Lotsalove08!

Last year some friends and I had decided that we would nickname 2008 "lotsalove08"... for various reasons! You see, some of us had made a pact called "nolove07".. it was our quest to stay single for the whole of 2007, and we were successful... it was actually quite easy! lol. But the year was just amazing.. we were able to focus on ourselves.. more importantly, we were able to focus on our relationship with God without any distractions from the opposite sex!..

So.. we jokingly named 2008 lotsalove08. saying that after nolove07 there better be lotsalove08! At the time we meant lotsalove in terms of relationships.. but recently my thinking has been changed about this. To be honest, I don't really care if I go through another year of "nolove"... it doesn't phase me at all. If that's what God's will for my life at the moment is, then oopah! But regardless of my relationship status, i'm determined that this year will be full of love.. and lots of it!

Because if we're going to change the world.. if we're going to allow God to use us in mighty and powerful ways, we have to love. It's as simple as that. For without love, it is meaningless. If we want a revival, if we want a revolution, it has to start with love. Jesus did many miracles.. he raised Lazarus from the dead.. but he would have died again eventually, he fed the five thousand, but they would have been hungry again the next day... the miracles fade, but what people remembered was the love in which Jesus performed such things.

In his book "an irristible revolution" (a must read!) Shane Claiborne tells of how he went over to Calcutta to work alongside the Mother Teresa and the catholics. Mother Teresa said "Do not worry about your career. Concern yourself with your vocation, and that is to be lovers of Jesus."

That's what 2008 is going to be for me! it's going to be lotsalove08.. but love for God and love for others... i'm going to love recklessly... loving the unloveable.. sharing the message of the love of Jesus... that's my mission in life. I'm no longer concerned about pursuing worldly things, I'm not going to conform to the patterns of this world (rom 12:2).

For Him Alone!

Ness :-)