Taking action… doing before being?

There is a lot of talk in the church about doing certain things to advance the kingdom or how we must discipline ourselves to do so. But is not all of this fruit i.e. not something we do but something that is produced in and through us?

There's often very little talk about how we are moved to action i.e. What moves us and causes us to act, to do, to bear fruit? Seeking to take action/bear fruit without understanding the cause of it would be synonymous to taking a car on a road trip and trying to push the car down the road before understanding the importance and necessity of filling up the tank.

We are not the fuel that drives the engine, God is. So we must understand how we can "tank up" before we ever talk about how to drive the car, turn a corner, or the value of using a map once en route. We must understand what it means to operate and walk by the Spirit and not by the flesh.

The picture given in Scripture is we must be (abide) before we can ever do. We must be in the presence of God and abide in his love before we can ever bear fruit. Without him, we can do nothing i.e. the car goes nowhere.

For a fuller discussion click here. 

The greater our sin the greater his Grace

When we are most ugly and unlovely, God is loving us most.

How so? 

It requires more love to love someone when they are most unlovely than when they are most lovely i.e. To love us at our worst involves a greater love (commitment to love) than loving us at our best (Just think of your own experience in loving someone angry, ¹hostile, fearful, untrusting, bitter, or anxious versus someone thoughtful and kind). 

"For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person - though perhaps for a good person, one would dare even to die - but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." - Paul an apostle of Jesus. Rom 5:6-8

So how can God do this... how can He love the unlovely? Because God's love has nothing to do with our performance. It is based entirely on someone else's performance. God himself through Christ!

That commitment of love was made a long time ago (Eph 1:4-6) and the decision and follow through on it is already completed i.e. "it is finished (John 19:30)." Therefore nothing we do can add to or take away from God's love, nothing!!! If we are His child, His love is secured for us and is now fixed on us no matter what! (Rom 8:31-39) 

Why? Because it is secured by someone else's efforts not our own. And not just anyone's, but the efforts of none other than the perfectly loved and lovely, perfectly faithful, and obedient eternal Son of God. The love God has for his Son is now the very same love he has for us. Let this sink in!!!

As we come to recognize this is the kind of love God has for us as his children; a love that, in the above sense, is more intense and steadfast the more unlovely we are, this love... his love, begins to transform us. The more we "get it" the more we change. 

To put this in practical terms, think of one of the areas you struggle with most. Anger, gluttony, anxiety, fear, lust etc...fill in the blank. Whatever it is, think of the last time you blew it in this area. How did you feel? Dejected, rejected? (Not by God. That, my friend, is all in your head, not in God's heart. More on this later). 

Next time you find yourself failing in the area you struggle with most, make yourself (choose to) think in the midst of that struggle, "God is loving me right now while I am in the middle of this. He is loving me in my sin and in my struggle!" Then make yourself think of why he is 100% with you and for you, loving you at the very moment of your failure, and what Christ did so the Father doesn't turn away but is always seeking, pursuing, and loving you, as much as ever (in a sense more than ever); that Christ died for that very sin you are in the middle of. Your specific sin helped put him on the cross. This thinking is what the Bible means when it says "reckon" these things to be true. 

Romans 6:8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live (present tense) with him. 9 We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. 10 For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. 11 So you also (in the exact same way) must consider (reckon in the KJV) yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

How will this "reckoning" affect what you are struggling with? My suggestion is if you really "get" his love (i.e. believe he loves you the way he says and has already proven) it will cause that sin's pull to lose its grip as it's happening. If it doesn't, it is only because you don't truly believe He really loves you as He claims (and proved) and is loving you in and at that moment of your turning away from trust in Him. That He already knew in advance how, when, and where you would fail him, and he went to the cross anyway. 

Are we getting better or worse? BOTH!

God's love for us wasn't just before we came to Christ but also now that we are in him... And in a sense, even more so. How? As we mature the awareness of our need for God's love increases (our objective need for it, however, remains constant and never changes, as well as its availability. This is a constant and settled reality because of Christ). 

But as we mature, our actual sin/unbelief/distrust truly declines over time (i.e. our faith increases resulting in greater faithfulness/obedience) while our subjective awareness of our sin/unbelief/distrust increases. Or to say it another way, we are getting better in one sense but getting worse in another, at the same time. And this trajectory continues until we go to be with him. 

