Love
I know that Valentines Day is right around the corner. But I don't think that Valentines Day is the only day that we should show love & appreciation to those that we care about. This weekend I tuned in to an International Local Livestream Conference called IF:Gathering. A gathering for women of all ages to unite & learn more about Jesus. Not just learn but to be equipped & unleashed into our very own circles of community. To prompt us to live a life around these questions: "If God is real then what?"& "What if we lived like Jesus?"
All weekend long we listened to beautiful women who've braved some hard times. We were led into prayers of confessions of things that we've held back in the dark spaces of our hearts. We dug deep and had some open conversations about who Jesus is to us. There were many tears of pain & suffering but also tears of joy & freedom. But the one thing that rang loudest through out the entire weekend was LOVE.
God is love and love comes from God. The testimonies & hope-filled stories shared this weekend were evidence of how much more real His love really is. "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength." The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:30-31) These are most important yet simplest commandments that the Lord has given us. Yet, we struggle with the most. To love.
Love isn't just a feeling a boy & a girl have together. Love is forgiveness,humility, compassion, caring for another persons soul, and so much more. Christ came to walk the Earth and He loved deeply. He came to be the perfect example of love. He loved the unlovely, ashamed, cast-off, & abandoned. Love isn't just for those who are good looking, fit, wealthy, or friendly. Love is for all God's people.
Every human being that has a heart beat, God loves. And as children of God, He has called us to love our neighbors. This mean's our family, friends, neighbors, coworkers, & many more. Whomever is in your life circle, God is calling you to love on them. Even to love the unlovable. Love the ones who can't love you back. This is not impossible. For God so loved the world that He sent His one & only Son. To die for our sins. God not only loves you individually, but He loves the entire world.
Therefore, if we are made in the image of God, He created us to love well too. We love because He first loved us. (1 John 4:19) Even criminals know how to love. Love exists in all of us but what good is it if we just keep it to ourselves? Lets share His love to everyone around us. Lets spread it to the ends of the Earth like confetti. For the best reason to celebrate is because of His great love.
Love doesn't just flow from the words that we speak towards one another. Although that is the love language for many. We often hear,"You can talk the talk, but can you walk the walk?" We can speak of our love for other's, but what we do in our lives will reflect how true we are to our words. Love is evident in the way we move & touch other peoples lives. When we look at the life of Christ, "He didn't just come to talk, teach, or preach. He came to love through His touch, proximity, presence, & dignity."- Jen Hatmaker.
Lets love intentionally. Lets love our neighbors well. Lets be the hands and feet of Jesus. Loving, even if they can't love us back. Lets love the unlovable. I'm sure we all feel unlovable at times. But God will never stop loving us for a second! He is madly, deeply, head-over-heels, jealously, crazy in love with me & YOU! What are some things we can do to show people that we love them?
You have any ideas? I'd love to hear them!
How do you love your family & friends well?
How can you reach your community & share God's love with them?
All weekend long we listened to beautiful women who've braved some hard times. We were led into prayers of confessions of things that we've held back in the dark spaces of our hearts. We dug deep and had some open conversations about who Jesus is to us. There were many tears of pain & suffering but also tears of joy & freedom. But the one thing that rang loudest through out the entire weekend was LOVE.
God is love and love comes from God. The testimonies & hope-filled stories shared this weekend were evidence of how much more real His love really is. "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength." The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:30-31) These are most important yet simplest commandments that the Lord has given us. Yet, we struggle with the most. To love.
Love isn't just a feeling a boy & a girl have together. Love is forgiveness,humility, compassion, caring for another persons soul, and so much more. Christ came to walk the Earth and He loved deeply. He came to be the perfect example of love. He loved the unlovely, ashamed, cast-off, & abandoned. Love isn't just for those who are good looking, fit, wealthy, or friendly. Love is for all God's people.
Therefore, if we are made in the image of God, He created us to love well too. We love because He first loved us. (1 John 4:19) Even criminals know how to love. Love exists in all of us but what good is it if we just keep it to ourselves? Lets share His love to everyone around us. Lets spread it to the ends of the Earth like confetti. For the best reason to celebrate is because of His great love.
Love doesn't just flow from the words that we speak towards one another. Although that is the love language for many. We often hear,"You can talk the talk, but can you walk the walk?" We can speak of our love for other's, but what we do in our lives will reflect how true we are to our words. Love is evident in the way we move & touch other peoples lives. When we look at the life of Christ, "He didn't just come to talk, teach, or preach. He came to love through His touch, proximity, presence, & dignity."- Jen Hatmaker.
Lets love intentionally. Lets love our neighbors well. Lets be the hands and feet of Jesus. Loving, even if they can't love us back. Lets love the unlovable. I'm sure we all feel unlovable at times. But God will never stop loving us for a second! He is madly, deeply, head-over-heels, jealously, crazy in love with me & YOU! What are some things we can do to show people that we love them?
You have any ideas? I'd love to hear them!
How do you love your family & friends well?
How can you reach your community & share God's love with them?
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