Category: God's love

Remembering Your Worth

You belong here ❤

We can only be guarded for so long before others’ words get to us. Perhaps it’s an insensitive comment from a friend or a rude request from a coworker. Maybe it’s the lack of effort from someone you care about, or the wrong kind of action from a person you thought understood you.

Whatever it is, it can be easy to forget how we should really see ourselves. Thankfully, God reminds us daily of how valuable we are to Him. But we have to be on the lookout for those reminders, whether that means reading the Bible, spending time with people who show us God’s love, or being intentional about remembering how God has been there in the past.

This morning, I saw a post that really discouraged me. When I opened up my Bible, the first passage I was reading didn’t bring me much hope. But something inside told me to keep going–perhaps that was the Holy Spirit. The following chapter, Isaiah 55, was exactly what my heart needed.

Despite all the things God could be doing, He chooses to spend time with us. To be intentional about speaking to us. To guide us and grow us through everything we experience.

Isn’t that beautiful? He loves you that much!

No matter what anyone says or thinks of you, they cannot take away the love God has for you. You have an extraordinary purpose. You belong here. ❤

Give ear and come to me;

    listen, that you may live.

I will make an everlasting covenant with you,

    my faithful love promised to David.

Isaiah 55:3

Promises to Remember

For the hard days ❤

Today’s just been one of those days. The kind that wraps you up in its stickiness until you feel like you’re suffocating, barely able to remember days when you felt free. When you felt fully alive.

On days like today, it’s important to remember that this will not last forever.

You may feel stuck, as if nothing could get better. But you aren’t stuck. You are growing, right where you are. And that’s a beautiful thing.

Think back to the last time you felt this way. Perhaps not yesterday, but maybe a year ago, or even five years ago.

You may not have thought you could make it to today, but you did. And I’m so glad you did.

When it feels like nothing is going right, hold onto the promises of God.

He will never leave you, nor forsake you (Deuteronomy 31:6).

Even if everyone else walks away, you will never be alone.

You as precious and perfect in His sight (1 Corinthians 1:8).

A bad test score, a discouraging word, or even a painful mistake can’t separate you from God’s love.

He will use you to do amazing things for the greater good (Romans 8:28).

Your life matters. You were created for a reason. Even if the small things you do each day don’t feel significant, they truly mean the world to someone else. Most of all, God sees you and honors the way you choose to listen to Him.

So today may have been just a rotten, nasty, terrible day. Or maybe it was a day when you fully embraced God’s promises and felt lifted up.

Either way, there will always be tomorrow. Another chance for God’s grace. Another opportunity to make someone smile. Another day that God loves you and wants you to really believe it.

You belong here. Never forget that. ❤

He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.

Ecclesiastes 3:11

An Endless Journey Towards Healing

In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, I will be sharing my personal story to encourage you on your journey ❤

It was like a flip of the switch. Suddenly, the easygoing, joyful young girl I used to recognize was gone. In her place came an overbearing, extremely sensitive, critical little monster.

And that monster was me.

Though a series of difficult events were unfolding in my life, I can’t pinpoint any of them as the root cause of this change. It just…happened.

For a long time, I saw myself as this monster. This person who couldn’t be pleased, who drowned in her own misery when alone. This person who thought nobody wanted to be her friend, when really there were people around who just didn’t notice. And there were some who did notice, but she couldn’t seem to see them at the time.

I look at the past like another lifetime. Another person acting out my life.

And it’s true that much has changed, both in the way I see the world now, and the world itself. But we can’t completely separate ourselves from previous parts of our journey. Pretending like those things don’t bother us anymore is just a disservice to everybody.

Last summer, many of the challenges I faced at the start of my mental health journey resurfaced. But instead of working through them, I pushed them down.

“I’m not the weak, pathetic person I used to be,” I told myself. “I’m over all that.”

But acting like that person was weak and pathetic only caused me further harm. It made me think that I had to be those negative attributes if I was struggling mentally.

