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You are LOVED ❤️ · Fostering Faith

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  Welcome back to Fostering Faith. As we are in the month of love, we wanted to come back with you guys and talk to you about love.
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  And what better person to talk about than Jesus. And so as we are walking through our faith journey here on Fostering Faith,
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  we just wanted to reach out and say thank you so much for your love and support over these last episodes.
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  And we know that there are tons of people watching. We know that we had several reactions with our What's the Sigma.
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  And so I know that people are watching and tuning in. We want for you guys to please rate, subscribe, leave comments.
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  And we know that people are listening, just we are lacking in comments. And so that really does help your channel grow.
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  And so if you guys can rate and review us on Spotify, Apple, all the stations that you guys are listening on and YouTube, our channel is growing.
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  And so as we step into the week of Valentine's Day, we wanted to share in the story of God's love and how we can walk through faith
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  and living out our daily faith by actions. And so we are going to acknowledge that Valentine's Day is right around the corner
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  and how we love to feel loved. And so how can we say that love is on the horizon with Valentine's Day here?
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  And so we wanted to make sure that we incorporate Jesus into our Valentine's Day. And so as Valentine's Day is coming up,
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  we know that we love to be loved. And so we know that people like chocolates and flowers and cards.
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  But as Christians, are we called to celebrate and share in the greatest love of all? God's unconditional love.
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  And so let's reference 1 John 4 19, because we love because he loved us first. And so we do.
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  And that's kind of like our marketing statement. We want to love others and he has filled us up with so much love.
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  And that's how Gia came up with this podcast, because she is so full of God's love.
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  We just wanted to make sure that people know that they are loved. And so we do have shirts that say that on there.
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  And if you want to stay tuned to the end of the podcast, we have some special opportunities.
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  We want to explain this verse in the foundation for living the life of love.
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  And so just a testimony of how God's love for you and his lasting impact on your life is so valuable.
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  And so as you guys feel loved or embraced or seen by God, the testimony that you have is so unique that it could really shed the light in someone's life.
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  And so by keeping God's love a secret, are we really helping anybody?
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  Are we really helping spread the gospel if we are not using his love as a testimony?
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  And so sharing that love that you felt in the midst of your darkness, in the midst of just feeling like you are really not connected,
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  but you just have this overwhelming sense of peace and connection, that's God's love.
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  And so we really want to understand how people feel that way. And so understanding God's love.
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  And so God's love is unique. It's sacrificial. It's unconditional. It's everlasting.
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  And so you have John 3, 16, it says how God's love led him to give the ultimate gift. And it was his son. And it was for us.
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  And so God sent Jesus, his one and only son, and he paid the ultimate sacrifice, his life for our sins to be paid for.
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  And so his sacrifice on the cross really was God's way of saying, I love you.
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  There is I'm going to send my son and I am going to pay for your sins that you're going to commit because sins have to be paid for.
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  And he said, you know, I am going to send my son down to rescue you because I love you.
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  And just exploring God's love compels others to love.
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  So if you can think about all the times that you messed up and because of his grace and because of his mercy and because he loves you so much,
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  it really is and can compel you to really feel and just kind of sit back and like, who am I? Who am I to judge?
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  Who am I to hold a grudge? If if God has forgiven me for everything that I've done wrong and fell short of and missed the mark because that's a sin.
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  I mean, he has set standards and his standards are his standards are high because he is holy because he is perfect in every way.
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  And so we can never measure up to his standards. And it's a sin.
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  We've missed the mark, but we don't have to worry about that because he knows that we're not going to be perfect.
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  And that's why he sent his son to pay for our sins. And that's why because he loves you so much.
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  He wants you as as his sons and daughters. He loves us so much.
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  And because he has loved us so much, we get to love others.
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  And so it is just a reciprocating, a mere reflection of his love that we get to pour out to others.
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  And so God's love is not optional. It's a command.
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  And so John 13 34 says a new command I give you love one another as I have loved you.
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  You must love one another. And so it doesn't say you can.
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  It doesn't say you can love them if it doesn't say you can love them if they do this or only if they do this.
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  It says as you as I've loved you, you must love one another.
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  And if you look at someone that you really don't like, if you look at someone that you even may have the word hate in your heart for them.
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  And so we have to look at them as God created them.
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  God made them in their image. The choices that they made may have not been the greatest.
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  But they are a child of God. That's our common denominator.
