Love is… But am I?

Love is PATIENT. It never gives up. Am I patient?

When my toddler is unhappy and whiny and I have no idea why, am I patient with him? I need to be taking time to come to his level, attend to his needs, and hug hime. When my husband forgets to do something important that I've asked him? Do I give him grace? I should be understanding there's a lot on his mind, and forgive him. When God says wait, do I push forward with my own agenda? He's God, my guide and creator. He knows what's best for me. I should trust Him when He says wait. He has a better plan than mine could ever be.

Love is KIND, caring for others more than self. Am I kind?

Do I give of my time to people who are in need? Am I courteous and hold the door for someone who needs it? I should be saying "thank you" more often, sending loving cards, and investing in people's lives. God help me to be kind to people I don't want to be. And most of all to the people closest to me. Give me a kind hearted spirit.

Love does not boast and is not prideful. Am I boastful? Or prideful?

Do my actions or words show off myself and my accomplishments? What are my intentions behind my actions?  Lord, teach me to be humble.

Love is not self-seeking. It does not get mad at every little thing.

When I communicate my feelings and needs, I don't want it to be completely self-seeking. Yes, I need to be able to communicate what I'm feeling, but I also need to be listening to others and their feelings. What are my intentions in my actions? Do I focus on what I'm getting out of it? Love is not about me. It's not "me-first". Jesus - remind me to let the little things go. Allow me to give grace and forgiveness on the little things that anger me. 

Love PROTECTS.

Am I protecting my marriage by keeping my vows sacred? Do I look out for the best interest of my husband? Do I protect my friends and family by not breaking their trust or gossiping about them? God - allow me to learn what it means to protect my family and friends. And to protect my spiritual life.

Love TRUSTS.

Do I assume the worst or think people's intentions are different than they are? Why don't I just expect the best in everyone? Trust is hard, especially when you've been hurt or your trust has been broken before. I pray I can trust my husband without reserve. And be trustworthy. And trust the Lord without borders.

Love HOPES.

Do I hope for the best or always expect the worst? I have hope in the Lord and the promises He has planned for me because of His love for me. Help my love for others in my life, and people in general, to show hope for their lives.

Love PERSEVERES.

I never want to give up on love. That's what Jesus' life was about. That's why He died on the cross. I will always fight for love and what is means to love someone. Jesus- show me how to continuously love like you and never give up fighting for love.

LOVE NEVER FAILS.

Part of Love

A quality of God's love has been coming up a lot over the past few days. This is God's love when we are angry. Anger can be a hard thing to overcome. In becoming a Christian I had a lot to work on and anger was by far the thing God wanted me to change.  I remember in youth group I would always talk about how anger is the thing about myself I would most like to change for the glory of God.  He wanted me to be more like him.

"The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love."
Psalm 103:8

I had no idea what slow to anger meant because I am the type of girl who isn't afraid to show her emotions especially when they are overflowing like in times of anger. So as you can imagine I wasn't exactly living the "slow to anger" lifestyle. I began to pray and James 1:19-20 became a goal for my life. "Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires." I began to listen to others more. God was teaching me not to become angry when I failed to win an argument or when I felt neglected or offended. Now I am angry when injustice and sin occur, I am angry when others are being hurt. It is amazing how much work God has done! Do I still get angry? YES! Of course I do. It wasn't until someone I am with every day told me that I handle my anger well that I realized all the work God has done over the years in regards to anger. I try not to erupt like a volcano spitting hot lava. I take the situation in, say my opinion and if it doesn't change anything just walk away and brush it off. He is changing me even when I thought there was no hope of being changed and if you struggle with anger he can change you too. We can stand together as followers of Christ and get angry at what truly matters. Things such as the injustices of sex trafficking, poverty, and many many others. Let us follow God and be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry. Let's choose love!!

He calms our raging seas.

'Loves' of the Bible

Lately I have been thinking about my purpose here on Earth. Our purpose as Christians. As I have been reading my Bible one thing comes up over and over and over again! It's love. I truly believe that loving others is one of our main purposes here. It is how we can reach out to others. Everyone wants to be loved. And they deserve to be.

