What is God's Love Language?

So Brandon and I are reading through the book The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman. It is an awesome quick read that we would encourage everyone to check out. The principles of the book and finding "the secret to love that lasts" are very easy and basic things that we all do already or can easily learn how to do. Chapman states there are 5 love languages: "Words of Affirmation, Quality Time, Receiving Gifts, Acts of Service, and Physical Touch." In the book he explains each language, gives examples of each, and helps you find what your love language is.

What is the importance of all this you might say? Well it is very important in the fact that as each of us is a very unique human being made in the image of God, we each have different ways in which we give and receive love. However, just because we show someone we love them in a certain way doesn't mean that they will interpret that act as a sign of love. For instance, if Brandon would do a load of laundry I would interpret that as an act of love (because I know he hates dislikes doing laundry) but to him he might just be doing a load of laundry. Understanding our own "love language" and that of our spouse or partner is very important in developing a solid foundation for your relationship/marriage.

This has then brought me to the question of What is God's Love Language? In other words what makes God feel loved? Will understanding God's Love Language help me bulid a stronger relationship with him?

Wow! What a powerful question. I've thought about this for some time now and this is what I have to say:
All of the Above!

Words of Affirmation: Claiming that you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior makes God feel loved

Quality Time: Spending time in the Word and Prayer, reading scripture daily and praying with purpose of getting to know your Savior makes God feel loved

Receiving Gifts: When we accept Christ our life, body, spirit is a gift to him and this makes God feel loved.

Acts of Service: When God's people live for him and live out that love to all people, being the hands and feet of Christ makes God feel loved.

Physical Touch: I believe when you feel the Holy Spirit move within you it's like a great big hug from above! When we embrace and act upon those ways in which the Holy Spirit moves us, God feels loved.

Or as he said in Mark 12:30
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.'

Food for Thought: How do you show God that you love him?

The Calling!

Is there anything in your life that you felt/feel called to do? Did you/will you follow through?

All my life, well since my teens, I have wanted to do mission work. My mom and I always talked of how fun it would be to go on a medical mission trip together, we are both nurses, but never went forward with it. A few months ago now I began thinking about mission work often, knowing that it was something I would really like to do at some point in my life. So I started praying about it each day on my way to work and the following testimony is what happened....

Brandon and I attend Indian Creek Community Church in Olathe, KS. About 2 months ago or so I started having this sense that I was supposed to go on a missions trip. I have always wanted to do this but didn't know where to go, how to do it, or when the right time would be. So, I began to pray this simple prayer:

 "God please use me as you would to be your hands and feet here on this earth, whether it be here in the states or in South Africa God please open those doors that need opened and close those that need closed to get me there. I pray God for the hearts of those that would help me get there because I know I cannot do it on my own. Amen"

So I began to pray this prayer every morning on my way to work. It then became very interesting to me that oddly I was beginning to hear the words South Africa often; whether on the TV,news, people, and at a church service. So I continued the prayer. Well about a month ago on a Wednesday morning on my way to work, I turned the radio off and said my prayer as I had for a couple months. When I turned the radio back on this is what I heard: "I will follow" by Chris Tomlin

Where you go, I'll go
Where you stay, I'll stay
When you move, I'll move
I will follow...

All your ways are good
All your ways are sure
I will trust in you alone
Higher than my side
High above my life
I will trust in you alone

Where you go, I'll go
Where you stay, I'll stay
When you move, I'll move
I will follow you
Who you love, I'll love
How you serve I'll serve
If this life I lose, I will follow you
I will follow you

Light unto the world
Light unto my life
I will live for you alone
You're the one I seek
Knowing I will find
All I need in you alone, in you alone

In you there's life everlasting
In you there's freedom for my soul
In you there joy, unending joy
and I will follow

The tears started flowing down my cheeks and I had the biggest smile on my face with the words South Africa laying on my heart. I knew that this was no coincidence, this was a gift from God and I was going to accept it. I picked up the phone and called my husband, who had no idea I'd been praying about this, and said honey I think we're supposed to go to South Africa. He was very surprised to say the least but never once did he doubt or question me. So we began to pray about it together and then the oranges answered our prayer!

We were grocery shopping at Walmart and went to pick out some oranges. "Babe what does that say?" We both looked at the orange "South Africa" no kidding we looked at each other and tears were flowing down our cheeks. So South Africa here we come!!!

There is a family the Agee's from our church that felt called to move to South Africa to support the mission Oceans of Mercy. http://www.oceansofmercy.com/ Our church has partnered with them to help support their mission and does so by sponsoring orphans, shoe drives, pencil drives, mission trips once or twice a year, etc. Brandon and I have been sponsoring a child now for close to a year, for $40 a month we help supply meals, shoes, and school supplies. We look forward to meeting him when we arrive there!

We will be leaving March 8th and return on the 22nd. The village we help sponsor is Kwa-dick. On this trip our group will be helping to prepare the land site that a new community center for the orphans is going to be built on. We will also be helping with the child sponsorship program and updating the orphans records, HIV/Aids education, and spreading the love of our Lord Jesus! You can learn a little more about the trip here http://www.timstout.com/sa/

Brandon and I have been blessed abundantly in our lives (more stories to come) and we know that God has more planned for us then we can even imagine. We cannot wait to see what he has in store for us and I'm sure this is just the beginning. We ask for your prayers in our preparation for this experience as well as our traveling and health. We will keep you updated here throughout our journey.

We thank each and every one of you who has prayed for us thus far and who have supported us with this mission. We pray that God would bless your lives and lead each of you to live out for him as well. May God break our hearts for what breaks his and then lead us as his hands and feet to serve and bless his people abundantly here on this earth.

God Bless!

Kelsi

Hello

So I've decided to step into the world of blogging. I have absolutely no idea what I am doing, but I'm sure you'll all be able to see that! We, my husband Brandon and I, wanted a way to share our spiritual journey and life lessons with those we love and care for.  I hope you decide to come back and follow us along this beautiful path that the Lord has blessed us to walk upon!