Let me start by saying I love to listen to Ella Langley. If you haven't heard of her or you are not a country music fan, you really should go now and give her a listen. Her voice has such a sweet and pure sound. Oh...and she loves Jesus and uses her platform to tell the world about His Love.
Growing up love, for me, meant to be seen and not heard. To behave. To be quiet. To be perfect. To be easy and low maintenance. To not communicate my needs. Or have needs. To not have any wants. That others knew better what I needed so I should just trust that and be obedient. Today, I don't believe for one second that it was the intention of anyone around me to send me this message. I do believe that the human experience alone can and does distract us from the actual experience of Love through seasons of trauma, difficult circumstances, loss and grief. It can threaten to sever our connection to the wholeness we were created for.
I’ve recently learned that actual Love is not what it came to mean for me growing up. I’ve learned that Love means that I’m exactly who I’m supposed to be at this moment in time. That I’m not behind or ahead or struggling. My needs and wants and desires, dreams, and hopes are gifts from the hand of God who created me. I’ve learned that Love sees me, hears me, knows me very well and is delighted to hear all about everything I have to say. Love is excited and happy when I am. Calm and comforting when I’m sad or mad. Validates my feelings and viewpoints. Sometimes justifies me and sometimes corrects me. Love helps me laugh at things about me that the world around me is annoyed with or exhausted by. Love helps me remember things. Love gently and matter-of-factly sheds light for me of my own faults, flaws, shortcomings, and sin. And then...Love lifts my eyes to the hills to clearly see Where and Who my help comes from. Love replaces the shame with joy and peace and a childlike relief that I’m not in trouble. That I am whole. Enough and not too much. Perfectly Loved, Protected, Provided for, Cherished, and Forgiven. And makes my feet like that of a deer - light - skipping off to tread the heights. Love settles the question - the bitter root - the casus belli - in the deepest part of me that ends the war within, silences the opponent, and grants me the victorious battle cry that I actually do matter.
And so do you! Maybe someone reading today is questioning their worth and value and purpose. Circumstances in your journey have not been kind or gentle for you. Maybe your relationships are difficult and brokenness is all you can see right now. If that's you and you want to hope that things can be different, I want to remind you that that want is your faith. It might be as small as a mustard seed. So be it. Take it to the One who is Love. He is perfect Love...which casts out fear...AND...covers a multitude of sin.
Growing up love, for me, meant to be seen and not heard. To behave. To be quiet. To be perfect. To be easy and low maintenance. To not communicate my needs. Or have needs. To not have any wants. That others knew better what I needed so I should just trust that and be obedient. Today, I don't believe for one second that it was the intention of anyone around me to send me this message. I do believe that the human experience alone can and does distract us from the actual experience of Love through seasons of trauma, difficult circumstances, loss and grief. It can threaten to sever our connection to the wholeness we were created for.
I’ve recently learned that actual Love is not what it came to mean for me growing up. I’ve learned that Love means that I’m exactly who I’m supposed to be at this moment in time. That I’m not behind or ahead or struggling. My needs and wants and desires, dreams, and hopes are gifts from the hand of God who created me. I’ve learned that Love sees me, hears me, knows me very well and is delighted to hear all about everything I have to say. Love is excited and happy when I am. Calm and comforting when I’m sad or mad. Validates my feelings and viewpoints. Sometimes justifies me and sometimes corrects me. Love helps me laugh at things about me that the world around me is annoyed with or exhausted by. Love helps me remember things. Love gently and matter-of-factly sheds light for me of my own faults, flaws, shortcomings, and sin. And then...Love lifts my eyes to the hills to clearly see Where and Who my help comes from. Love replaces the shame with joy and peace and a childlike relief that I’m not in trouble. That I am whole. Enough and not too much. Perfectly Loved, Protected, Provided for, Cherished, and Forgiven. And makes my feet like that of a deer - light - skipping off to tread the heights. Love settles the question - the bitter root - the casus belli - in the deepest part of me that ends the war within, silences the opponent, and grants me the victorious battle cry that I actually do matter.
And so do you! Maybe someone reading today is questioning their worth and value and purpose. Circumstances in your journey have not been kind or gentle for you. Maybe your relationships are difficult and brokenness is all you can see right now. If that's you and you want to hope that things can be different, I want to remind you that that want is your faith. It might be as small as a mustard seed. So be it. Take it to the One who is Love. He is perfect Love...which casts out fear...AND...covers a multitude of sin.
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