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Charity

Charity (Greek "agape") does mean love... however it is best translated as "a generous and unselfish concern for others." When you view that meaning and read this "Love" chapter in 1st Corinthians... it really makes you open your eyes. We all know that our reason for being here is to serve others and that when we serve others, we are serving Christ. However, sometimes we tend to forget the extent of serving others. We have to do so with the right motives and with our hearts. Reread this chapter below and replace charity with "a generous and unselfish concern for others." See if it makes a difference in your Christian walk. I Pray that it does... it does in mine!

1 Corinthians 13 (King James Version)

1Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

2And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

3And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

4Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

5Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

6Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;

7Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

8Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.

9For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.

10But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

11When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

12For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

13And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

God's Blessings .... in the form of stress relief for me!

Now, if you know me, you know that I do not like to be deep in debt. Granted, I understand that there are times that you have to go in debt such as homes, medical issues, vehicles, school, etc. I get that. But, I hate to feel as though I am over my head in debt. That said, my husband and I have really worked hard in the last couple of years to clear out any debt that we have. I currently own no credit cards other than 1 JCPenney card that I rarely use and if I do it is paid off in the next month. I don't think that it's bad to have a credit card, I just wanted rid of mine. Michael still has a couple for us in case of an emergency. One big thing that has been weighing on my mind lately is the fact that I owe around $25,000 in school loans from my Master's Degree and my Rank I. This stressed me to no end.

I have applied for loan forgiveness of my interest through the Student Loan People. After a very LONG process, I was granted almost $1,000 in forgivness. That sure was a blessing. I then applied for a loan forgiveness program for Ky teachers. I was unsure of the amount that I would get because I teach math all day to 5th and 6th graders but the 4 years prior to last year I wasn't working with upper grades. I am not going to go into great detail because it would just bore you and take forever. I found out yesterday that I qualified for the big forgiveness even though I have only taught up upper grades for 2 years. A payment of $17, 500 was made on my account, nearly wiping it clean. I only owe $5,600 or something like that now.

This made me think, wow... forgiveness and then my slate is wiped nearly clean. Well, open your eyes Alesha. I should feel this way daily because 2,000 years ago my debts were paid, my slate was wiped clean in a perfect transaction made possible by my precious Savior! If it felt that good to have that much money transferred to my account..... but how much better it feels to have that much Saving Grace transferred to me. I am so blessed. If God blessed me with this loan forgiveness for no other reason yesterday, it was to show me how faithful He is and to help me parallel that blessing to the biggest blessing that I'll ever have! How wonderful He is!