One good Lover

**The following post written on Mar 10 2009 at 1:09AM**

Dear all,

Recently, I’ve been so strongly convicted by the concept of Love that I feel an urge to grow faster. The more I think about it and try to apply it in my life, the harder it seems to become. It is such a hard thing for me to do! With Love, one should forgive even if terribly hurt, and with love comes many obligations and duties that are not easy to comply to.

1 Corinthian 13:4-8—one of my most visited passages in the Bible— gives out six setences about what Love is:

Love is patient, Love is kind.
It does not envy, it does not boast, and it is not proud.
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, and it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres.
Love never fails.
1 Corinthians 13:4-8

These six sentences have touched and rebuked me very often especially now being involved in various ministries. I truly think that they are so easy to say and so easy to be overlooked that they are just impossible to act upon! Sometimes, I feel like I haven't done them well enough, or at all, that I have unintentionally become someone's spiritual stumbling block :(

Whenever I think about the concept of Love, a short message sent by my small group’s mentor, Xin-Lei, comes to mind. The message was sent to the core group girls last November, and it phrases it as if someone has dedicated himself to love me with Love. It is the kind of love that makes me feel safe and content in a relationship—

* He never envies and always shows the patience and kindness
* He never boasts of himself and he’s never proud
* He respects you, and he’s always gentle and polite to you. He doesn’t always think about himself, but rather, he considers your needs and situations
* He doesn’t get angry easily at all
* He will never record or remember your faults
* He will never lie to you or hide anything from you; he’s always sincere
* He protects you, trusts you, and always thinks in your positions
* He is supportive and takes actions when hardships come


Now, this is the kind of Love that I want to strive and aim for! I believe that the best gift I can ever give to a person— a loved one, a friend, a stranger, or even an enemy— is Love. It is not just the simple, “I love you,” but rather, a committed, “I Love you”.

I pray that all is well with everyone!
To those in Bloomington— please let me know if you need anything!!

Love (in progress),
Anna