I wasn’t weak; I was worn-out and tired. I wasn’t pathetic; I was hungry for the satisfaction and healing that only God can bring.

That was me then, at age 15. That was me last summer. And that is still me today.

When you don’t deal with something, it comes back to face you sooner or later. Sure enough, after being in an unhealthy environment in the fall, I had to remove myself from that community in order to find the deeper healing I needed.

But I can’t say that’s the end of my story.

Sometimes it feels endless, searching for healing. As one thing is resolved, another comes up. But what if we look at each day as a new chance for more than just stress and anxiety?

Every day is a new chance for healing. For grace. For peace.

That also means that every day can be a challenge of trying to accept those gifts from God. It means not feeling worthy of them. It means fighting with my thoughts while trying to focus on the things that actually matter to me.

And it means making healing matter to me.

Mental health can’t be something we push off to tomorrow. You know this. Your mind won’t let you forget it.

Let today be the day that you start to take care of yourself, no matter what others think.

Not everyone will understand. That’s something I had to learn as I’ve begun to take steps towards taking care of myself this year.

But that’s okay. Not everyone needs to understand.

God understands. He designed you, after all, and He will use your story for great things.

It may be hard to see now, but you are growing. You are beautiful, with all your broken pieces. You don’t need to fix yourself. You just need to let the ultimate Healer restore you. ❤

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and I encourage you to share your story with others. It doesn’t have to be on a big platform or even in public. You can share it with a friend or another loved one. Someone who wants the best for you.

Our stories matter. Sure, they don’t reflect every person’s story. No single story can, and we don’t need to burden ourselves with that great of a task.

Just sharing your story is enough to inspire and empower people. To help them know that they are not alone.

You are not alone. ❤

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

You Are Essential

You are needed here, no matter what you have done.

Let’s be honest. We’re all sick of that word, but it’s still there, used to distinguish between the people who “help” and who don’t.

But what if I told you that you are essential, just by being here?

Maybe you haven’t solved the most recent medical crisis or participated in a noteworthy act of kindness.

Maybe you forget to hold the door open or don’t smile at a kid waving at you. Maybe you don’t go the extra mile for others.

Maybe you’ve done things so terrible that your heart aches just thinking about them.

But what if I told you that even with all those things, you are still needed here?

It’s not a question. It’s really a statement.

You. Are. Needed. Here.

Why? Well, glad you asked.

Maybe you’ve messed up. Big time. But that doesn’t mean those choices have to dictate the rest of your life.

Today could be the day you step out and say:

I am worth it.

I do make an impact.

I can use the love I’ve felt to motive me to love others.

And maybe all those things feel like catchphrases that slip in one ear and out the other. Fake. Not in your heart. Mindless.

But what if simple, yet profound phrases actually sink deeper into your heart? What if you allow yourself to believe that those things are really true?

Today you can make a difference. You can reach out and see how that quiet friend is doing. You can bury your pride and check in on a relative. You can welcome rest and grace into all your relationships, including with yourself.

How can we live with such assurance of our purpose? Because we know that God made us for a reason. While things don’t always make sense, God has a greater plan, and will use our gifts for His glory. The little things you do each day will add up, and looking back, you’ll realize how many people you’ve helped.

But the best part is, the more you accept God’s love for you, the more that love will extend to others. That’s the most beautiful thing of all. ❤

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.

1 John 4:7-8

Why Saying Goodbye to a Comfort Character Feels Real

Have you ever wondered why a piece of you feels missing after a favorite series ends?

Have you ever felt close to a fictional character? Perhaps it’s the way they talk or make you laugh or help you feel less alone. But then, when the inevitable time comes for the show or series to end, you’re left feeling empty inside, like you are losing a real friend. Whoever the character is, they make you feel seen or cared about in some strange, unexplainable way.

If you’ve shed a tear or lost a night’s sleep over a fictional character, you’re in good company. Perhaps it’s the increased accessibility to media or the fact that people feel lonelier than ever these days, but losing a character who makes you valued can be heartbreaking.

