Steve to Earth - Encouraging you the way I like to be encouraged.

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May you celebrate your marriage every day

Originally written for the first wedding anniversary of one of my friends, I’m sharing this blessing on Steve to Earth today in honor of my parents’ 50th wedding anniversary, which they celebrated on Friday, September 1, and our family celebrated all weekend.

Mother and Dad, I am so proud of you, and I love you very much! I consider it a privilege to bless this wonderful milestone in the lives of the two people who are responsible for me being here … the two people who loved me enough to introduce me to Jesus … the two people who continue to love me deeply and unconditionally even on the days when I don’t look very much like Him.

May your celebration be attended and blessed by the Groom … the Savior … the Supreme Example of Love. May your relationship be honored by the bride … the church … the spiritual body of Christ.

May your hearts be filled with hope for the future. May your souls overflow with renewed faith and abundant forgiveness. May your spirits be refreshed with joyful and happy song.

May all your fatigue … all your frustrations … and all your failures give way to the blessings of the Comforter … your Friend … the Holy Spirit, and may each fruit that He produces grow firm and tender and sweet in your fertile hearts.

May you find peace in His indwelling presence. May He be a Pleasant Inhabitant … a Tenant bearing generous gifts … a Perfect Communicator of our Father’s precious will … a Flawless Glorifier of our Lord Jesus Christ … a Gentle Companion who fills every corner of your souls … and leaves no vacancy for any other spirit.

With great joy, may our Father bless each beautiful day you spend together … until His Spirit and yours are joined for eternity … in the highest and holiest of marriages.

May you celebrate your marriage a little every day, and may your daily celebrations inspire and give hope to a weary world.

This is my prayer for you … because of His great love for us.

~s

May you live in the joy of forgiveness

Sunday night a friend invited me to attend a special worship service with him and his family. The whole evening was a celebration of the birth of Jesus. I was amazed at the talent of each participant during the service. I was attentive. I listened carefully … observed closely. My heart was moved. One moment my eyes filled with tears … another, I wanted to stand and applaud.

I was reminded that my Savior chose to humble Himself and enter this world as a tender, innocent baby in a stable in an insignificant little town … knowing all along that His destination was a cross … a cruel, inhuman death … an unavoidable and unspeakable event … because of no sin other than my own.

Forgiveness of sins is an incredible thing. Before Jesus, there was no forgiveness. Today, there is no forgiveness apart from Him.

Maybe it was that simple fact. Maybe it was the dual videos contrasting the baby in the manger and the Son of God on the cross. Maybe it was over 100 voices singing “Joy, Joy” at the top of their lungs. Maybe it was a revelation from His Holy Spirit. Maybe it was all of those things, but whatever it was, the good tidings of great joy took on a new significance to me.

The darkness was over. God was contacting His people. Reconciliation had begun, and there was no turning back. The world was about to experience the release of burdens and guilt of a magnitude that it could never have imagined, and this was an occasion for great joy … a joy that continues to this very day.

Every day that is graced with forgiveness is a cause for celebration … an invitation to rejoice. Joy can’t be legislated … censored … or banned. No amount of bad news … depressing statistics … or threats of impending doom can overcome the joy of forgiveness. It dwells in a secret place in your heart … an inner room filled with treasures … accessible only to the One Who offers forgiveness … for only He holds the key.

May you turn off your television. May you unplug your stereo. May you log off of the internet (yes, including this site). May you clear your busy schedule, and may you rekindle your friendship with the Author of forgiveness. May you laugh with Him and cry with Him. May your voice blend in unison with His, and may the two of you sing a song of joy like no one has ever sung before.

Joy to the world!

Joy to your homeland!

Joy to your neighborhood!

Joy to your family and friends!

Joy from Jesus straight to your forgiven soul!

Joy to the deepest reaches of your sincere, hopeful heart … today … and every day!

May you live in the joy of forgiveness.

~s

 

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