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  We are all human. We were all made in the image of God.
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  And so while we fall short, they're no different than us.
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  What they did and their sin and the reason why you don't like them is no different than what you've done, what I've done.
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  And so no one is better than anybody.
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  A sin is a sin. And it is about knowing that we are commanded to love one another.
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  But I mean, that's all nice and we can we can quote scripture all day.
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  But if we don't put that into practice, I mean, you can have a book of knowledge.
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  But if you don't put it out for the world to see and to do things that are tangible,
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  what's the point of having all that knowledge if you can't put it into application?
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  And so some tangible ideas of everyday examples of how we can show people and how we are loved by God.
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  And so what about acts of kindness? And so helping someone in need, smiling at a stranger,
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  a simple smile can really change the course of someone's day.
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  I mean, they could literally be thinking like no one likes me. Everyone hates me.
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  I think there's like even a song like no one likes me. Everyone hates me.
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  I think I'm going to go home. I don't know.
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  And that smile could change the trajectory of their day or lead with listening ears and going through rough, rough times.
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  Lend your ear, lend your ear to somebody because your time that you have, you can't put a price tag on that.
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  That is the most valuable thing that you could give somebody is your time.
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  And so knowing that someone's struggling, give them your time, give them your ear.
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  I will allow them to a safe space just to talk to them.
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  That could really mean just the world to somebody is just someone that cares enough just to sit down
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  and just intently and purposefully listen to them.
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  And what about encouragement?
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  Write heartfelt notes or texts calling someone who might need an uplifting message
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  and then sharing scripture based encouragement.
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  And so encouragement is my gift. I love encouraging people. I love inspiring people.
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  I love just motivating people.
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  And so heartfelt notes. And so we also have a girl at church and she's a friend and her name is AJ.
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  And so if you're listening, shout out to AJ and she is a wonderful encourager.
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  She is a person. I get notes in my gym bag and it just says, I love you.
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  You're a wonderful person and my one of my best friends.
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  I was actually cleaning out my desk the other day at home and just found a card and it was just like, I love you.
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  Thank you for what you do and what you bring to my life.
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  And so it was just like those little things can really inspire people just that and know that they are loved.
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  And so a simple card, a note on a napkin that you put in someone's gym bag like, hey, I see you really hitting it really hard in the gym.
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  Like you are killing it. Like just be that encouragement.
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  And so people are going through so much and we are so negative to ourselves just by that uplifting encouragement and sending out the guy that does 75 hard or whatever.
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  I don't know his name, but and if it's branded, I'm sorry.
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  It is about he sends out three encouraging texts every morning.
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  And so what happens if you get up and start putting that after you read your scripture, after you spend your time with God,
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  Like those County
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  The little words you can say and the words you can say and I think it's pretty strong
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  and you're so active on this day.
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  You're just literally healing yourself and away from pain and learning how important that is.
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  just that's just me like you know whatever but that encouraging word
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  really can hit home and just it could save someone's life and so what happens
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  if you have an axe of service talent and so volunteering at a kitchen
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  volunteering at a warming shelter volunteering at a church or donating
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  something that someone needs and so an axe of service is a love language and
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  so allowing yourself to be vulnerable enough to go serve someplace and once
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  you start serving and helping others it really is a game-changer and so I wish
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  that you was here for this episode but every time that I made her go to our
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  food pantry to serve she would gradually get it like most teenagers would do but
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  at the end of it like she is laughing and helping and serving and talking to
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  the customers and really getting to know them and shopping with them and you know
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  at the end of the day she's just always like mom thanks for making me go I
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  really do have a good time you know at first I'm sorry that I don't want to do
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  things but you make me do them and I always end up having a good time and so
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  just because you didn't think it was in your wheelhouse you know it very much
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  could be and so once you start serving and to watch the joy of what you're
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  doing helping others it really is a game-changer and a great which may not
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  seem practical but forgiveness and so forgiving others reflects Christ's love
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  for you and so I want you to look up Colossians 3 13 and it is about
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  forgiveness and who are we to hold on to grudges if God can forget our sins and
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  forgive us for what we've done to him who am I who am I to hold a grudge
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  against you because whatever you did to me is nothing in comparison to what I've
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  done for others and I and I there's a quote that I will miss quote but it's
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  about like bitterness is the poison that you drink yourself and you're and it's
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  just it's not something that we're meant to hang to hang on to and so just
