimes God’s Word gets right to the point. These to-the-point Scripture passages need no dissecting…they don’t need any special hermeneutical–interpretive studies to shed light on their meaning. For example:

The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”

Psalm 53:1

Nope. There is no confusion at all about the meaning of this verse. The Fool denies the existence of God. 

Well! That not’s me! I am a believer in the God of all creation! I have placed my faith in Jesus Christ as my Savior and my Lord!

Whoa! Before I get too smug that my faith in God excludes me from the Fool Club, I have to get real with myself, and ask some tough questions:

How much more of a Fool am I, as a child of God saved by the blood of Jesus, when I ignore God’s truth, disobey God’s Word and plug my ears to the Spirit’s prompting?

How much more of a Fool am I, as a woman transformed by the love, grace and truth of Jesus, when I act in hateful, unforgiving, prideful, unmerciful, truth-twisting, selfish ways? Yes, even if ALL those hateful, unforgiving, prideful, unmerciful, truth-twisting, selfish ways occur only within my own head…and no one else witnesses my foolish-ungodly ways! I am still a Fool!

Don’t be foolish! Be faithful! Believe in God…Live AS IF you do!!! Get God’s point!

In love, peace and purposeful passion,                                                               Sylane

So much pressure and responsibility can overwhelm us. So much sadness and distress can overtake us. Our inclination to sin seems to always be there ready to trip us up. Death to these mortal bodies will not be escaped by any of us on this side of heaven.

But that is not the end of the story…not the end of this life’s race!

The ransomed of the LORD will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.

Isaiah 51:11

Even now, on this side of Heaven let the singing flow! Because I have received God’s everlasting joy in my spirit, in my mind, in my heart, in my soul and in my life!

Is everything now fabulously easy? NO! Do I still have hard times, sad times, bad times and sin times? YES!

So What’s the change? What has God done for me?

 As a ransomed child of God, sin and death, sorrow and sighing are forced to flee from me because my Messiah Jesus Christ has paid the full penalty for my sin through His death!

As a ransomed child of God, I am overtaken by the gladness and by the joy that cost Jesus Christ His life!

In love, peace and purposeful passion,                                                               Sylane

It can be a wonderful thing to be brilliant and broadly gifted…and especially wonderful if you are gifted in a variety of areas such as science, math, languages, literature, music, art, philosophy, business, etc.

It can be a wonderful thing to serve other people sacrificially…through caring for the homeless or the helpless or the ill in all sorts of ways…through supporting ministries with your time, talent and tithes…by building homes, roads and bridges…by feeding the hungry, clothing the poor, visiting people in prison. 

All these intellectual gifts to be used, and all the activities to be done for the good of another can be wonderful things…or they can be Nothing…mean Nothing.

And now I will show you the most excellent way.

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or clanging cymbal.

If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

1 Corinthians 13:1-3

Anything of any real eternal value comes from LOVE…comes from authentic, God-given, God-caring LOVE.

Without God’s LOVE filling us, working through us (or in spite of us)…We are Nothing…Nothing has eternal value…Nothing is transformed.

Only LOVE is transforming; making circumstances and relationships matter—now and for all eternity. It’s either LOVE or Nothing…

May God, the God of LOVE, free each of us up—from our pride, our position, our perspective—so we may live and fully LOVE  as Jesus does! 

It really is either LOVE or Nothing!

In love, peace and purposeful passion,                                                               Sylane

John, who came to be known as John the Baptist, had been faithfully fulfilling the mission that the Lord had placed on his life: John called people to “prepare the way of the Lord…to make straight the way for the Lord.” John raised his voice to teach people to acknowledge their sins, repent of those sins and be baptized as a way to prepare themselves—their minds, hearts and lives—for the coming of the Lord.

And Jesus did come. And there came a time for John to diminish, and for people to truly recognize that all that he did—all of the amazing, powerful, life-changing ministry that John had done—was all, and had always been, intended to point people to Jesus. Never to himself.

John knew this…and he had the holy humility to accomplish the purpose for which the Living God had chosen him: Direct people’s attention, and bring honor and glory, to Christ–the Messiah of the LORD. And in doing this, John knew great joy.

John replied, “A man can only receive what is given him from heaven. You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Christ but am sent ahead of him.’ The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice.

He must become greater; I must become less.”

John 3:27-30

May we each as God’s children, as ambassadors of Christ, know that same full joy as our lives humbly, wisely and powerfully reflect less of us…and more and more and more of Jesus in every way we think, speak and act…and in every relationship!

To Jesus Christ alone be all honor and glory! Amen!

In love, peace and purposeful passion,                                                               Sylane