Our sense of increasing dependence, need, and appreciation for the grace of God also increases (the need itself is and has always been constant, our sense of that need does not; it grows over time).

As we mature in our faith we become more keenly aware of the various areas of our rebellious distrust we still subtly cling to, as well as God's grace extended to us in that rebellion. It's not that these (our rebellion and God's grace) are new areas. They were always there, we just weren't as aware they were. They are only new to our awareness of them. 

That is not to say sin/distrust/unbelief/unfaithfulness does not matter (or to say it positively, whether faith matters), it does. Rom 6:1-2  But we are talking about God's disposition of love towards us in our sin, not our subjective experience and participation in that love i.e. our rebellious distrust of God does not change his actual love for us, it only changes our experience of it.

God's objective love and our subjective experience of that love are entirely distinct even though connected. One is always true and constant (his objective love) while the other (our experiencing of his love) comes and goes according to our faith i.e. our trust (our resting or abiding in it) that His love is there, never-ending, uninterrupted, no matter what we go through or how we feel. 

For a further discussion on our participation and experience of God's love click here. 

_________________________________

¹Loving our enemies is a very radical idea and totally contrary to our broken, rebellious, and distrusting nature. But Christ calls us to love our enemies because this is exactly what he does and who He is. He is seeking to make us more like Himself i.e. to conform us to his image. 

 The deepest and greatest love is always sacrificial. GOD IS LOVE. 

The mechnism of change

The primary process or mechanism by which we change is twofold:

1. Realizing the full extent of our brokenness 

    and 

2. Realizing the full extent of God's love in spite of it. 

We should pause and reflect on these two realities continuously. We will not gain the full benefit of understanding these otherwise.

The more fully we see these, the more we change. This is an ongoing, never-ceasing process until we go in to eternity.

In addition:

To see each fully requires seeing the other. One does not occur without the other.

We cannot appreciate and understand the fullness of God's love until we know the full extent of our brokenness and our constant, ongoing need for His love 

AND 

We cannot face or fully admit the full extent of our brokenness until we understand the fullness of his love.

These are like a loop. One feeds off the other and vice versa. We are constantly going back and forth between these two as if in an ever-expanding upward spiral, gaining a fuller understanding of each as we advance upward in increasingly greater trust of his love for us.

Also, a secondary but key part of our growth is understanding that we are still in God's image, even though greatly marred. The importance of this is recognizing that we are worth being loved i.e. lovable... which makes us able to receive, experience, and participate in his love. We are broken, but that is not saying we are useless or worthless. We are redeemable and worth being redeemed, or God wouldn't have made a way to redeem us.

For more discussion on this click here.

As broken as we are, we still can receive and give love back to God and in turn reflect that love out to others to his glory i.e. drawing attention to the greatness of God. 

We are *responsible i.e. "response able." We are able to respond (and do respond) in love to God when we receive his love for us. But we receive it when we believe it i.e. believe He made a way to restore us back to Him in and through Christ. And this way is the evidence of His infinite love. 

We are valuable precisely because we are like God and therefore able to have a conscious and deliberate relationship with God. We can be, and indeed in Christ, we are the sons and daughters of God and the brothers and sisters of Christ.

Thinking we can be our own god is our problem. Being in God's image and all that this means is not. It is a key element of our actual worth.

* Responsible:

2. Able to discharge an obligation; or having estate (property-that which we are in possession of) adequate to the payment of a debt (obligation). - webster's (1828)

#Lovely #Lovable #Responsible #ThoughtsAboutGod #ThotsAboutGod

Unable yet still accountable

Christ said the greatest commandment is to love God with everything we have and are... and our neighbors as ourselves Matthew 22:36-40.

However, how can we be accountable for not being loving when we don't have the ability to be loving on our own i.e. without God? Joh 15:4-5,12

We may not have the ability within ourselves, apart from God but...

1. We are still in God's image with the capacity to receive and return love.

2. We are offered free access to God - the source of infinite, eternal love - in, through, and because of Christ. 

Through this access to Him, we can be empowered to do what we are designed and called to do. 

When we have access to God in and through Christ and participate in His infinite love, we are empowered to love and be loving as we were designed to and have the capacity to be. 

This doesn't mean we will do so perfectly or consistently, but this is no longer required since Christ assigned his perfect record of obedience to us. We are now under grace, not God's law. We are received by God as perfectly right (righteous) before Him, when we are not practically in our day to day conduct. 

