Dear Lizzie Mae,

1. Forgiveness is at the heart of heaven. There is much in my life that warrants judgment and condemnation, yet I have been forgiven. I, too, must learn to forgive. For if I do not, I subject myself to a burden far greater than forgiving. I subject myself to mental and spiritual torture.

2. At the same time, it is in the nature of human beings, including myself -- perhaps especially myself -- to be untrustworthy. Therefore, it is wise to be cautious when endeavoring to be transparent. One must know to whom one commits one's self. No matter how trustworthy another may appear to be, or how deep one's relationship, remember human nature: one must never become unconditionally transparent. (John 2:24-25)

3. Among human beings, there is no such thing as "unconditional love." Given the necessary amount of pain, love can be slain -- even among the closest of relationships. We are, after all, a fallen people. We may say that we would give our life for another and mean it even to the point of actual death. But to live for another, while suffering incomprehensible, malicious pain from the one beloved -- given our depraved nature -- is quite impossible in this life.

4. Still, it is not in the "getting of love," that one serves another. For service to others and humility are among those things which God so highly commends. Nor, does one serve others merely to placate God. One serves because from his heart, he is a servant. One serves for no other rationale than he loves, and because he loves, he seeks to benefit and bless those he serves. We therefore seek, I therefore, seek, to love as Jesus loved and as he loves still.

5. I have learned that there is little in me that is good. And whatever there is within me that is good, is because God loves me and puts his goodness in me, what little there is of that. The point is, were it not for the grace of God, I am deserving of the worst.

6. Prayer: Create in me an irrepressible desire to take up space in your fullness. To be in operative touch with my purpose, my destiny and the strategic timing of my existence, totally absorbed in my commitment to be what you intended me to BE!

7. God is not going to do for me what he has enabled me to do for myself. God helps those who cannot help themselves.

8. When you create something, when something concrete arises from your person that touches the life of another for good, you have risen above your humanness to reflect the Image of God.

9. In the same sense that the appointed time and conditions of the coming of Jesus Christ was precise and perfect, so is the "coming" of all. It is belief and love, however, that implements and makes real the Divine rationale. Without belief and love, one's "purpose," and "meaning for life" is pointless and empty.

10. I have learned that my worth to God is measured by the cross, and all that it means.

11. Jesus in the LENS through which all philosophical, theological, biblical, and psychological phenomena must be interpreted and understood. Jesus is the core absolute of all knowledge. He, and he alone, has revealed God the Father. Anything, even if it masquerades as Truth, must be discarded if it contradicts the teaching and character of Jesus Christ.

12. I believe without question in life after death. I believe in heaven. I believe in salvation and deliverance from sin both in this life and in the next. BUT -- if none of this were true, if it is all fantasy and when we die, that is the end of all -- I would still believe, I would still accept these things as true, valid and absolute. In such a case, the fantasy is infinitely better than the reality.

13. I have learned that lying is not always wrong. Assuredly, most of the time, it is most certainly wrong. But there are exceptions. If one lies, as did Rahab in the Old Testament story of the fall of Jericho, for the greater good, the lie itself is good. If one lies in order to protect another from evil, so long as self-gratification is not the driving force, it is an act of love and valor. To lie, either by silence or misinformation, to protect one's privacy against its invasion from one whose motives are injurious, egregious, or questionable, or has no warrant, the lie is a constructive, good thing. Such lies are an accommodation to the reality of evil, both human and otherwise. We do not live in a perfect world. One should make strenuous effort never to lie to one's self, and it is impossible to lie to God.

14. I have learned that not all invitations are well-intentioned. Sometimes an invitation is driven by the self-gratification of the one doing the inviting, and should the expectations of such gratification not be forthcoming, the invitation is not only withdrawn, the one invited may be faulted/blamed for accepting it.

-- PDM