This last weekend thirty of my friends and I went fishing up at Roche Lake and had an awesome time together teasing, making fun of each other, putting up with each others snoring, just being guys together. We had a blast expressing our hu-man-ity, beating our chests, avoiding showers and shaving and enjoying cholesterol and all meat meals.

Besides all the caveman cavorting we were able to be men who love being men who love other men in a very real and transparent way.

Yes, I did say thirty friends.

You say, “I wish I had thirty friends…”

These guys are all from my Church, and somehow we all get along and actually like each other so much we can spend a weekend together trying to catch the most or biggest fish so our name is engraved on a gawky second hand trophy.

The richest relationships I have are with my brothers from the Church, that is why we call our Men’s ministry, ‘A Band Of Brothers’.

We are building lasting supportive relationships where we encourage, assist, mentor, hug and even cry on occasion because we love each other as brothers.

The rainbow trout dancing on our lines is always a bonus. It’s the deep relationships and bonding that we experience that keeps us coming back year after year. We all want and need friends. The Church is a great place to make lasting friendships and experience brotherhood. I hope you can come with us next year…see if you can put up with my snoring…

   I’m always amazed and so happy that my wife loves me so much. I’m so far from perfect yet my wife loves me in spite of my flaws and mistakes. My mishandlings of her tender emotions at times or misunderstanding or somehow forgetting her needs. My impatience, my moods….I could go on and on. Now without sounding arrogant, I do believe I must possess a certain amount of quality characteristic that she loves and that makes her feel wonderful & loved but, I fail often and suffer from inconsistency. The most amazing thing is that she loves me in spite of my lack. That’s unconditional love!    

   It’s awesome when people love us unconditionally, but what is even more awesome is that God our Father loves us absolutely and totally with an unconditional love. So much so, that He pursues a relationship with us that is only subject to our agreement and willingness to interact with Him. You see, He wants you not for what you can give Him but for what He can give you. Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”  

   Now it’s up to us to respond to His love. It’s not forced nor is it illusive. His invitation to you says, “Come to me all you who are week and feeling burdened…I will give you rest.”

   He knows you and loves you as if you were the only person on the earth. You are the apple of His eye! So if you are feeling like you have to measure up or be more lovable to qualify for His love, forget it. He accepts you as you are, freely and without reserve in spite of your inconsistencies and failings. He doesn’t base his love for you on your good performance either. You can’t earn His love. He’s bigger than that. You don’t want religion nor does he. He wants a relationship with you! He loves unconditionally and He is God…not a human being.