We recently celebrated the life of my father-in-law, Papa Don Mardock, who died in December at age 94.
Don was a walking love dispenser, giving love to everyone he met. He knew you can’t dispense what you don’t contain. In other words, you can’t give what you don’t got! Fortunately, Don knew where to go to get love.
“God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” Romans 5:5
This is the amazing gospel! God pours His very self into us by giving us His Holy Spirit. Like a seed planted in our hearts, in time it grows into wonderful fruit that others can taste.
The more we let the Holy Spirit fill us, the more we won’t be able to contain the fruit of God’s love — it will overflow, touching all those in our path.
“I pray that your love will overflow more and more” Philippians 1:9
The same goes for God’s joy. We have to go to the source to get it. King David found the distribution source for joy.
“You will fill me with joy in your presence” Psalms 16:11
The presence of God is the source of maximum joy. Just like love, joy is a fruit of the Spirit, resulting from the presence of the Holy Spirit in us.
God’s joy and His love are fruit off the same vine. We can’t have one without the other.
Jesus said, “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be full.” John 15:9, 11
When we grasp how deeply loved we are by God, and learn to live in His presence, the result is a fruitful life full of love and joy.
Then, like Papa Don, we too will become walking love dispensers, giving others a taste of the goodness of God!
“I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.” John 15:5, 8
“The Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” Galatians 5:22-23
“Taste and see that the Lord is good!”Psalms 34:8
Heartspills 
Your words bring joy to my heart, Walt! What a wonderful man Marci’s father was, and look how the love the Lord planted in his heart continues to bear fruit. There’s a Christian song (which I’ll have to look up later!) with this phrase I love: “God put a million million doors in the world for His love to walk through; one of these doors is you.” One of these doors is you, Walt! Thank you for blessing me!! ❤️🙏🥰
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Sorry I couldn’t be there for that special occasion. But as I told cousin Glenda I was there in spirit
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Hi Tim,
Thanks for your kind message. I appreciate your wanting to have been there. It was a beautiful service. Don was honored. So was the Lord. Blessings to you!
Walt
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