This is how we know what real love is: Jesus gave his life for us. So we should give our lives for our brothers and sisters.

Suppose someone has enough to live and sees a brother or sister in need, but does not help. Then God’s love is not living in that person.

My children, we should love people not only with words and talk, but by our actions and true caring.

- 1 John 3:16-18, NCV

My friend and co-worker at TreeHouse LeAndra Williams has a great spin on friendship. So, LeAndra, take it away!

“After many years and different friendships I have come to a place in my life to recognize helpful and hurtful friends. I have had the privilege to experience both.”

Lee, what have you learned?

“The first step to recognize if you have helpful or hurtful friend is to see which category your friend fits in. Friends are usually in one of these categories. A friend is either an Adder, a Subtracter, a Multiplier, or a Divider.”

Let me explain:

Love is invincible facing danger and death.
Passion laughs at the terrors of hell.
The fire of love stops at nothing—
it sweeps everything before it.
Flood waters can’t drown love,
torrents of rain can’t put it out. 1

My friends Ashley and Jesse are getting married today!

Their relationship is years in the making.

Their infatuation has faded, but they still look at each other so sweetly.
Their infatuation has faded, but they still want to make one another happy.

How can they build on that kind of love?

How can you build on the love you have?

Last year I introduced you to my hero, June Oulund.  Today I’d like to introduce you to two more of my heroes.

We spent the weekend with my college roommate Gerry Andersen and his wife Julie.  Though we haven’t seen each other for almost twenty years, it’s like our relationship was on pause and we took up the conversation instantly.

Where Have They Been?

Gerry and Julie live in a small village in the mountains of Mexico with people who have never had their language in written form.

What God Did To Win Your Heart.

It’s a captivating subtitle: What God Did To Win Your Heart.

Lucado’s challenge is to personalize the life and death of Christ.  
Lucado explains that Jesus’ proclamation “I did it just for you.” is his resounding, enduring and personalized message.

Lucado makes the case that the trial, judgment, and execution was not happenstance.  “Knowing his last deeds would be forever pondered, don’t you think he chose them carefully? Deliberately? Of course he did. There were no accidents that day.”

Proclaiming to the end, “I did it for you. I did it all for you.”

Ask most any child, teen, adult or senior citizen, “What is love?” and their answers will vary. They might not vary so much in the quaity of their experience, but the quantity of their experiences.

Sure, love involves feelings — romanticized by music, literature, and other media, but it’s also so much more.

We all yearn to create and — when we feel like we’re losing it — recreate the “love” what we feel we have lost.

Why do marriage fall apart?
Why do dating relationships between people who “love” one another fail?

They feel like the “love” is lost.

When I have allowed God to come close, as close as I have so far, it can feel overwhelming. I forced back tears just now thinking of how special I felt. At the same time, I know that I willfully and consciously pushed God back because it felt so…overwhelming, that I felt like I couldn’t house God’s love inside of me.

I was on a trip with a group of TreeHouse teens.  I was praying.

My friends Kevin and Cassie and I met this weekend at the 5-8 Grill. As good as the Juicy Lucy burgers were, the conversation was even better. 

As we ate and talked they smiled at one another, laughed together and completed one another’s stories.  While busy, they enjoy their lives together.

Four years ago we spent quite a lot of time together as we prepared for their wedding.  Now, four and a half years later it’s obvious that the love that was blossoming into marriage was in full bloom.

They love one another.

On Friday Shannon read this story that my dad had sent to us.  It captured my attention.  I hope it captures yours too.

“DON’T LEAVE IT ON THE DESK”

There was a certain Professor of Religion named Dr. Christianson, a studious man who taught at a small college in the western United States .

Dr. Christianson taught the required survey course in Christianity at this particular institution. Every student was required to take this course their freshman year, regardless of his or her major.

True intimacy is far more than physical interaction. Sexuality is not limited to the genitals: it covers a much broader spectrum of caresses, kisses, friendly company and words of affection. It includes a unity of personality, emotions, and our spiritual nature.

Charles Sell suggests that in order for there to be sweet music in our relationship we must keep in mind “if you’re married to a violin, be a bow.” 1

Get to know one another more intimately.

True Intimacy Takes Time

Maintaining an intimate relationship involves renovating and maintaining the romance.