Loving Well

LOVE permeates the month of February. Without knowing the history of designating February 14 as Valentine’s Day, it was a great choice of timing. February can be the dreariest, most dismal month of the year without this heart-y celebration. We are all ready for winter and cold to subside.

We look for the perfect card, gift, and way to spend the evening to show our love to those we love the most. What is the perfect way to demonstrate my love to my husband/wife?
While love is all around, another question comes up - how do we love well?
Is loving well expressed through what we say? Or is it through what we do? Or maybe in how we act or our attitude? Or do we even know how to love well?
I have often heard people in a marriage crisis say “He/she doesn’t even know how to love or be loved.”

I believe that a human does not have the capacity to really “love well” on his own. To “love well” a person would love unconditionally and without end. One would love in a way that the other person would be able to recognize and receive the love.

LOVE is the subject written about the most in the Bible. All that God does to express Himself to His children is wrapped in the word LOVE.
“We know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love.” (1 John 4:16)

God’s love for us is unquestionable. To “love well” we must have the love of God in us, which He has promised to do for His children. “God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.” (Romans 5:5)

Only because of His love for us and in us can we truly love others. “We love because he first loved us.” 1 John 4:19.

When we love well, we do not try to control others responses with our anger causing them to fear us. That method is not from God. “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” (1 John 4:18)

“Loving well” is loving the same way God loves. He loves - regardless of the response of the other person.
We understand this kind of love when we become a parent, even though our love for our children is imperfect. Allowing God to love us and through us, we can love our others that way. Our greatest joy can come when we love as God loves us.

“Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”

Ed and Donna Edwards at Tanzania Assembly of God, Magic Coast

We attended the TAG Magic Coast of Bagamoyo, Tanzania, Pastor Ndosi. Ed preached and Donna shared about their family and ministry. It is the first Assembly of God church in this city and has been responsible for starting several more, even though they are small. They are now focused on starting churches in remote villages.

We found out that about 85% of the people in Bagamoyo are Muslim, higher than we had thought. They see a few come to Christ each year. Many are Muslim by tradition but not practicing.

Bagamoyo Church Follow-up

sunday worship

We had a great morning of worship! At an Assembly of God church! The music is always good in Africa, they worship with their whole bodies, like they really mean it. There were 150-200 there, packed into a small space, sitting on hard benches. The service lasted at least 2 1/2 hours (the time we were there)

Ed spoke about forgiveness. The pastor had been at our conference. After the message, the pastor had all the married people stand at the front, even if the spouse was not there. He had the couples stand together (they don't sit together in church). He had Ed pray for them. There was lots of hugging and crying, both unusual for public display in church. The pastor had learned well at our conference. He said that the message of forgiveness was just what they needed. We told him that everyone needs it. Ed clearly presents the gospel but also talks about how we are to forgive each other in the same way.

They gave us all the paper money in an envelope from their offering, 49,500Ts. We were very humbled. That's about $38. We will find somewhere to give it away before we leave.

Thanks for all of your prayers. Will send more info later,

Ed Edwards
Donna Edwards
"Giving Life to Marriages"
Livng Well