Fan the Flame

I took this picture in my friend Fran's backyard. The flower captivated me because it looked as though it was shooting out flames. It brought to mind the terrible fires in California. The Santa Ana winds sometimes reached 100 mph as they fanned the flames of destruction. Evidence was found that some of the fires were the result of arson. The intention was to kill, steal, and destroy.
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One of my favorite life verses tells us that God did not give us a spirit of fear. But sometimes directly before or after a well-known verse, there is a pearl just as valuable. When I searched the book of 2 Timothy for the "fear" verse, I found these precious words leading into my life verse:

I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. 2Tim. 1:5-7

We believers, being developed by the Holy Spirit, are purposed to fan the flames of life.