Going to youth group in high school, I remember my pastor talking about the different types of love in the Bible. This always perplexed me because in English we only have one word for love and thats... you guessed it... love haha:] But in the original Greek there are four different words for love! So this week I dived in and researched a little bit as to what these words mean and where they are found in the Bible! :]
 

Eros: Sensual love or physical love between a husband and a wife (erotic love)

                   This type of love is portrayed in the Bible but doesn't appear. It is mainly portrayed in Song of                         Solomon when the husband and wife are very attracted and affectionate toward one another.



Storge: Family love, bonds among mothers, fathers, sisters, and brothers

                This type of love is also portrayed in the Bible especially in the relationships between Noah and his wife, Jacob and his sons, also with Mary and Martha toward their brother Lazarus.



Philia or Phileo: Close friendship or brotherly love; spontaneous or natural affection

               Found in the New Testament.

Romans 12:10 

                        "Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves."



Agape: Selfless, sacrificial, unconditional love

                 This is the highest of the four loves. It is found in the new testament. Agape perfectly describes the kind of love Jesus has for his followers and for God. Sacrificing himself for us and God. It is the mentality that, "I will give, Requiring nothing in return."

Romans 5:6-8

"You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."  

 


This is the greatest of the loves... Jesus sacrificing himself to save us. Agape. It even sounds beautiful. It is.
In our culture the word love is used very lightly. Its thrown here and there without even as much as a thought to what we are saying. I wish we had these different words used in the Greek language but we don't so the next best alternative is to think about and put meaning behind love. I don't want to just say the word anymore  I want it to mean what it is supposed to mean in each situation. And guess what ladies:] I have a phileo love for you! I love you and am praying for you the rest of this week!:]

My Favorite, The Love Chapter

Does anyone else have certain scripture you always like to go to? Read and reread? I do. If I don't know what else to read in the Word one day or I am having a rough day, I like to go to my favorites. One of these favorites is 1 Corinthians 13. I feel like every time I read it, God has something new to teach me at the particular point in my life.


1 Corinthians 13: 8-13
(8)Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. (9)For we know in part and we prophesy in part, (10)but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. (11)When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. (12)For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully; even as I am fully known. (13)And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.


Last night I was reading this chapter again and felt God telling me to dig a little deeper than I usually do. Paul is talking about love and in verses 9 and 10 I noticed something that I had not before, God has given us spiritual gifts (knowledge, prophecy, etc...) to help the church grow, to help others see us as different and will help them come to Christ, and to praise God. Eventually these gifts will pass away he tells us. They will disappear. I found that a little odd... God blesses us with spiritual gifts then he takes them away? I believe Paul is trying to tell us here that spiritual gifts are good and beneficial but the thing that endures forever is love. When Jesus returns we will better understand his love for us. Now we have to believe what is given to us. Isn't it true that if we were given a picture of someone whom we had never met and if we studied that photo we would think we know everything(feature wise) about them? Until you meet that person for the first time do you realize that some things don't look like you thought because you can see more. It is no longer a 2D picture but a 3D person you are seeing. Just as in verse 12, it is the same between ourselves and God. We understand all that we can with the Word, Holy Spirit and the gifts He has given us but when we meet God face to face, Paul tells us that we will know him fully. We will understand His love fully and will be able to love the way he loves us!


I just think it is so neat that God can teach you different things from the same passage time and time again! So do you have places in the Bible God uses to speak to you over and over? This chapter in the Bible is so poetic and beautiful! I could read it everyday! I pray that Yahweh speaks to you through His Word today in a special way! God bless you and keep you!

Jesus Loves You

This childhood Sunday School song may be very familiar to you. Like me, you may have sung it as a kid learning about Jesus long ago... you might also sing it to your children now. These simple, short little verses may be easy to recite, but there is also power and comfort in them. Have you ever stopped to really think about the words? To sing them to Jesus yourself and feel them? Slow down today and when you need to be reminded of how you are loved and cared for, think of this little song. This little powerful song.

Jesus loves me! This I know,

For the Bible tells me so.  

Little ones to him belong; 

They are weak, but he is strong.

Yes, Jesus loves me! Yes, Jesus loves me! 

