As the joy and excitement of preparing for the holiday season nears, please remember to share the special gift that each and every one of us possess – Love. Love is so important to God that it is mentioned hundreds of times in every translation of the Bible. I remember during my early days at Sunday school that our instructors would pull the classroom in a circle and tell stories of how Christ referred to love as the greatest commandment of all, and how he spent his ministry demonstrating love to his followers.

Learning to love God’s way provides the most tangible picture of him available to the world. Nothing will draw you closer to him or to others than walking in unconditional love. As my wife and I are raising our two beautiful and inquisitive young girls, we try to demonstrate that true love encompasses enthusiasm and passion, and it bases itself more on trust, commitment, and action.

I encourage all of us to love someone today through your actions: give a gift, a loving touch, a personal note, or an act of kindness. For it was Saint Thomas Aquinas who shared that to love is to will the good of another.

Jim