Why a love letter?

The word "love" makes some people cringe, it makes others nostalgic, and still others think of commercial symbols that flood the marketplace around February 14th. Some people associate it with weakness, a painful memory, or a good feeling. Others use it to close their emails or as last words when they leave their family or friends. But the raw power of the concept and act of love; the radical nature of the very real transformative, four-letter virtue is so much more than we give it credit for.

What if we dared to examine our lives through how we give, receive, use or fail to use love? The LOVE letter is a place where we talk about what it means to live love, tested by life-- anchored in Biblical truths. The url for the site is agape (unconditional love), epistle (letter). I believe that the Holy Bible is God's eternal love letter to His people, and that we are His love letter (2 Corinthians 3:3) to a world that He wants to redeem (John 3:16).

But what does that mean exactly? We will search for what His love letter means and what it means for us to be a love letter. This conversation should challenge us to be living explanations of the most divine, and put the very best of us not only on Facebook, emails and blogs, but in our hearts which will pour out in our lives. I believe that if we can learn to love better the rest of our lives will be better. After all, what are the two greatest commandments? According to Jesus, the first is to: "love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' 40All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments. (Matthew 22:37-40)".

We will celebrate people who are exemplifying what it means to be a living love letter, and challenge ourselves on how we can better practice the greatest commandments.

You can use the series as a weekly devotional, or dialog about the issues raised in the posts. But please, don't just read-- be engaged (James 1:22).