Learning to Love

Hello 20-somethings, October 29, 2005

I am sorry for not being here this evening, but I wanted to contribute to the discussion. I went to the Chargers game today and I hope by the time you are all reading this that they have won. Since last Sunday when the group met I have been thinking and praying about all the reasons I come to group and my true purpose and expectations of this group. My thoughts and prayers kept leading me back to learning how to love. This life is about learning to love, just like Rick Warren said in the beginning of the 40 days of community, see Pastor, I did learn something.

A small group of believers in Christ is the best way of learning to love the way Christ did when he walked the earth. We are together as a small group to teach each other how to love Christ and in turn how to love others. If I wasn't learning how to love through you guys and Christ's word, then all of my relationships would suffer. I wouldn't know how to deal with emotions such as anger, envy, resentment, jealousy, guilt, shame, etc, etc.

I am here in this small group to be loved, accepted, welcomed, challenged, encouraged, inspired, re-filled by the Holy Spirit, listened to, to be built up, and most of all to learn from the Lord's word and through all of you. We all bring experiences through our relationship with Jesus Christ and our relationships with others that can help everyone in the group learn to love. Maybe we should change our group name to learning to love. I hope my expectations aren't too much to ask. At the same time I am setting my own work ahead of me and I need to let go of the self to concentrate on each and everyone of you in the group. I also recognize that we aren't perfect and we will make mistakes as Dan and I did recently. The important thing is that we learn from this experience and future experiences. Realize that Satan doesn't want us to get close. He wants dissention, fighting, and us ultimately destroying each other. I am a firm believer in doing unto others what I would want done unto me, quoting scripture:

"So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets."

Matthew 7:12

I want to start opening my home once a week for all of you to come for fellowship and prayer. We can watch a movie, encourage one another in fellowship, make each other accountable, pray with each other, and grow in our relationships with the Lord and others. Each Sunday that we meet, I can let you know what day would be good that week and you can start your invites. I love to cook and don't mind feeding everyone, however finances are tight since I am in some debt and trying to save money. So maybe if everyone can volunteer some monies for dinner, I am down for cooking. My normal meals for 10-15 people have been $40-$60 dollars with plenty of fluids (non-alcoholic of course.) I can feasibly pitch in $20 of that each week, since my raise, praise God. We can set up the first night for November 11, 2005 for dinner and then the El Camino VS Oceanside football game. GO WILDCATS!! Be at my house around 6:00-6:30 and we can walk to the game after we eat. Let me know how many of you will be able to make it or not. Also, please check the BLOG site for updated posts and even post a comment or two to show you were there. Pastor Martin posted a great article about swearing that is all good advice and Dan has recently posted a testimony on forgiveness, thanks Dan. Expressing ourselves through writing can be a powerful tool in all our lives as we learn and grow in our relationship with Jesus Christ and all others. I love you all and God Bless.

Tonya
tarmenakis@hotmail.com
www.flywithchrist.blogspot.com