simplyorthodox:

From a report given by a pagan official, Aristides, to the Emperor Hadrian (117-138 AD), who was seeking justification to outlaw Christianity.

Christians love one another.

They never fail to help widows; they save orphans from those who would hurt them. If a man has something, he gives freely to the man who has nothing. If they see a stranger, Christians take him home and are happy, as though he were a real brother.

They don’t consider themselves brothers in the usual sense, but brothers instead through the Spirit of God. And if they hear that one of them is in jail, or persecuted for professing the name of their redeemer, they all give him what he needs. If it is possible, they bail him out. If one of them is poor and there isn’t enough food to go around, they fast several days 
to give him the food he needs.

This is really a new kind of person. 
There is something divine in them.

This is what we were. This is what the world saw in Christians who came just after Christ. This is what we are meant to be. 

(Source: stmaryorthodoxchurch.org)

“This is about being nice. Nice isn’t in the Bible, and it isn’t a Godly virtue either. Niceness is about you putting your need to be liked above their need to hear the truth. When you’re in that place (and we’ve all been there) you’re actually closer to something that rhymes with cowardice. Confronting in gentleness and love, but with a steely focus and determination is, for sure, a Biblical concept. 

As a Christian, I’ve been called upon to sacrifice to a degree that might make a lesser person run screaming into the night, BUT that sacrifice was always for areason. Sucking it up for no reason, and doing so because of a fear of confrontation, and a need to be liked, is not love, and it’s not a virtue. For sure, we all want to be liked, but being a Christian means being a boat-rocker, plain and simple. As Luke 6:26 indicates, you should beware when everyone speaks well of you, because that only happens when there’s something false about you. 

Thiiiiiiiiiiiis. So much this. And actually, this even relates into what Hanna and Alyie prayed over me last night. Rockin’ the boat from our house-on-a-hill. Cool encouragement to read this this morning. 

(Source: partoftheatmosphere)

likeacaptain:

mint milkshake + espresso = fuck. yes.

I LOVE YOU EMMA.

It makes me sad how quickly the writing degenerated for this picture. Next time you order a hot drink, let me draw on it. And it will be prettier and last longer! And I love you too!

Fyi all of you who aren’t Christian—this used to be his name written on his drink. Welcome to how I make my Earlista time a little bit more fun. :]