So, I grew up in a family where the words...

So, I grew up in a family where the words “I love you” were never spoken.  One day someone asked me how I knew that my parents loved me if they never spoke it out to me.  I honestly didn’t know how to answer that question.

True love became real to me when my son was born.  From that point on, I understood what it meant to be loved and to love someone very deeply and unconditionally.  I will never forget that day! 

After that, it was very important for me to express my love to others.  Even as Nicholas was just a tiny baby and couldn’t speak words, I would tell him, “I love you!”  One day I was standing him up on the kitchen cabinet and telling him that I loved him and he said “I aau  oou.”  He was telling me that he loved me!  That was the best feeling I’ve ever had in my life!

That’s just how God feels about us when we tell Him that we love Him.  He is thrilled.  He wants to hear that from us.  But He also wants us to know that He loves us.  The realization of how much I loved my new born son allowed me to understand just how much God loves me…His child.  And…the truth of the matter is…He loves us more that that!  His love is immeasurable and unconditional.  Until that moment, I didn’t get it!

In the Bible, John said that he was the disciple whom Jesus loved.  He got it!  No…it wasn’t arrogance on his part.  He simply knew that he was loved by God.  The beauty of it is that He loves us all the same!

We love Him because He first loved us.   1 John 4:19

My prayer is that we all attempt to grasp just how much God loves us and that our understanding of how much He loves us grows and deepens daily.  Just knowing that He loves me and wants the best for me causes me to love Him that much more.  What an awesome God we serve!!

Don't assume that you know...

Don’t assume that you know the reason why you see what you “see” in others.

Recently, I’ve been in a situation where I’ve been able to observe the behavior of several different people in a particular setting.  In honesty, I really don’t understand this behavior and have asked God to give me wisdom, understanding and discernment.  It’s a situation where, if I allowed myself, it would be very easy to pass judgment.  But every time that temptation comes up, I ask God to give me the strength to overcome it…He has been SO faithful.

So, as the months have gone by and I have continually observed, one thing God has brought to light for me is that one of these folks is very ill.  To look at her, one would think that all is well.  But in reality, she revealed to me that the doctors have told her that she has only a few years to live.  Needless to say, that hit me like a ton of bricks!!  Knowing this, I totally understand her behavior.  Before knowing this info…it was difficult to understand. 

For many years now, due to my own highly dysfunctional background, it’s been important for me to get to know other people’s story.  Knowing someone else’s story can give insight as to why people do what they do…why they react the way they do and so on.

I can say from experience, it’s no fun when others choose to judge by their own experiences instead of the experiences of the one they’re judging!!

Everyone has a story.  Get to know their story and Heaven forbid…don’t set yourself above them!  Let’s pray that we will love the way Jesus loves!!  J