One of the additions we have made to our house is a fire pit.  Mike and I love to relax sitting around the fire, talking and laughing.  We use it as an opportunity to get involved in our neighbors lives, inviting them over to talk and share hot dogs and somores. 

I adore being the one who builds the fire; starting with the kindling, adding petite sticks, building with my towering inferno with each layer.  I do not place the giant logs on until I have a blazing fire going.  It takes effort to get the fire ignited.  However, once it is in full blaze, I am free to relax and add a log here and there as needed. 

My point is this, in order to enjoy the fire; I have to spend time at the start making sure everything is right.  The oxygen, the kindling, even the size of the fire needs to be large enough, so it will not go out.  I do have to tend the fire to keep it going.  If I walk away for a long enough period of time, the fire will go out. 

Thought for the Week:  God is like a fire on the inside of us.  When the fire first starts it needs constant attention and at times the fire needs to be fanned into a flame.  However, just as a fire needs attention, so does our relationship with God.  The logs on our spiritual fire can be compared to our time spent with God.  When we spend time with God, our fire grows.  However, in our daily living events happen to diminish the fire.  Therefore we need to refuel the fire with another log of time.    Do not stop with your own fire.  Timothy was a younger brother in the faith, whom Paul was mentoring.  Who are you mentoring?  Who are you helping fan into flames the gift God has given? 

2 Timothy 1:5-7