Gathering

A man was walking in a wilderness.
He became lost and was unable to find his way out.
Another man met him. "Sir, I am lost, can you show me the way out of this wilderness?"
"No," said the stranger, "I cannot show you the way out of this wilderness,
but maybe if I walk with you, maybe we can find our way out together."

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A Friend loveth at all times.
~ Proverbs 17:17

Real friends are those who, when you've made a fool of yourself,
don't feel you've done a permanent job.

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Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
~ John 15:13

friend, n. frend:

One who is attached to another by affection;
one who entertains for another sentiments of esteem,
respect and affection, which lead him to desire his company,
and to seek to promote his happiness and prosperity;
opposed to foe or enemy.
~ Webster's 1828 Dictionary

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fair-weather friend:

Somebody whose friendship with another
is conditional upon the other's good fortune
~ Encarta

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A man of many companions may come to ruin,
but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
~ Proverbs 18:24

The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart;
and saveth such be of a contrite spirit.
~ Psalm 34:18

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A smile of encouragement, an act of brotherly love at the right moment
may act like sunlight on a closed-up flower;
it may be the turning point for a struggling life.

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Who is wise and understanding among you?
Let him show it by his good life,
by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.
But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts,
do not boast about it or deny the truth.
Such 'wisdom' does not come down from heaven
but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil.
For where you have envy and selfish ambition,
there you find disorder and every evil practice.
But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure;
then peace-loving,considerate, submissive,
full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.
~ James 3:13-17

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues,
they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.
For we know in part and we prophesy in part,
but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears.
When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child.
When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.
Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face.
Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
~ 1 Corinthians 13: 4-13
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At the end of life we will not be judged
by how many diplomas we have received,
how much money we have made,
how many great things we have done.
We will be judged by "I was hungry,
and you gave me something to eat,
I was naked and you clothed me.
I was homeless, and you took me in."
Hungry not only for bread ~
but hungry for love.
Naked not only for clothing ~
but naked of human dignity and respect.
Homeless not only for want of a home of bricks ~
but homeless because of rejection.
~ Author Unknown

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The best and most beautiful things in the world
cannot be seen or even touched ~
they must be felt with the heart.
~ Helen Keller
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Portrait of a Friend

I can't give solutions to all of life's problems, doubts, or fears.
But I can listen to you, and together we will search for answers.
I can't change your past with all it's heartache and pain
nor the future with it's untold stories.
But I can be there now when you need me to care.
I can't keep your feet from stumbling.
I can only offer my hand that you may grasp it and not fall.
Your joys, triumphs, successes, and happiness are not mine;
yet I can share in your laughter.
Your decisions in life are not mine to make, nor to judge;
I can only support you, encourage you, and help you when you ask.
I can't prevent you from falling away from friendship,
from your values, from me.
I can only pray for you, talk to you and wait for you.
I can't give you boundaries which I have determined for you,
but I can give you the room to change,
room to grow, room to be yourself.
I can't keep your heart from breaking and hurting,
but I can cry with you
and help you pick up the pieces and put them back in place.
I can't tell you who you are.
I can only love you and be your friend.
~ Author Unknown

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Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true,
whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just,
whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely,
whatsoever things are of good report;
if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise,
think on these things.
~ Philippians 4:8

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PEACE

The state of our heart dictates whether we harbor a grudge or give grace;
seek self-pity or seek Christ;
drink human misery or taste God's mercy.

Being kind and merciful is a testimony to a greater goodness.
It's difficult, but forgiving others who have hurt us allows us to see how God has forgiven us.
The greatest love and greatest strength of all, is in forgiveness.
Giving grace is the key to understanding grace.
I'm sorry to all I have ever hurt or offended in my life, and hope you can forgive me.
I forgive all who have ever hurt or offended me.
Life is too short to waste away on upset, hurt, pride and egotism,
doubt, fear, and war of any kind...

A true friend is the antidote to despair, the elixir of hope, the tonic for depression.
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Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another;
love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous;
not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling,
but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this,
that you may inherit a blessing.
For "He who would love life
And see good days,
Let him refrain his tongue from evil,
And his lips from speaking deceit.
Let him turn away from evil and do good;
Let him seek peace and pursue it."
~ 1 Peter 3:8-11

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Do not think, my friends, that I shall burden you with many things...
I shall enlarge on only three things, which are from our own constitutions,
for it is very important that we understand how much the practice of these three things
help us to possess inwardly and outwardly the peace our Lord recommended so highly to us.
The first of these is love for one another;
the second is detachment from all created things;
the third is true humility....

