“Love is built on 2 pillars that define what it is. Those pillars are patience and kindness. And that’s where your dare will begin. With patience. For the next day, resolve to demonstrate patience and to say nothing negative to your loved one at all. If the temptation arises, choose not to say anything. It’s better to hold your tongue than to say something you will regret.” (Kendrick, The Love Dare)

“Be completely humble and gentle; be patient,bearing one another in love” (Ephesians 4:2)

Whoever said “Sticks and stones will break my bones but words will never hurt me” does not have the same processor in his/her heart and brain that I do. Words hurt worse. Words stay imprinted far longer than a bruise or scrape. What a gift we have to offer in knowing a simple word of love and encouragement can bring such joy to another! If only we would practice this one act of love, hold our tongues and ask for understanding rather than offer accusation, give a compliment rather than a criticism, and tell a loved one “tell me more” “I’m so sorry” “I love you” and “may I hold you” when they are hurting rather than offer judgment over their feelings…what a difference we would see in our relationships. Remember, people will feel, what they feel, when they feel it. You can tell them not to tell YOU how they feel, and they may tell someone else, but that doesn’t make them stop feeling. It is normal to have emotions. We all do. God does. We are made in His image. Jesus is love. Love.

1 Corinthians 13:4-13

⁴ Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant ⁵ or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;^[a] 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

⁸ Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. ⁹ For we know in part and we prophesy in part, ¹⁰ but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.¹¹ When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. ¹² For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.

¹³ So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

So, love dare no. 1…don’t say anything negative. Hey, take another step and say something amazing.

Loving to love,

Kim

1.31.18 revised

6.28.14