This is your opportunity to experience – through a Concert and Conversation – the UNFAILING LOVE of GOD as Cheri and Sylane willingly and wonderfully UNCOVER their own life-transforming encounters with Jesus Christ!

…those who hope in the LORD

will renew their strength.

They will soar on wings like eagles;

they will run and not grow weary,

they will walk and not be faint.

Isaiah 40:31

Where do you get your strength? What helps you to face the circumstances, situations and people that are hard to deal with for you? What helps you to face each new day?

There are so many remedies and suggestions that will help us to be stronger of mind and body. There are a whole lot of DON’Ts when it comes to strengthening our mind and body – here are just a few of them: don’t smoke (pot included here – it dumbs people down and decreases motivation), don’t drink in excess, don’t use substances that are not prescribed for you by a physician, etc. And, of course,  there are some very important DO’s — the very basic ones: eat a well-balanced diet made up of naturally healthy foods, drink plenty of water, get regular exercise, sleep between 7-8 hours each night.

All of the above will absolutely help to make us stronger of mind and body. But for me those just aren’t enough. Because there is still a cry in my soul for a peace, a purpose and a power that I need to face every single day that I live on this side of heaven. And even by living the very healthiest of lifestyles can only get me so far.

For me it’s not WHAT I do or don’t do that gives me the strength I need for each new day — each moment, each circumstance, each interaction with someone. Rather, my strength comes from a WHO: the Holy LORD, my God and Savior Jesus Christ. In Jesus, and through the relationship He offers me, I find my hope…He is my strength — my peace, my purpose and my power.

I may face the day with tears as I say goodbye to yet another friend who has just entered into the arms of Jesus; I may face the day with heart-breaking concern about the choices someone I love very deeply is making; I may face the day with trembling as I am called to counsel, to be the ears and voice of our Lord Jesus Christ for precious ones with deep emotional pain and behavioral baggage; I may face the day with physical exhaustion as my AARP card-carrying body reminds me that I’m slowing down (and creaking) a bit.

And yet! STRENGTH, TRUE STRENGTH, NEVER FADING STRENGTH is available to me always, at all moments, in all circumstances, with all people as I choose to set my HOPE on my LORD and allow GOD’s STRENGTH to wash over me, swirl powerfully within me, and flow freely from me.  God is true to His Word, and so my hope in my LORD will always be my strength!

What about you? Will you choose today to get your strength — your peace, your purpose, your power — by placing your hope in the never-fading strength of the LORD Jesus Christ, the GOD of all creation? I HOPE SO!

In love, peace and purposeful passion,                                                               Sylane

What really matters to God? What really counts as God’s top priority for us as His children–as His people of faith? God gets right to it, and He schmushes (my word!) everything down for us. God’s Word speaks so clearly and concisely that we cannot deny or doubt God’s meaning.

What matters–what counts–to God is that we love. Is there anything unclear about that?

The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. Galatians 5:6b

Happy Valentine’s Day!

I know for some of you this is just a schmaltzy day that the card, candy, flower, jewelry and restaurant industries have infused with advertising-steroids to make it bigger and more important. I’m not going to argue that point. But let’s put all that aside.

What is going to make this day count for you? Whether you have that someone special in your life or not right now? Whether or not that someone special–that is in your life now–has been acting all that special to you?

Real love. Really given. God has given us His perfect, sacrificial, passionate, compassionate and everlasting love through the life, death and resurrection of His One and Only Son Jesus. God has given this love through His Son to all who would believe–that we may become God’s full children by faith in Jesus. Each one of us, as God’s child, is to draw from God’s love–constantly and continually–as we interact with others. All others. Our special ones. Our more challenging ones.

As a child of God we are given the answer for how to make Valentine’s Day count. Actually, God has given us the answer for how to make every day, every moment count. And it’s not convoluted or complicated. To live out our lives as a child of God–to live out our faith in Jesus Christ–the only thing that counts is love.

We are called to love. Really love. Our love for God and our love for others really do count to our God. We shouldn’t waste any more time. We need to stop doing any and everything else that isn’t a true expression of love–no matter how entrenched in our not-so-loving habits we may have gotten. We need to get over ourselves and love those around us.

Make this day count for God, for others and for yourself. LOVE…really LOVE…in your thoughts, words, actions and interactions!

The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. Galatians 5:6b

Happy Valentine’s Day…each and every day!

In love, peace and purposeful passion,                                                               Sylane