But to operate at our greatest potential is to operate according to God's design/will i.e. to follow God's direction to love Him with all we are and have and each other. 

Now it is our choice to accept or refuse God's perfect, infinite, and unrelenting love. Though we are not forced to accept God's love, the lack of fruit (our not being loving) due to our refusal to accept God's love, is our responsibility i.e. to refuse to receive the love God freely offers and thereby unable to love others as a result, is a choice we have made and will be held accountable for. We may not be able to love sacrificially on our own, but we are freely offered the resources needed to love as we are called to when empowered by the Source of infinite love. Access to this love is offered to whoever will receive it. 

Our not being able to give to others what they need is not because it's unavailable to us, but simply because we refuse to receive it ourselves, so we might have it to give to others.

This would be like coming across someone starving and not having any food ourselves to give them. But you have been told there is someone who freely offers all the food both of you will ever need, yet you refuse to accept it or tell others because you distrust the one offering the food or you are unwilling to explore the validity of the offer.

However the result of your refusing to receive what is freely available is you are also unable to give to others what they need (you can't give what you don't have), when you could have done so, if you had only believed and accepted the offer.

This is a choice you and I are fully responsible for. Everything necessary for us to have full access to the Source of life and love - the hard part - has already been done for us and fully taken care of. It is now up to us to believe and receive it.

"The Spirit and the Bride say, 'Come.'

And let the one who hears say, 'Come.'

And let the one who is thirsty come; 

let the one who desires take the water of life without price." 

- Rev 22:17

For a discussion on how everything depends on God and us click here

For a further discussion on the necessity of choice click here

For a further discussion on being free yet also bound click here

______________________________________________________________________

#Unable #Accountable #Faith #Love #ThoughtsAboutGod #ThotsAboutGod

What is growth part 2

Growth for a believer is becoming who we already are. It is coming to the place that our experience matches our status.

As a child of God we are fully loved yet we often don't sense being fully loved.

God is fully present yet we often don't sense his presence.

God is always working for our good yet it often appears he is not.

Why is this?

·        Part of it is simply because we still live in a broken world full of pain and suffering. No matter how close we draw near to God this will be part of our existence until we leave this world. That is an external issue and the reality of our existence in a fallen world. 

·        Part of it is we don't truly believe or understand our glorious status as his beloved children. This is an internal issue and the reality of our limitations and our distrust of God. 

·        Part of it is we don't trust God fully and are still inclined to be our own god, seeking to gain a sense of meaning and purpose and love from anything and anyone other then from the one where it is truly found i.e. God himself. This hinders us from experiencing the love of God, already completely secured for us in Christ. This too is an internal issue and the fruit of our fallenness. 

The solution?

Know who God truly is and how he sees you as his beloved and precious child (this is an ongoing process we will never stop pursuing or reach the end of).

Know who you truly are as a creature designed for infinite love that can only be truly satisfied in a relationship with your infinite Creator (this too is an ongoing process you never reach the end of).

• For a fuller discussion on God's objective love verses our experiencing it subjectively click here. 
• For additional thoughts on growth click here.

God exalts us when…

Before God can exalt/advance us he has to sufficiently set us back/tear us down i.e. Humble us.

What does that humbling process look like? 

We have to come to the place that we fully recognize we are not the source of love, of life, of our identity (we are in his image not ours), our ability, of anything.

Our very existence and breath comes from God. 

We must know this not just in our heads but in our hearts; at the core level of belief/trust.

Even our trust is only as good and as strong as the object of that trust i.e. God himself. If we do not understand the greatness of God we will not and cannot have great faith/trust.

We are creatures and all that we are and have comes from our Creator...not some things...everything!

If we are to experience all that God offers, we must recognize God is behind and in everything offered. God himself is ultimately all that we need.

"...when I am weak, then I am strong."  - Paul an apostle of Jesus. 2Co 12:10b

I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. - Jesus Joh 15:5  

"Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you." - James an apostle of Jesus. Jas 4:10  

"The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything... for "'In him we live and move and have our being'; as even some of your own poets have said, "'For we are indeed his offspring.' "-  Paul the apostle to the Greek philosophers in Athens. Act 17:24,25,28

"Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! 

How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! 

"For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?" "Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?" 