Yes, Jesus loves me! The Bible tells me so.

Jesus loves me—He who died

Heaven’s gate to open wide;

He will wash away my sin,

Let His little child come in.

Yes, Jesus loves me! Yes, Jesus loves me!

Yes, Jesus loves me! The Bible tells me so.

Jesus loves me—loves me still,

Though I’m very weak and ill;

From His shining throne on high

Comes to watch me where I lie.

Yes, Jesus loves me! Yes, Jesus loves me!

Yes, Jesus loves me! The Bible tells me so.

Jesus loves me—He will stay

Close beside me all the way,

Then His little child will take

Up to Heaven for His dear sake.

Yes, Jesus loves me! Yes, Jesus loves me!

Yes, Jesus loves me! The Bible tells me so.

God is Love and Love is God part 2

I am being reminded daily of the amazing acts of kindness and love that the people of the Dream Center showed to others. The compassion and willingness to help was also overwhelming. The love was seriously in the air. You could feel it. People from all over the world was there giving their time to help the needy. I was able to chat with people from Australia, Switzerland, Sweden, London, Poland and many others!

One of the days that I was there we headed out to skid row to hot serve meals to the homeless. Hundreds lined up and the amazing thing was that they could come through the line as many times as they wanted.

There were so many different types of people in line. My job was to walk around and talk to the homeless as they stood in line and also where they were sitting down to eat. If you know me, then you know I'm pretty shy when it comes to people I don't know. This was so far out of my comfort zone. I had wanted to serve food but God had other plans.

As I walked down the line I started with handing out flyers to let them know that there are buses that will pick them up, take them to church then drop them back off at skid row every week.

I said Hi, flashed them a smile, asked if they got a paper already and walked on. After a few minutes my shyness was really starting to bother me. I told myself that these people needed more than just that.

I started asking them how their day was going. Some said good, some said they were just hanging in there and so happy to get some food.

There were young and old and all races, all from different parts of life. Some in business suits down on their luck. Some with nothing. Some used to have it all and had lost everything. Now they found themselves in line for a free meal.

I saw a young chinese guy, probably around 20 years old. He had just gotten his plate of food and was trying to find a place to sit.

I walked over to him and asked him how he was. I smiled and he said "not good." I then asked why. He said he was alone and scared. I asked him where His parents were and how he got on the horrible streets of L.A. He then began to tell me his story....

You see his parents brought him to America and left him on the streets then went back to China. He said "they don't want me or love me anymore." "They told me to never come home. They don't love me." I asked him if he wanted to go home and he said so bad.

He then dropped his little tiny bag of chips that he was given with his meal and said, "oh no, oh no," as he picked them up. "These chips are like gold to me, it's like I won the lottery."

My heart sank. I thought to myself... it's just chips.... but to him they were everything.

I continued to talk with him then it hit me. I had to tell him....

"God has big plans for you. You weren't meant to be here on the streets but God is going to turn everything around for His glory. Everything you are experiencing is for a greater testimony. If you just say yes to Jesus, man, He will turn your life upside down. When you are scared, call on Him. When you are lonely, call of Him. He is going to take care of you. You are going to go home and God will provide you with a way. You wait and see. When you knock on your parent's door and they are going to love you and have their arms wide open. With God all things are possible. There are bigger and better things and God wants you to start dreaming again. Dream BIG.

He started to cry.

"God loves you. He loves you so much."

I told him to sit down and relax. He was safe and to enjoy his food.

I looked at him one last time in the eyes and said DREAM BIG.

It was amazing to me that I just spoke hope into his life and revived this boys dreams.

God was using me.

I will never forget that guys face. Lost and hopeless and the moment I spoke Hope, his eyes started to sparkle again.

He was just one of many that I talked to.

Be sure to check back next week for more!

God is love and love is God part 1

About 2 weeks ago I was privileged enough to go on a mission trip to the DREAM CENTER in Los Angeles, Ca. It was the most incredible experience of my life. It has forever changed the way I think about people and how God really does love us.

The Dream Center is an amazing outreach that started with one man's dream and a word from God, and that man is Matthew Barnett.