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"Love and do what you will."
If you keep silent, keep silent in love;
if you speak, speak in love;
if you correct, correct by love;
if you pardon, pardon by love:
let love be rooted in you,
and from the root nothing but good can grow.
~ St. Augustine

Seek Jesus in everything, and in everything find blessing.

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Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.

What man ever had more renown?
The whole Jewish people foretell Jesus before His coming.
The Gentile people worship Him after His coming.
The two peoples, Gentile and Jewish, regard Him as their centre.
And yet what man enjoys this renown less?
Of thirty-three years, He lives thirty without appearing.
For three years He passes as an impostor;
the priests and the chief people reject Him;
His friends and His nearest relatives despise Him.
Finally, He dies, betrayed by one of His own disciples,
denied by another, and abandoned by all.
What part, then, has He in this renown?
Never had man so much renown; never had man more ignominy.
All that renown was only of use to us, to help us to recognize Him;
it was of no use to Him.
. . . Blaise Pascal (1623-1662), Pens�es

The Light of God surrounds us,
The Love of God enfolds us,
The Power of God protects us,
The Presence of God watches over us.
Where ever we are, God is !
For He is ours, and we are His!

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Thank you, Lord Jesus Christ, for Your unfailing love.

Love, H & B

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son,
that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."
~ John 3:16

'Jesus said to him [Thomas],
"I am the way, the truth, and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through Me." '
~ John 14:6

"For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves;
it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast"
~ Ephesians 2:8-9

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+�� ,��,+ Peace +,��, ��+

Through Heaven's Eyes

"A lake of gold in the desert sand
Is less than a cool fresh spring
And to one lost sheep, a shepherd boy
Is greater than the richest king
If a man lose ev'rything he owns
Has he truly lost his worth?
Or is it the beginning
Of a new and brighter birth?
So how do you measure the worth of a man
In wealth or strength or size?
In how much he gained or how much he gave?
The answer will come
The answer will come to him who tries
To look at his life through Heaven's eyes."

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You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you,
whose thoughts are fixed on you!
Trust in the LORD always,
for the LORD GOD is the eternal Rock.
~ Isaiah 26:3-4

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith,
let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress.
And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us.
We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish.
He was willing to die a shameful death on the cross because of the joy he knew would be his afterward.
Now he is seated in the place of highest honor beside God's throne in heaven.
~ Hebrews 12:1-2

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If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it.
But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will find true life.
~ Mark 8:35
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PSALM 145

I will extol You, my God, O King;
And I will bless Your name forever and ever.
Every day I will bless You,
And I will praise Your name forever and ever.
Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised;
And His greatness is unsearchable.

One generation shall praise Your works to another,
And shall declare Your mighty acts.
I will meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty,
And on Your wondrous works.
Men shall speak of the might of Your awesome acts,
And I will declare Your greatness.
They shall utter the memory of Your great goodness,
And shall sing of Your righteousness.

The LORD is gracious and full of compassion,
Slow to anger and great in mercy.
The LORD is good to all,
And His tender mercies are over all His works.

All Your works shall praise You, O LORD,
And Your saints shall bless You.
They shall speak of the glory of Your kingdom,
And talk of Your power,
To make known to the sons of men His mighty acts,
And the glorious majesty of His kingdom.
Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
And Your dominion endures throughout all generations.

The LORD upholds all who fall,
And raises up all who are bowed down.
The eyes of all look expectantly to You,
And You give them their food in due season.
You open Your hand
And satisfy the desire of every living thing.

The LORD is righteous in all His ways,
Gracious in all His works.
The LORD is near to all who call upon Him,
To all who call upon Him in truth.
He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him;
He also will hear their cry and save them.
The LORD preserves all who love Him,
But all the wicked He will destroy.
My mouth shall speak the praise of the LORD,
And all flesh shall bless His holy name
Forever and ever.

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He heals the brokenhearted
And binds up their wounds.
~ Psalm 147:3