For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen." - Paul an apostle of Jesus. Rom 11:33-35

#Humbled #beingexalted #Advanced #ThoughtsAboutGod #ThotsAboutGod

What's the love of God like

A different kind of love story

After several years of success, Gaige Patiens hit the financial wall during the economic downturn in 2008 -- you may remember, all the bailouts and the like. The San Diego housing market plummeted. Gaige and his wife's southern California house -- valued as high as 720k -- bottomed out at 450k in less than a year after it peaked ... so did his business and marriage. After 3 years of financial hardship -- going from 10k a month of discretionary income to 2k a month short of expenses -- his wife felt Gaige was no longer a good provider and decided to "pull the plug" on their 16-year marriage. Her reason -- God's "hand of blessing" was no longer on him, so she no longer felt obligated to stay in the marriage. She asked him to move out. 

Gaige was bewildered and devastated. He now found himself not only single but due to all the stress of his unexpected new circumstances, his health declined rapidly. He became disabled with frequent joint pain and less than adequate kidney function. Being in his mid-fifties didn't help. After a couple of years of unsuccessful attempts at starting two other businesses, he found himself out of money, homeless, and forced to move to an area where it was less expensive.

A multi-Trillionaire -- yes, with a T -- named Dr. Joshua Finamore (a real estate developer, well-renowned physician, and inventor turned philanthropist) got wind of his plight through his brother Joseph. Joseph had attended one of Gaige's business success seminars and got word on why Gaige was no longer doing seminars i.e. his business and marriage had crashed and burned. Joseph mentioned this to his brother Josh (Joshua) in passing during a conversation on various business ventures. Joe (Joseph) was impressed with Gage and found his seminar very helpful. 

Once Josh heard of Gaige's challenges, he had his people do some digging. They were able to find out where Gaige was now "living." He immediately decided to leave the comforts of his opulent life and show up as a homeless person at an abandoned building in Austin, Texas, where Gaige now lived (Many considered Joshua Finamore somewhat eccentric and a bit crazy. It turns out this wasn't the first time he had done this kind of thing).

Gaige, somewhat puzzled by this unexpected visitor blocking his doorway, was clueless of his true identity. Josh being dressed as an unkempt homeless person needing a good bath, definitely threw him off.  

Josh explained he had no place to stay and asked if Gaige had any room... the couch would be fine. He also offered to help out in any way he could - (for three whole years it eventually turned out). Feeling annoyed but also a little sorry for the guy, Gaige agreed to let him stay for now. "He'll hopefully find his own place after a couple of weeks," Gaige thought.

Even though Josh was homeless with no apparent job, it didn't take long for Gaige to notice Josh mysteriously and miraculously came up with whatever was needed whenever they got into a real bind, just in time but not before. He did this for others in the building as well. The really weird part is Gaige always found this guy up early before everyone else praying, of all things -- something Gaige had given up on soon after things "went south" in his own life. 

At first Gaige was put off by all this "good deed" stuff, but over time he got to know Josh, and eventually got over his distrust -- I mean who would really do all this and not have an ulterior motive, right?! 

As time went on there were other hints of Josh's true identity (bright, skilled with seemingly unlimited resources) but Gaige simply never picked up on it. They just didn't match up with who he thought Josh was. When anything weird or out of character came up, Gaige wrote it off as his overly active imagination or Josh messing with him. Over time, the hints became more obvious to the point that Gaige was beginning to suspect something, but not exactly sure what. It took 3 full years before Gaige finally got around to asking Josh what was going on. Josh was glad to explain about his real identity -- even hoping for the question, and how he heard about Gaige through his brother Joe that attended one of his workshops. He also gave direct hints to his ridiculously unimaginable wealth.

Now he had Gaige's full attention and curiosity. He wondered, "Why was Josh doing this? What was in it for him?" Even though Josh had increasingly dropped hints before, Gaige listened this time and really heard him for the first time. After watching him for three years He had come to trust this guy was for real and genuinely cared about others. Actually, Gaige's increased trust was the main reason he finally heard him.

Josh offered to bring Gaige back to live on his own property so he could rest up and heal. Without giving a lot of details, he told Gaige, "there's plenty of room, in fact, you could even have your own place!" Josh said he'd be nearby in his place and glad to visit any time. Still a little suspicious and cautious Gaige started to get excited and after hearing more agree to go. 

"Could this really be happening!?" wondered Gaige. "Anything was better than the current setup, but this is crazy." He figured what did he have to lose? Plans were made to head out the following day.