He purchased a hospital in the heart of Los Angeles and turned all of the hospital rooms into places where needy people could get their lives back on track.

Some of the programs and outreaches they have going on are rescuing girls and women from human trafficking. I just read on their Facebook that they rescue and take in over 275 girls and women a month! That is a huge amount of women who's lives will be forever changed.

Also, they go out with buses and go out into skid row in L.A to take in the homeless and addicted. If they choose to enter the rehab program then they are  given a room and also are able to go through their programs to get off of drugs and change their lives. Then most of the time those who were once addicted and lost give their lives to God and work at the Dream Center!

Another thing that they do is take food trucks out into the community and hand out food to the needy and feed the homeless. They also take buses out into neighborhoods, show them God's love and then fill the buses with adults and children and give them rides to church.


There are many other things that The Dream Center does and you can take a look at www.dreamcenter.org and they also have a facebook. Just type in The Dream Center in the search bar.

I really don't even know where to start with what I experienced. Some things were too heart breaking to even look at. There were moments when I cried, and cried REALLY hard. I was deeply sadden by suffering and hungry babies, filthy children who didn't have clothes that fit and lost homeless people of all ages.

One morning, we separated the food that was just dropped off and donated by Albertsons into  tons of grocery bags. We were basically grocery shopping with the donation pile for the families that were about to get their children taken away from CPS. CPS contacts the Dream Center and then the Dream Center is able to assist, give them what they need every week and help with the children, even teach the women how to clean and cook so they are able to keep their babies.

After we bagged up the groceries we headed out to each individual apartment to drop off groceries, diapers, wipes, baby toys and furniture and cleaning supplies.

I slowly walked up the stairs with a huge box of diapers in my hands and as I approached this woman's door you could smell the stench coming from her place. It smelled so bad. I did not know what I was about to see.

We knocked on the door and walked in slowly. I set the diapers down by the door next to the CPS worker that was observing the children.

I then realized as I looked around how small the studio apartment was. The whole place was as big as my bedroom. THE ENTIRE place. Including kitchen, bathroom and the living area was the bedroom.

In the living area there was a bunk bed with 2 twin beds stacked on top of each other. I looked at it and saw 5 small children sitting on the bed with a baby play pen next to the bunk bed with baby #6 in it. They were absolutely disgustingly filthy. The children smelled of rotten poop and potty.  I don't think they were not potty trained and would poop and pee their pants which was probably hardly cleaned.

I smiled and started talking to all the children as they all rushed around their baby sister in the play pen and looked at her.

I stepped closer and looked down at the baby girl no older than 5 months.

She was disgustingly filthy, smelled so bad and her clothes were black with dirt.

I stared at her for no more than a minute and excused myself out of the door.

I ran. I had to get away. I couldn't believe what I had just seen.

I burst into tears as images of that apartment kept flashing in my head.

The apartment was so disgusting. SO EXTREMELY SMALL for 6 kids plus the mom and mom was pregnant again.

They were kept in the tiny area all day every day with nothing to do. Not a lot to eat.

The baby girl made me think of my own 4 month old daughter. What if my kids had to live like that?

Crud smeared all over the walls and cabinets. Living in that rotten odor. Dirty clothes and hungry.

My heart couldn't handle that feeling. I was so heartbroken for those children. I wanted to take them all and bathe them, give them happy means and toys but I couldn't.

I just had to drop off what they needed and look at them while trying to smile.

The amazing things is that the Dream Center will be helping that family. They will be going once a week to clean the apartment and supply the mom with whatever she and the babies need.

The images of what I saw and experienced will forever be etched onto my heart.

Everyday at the dream center I saw the love of God working in action...

That was just the beginning of what I saw.

I can't wait to share more with you because there is so much more!

Love Deeply

Happy Friday girls of God's heart!

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Lord I pray for each and every girl who sees this today.  I pray for blessings and protection for them and their families.  I pray for peace over any anxieties in their minds.  I especially ask that you would gently remind them to LOVE today for love covers over a multitude of sins!  Love you Jesus!  Amen.

Judging Others

We weren't created to judge  others. 

 

That has been weighing heavy on my heart.

 

In my prayer time a few days ago God revealed to me a little revelation about judging others.