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  allowing that forgiveness just because we're a reflection of his forgiveness
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  and and that is really like Christ like and and so whenever someone's done
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  something horrible to you and you can see this with people that they've had
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  their children killed they forgive their murderers or what you know like that's a
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  very big case but the forgiveness that's in their heart comes from God and
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  allowing us to be that light in that person's darkness and offer prayers for
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  others offer prayers even when the people may not know you well and so if
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  the Holy Spirit leads you to pray for somebody then pray for them and and that
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  person can be impacted and you don't even have to know that you're praying
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  for them but you know if people are at the altar you know going up and praying
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  for them and then just offering your prayer services if you are a prayer and
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  you're an intercessor absolutely go pray for people and so we want to include
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  that challenge and so ask yourself what could I do this week as my acts of
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  tangible ways to show God's love to the world and so if we have all of God's love
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  in your heart in your home it's not about being watchers of the aquarium it's
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  about being fishers of men and so if we're not going out and showing God's
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  light to the people that need it what's the point I mean if you go to church and
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  you are doing all these things to the people that already know Jesus and and
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  know Christ it's about the people that don't know them and we are set apart we
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  are you know we are the children of God and so it's about allowing the lost to
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  see your light and the barriers that we have of showing God's love is just
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  acknowledging it's not going to be easy is showing love to people that have done
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  you wrong is it easy is situations that have been terrible and horrible is that
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  easy no it's not but we are commanded to love and so he says that you have to
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  pick up your cross daily you have to do what is hard that's why following Christ
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  is not for the weak-minded it is hard because it is real easy to stay mad and
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  hold grudges and just live in that bitterness world absolutely but to pick
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  up your cross daily forgive those that have hurt you and and forgive those that
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  have trespassed against me I mean it's in the Lord's Prayer and so really know
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  that it is just it's hard to do we're not asking you to do something that
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  you've not thought of it's it's gonna be hard but it's so much worth it to live
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  free and so we know that fear and pride and busyness can hold us back by sharing
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  God's love but we're all here to kind of make heaven crowded and so our job is to
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  be his light his hands and feet we are called to be Christ ambassadors and so
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  we want to encourage you to pray for God's strength and guidance to overcome
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  these barriers and so asking him to show you where you're scared at to where the
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  fear is where is the pride hiding in my heart you know what am I putting before
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  you what is causing me to be so busy that I cannot share your gospel with
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  others maybe even take it from me would you be as bold as saying take from me
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  what is getting in the way of growing your kingdom are we wanting to grow our
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  numbers or his numbers and so as we wrap up this week we have a call to action
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  and so we are gonna look at the ways that we can love others and that we
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  remember that it is a command of God and we have to reflect on how much he has
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  loved us and so in the places of light in their homes and workplaces in your
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  communities this week look of where you could shed your light and rely on God's
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  love to be your source of your strength and your inspiration and we ask that God
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  help us in all situations and so as we close today we want to you know end in
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  prayer and allow the Holy Spirit to just guide us this week and so dear Heavenly
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  Father if you want to bow your heads dear Heavenly Father thank you so much
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  for today thank you so much for these listeners we pray that you help them
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  that we can boldly go and genuinely love on people that are hard to love we ask
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  that you change our hearts that you allow us to see people as you see people
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  we ask that you just love on us and so we can love on others thank you for your
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  grace thank you for your mercy thank you for allowing us to feel your presence
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  and thank you for another chance another opportunity to lay down our pride to lay
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  down our fleshly desires to stay mad thank you that you are molding us thank
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  you that you are shaping us thank you that you are allowing us to feel your
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  presence in Jesus name I pray amen amen and so we hope that this encourages you
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  guys as you guys are loved and so if you do not have a Valentine we know that
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  here at fostering faith that we love love love you guys and so we hope that
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  this week is changing for you in prayer in scripture that you are diving into
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  your Bible and that you do feel that you are loved that you are wanted that you
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  were made perfect in God's image and that you stay tuned for next week and so
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  we wanted to reach out and just say if those that say say to the end of this
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  podcast because it is love month and this is the week of Valentine's Day we
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  wanted to give a special offer and so those of you that will leave a comment
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  to the first comment that is on Spotify and where YouTube we will send out a
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  free shirt for you guys and so just leave us a DM and we will get in touch
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  with you guys so have a great week bye