FROM YOUR PASTOR’S HEART March 19, 2024

My inspiration for these articles comes from a wide variety of people and places. As I was walking at the gym this morning, a song by George Strait spoke to me. The song is entitled: “Carrying Your Love with Me.” Of course, the song was intended as a romantic love song about the woman in his life. Yet, as I was tooling around the track, the thought running through my mind was that this is what we are to do as Christians.

If you are not a country music fan, I will enlighten you on the lyrics that spoke to my heart. The chorus goes like this: “’Cause I’m carrying your love with me, West Virginia down to Tennessee. I’ll be moving with the good Lord’s speed, carrying your love with me. It’s my strength for holding on, every minute that I have to be gone. I’ll have everything I’ll ever need. I’m carrying your love with me.” If you substitute Texas for West Virginia, you have my story. God spoke to my heart and called me to serve Him, wherever He leads me. My ministry is one of “Carrying Your Love with Me.”

Jesus taught that we are to love others the same way that He loves us. We read in John 13:34: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.” To love like Jesus means to show unconditional love. We are to be merciful to others, not judgmental. Jesus went on to say that our demonstration of love to others will be proof that we are His disciples. We testify to our born-again relationship with Christ, when we show Christ-like love to other people.

When we walk with the Lord, carrying His love wherever we go, we have no reason to fear. As the song says, we will have the strength we need “for holding on,” even in difficult circumstances. My life’s story is proof that the Lord will supply “everything I need,” as I carry His love out into the world. I am at a point in my life where I check my pockets each morning, before I leave the house. I play the “Wallet, Keys, Phone” game every day to make sure I am not leaving something important behind. Let’s make sure to add Christ’s love to the list of essentials we need to carry with us daily!

Serving in love,

Bro. Jim