Do you like tofu? I remember the first time I tried tofu—it tasted so bland that I never wanted to try it again. 

That is until I ate at a Vietnamese restaurant with a friend, and it tasted so good that I wanted to go back there again and again!

And do you know why that is, friend? Tofu itself is just bland—it has almost no flavor. So it really depends on what you marinate it with!

Now here’s the thing—we humans aren't naturally all that "pleasant" for the people around us. Without Jesus, we can come across as pretty bland!

The Bible says it this way: "For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh." (Romans 7:18, ESV)  

That's why it's so hard for us to love others. Because we see them through our "bland hearts." We long to be loved ourselves, and we put that first. And if we don’t feel that 100%, we don’t even think about loving our neighbors...

So now, friend, what's the solution? Well, just like tofu—you, friend, need a good marinade!

What do I mean by that? You need more of the Holy Spirit! "...because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” (Romans 5:5, NIV)  

So if it’s hard for you to love yourself today, let alone love others who get on your nerves, then it’s time to dive into this precious marinade! Because: "The fruit of the Spirit is love..." (Galatians 5:22, NIV)  

If you let the Holy Spirit into your heart and mind, LOVING others won’t be so hard to find!

friend, if your life has been dull so far and you need some “marinade,” invite the Holy Spirit into your heart today!

I wish you lots of love!❤️

You are a miracle!

Deborah Rosenkranz
Author

Singer-songwriter and author, but especially Jesus' biggest fan!