However, if you’ve shared this experience, you may have also felt silly for getting upset by someone “not real”. Yet these feelings are more valid than you might realize.

After spending the past couple years far away from loved ones and living through our screens, it’s only natural for our minds to merge our “real” relationships with our “on-screen” ones. The awesome thing about technology is how we are able to connect with people from all over the world. However, that also means many of our relationships are long distance, and our sense of reality gets altered.

Therefore, when our brains convince us that these characters are real friends, we feel like we’re experiencing a real loss. This may trigger past experiences of ending a relationship, losing a loved one, or having a source of security become unstable.

You are free to feel grief when a source of comfort is lost or a season has come to an end.

But, we don’t have to stay stuck in those feelings.

We have someone very real, despite also not being tangible, who is right here with us. And, you guessed it, Jesus is the best source of comfort.

Jesus doesn’t change. He will always be loving and powerful and patient. He will always be there for you, no matter what you are going through or what you’re feeling.

Just think about that for a moment: Jesus doesn’t ever change. We can’t even fathom that because everything–our Earth, our society, our loved ones, us–change. And that’s what makes us crave comfort or stability.

But Jesus promises that He will be faithful to the end and even after the end. He wants us to cling to Him when we feel afraid or unloved or isolated. Jesus will remind us that He is our source of courage and He paid the ultimate sacrifice to be there for us. We are never alone.

So today, don’t feel guilty for whatever you’re feeling. Instead, bring all these complicated emotions to God and allow yourself to feel comforted knowing that there will always be one thing that never changes.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Hebrews 13:8

How Can a Good God Allow Pain?

Can pain actually bring deeper healing?

Out of curiosity and genuine concern, a friend of mine took a poll asking her followers why they choose to not believe in God, and the main result came down to this simple question: “How can I believe in God when there is so much pain and evil in the world?”

This is one of the trickiest theological questions of all time, likely due to the fact that while we can discuss pain at the intellectual level, it’s a completely different story when we’re the ones in pain or watching others suffer.

However, I hope to shed light on this subject in case you are on the fence about God these days. Many of my points are inspired by the book, The Problem of Pain, by C.S. Lewis, which I would highly recommend 🙂

The first step in Christianity is declaring that God is good and sovereign over our lives. But when a relationships falls apart, a loved one passes away, or even when a day full of humiliating mishaps occurs, we are left wondering if God even cares.

But C.S. Lewis argues (which I very much agree with) that the reason we have pain is because God cares. God cares enough about finishing what He’s started (us, His precious creations) to allow pain and suffering because He wants what’s best for us.

Think about it this way: When a potter is forming a masterpiece, will he leave it in a motionless, stable block on the table? No, of course not. Then the clay would just be a meaningless clump of wet dirt. The potter will pound out the air pockets, cut it into the right shape, and bake it to perfection.

Assuming clay has feelings, I’m sure the clay doesn’t enjoy the molding experience. But in the end, the clay has a purpose, a beautiful purpose, after going through the transformative process.

We are like the clay and God is like the potter. God doesn’t want us to stay useless. Our pain, our struggles, and ultimately overcoming those hardships creates a stronger, more faithful spirit within us. God doesn’t inflict pain on us, but He allows it in order to help us reach our full potential.

This, in fact, is what makes God loving. Loving someone isn’t condoning all their behavior. It’s about encouraging them to be who they are meant to be, even if that means going through difficulties or changing. It means being present through it all, just as God is for us.

God has done everything within His power (which is infinite) to ensure a wonderful future for us, an eternity with Him. But we must overcome the obstacles on Earth and carry on His legacy first.

The best gift we can have isn’t even Heaven–it’s being in a relationship with God, the most loving, perfect, and faithful being in the universe. Our pain often draws us closer to God, which is what it’s intended to do. By allowing us to experience difficulties, we are given the best gift of all–God’s comforting presence and understanding of our situation.

Now, like I said earlier, this can all be debated on the academic level. But when it’s personal, things feel a whole lot different.