 

It is so important to grasp why we were created in the first place.

 

Our sole purpose of being here is for His kingdom and a relationship with Him.

 

God is the ONLY one who should be judging.

 

As women, it is so easy to judge the second we see how someone is dressed or see how someone looks.

 

The way we look on the outside does NOT show the condition of our hearts.

 

Just because someone doesn't look "right" doesn't give us the right to not talk to them or be ashamed to be seen with them.

 

Who made up the standards for looking "right" anyways? Only man did and NOT God.

 

God created us each as individuals with different likes and desires.

 

We start judging when our likes are different or someone lifestyle is different.

 

Even when we don't agree on lifestyles we aren't supposed to judge, we are supposed to LOVE.

 

God created us to love Him and love others.

 

Everyone of us should strive to see other people just like God sees us.

 

Be quick to forgive and not quick to judge.

 

Show His love towards the ones you judge.

 

 

When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her." John 8:7

 

What if those men judging Mary Magdalene showed her love instead of condemning her?

 

When we judge we aren't showing Christ's love.

 

Everyone sins differently but in the eyes of God, sin is sin no matter what we do.

 

This life is for so much more than worrying about what other people are doing.

 

Instead of judging how about we help them find the love of God!

 

We can boldly reach out.

 

You never know when the Holy Spirit will use you to help change someones life.

 

Use the moment to share God's love instead of being quick to judge, walking away from them.

 

John 7:24 ESV
Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.”

 

Matthew 7:1-5 ESV
“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.

Luke 6:37 ESV
“Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven;

 

Ephesians 4:29 ESV
Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.

 

 

 

 

 

 

7 Days of Love DIY

I'm so excited to share with you a little DIY project to kick off your weekend!  So my husband is just about to leave for a week to attend a work training in Dallas.  This will be the longest that we have been apart since we have been married (almost 7 years!).  The only other time that we have been apart longer was when I went on an outreach to Albania in 2003 after we had been dating for about 3 years.  Needless to say I will miss him :(

Recently I came across a cute gift idea and it ended up being perfect for just this occasion!  The original idea came from The Dating Divas blog.

Here's the idea:  Find a pill box that has 7 slots and fill them up with notes and treats for your loved one to open each day of the week.  Now I chose to make one for my hubby but this would also be great for a child, a parent, a sibling, a best friend, a co-worker, or just about anyone that you can think of who could use a little of bit of brightness every day for a week!  Thankfully my silly 3 year old decided he wanted a pill box to put his coins in on a recent outing to CVS so I happened to have one laying around!  The Dating Divas have a downloadable page with 7 pre-made notes that you can print out here.  I chose to type my own out to make them a little more personal.  I chose to fill my little boxes with Nerds candy because I always used to buy it for him while we were dating and they were small enough to be able fit a bunch in!

I rolled up all of my little notes and stuck them in in the order I wanted him to read them...

Finally, I sealed them across the top with a little note and my directions to ONLY open one each day!

Here are my love notes:

This was so quick and so easy I know I'll do it again!  I'm thinking I will do it for my son for his birthday week and maybe for my mom too, just because!

You are LOVED!

No matter what the world tells you today, hold your head high and remember that you are a child of the most high GOD!

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The Importance of Love

“Everybody can be great...because anybody can serve. 

You only need a heart full of grace. 

A soul generated by love.”

 Martin Luther King, Jr.

So I don't know about you but music speaks to me in a big way.  It has the power to evoke powerful emotions in me.  (Interesting that Kelly's post yesterday was also about music!) Recently I was thinking of a song we had sung in church several months ago.  It was a sung that grabbed me and reached deep into my heart.  My prayer for a long time has been that my heart would be broken for what breaks the Lord's heart.  This past Sunday we sang this song in church again and I was so excited!  I want to share it with you.  