In the morning Josh sent Gaige out to grab a few things for the trip. Ironically, while Gaige was away, a gang of drug dealers were in the area looking for Gaige and broke into his place. 

It turns out a few days before Josh showed up 3 years earlier, Gaige had accidentally killed a member of this gang during a botched robbery at their hang out. When Gaige broke in, no one was supposed to be there. But one of the gang members was left behind to guard their stash. When Gaige broke in, they got into a tussle and this member accidentally fell down the stairwell and broke his neck. Gaige checked on him but he was gone. He scrambled out quickly undetected...or so he thought. 

When the gang returned they found their friend dead and put the word out on the streets if anyone saw someone come or go while they were out. Someone nearby said they heard a scuffle and had seen Gaige leave that day. Over 3 years later this same guy spotted Gaige in a different part of town the day before he and Josh were to leave and let the gang know that night. The gang made their plans to go after him the next day, the same day Gaige and Josh were to head out. When the gang arrived they found Josh, not Gaige. After some discussion, they decided to beat Josh to death - since Gaige killed their friend, to get even and send a message to Gaige that he was next.  

When Gaige returned he immediately saw his door had been busted in. Rushing inside he found Josh on the floor badly beaten, bruised, and laying in a pool of blood -- he was still alive, barely. Frantically Gaige rushed out to the street to borrow someone's cell phone and call 911. When he went back in it appeared Josh had stopped breathing. After several minutes trying to revive him, he was about to give up when the paramedics finally arrived. They also tried for several minutes, but it was too late. Josh was gone. The paramedics took Josh's body to the city morgue. 

Gaige was stunned. After several hours of numbness and shock, he reached out to someone he knew that worked at the morgue. Gaige asked if he could help sneak Josh's body out. 

Gaige had no money to give Josh a formal burial and didn't know how to reach his dad -- he just found out the day before that Josh's dad was also extremely wealthy. In the excitement and rush, Gaige never thought to get his dad's contact information. Gaige wound up burying him in a plot offered by the guy at the morgue -- someone Josh helped get the job there a few months back. 

Gaige now had the burden not only of losing his best friend but how was he going to reach his dad. What would his dad wonder if he can't and his son didn't return.

Everything was suffocatingly overwhelming. A heavy depression came over Gaige. Not only had he lost what turned out to be his best friend but Gaiges life was back to a miserable mess again with no hope of change. After three days he couldn't handle it and decided to take his life. As Gaige was pondering how to end it, Josh mysteriously and suddenly showed up in the middle of his room. No knock, no footsteps...nothing. To say Gaige was speechless would be an understatement. Not only was Josh alive but he looked better and stronger than before, almost superhuman. Seeing Gaige's utter confusion and disbelief Josh reached out to hug him saying, "remember the gash in the back of my head? -- bending forward -- Check it out!" Gaige did and sure enough, even though there was a scar, it was better than new. Considering Josh was all bloodied and swollen just three days earlier Gaige was blown away. 

Giving Gaige a few moments to at least partially recover from the shock Josh again extended the offer to come back to live with him. With great relief and excitement, but still puzzled, Gaige quickly agreed -- in case the gang returned -- and grabbed what few things he had and together they headed out, never looking back. 

After a couple days of travel -- Josh covering the cost -- Josh pointed out the plane window an island they were coming up to and said "here we are." "You've got to be kidding me," Gaige accidentally thought out loud while looking out the window.  Finally, after crossing the length of the island they landed on a well-kept private runway. Gaige also discovered Josh didn't just live here but owned the whole island. Not just any island but a pristine tropical island about the size of Kauai. There was literally enough room for thousands of people to live here -- much less one -- without ever bumping into each other. The island was a paradise, loaded with all kinds of fruit trees, some neither he or anyone had ever even seen, along with lush gardens, tons of wildlife -- much of which he didn't recognize, at least not like this (everything he did recognize was bigger, more colorful or more fragrant here). There were also several spring-fed streams that emptied into a couple of huge lakes, bursting with all kinds of fish. There was even a huge snow-covered mountain near the middle of the island. There were waterfalls and valleys everywhere with plenty of level and cleared areas for farming as well. The weather and conditions were perfect, usually in the upper 70's to low 80's by day and low 60's by night. Gaige had never smelled air or tasted water so fresh and invigorating. After a couple of days, he noticed they seemed to infuse new life with every breath and drink.