Though pain has a purpose, it doesn’t make it easier to experience. If you are struggling today, you are not alone. You are loved and valued just by being here. You don’t have to explain your feelings or force yourself to feel “happy” about them. Rather, by being honest about how you feel, you can find deeper healing.

These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

1 Peter 1:7-9

Presenting Our Gifts

Do you ever worry your gifts aren’t enough?

Have you ever remembered someone’s birthday last minute and had to muster up a frantic, lower-tier gift? Perhaps a few things stored away in case of a rainy day or something that catches your eye while grocery shopping ends up in the birthday bag.

You already feel self-conscious about this gift, but you don’t have the time or means to give a better present. What makes you almost feel worse is when the receiver acts completely shocked and delighted by the gift, a measly gift in your eyes. A gift that could’ve been so much more, but could never fully repay the gift of this friendship.

I had that experience today. I found out about a friend’s birthday with less than a week to get her a gift, yet she’s been such an amazing friend, I knew I wanted to honor her in this way. I managed to put a gift together the day before, knowing before I even gave it to her that I could’ve done better.

But then, to both my horror and delight, she was completely surprised and eager to open her gift. Without even knowing what was inside (perhaps due to not knowing…) she thanked me profusely for the gift, touched by being remembered, while I wallowed in embarrassment for not trying harder.

As I’ve thought about it more, I’ve begun to contemplate the real purpose of gifts. Often, we give out of appreciation or care for someone else. It’s a way to thank them, or even repay them, for the role they play in our lives. Gift-giving models the gift of salvation we have from Jesus, but on a significantly smaller scale.

Speaking of Jesus, how can we possibly repay Him? We have gifts to bring to Jesus, such as love, thankfulness, and treating others the way He did. However, our gifts can never amount to the extraordinary gifts Jesus continues to give us each day.

Does that mean we should stop giving Jesus our gifts? Absolutely not. When we give Jesus our gifts, especially through helping others, we are showing Jesus that we love Him and that we aren’t putting His gifts to waste.

Should we be ashamed of how our gifts are so small in comparison to all Jesus has done for us? No, not at all. We could never, no matter how hard we try, give as much as Jesus has. We weren’t created to fulfill one of God’s needs. We are here so that God can love us and so that we have the freedom to love God back.

So the next time you are tempted to think little of a thoughtful, yet unassuming gift for either God or a loved one, remember that the value of the gift all comes down to one thing: your heart. When you give from the heart, it means the world to people. Don’t stop giving. Rather, allow yourself to relish in the fact that when we give, we are able to imitate Jesus, the best gift giver of all.

And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

2 Corinthians 9:14-15

You Can’t Stop God

How do you view God?

How do you view God?

Not when you were a child, not when you were a teen, not even yesterday, but today. How do you view God?

For many people, God is this powerful, tyrannical being who refuses us our desires and makes us earn His love. For others, God is a carefree parent who lets us do whatever we want out of the sake of His never-ending love.

To be honest, there are brief snippits of truth in both, yet it’s missing the core of who God is. But before I dig into that, I’d like move this conversation to the musical level 😉

I recently came across the song You Can’t Stop Me, by Matt Hammitt, that perfectly depicts our relationship with God. While this song could be a beautiful dialogue between two people (which it is!), I believe these lyrics are even more profound when spoken between us and God.

The song begins with these lyrics:

Keeping my heart at arm’s length
Pushing me so far away
Keeping my kindness at bay
Tell me who hurt you

Every time that you think
You’ll be too much for me to take
You give me a reason to stay
To see mountains move

Often, the reason why we are in a tense or distant relationship with God is because we have been hurt and misled about the character of God. We believe it’s safer to pretend like there isn’t a God so that we don’t have to “burden” Him with our lives.

However, God is given an even greater reason to pursue us when we believe our problems are too much for Him. God is given the opportunity to prove His love, such as Jesus did on the cross. God continues to show us reasons why He is powerful and all-knowing.

