We’re to love each other as Jesus has loved us, and He loved us enough to give His life for us. We may not have to die for someone, but there are other ways to practice sacrificial love; listening, helping, encouraging, giving, leading, showing mercy, and serving. God is blessing FCA in Northwest Alabama each day with growth and opportunity. What will we do with that growth, and opportunity is the question. What is your Spiritual Gift? “Motivations” (the basic inward drive God places in each Christian to express His love). “Ministries” (the opportunities of Christian service which are open to us for the exercise of our basic motivation).

A holy man was having a conversation with the Lord one day and said, “Lord, I would like to know what heaven and hell look like. The Lord led the holy man to two doors. He opened the first door and the holy man looked in. In the middle of the room was a large round table with a large pot of stew which smelled delicious and made the holy man’s mouth water. The people sitting around the table were thin and sickly looking.  They had large spoons with very long handles strapped to their arms and each found it impossible to reach into the pot of stew and then put the stew in their own mouths. No matter how many times or how hard they tried they could not get the spoons in their mouths. They were fussing, fighting, and very self centered. It was all about me, me, me. The holy man shuddered at the sight of their misery and suffering.” The Lord said, ”You have just seen hell.”

Then the Lord opened the other door. It was set up just like the first room. Large round table with a pot of stew in the middle and the smell was just as good. The people in the room had the same long spoons strapped to their arms but they were well nourished and plump, laughing, singing, and talking. The holy man said, “I don’t understand.”  “It is simple,” says the Lord. “You must be a servant, leading, teaching, giving and loving your fellow man. You see, they learned to feed each other.” The man thought, this is heaven.

As we strive to serve our fellow man through FCA and grow God’s kingdom at the same time, we must look for our spiritual gift and use that gift each day to make a difference for the short time we are on this earth. Let’s all get involved and make this a great year for FCA.  --Mickey Haddock, Leadership Board Chairman, SEC Referee, Lauderdale County License Commissioner