From the Heart by B.Demaere

The Purpose of Suffering I used to complain a lot while suffering and then one day the Lord showed me that it didn’t reflect who he was and now I also realize that suffering or trials are used to teach and remind us what we learn in the Word and practice joy through the trials. The example of joy More than one church in the new testament suffered persecution.  But the church in Thessalonica was a church that still received the word with joy despite of everything that was happening to them.  The Apostle Paul visited them once and never returned.  Why?  Because Satan stopped him from going back (2:18) A couple of  verses catch my attention in the first chapter: So you received the message with joy from the Holy Spirit in spite of the severe suffering it brought you.   In this way, you imitated both us and the Lord. As a result, you have become example to all the believers in Greece-throughout both Macedonia and Achaia.   (1Thessalonians 1:6-7) Joy is a sign of maturity I

  Relationships As iron sharpens iron so one person sharpens another (Proverbs 27:17) Over the years in my relationships with people and more specifically in my marriage, I have learned that God’s design for relationships was to make us better people.  This does not have to be interpreted in a certain way or another.  It means simply means that at the start of any good relationship, individuals start as being dull in the matter of life and as time goes by, each are matured and sharpened in qualities that were weak to start with. The constant friction that should always encourage communication with time is enough to make us better tools for God’s service. Daily communication is meaningful. Sharpening of tools is necessary for growth.   Creativity is constantly needed in communication, and it takes two to grow from strength to strength. In the matter of marriage for example there should be a constant molecular movement of communication of feelings and words and especially w