I have these words for myself. As you are my sisters, I feel you will listen and understand and, perhaps, want to consider them in your own mind and walk.

It started with reflecting on a song …. This song speaks to every woman – uniquely designed with a particularly heartstring sensitivity  –        a love for a child, a care for the hurting, etc. It is generally the essence of who we are – and we put it to good use to care for our families, guide and teach, help, protect and heal them.

Mary Did You Know?

as I listen I could  replace Mary with my name and ‘your baby boy’ with ‘your savior’

Luke 1:29But she was very perplexed at this statement, and kept pondering what kind of salutation this was. 30The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God. 31“And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus.…

 I usually hear this verse commemorating your birth  … and now considering the love that surrounded you in your death, I realize  what she considered facing then was only a drop in an ocean of the passion that would pour out of her.

The movie, ‘The Passion of the Christ’ tells of Jesus’ final hours, the heart he had, and his commitment to it. It was for us. It was to please and in obedience to … because of his love for the Father. John 14:31 NIV

31 but the world must learn that I love the Father and that I do exactly what my Father has commanded me. “Come now; let us leave.

Look at those who loved Jesus.
Look at what they went on to do.
Even Judas so distraught at his own behavior.
And what they endured.

Have you read the story of ‘Carmelita’ in Max Lucado’s God Came Near?
We are adopted as family; His! O how He loves us!I cannot but look at how He loves to understand our passion to love Him.

Mark 8:35 For whoever will save his life shall lose it; but whoever shall lose …

Matthew 5:10,11 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for …

Matthew 10:18 And you shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, …

Is my love like that of the rich young ruler?

“Do you love me?”
“Obey my commandments.”
“Feed my sheep.”
“Go ye therefore and teach all nations.”
Do I?

He has a passion for me and every one of us.
We must let our fire burn for that which was birthed in us –
His child within us – for the son of God our savior!

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

I think God is asking again …

The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love (agape) me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my sheep. John 21:17 NIV

Reading Philippians 1 (further below) puts my love and prioritizing of and following Christ all in perspective.
I then ask myself, what is it I wouldn’t do for Christ –
Ashamedly, I could make a list.
Saddened, I want my list to disappear.

21For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live,
but Christ lives in me.
The life I now live in the body,
I live by faith in the Son of God,
who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20

 

The Passion I’m speaking of (as in the French word “passio”)
is a love that burns hot, suffers, and is grounded and centered
in an ultimate peace and joy in the understanding of its being

We are giving birth to what God put in us

(My name) did you know … ?

Jesus, I and my sisters with me know we can do this
‘By The Power of Your Love’

“It only takes a spark to get a fire going, and soon all those around warm up to it’s glowing … that’s how it is with God’s love; once you experience it …”

“This little gospel light of mine; I’m going to let it shine… let it shine all the time, let it shine”

 Lord, remove me from my high horse and distorted sight,
to let Paul’s word bear passion fruit in my life for you.

Philippians 1:
2
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

3I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, 5because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. 6And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. 7It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace,d both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. 8For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. 9And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, 10so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

12I want you to know, brothers,e that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, 13so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guardf and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. 14And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the wordg without fear.

15Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. 16The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. 17The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment. 18What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice.

Yes, and I will rejoice, 19for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance, 20as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. 21For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. 23I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. 24But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. 25Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, 26so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again.

27Only let your manner of life be worthyh of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, 28and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God. 29For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, 30engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.