I returned to my former church this past week. I realized that many of the reasons that I left were more my own flesh than something God may have been doing. It was like finally getting home after a really long trip. A sigh of relief almost.

When we went to Youth Group tonight, we talked about 1 John 4:20

If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.

One of the young women went on to paint a scenario about a teacher that she really really didn't like, and how could you distinguish the difference between liking and loving.

I don't think you can...I think that it's all or nothing. God commands we love one another. We may not agree with a person's behavior or delight in their personality, but we are here to restore that person. To pray continuously for them. To hope to lift them.

I have to say that I have a person in my life like that, and I thought the way to handle that person was to just avoid them. Our paths cross daily and I would actually take the "long route" just so not to pass them. Boy have I been blind.

The people that are in our lives are not here by accident. Nothing God does is by mistake. I now know that I have to be just a tad more Jesus like and make an effort to reach out to this person and possibly be a light in her life. I am thankful that God brought me home and revealed something to me that I have been missing for sometime now...

Praise Him for His Faithfulness! /

Great story and message embie And congrats on the return home