I Love You

I love you! (Can you receive it?)
There was a time in my life where those words struck my heart and hit a wall! I knew they came from her heart and I wanted to receive them! I don’t just say, “I love you” to anyone. And, not just anyone says they love me. This was a friend I hardly knew but I could tell she was authentic. That’s why her words caused me to examine my heart. I wondered, why does that seem so strange to me? I knew she was authentic and she was only speaking out of the overflow of her heart. Why couldn’t I receive it? I certainly could not authentically say it back to her so I was silent. I know we are called to love one another.
Fast forward to my first visit to the Healing Rooms, I was encouraged to tell the Lord I love Him. I had been walking with Jesus for more than 15 years at that point, like fervently pursuing Him. Yet, it was so difficult! I did love Him. Certainly, He is worthy of my love! I felt I were not worthy enough to love Him. I said it! I did it! Those words rolled off my tongue. As with everything He does, there was purpose in it! He was helping me remove those walls. He was helping me to not just be able to say it but to be able to authentically love Him with ALL my heart.
I had not been able to accept the fullness of His love for me. We have to know the fullness of He who first loved us before we can fully and freely give our love away. He wanted me to confess my love for Him, it needed to be done, to break my walls down.
I had put walls up around my heart because those who should have loved me authentically were not free to do so. So, now I ask you, do you love Him? Say so! Let Him know! If you don’t, it’s ok! Not long ago I searched my heart and found there were still signs of a lack of love for Him. I felt sad. But,  He meets us where we’re at and He helped me. Being authentic is crucial. He does not want lip service!
So, where are you at? Maybe in your mind you know you should “love the Lord your God with all your heart” but in all authenticity, you know you don’t! Ask the Lord to show you, are there walls you have put up to protect yourself? Ask Him to help you trust Him. He is the only one who can really be trusted. Ask the Lord to give you the grace to trust Him and He will help you to break your walls down so that you may give and receive love from others too!
His love is SO AMAZING! I’ll leave you with this sweet hymn:

‘Tis So Sweet To Trust in Jesus

'Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just to take Him at His Word
Just to rest upon His promise,
Just to know, "Thus saith the Lord!"

Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him!
How I've proved Him o'er and o'er
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!
Oh, for grace to trust Him more!

I'm so glad I learned to trust Him,
Precious Jesus, Savior, Friend
And I know that He is with me,
Will be with me to the end.

Oh, how sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just to trust His cleansing blood
And in simple faith to plunge me
'Neath the healing, cleansing flood!

Yes, 'tis sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just from sin and self to cease
Just from Jesus simply taking
Life and rest, and joy and peace.

Songwriters: William James Kirkpatrick / Canzetta Staton / Louisa M. Stead

Be still

I was imagining Jesus and saw Him standing on a seashore. I asked Him why is he standing on a seashore and he said this is where we go fishing. I laughed! I had asked Him to teach me to be a better “fisher of men”. People do not live in the sea! He showed me that the sea is where you learn to fish and the same concepts apply in fishing for men. You need bait. You find out what men are hungry for and use that as the bait. Jesus offers everything we need, not like what the world gives. People long to feel deeply satisfied. A meal will satisfy a person’s physical hunger for a few hours. A comedy film may cause us to experience some joy for an hour or two. A family may offer us a sense of belonging for a lifetime. But there is no joy, no satisfaction, that can compare to an intimate relationship with our Maker. We all long to be deeply satisfied in each area of our lives. No one wants to have mediocre relationships, unfulfilled dreams, or only temporary joy. Everyone desires to believe that their time on earth was meaningful.  We want to come the end of our lives knowing that the time we spent here made a difference. As I have entered the second half of my life, I desire to make the most of every opportunity, to not waste my time. I want to live my life to the fullest and experience everything this world has to offer but more importantly, serve the one who put me here and fulfill His purpose for my presence here. There is nothing that can compare to the deep satisfaction that I feel from knowing my Lord. So, of course, I want to share what I have with others. Naturally, I want to see everyone enter into this type of deep understanding, fulfilling, “beyond my wildest dreams”, intimate, love relationship with Him! Like all relationships, and things that matter, they take work. It's not a “wham bam, thank you, mamm” type of deal. To know and be known is the goal. He is worth the work. If you are struggling in your relationship with the Lord, take heart, there is not anything He wants more than to be known by you! I believe that no matter how much you think you know how He loves you, the actual fact, is that He loves you way more than you could ever imagine. The fact that, “bad” things happen in the world, or even to you personally, or those you love, has absolutely nothing to do with it! I hear that all the time. It just deflects from the truth that you were made for a purpose and that purpose is to know your Maker. To know Him is to love Him.

If you haven’t yet given your life to Jesus Christ or your relationship is broken and you are feeling less than satisfied, take a moment to “be still” and know that He is God. Step into a new place with Him right now. He is right there waiting for you.