It turns out, after several days, all Gaige's physical disabilities completely cleared up. In fact, he grew stronger by the day.. Eventually, he was so healed he never get sick again. He no longer had any aches or pains. He also noticed he didn't even get tired anymore. Things got increasingly better as time went on and Gaige actually started to get younger after a few months and revert to his prime in his former life -- around his late 20's -- but even stronger and more alert. He couldn't remember ever feeling better, stronger or more alive. After living there a while he also found out no one dies here, ever. Something about this place -- or maybe it was someone -- kept everyone alive and vibrant.

"This is only part of the landholdings of my dad and me," Josh explained during one of many conversations. After being there several days to let it all soak in, Josh told Gaige, "the island is yours to cultivate, enjoy and share with others. You are also free to come and go to the other places my father and I own. If you wish you even have the option of exploring and cultivating other properties." 

A few days later Josh tells Gaige, "there are others on their own islands nearby." Over time Gaige developed great friendships with all of them, traveling back-and-forth freely between the different islands, enjoying extended stays, visits, adventures, and projects together. What was really cool is he was able to travel by some kind of mental transport if he wanted to (or fly or sail if he preferred, both solar powered). By just thinking it, within seconds he was at the new location. He discovered these new friends had similar stories on how they got there, and his mutual love and adoration for Josh, his former "homeless" friend, grew more with each new story.

Josh also visited with Gaige regularly and went on adventures with him whenever and wherever they wished, as often as Gaige desired. Gaige simply thought about him coming over -- kind of mental telepathy and prayer wrapped in one -- and Josh was there as soon as Gaige was ready. It was as if Josh knew in advance what Gage was thinking and was just waiting for him to invite Josh over.  

After several extended conversations, Josh told Gaige he is free to stay here forever. In fact, he reveals to him this was his plan from the first day he showed up at the abandoned building Gaige lived in. 

Gaige is shocked when he also found out Josh heard on the streets the gang figured out where Gaige lived and was coming to kill him the day before they were planning to leave. That's why Josh sent him out on errands so Gaige would be spared and Josh be killed instead. In fact, this was the necessary and decided plan between Josh and his father from the start, in order to bring Gaige to this new place. It turns out there could be no unresolved debts, obligations or offenses of any kind from the past in order to live there. So he deliberately allowed the consequence of Gaige's offense to be taken out on him. Plus Gaige would never have the resources necessary to rent even a small place on this island, much less own the whole blasted thing.

For those hearing this for the first time, some may be wondering how Josh came back to life? Well, let's just say it has to do with the strength and power of the love Josh's Father had for Josh, and he for his Father. A love so intense and powerful that it actually somehow generates life itself. Crazy right?! Gaige also finds out that this very same love is mysteriously the source of the life and beauty of this breathtaking new place he is now living in. 

It turns out Josh and his Father not only own this chain of islands Gaige lived among but actually own the entire world the islands are on. In fact, they own an unlimited number of worlds like it, but different at the same time. Worlds Gaige was free to travel to and visit by that same crazy mental telepathy thing. Each planet was equally exotic yet totally unique. Some were mountainous or winter wonderlands, and some were entirely water with a vast number of Islands, but most were a combination of various climates and geographies. 

As Gaige considers all that his "homeless" friend has told him and takes it all in, Josh and Gaige both stand there together smiling, Gaige's eyes watering up in joy with a huge grin breaking out on his face so big it would normally hurt but doesn't -- it only increases his longing and pleasure -- because there's simply no pain in this new place. 

This is not

THE END… 

Just the beginning.

"...Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away."  And he who was seated on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new." Also he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true." 

And he said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment." Rev 21:1-6

*The name Joshua is equivalent to Jesus, also pronounced yehōshūa. It means “Yahweh is deliverance” or “opulence”

Fidus amor is latin for “true love”... “Fin amor”, is “derived from Latin fidus, ‘faithful’. Originally, fin amor ment "admirable and refined" because it was faithful, by definition. So the term, fin amor, comes from Latin, as do many other word constructions in the romance languages.

Gaige (gauge) suggests someone calculated and measured.

Latin definition for: patiens

1.     patient/long-suffering

2.     submissive/liable/susceptible to

3.     tolerant/easy-going

Once they got settled in at the island Josh gave Gaige a new 1st name - Pret, short for Pretium (which is Latin for redemption, ransom, price, value, ransoming, reward). But that's covered in another story.