FaithHopeLove: Intro

1 Corinthians 13:13 (New Living Translation): Three things will last forever – faith, hope, and love – and the greatest of these is love.
So how do I live my life in a way that makes a difference for eternity? God’s Word says that three things will last forever: faith, hope, and love.  I desire to display faith, hope, and love through every detail of how I live my life. I also desire to write stories of many others who live out their faith, hope, and love.
Now at this point, I must set and explain the prerequisite for the stories of faith, hope, and love that I am planning to share on this blog.  These faith, hope, and love that the Bible talks about – it’s not referring to any kind of faith, hope, and love.  Bible is clear that Jesus, the Son of God, is the source of true faith, hope, and love. I know that I am making a very bold statement and may even have offended someone just now.  Some may call me an elitist, or narrow-minded, or naïve, or simply wrong.  However, if you’ve spent any time with me at all, I hope you know me to be a person who is well-grounded, sensible, and humble. I also hope that you see my life as one that displays faith, hope, and love on a regular basis.  How can I be convinced that only Jesus is the true source of these things? First, as I already stated, God’s Word (the Bible) proclaims this truth; secondly, God’s Holy Spirit confirms this truth to me; and thirdly, what I’ve experienced in my life and what I’ve seen/heard others experience all reaffirm this truth. These God-written, real-life stories of faith, hope, and love – they are what I desire to write about from now on. I plan to include my own stories along the way.
Whether you agree with me or not on Jesus being the true source, I do pray that you’ll take a moment to read my stories. I’ve walked with God for more than fourteen years now, and I’ve found this verse to be true time and time again: “To You they cried out and were delivered; In You they trusted and were not disappointed (Psalm 22:5).” When people’s faith, hope, and love are placed in God, they are never disappointed.  Without a real, personal relationship with God through His Son Jesus, I do not believe the same level of faith, hope, and love is possible to experience.  You will discover in my stories that these people who placed all of their eggs in one basket (Jesus) had peace and strength in midst of their darkest circumstances. It’s the kind of peace that does not make sense or is uncommon to rest the world. However, the common denominator of all these stories is Jesus. When we draw our faith, hope, and love from Him, we never run out…in fact, we receive added blessings such as peace and strength.
Again, my truest intention is not to offend anyone.  I desire, from the bottom of my heart, for everyone that reads my blog to experience this extraordinary faith, hope, and love.  Ask yourself this in all honesty: Do I have the kind of faith, hope, and love in my life that never disappoints me? If you don’t, I ask that you open up your heart, and allow these stories to inspire you to seek the same kind of faith, hope, and love. If you do, I pray that your faith, hope, and love will be strengthened to even a greater level after you read these stories.
“I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” –Jesus Christ