https://anchor.fm/ted-at-wanderinglite/episodes/Giving-Your-Love-to-Others-e1edau1
I want to spend a few minutes on this Valentines Day to share something that’s been troubling my heart for quite some time.
Something that I feel I haven’t fully come to grips with. Something I’d like to share with you, especially if you are struggling with dementia or with other diseases which have limited either your mobility or other capabilities.
I came across a graphic that says…
This has been my struggle for some time. Do you feel like I had something to give in terms of my experience or skills but can’t anymore?
My Challenge since my diagnosis
My struggle with Lewy Body Dementia it progresses has me asking the same. I’ve learned along this journey that God wants me to be a service to others, but what does that look like for someone like me, or maybe you?
I talked about this challenge in “Getting to know me” a presentation that I did for our congregation at church. It is available for viewing on the Website.
In that presentation I talked about a new calling I had from God, not direct calling but one I had to use to serve.
But What can I do?
I believe in the words of my church convent that in part say… that we should reach out to someone with the love of Christ this week’. Yet, I don’t want to go out preaching or proselytize. I want my work and actions to speak for my love and desire to follow Jesus’ teaching.
My belief in God and my belief in understanding the of ways of Jesus taught me, not anything about religion but about love and service, not just service to keep us preoccupied or make us feel better. In fact, many times Jesus and God told us how wrong religion is.
What is most important is we love God with all our heart and we love others as ourselves. But here is the challenge, you have to love yourself to love others.
That here is the trick…
If you know that God loves you no matter what than you should know that this is the type of love God wants us to give to others.
hope I have said it enough or, more importantly shown it enough that this is where two things that define real love, faith and action come together.
This is what is God looking for you to do, put action to your desire to love others. There are always others who need that help. I know it is easy to say “well I have this disease or I can’t do this or can’t do that”
But at same time, I do believe that all of us can contribute to the needs of others by showing love. I can be as simple as a smile, as tender word, some of your time, etc. My belief in this is expressed through my podcast, or in one of the many articles on the website that you too can do things that can help others.
No matter what your skill is that you had or what the new skill is that with God has given you there is opportunity to either redeploy those skills, even with such severe mental challenges as dementia, or other physical disabilities. God can open doors.
Keep looking find you gift to share
So, don’t give up on yourself. Never forget that what you have to offer is significant. There is only one you, and that there is always someone out there who needs what you have to give.
Follow Christ’s first two commandments. Love God with all your heart and love others the same way and the rest will flow to those who have needs.
No Comments