I ran into an ex-coworker on the bus the other day. A delightful british girl who was on her way home after an extended stay in Canada. We got to talking about our lives and our families, and she started talking about the respect and support her family shows one another. It was so refreshing, the way she spoke of her family sending her money, supporting her dreams of travel. Or the way she spoke about her mother, never wanting to do anything that would hurt her or disappoint her. It was obvious that there was so much love and mutual respect in her family. She spoke of how she would drop everything she was doing if her mother needed her, how her family sticks together, loves one another, and thinks about each member before making decisions. She said her family were her best friends, and when they get together its so much fun, so much laughter, so much joy. I asked her how her family managed such togetherness, so much respect, so much love, as it is an unusual thing these days. She told me that it was their love for God that kept them together, kept them loving one another. She went on to tell me that when she was younger they had some sort of family struggle and through that experience they noticed that the people who considered themselves Christians, sometimes, were the least Christlike. They weren't practicing love, or helping a brother when they were in need. Church was like a social club, where, if you followed a certain criteria, you were allowed in. It had nothing to do with Christ, or love, or supporting one another. So her family decided to find out who God really was, read their bibles, get to know His nature, and just follow Him. Follow His teachings. Love your Neighbour as Yourself, Respect your Mother and Father, Care for the Widows and Orphans, Love God. Encourage Your Brother. She said that it changed her family's life. They started putting other people before themselves, their family members, their friends, they humbled themselves, served each other, dropped everything to help one another, and through doing that, by looking at themselves, everyday, and asking, "how can I be more like God", by encouraging others to be the best they can be, they have been blessed beyond belief.

...and I was encouraged.