hey guys...i know its been two weeks since our citywide gathering but i thought i'd share a picture i had while we were there...i saw a picture of us as these blue/green/purple tile-like/stained glass-like pieces...they were all broken chips (uniquely shaped, some the same colour, some a slight shade difference, and some different colours)hanging out together but still not connected in a sense...and i saw this clear gel-like substance (Love) come between all of these broken divided pieces and it hardened like glue, bringing together all the broken pieces into one beautiful design...

1 John 3:1 How great is the love the Father has lavished on us that we should be called children of God!

1 John 4:7-21 (i know this passage is a bit longer but its so GOOD! so keep reading :)
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.

God is love. Who ever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgement, because in this world we are like him. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears in not made perfect in love.

We love because he first loved us. 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, who he has not seen. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.

So...ya...I just pray that God's love would just touch the depths of our hearts today and that he would enable us to walk in an increased level of love. I also want to highlight some stuff Paul talked about in Romans

Romans 15:5-7, 13
May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and one mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

I love you guys...be blessed!