Lincoln Brewster - The Power of Your Name

Surely children weren't made for the streets
And fathers were not made to leave
Surely this isn't how it should be
Let Your Kingdom come

Surely nations were not made for war
Or the broken meant to be ignored
Surely this just can't be what You saw
Let Your Kingdom come
Here in my heart

And I will live
To carry Your compassion
To love a world that's broken
To be Your hands and feet
And I will give
With the life that I've been given
And go beyond religion
To see the world be changed
By the power of Your name

Surely life wasn't made to regret
And the lost were not made to forget
Surely faith without action is dead
Let Your Kingdom come
Lord break this heart

Jesus Your name
Is a shelter for the hurting
and Your name
Is a refuge for the weak
Only Your name
Can redeem the undeserving
Jesus Your name
Holds everything I need

The chorus is my heart's desire.  That my life would reflect his compassion.  That I could love those that are broken and that I could go beyond just religion to see lives changed.  With all of the political happenings lately I've been more conscious than ever that we cannot rely on our government alone (regardless of party affiliation) to care for this world in need.

We as Christ followers are responsible for faith with ACTION!  It's what we were born to do!  What are you doing to live out your faith?  There is a verse in the Bible that cuts straight to my conscience every time...

Revelation 3:16 But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!

Yikes!  I know it sounds severe but God makes it clear - he doesn't want us to be lukewarm Christians because if we are, we are ineffective for his kingdom and we miss out on the full life that he has planned for us.  There have been plenty of times in my life where I have been lukewarm, going about life as usual, always having God in my heart but not doing much beyond warming my seat in church on Sunday morning and praying over my meals.  God wants SO much more for us and for others through us.  It's not about church (although church gives us a place to go to learn and grow and fellowship with others).  It's not about a set of rules to follow (although the Lord's commands are there to protect and guide us).  It's about LOVING others.

1 Corinthians 13 [ Love Is the Greatest ] If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing. ...

Wow! According to God's word we can be brilliant, we can have amazing faith - even sacrifice ourselves and give to the poor but if we do it out of obligation instead of love, we are missing the point.

So, find a way that you can love on others with your own gifts!  I'll share some ideas and I would love to hear what yours are!

-Be a greeter at church, your smile may break the ice for a first time visitor
-Write a note of encouragement for a family member, co-worker, neighbor, friend, and leave it somewhere to surprise them
-Pay for someone's drink or meal at a restaurant/drive through
-Leave a little bag of candy on a neighbor's doorknob
doorknob gift
-Make a blanket for a child in the hospital or an elderly person in a nursing home
-Make a mix CD of worship songs for someone who could use a pick-me-up
-Find a program that matches you as a penpal with a woman in prison (Fresno's Samaritan Women program does this - it is a really neat opportunity!), or volunteer with a prison ministry.  
Samaritan Women

Little things done in love can have a huge impact.  I would encourage you also to say a little prayer over each gift for the person who will receive it.  You never know what it may do for them!

What are some of your ideas?  Please share!!!

You are Loved

God's love for us can be overwhelming when we really think about it. How is it that we can feel enveloped in his embrace and He's not even physically here? It amazes me. HE amazes me. This love is unexplainable and undeniable and nothing can separate us from God's love.

What is overwhelming is that the love of Christ does not waiver. Our actions, thoughts, words and life does not determine the amount of love He gives us.

Who we are on this earth is not determined by the names we are given but by the relationship that we have with Jesus. THAT makes us who we are and that is where our love for God deepens. No matter our circumstances, obstacles, triumphs and tribulations, we will always be drawn to go deeper. Our souls cry out if we are not constantly tapping into deeper waters. Quenching our spiritual thirst. Never let where you are determine who you are in Christ. Our earthly troubles should not change our love for Him. He is always a good God. Faithful to His word and we can always count on the fact that He has already ordered our steps. NOTHING that happens in this life catches God by surprise. We can trust Him.

God is not looking for perfection, He is looking for a pursuit. We are not perfect but in God's eyes we are. He sees no flaws in us. He sees us as beautiful. White as snow thanks to the blood of Jesus. All because he loves us. He doesn't judge. He forgives

My prayer for you is that you will receive a fresh fire. A deep longing and desire to know Him more. To love more deeply and that nothing will satisfy but His love. Love Him with a violent love. When you are in love with Jesus anything is possible.

So I encourage you to go deeper. Wherever you are God will meet you there. Seek His face and remember, Jesus LOVES the hell out of you!