Love Is

 

Love is

A hand to hold

A warm embrace

A smile that warms my heart

The way you wink at only me

That twinkle in your eye

The way you dance when we’re alone

And hold me when I cry

Love is

Talking when there’s words to say

Silence when there’s not

Knowing when I’m scared 

you gently hold my heart

Understanding what I need

When I start to fall apart

Love is

Sharing secrets no one knows

And inside jokes that make no sense

Thoughtful gifts 

Sweet surprises

A hug when things are tense

Love is

Forgiveness when mistakes are made

Admitting when you’re wrong

It’s getting mad then making up

Knowing together is where we belong

Love is 

Patience, kindness, gentleness

A safe place, an honest place

A place to be myself

A place I know you’ll always be

The place my heart belongs

I love the way you love me. Love never stops loving. And I’ll never stop loving you.

I Can Do All Things

    Think about when you were a kid - for some, that may be a lot farther back than others, haha - and think about all the things you didn’t know. We weren’t born with all the skills and knowledge we would need to live our lives. We had to learn as we grew through experience and training. We had to be taught so many things. 

    Now think about the person or people who raised you. Both of my parents played a huge role in shaping me into the person I am today. However, for the purpose of this writing, I’m thinking of my dad. My dad is the best. Yep, I grew up a daddy’s girl. You may not be thinking of your father, though. Life may have dealt you a different hand, but hopefully, there was someone who came to mind.  

    To me, like a lot of little girls, my dad knew everything. And, he was the strongest man alive. He was like Superman. To me, he could do anything. Growing up, my dad would talk to me and teach me things about life - like how to hold a fishing pole or ride a bike. During these “lessons,” just because I knew I had a dad didn’t mean I was able to immediately do these things. It wasn’t just because I had a dad or I knew who my dad was that I was able to learn and grow. It was because I listened to him. I trusted him. And I quickly realized being near him was always better. I wasn’t going to learn to ride my bike if he stayed inside the house. Yes, he could give me a list of steps to ride a bike, but I needed him close. I needed the safety of his presence to even get on my bike. I trusted my dad to keep me from falling, and if I did fall, I knew my dad would pick me up and help me try again. 

    One of my favorite Bible verses is Philippians 4:13. Remember it? It says, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” That verse is very comforting during our hardest struggles. But, what if we’ve turned it into a feel-good verse? A verse that makes us feel powerful or like no matter what we do or where we go, it’s fine. “The Bible says I can do all things.” Of course, I’m not saying that verse shouldn’t make us feel powerful, but I AM saying there’s more to it. We like to quote the verse with emphasis on the “I can do all things” part. But, just like I couldn’t learn to ride a bike if my dad wasn’t near me and I wasn’t listening to his voice for directions, I can’t do “all things” - or anything really- by simply saying I know who Jesus is. I need Him near me. I have to listen for His voice for direction in life. The emphasis needs to be on the “through Christ” part of that verse. Without His presence in our lives, we become powerless. Without His closeness to us, we allow things like pride, disappointment, fear, etc. to enter in. 

    When we say I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me but we have allowed ourselves to push Him to the sidelines or to the back corners of our lives and heart, I wonder if our belief that we can do all things is coming from a heart that’s forgotten that it’s Him that makes all things possible. We get prideful and go at things on our own based on the beginning of that verse. Then, when things don’t turn out how we thought they should, we get angry and sometimes question God. But the whole time, we had forgotten the “through Christ” part and the importance of drawing near to Him.

    Let Philippians 4:13 be a true source of comfort for you today - but remember it’s all about your close proximity to Christ that makes all things possible. We can’t do life on our own. We are weak, but He is strong. We are nothing, but He is everything. 

    Stay close to Jesus. I promise you, being near Him is always better!

Love Wins

 

Tonight, as I reflect on the joy of today - the church service, the family, the food, the laughter, the pictures, the fun - my mind goes back to that day. The day Jesus walked out of the tomb and everything changed. The tragic death just days before - the darkness that covered all humanity, the sadness, the loss, and grief - now turned miracle. Light pierced through the darkness and new life emerged. I imagine there were massive celebrations that day, too.  Family gathering together to celebrate what Love had just accomplished. Friends rejoicing together knowing the effect of Jesus’s resurrection. People everywhere overwhelmed by the realization of what this meant for humanity. And, no doubt, some who were shocked by what had taken place. Honestly, the whole thing kind of shocks me, too. Everything He did was for me. For you. To think I was worth it is a bit overwhelming. But, I was. You are. Everything Jesus did was because we are worth it to Him. 

So, on this Resurrection Sunday, my prayer for us all is that we hold on to that truth. A promise of new life - an eternal life with Jesus - made possible through a tragic death and miraculous resurrection. That is what Love did. And that was the only way. But, I matter. You matter. Love wins. 

The In-Between Day

 

We remember Good Friday and the magnitude of what took place on the cross and we celebrate the third day - His resurrection - hope restored. But what about the second day - the in-between day? What happens during this time? What happens when darkness falls and it seems we’ve lost all hope? When we are stuck in the unknown? 

When Jesus died, many people left. I’m sure the weight of grief and loneliness was almost unbearable. Darkness covered their lives. Hopelessness was closing in. I wonder if there were some who gave up. “Well, we had a good run.” “It was fun while it lasted.” Or maybe some who voiced their doubt and unbelief with, “I should’ve known this wasn’t the answer.” But then we see Mary Magdalene and Mary, Jesus’s mom, who stayed close by, watching and waiting. They didn’t know when, where, or how, but they were waiting for Jesus to show up. They held on to hope even in the darkness. They spent their days of darkness in anticipation - waiting and expecting Jesus. And they were the first to see Jesus after the resurrection! 

Where are you when darkness falls? What do you do when bad things happen or you lose your way? Are you like the ones who give up, walk away from it all, sink under the weight of sadness, fear, and loneliness, OR are you like these women who spent their time believing and expecting Jesus to show up? Do you live in constant anticipation of what God is doing and how He will appear? 

So on this “In-between day,” let’s remind ourselves to look for Jesus. To watch for Him to show up - to appear to you even in your darkness because He will! Stay strong and let hope light your way. Anticipate His coming because He will!

Good Friday

Good Friday.  A day of remembering such a tragic - yet necessary - event.  I can’t imagine the emotions that day. The sadness, the tears, the hopelessness, the fear, the loneliness. The sorrow. The feeling that death has stolen from us. Seemingly defeated and drowning in life. Questions like “what the heck do we do now?” Or “why do we even bother if the end hurts so bad?” But, death was not the end. Love walked itself - Himself -  to the cross that day so death was not the end. Love walked Himself to the cross as the ultimate sacrifice for our sin. Despite the pain of His death, Love held Himself on the cross because He knew it was His blood that could save us. There was no other way. Love gave generously of Himself - He gave His life - for all of humanity. Death was not the end. The overwhelming sadness of the day would soon turn to joy. After a time, Love walked out of the tomb and offered new life. Love wins. Love walked out of the grave and changed everything. Love walked the Earth as a man, died a tragic death as the ultimate sacrifice, and rose again so we could live with Him forever. And until the day we leave this world to live with Him, He lives in us. Love walks with us every step we take. That is a promise worth celebrating - worth living for!