who knew?

so i started writing this thinking that it was going to be a funny post, but the lord has laid some things on my heart lately that i just really feel like i need to share.

i was reminded of something tonight that i too often forget. my purpose on this earth is to glorify my father in heaven. how do i do that? what does that look like? is it primarily telling people about christ? is it singing worship songs? is it doing community service? is it doing all the right things and making good decisions? actually, no. it's not. the way i give my king glory is by loving people. all of those things that i listed are not bad at all. in fact, they are pretty great things, but the one thing that encompasses all of those is loving people. i am called to love my god and love other people. out of this action, all the others flow.

i've also realized that i don't do this very well. i get so caught up in what is going on in my life and the so-called track that i'm on, that i forget that this life isn't all about me. it's actually not about me at all. if i'm living my life for me, then i'm living a wasted life. i am praying that the lord would show me what it means to live a selfless life. i am praying that he would give me a burning desire to put others interests before my own. i hope that you will pray for me too. i know that my time in italy will prove to be one of the most challenging experiences of my life, but i hope to be able to say when i return, that i loved those people. i've been thinking about the italian people a lot, and i think the lord has given me some insight as to why he is sending me to them. i think our team is going to show them love. italy is no stranger to religion. the roman catholic church has one of the largest followings in the world. but with all their religion, i think they are missing love. and without love, how can you have religion? it turns into a set of rules that you follow to make yourself feel better. this couldn't be farther from the truth of the gospel of jesus christ. god is love! i pray that you will partner with me in prayer, that god would teach me how to love. what does it look like to daily put others before myself and genuinely love them? i want to have a genuine concern for others just like jesus did. i cannot explain how vital this is to my mission to win the italian people to christ. i can talk as much as i want about jesus, but if i don't have love, all i have are words. and words without love are empty.

"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. Whoever 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 judgment, 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 is 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, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother." -1 John 4:7-21

pray that i would really learn to love. thank you for loving me. you are such a blessing. buona notte amici. vi voglio bene!