And if you don’t think I’m afraid

That loving you could bring me pain

Oh, I know that my heart could break

It’s a chance I’ll take

Now, God isn’t afraid of anything, but loving us does bring Him pain. While the earlier verses indicate God’s glory and supernaturalness, these verses remind us of God’s human qualities.

When Jesus sacrificed Himself on the cross, when He came down at Christmas to endure earthly trials, He did all this out of His love for us. However, He certainly endured pain and heartbreak at the hands of sin, our sin.

Yet He reminds us that we are worth it.

And you won’t let anyone see you

But I know that one day I’ll reach you

You won’t let anyone love you

But you can’t stop me

In our society, we often choose to hide our true feelings and lives in order to portray an idealized version of ourselves in the hope of pleasing others. But God sees us. He knows us to the fullest extent.

In the end, it’s not our choice whether or not God loves us. We can’t stop God’s love. He doesn’t force this love on us, but it will always be there for us to accept. And someday, He will make His face known to us.

So does this God sound tyrannical, unreasonable, or overly tolerant? I certainly don’t think so.

It’s out of His love for us that He wants us to change and grow into better people, which means He will let us go through difficult circumstances. But it’s also out of His love that He never gives up on us and is willing to sacrifice everything for us.

So, let me ask you again: How do you view God?

For me, on this very day, God is certainly powerful, deserving of our adoration and respect. God is also loving and merciful, forgiving me when I repent from my mistakes. But most of all, God is here. God is with me. God is with you.

God is love, so when we are with God (which is always) we have nothing to fear because there is no fear in love.

And the sooner we accept the fullness of God’s love, the sooner we will finally find hope.

But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you as firstfruits to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth.

2 Thessalonians 2:13

To listen to You Can’t Stop Me, by Matt Hammitt (featuring Fleurie), check out this link: https://youtu.be/l_RUtxDRwJA

Loving Your Neighbor

We’ve all heard the familiar verse, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” However, what does this look like in real life?

We’ve all heard the familiar verse, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” However, what does this look like in real life?

For some, it means passing a stranger on the street and greeting them warmly. For others, it means donating their time and talents assisting those in need. It can be easy to see why it’s important to show others God’s love, especially since we know how wonderful it feels to be shown that love in return.

However, it’s not always easy to love everyone around us. And that’s how Jesus defines our “neighbors”: every single person you pass by, sit near in class, work alongside, or read about in the news.

One of the first things you’ll see when you open the Bible is the passage about God creating humankind.

So God created mankind in his own image,

    in the image of God he created them.

Genesis 1:27

We are created in God’s image.

Let that sink in for a moment. You don’t have to do anything to be “enough” for this great honor. Yet somehow, God chose you to reflect His perfect qualities and experience His infinite love.

But you are not the only one who is made in God’s image. Just as you should view yourself as God’s perfect creation, a reflection of God’s character, take a look around you at your community. Every single one of them, regardless of their past, their mistakes, their differences…they are made in God’s image too.

So when you extend to them God’s love and mercy, you are essentially giving back to God what He gave to you. Even if that person never thanks you, you can know that you will always do the right thing when you display God’s loving kindness.

Sometimes, going the extra mile feels like too much. And if it’s draining you completely, then you do need to take time for rest. But the small things matter too. Saying a simple “hello” or reaching out with a caring message might change someone’s entire day.

If you are still hesitant to do something for someone else, ask yourself why. Does it feel like too much of a burden? Does this person not “deserve” your time?

Maybe they don’t. But you know who does deserve your time? God. He’s the One who gave you all the time you have! And each time you treat someone the way God would treat them, you are showing God that you are making the most of the gifts He’s given you. You are telling God that you love Him, even if that love can’t compare to how much He loves you.

Today, think of a way (it doesn’t have to be big!) to show others God’s love. Who knows? Perhaps you might even make a lasting connection.

 Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.

Romans 13:8

Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

Romans 13:10

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.

1 John 4:7-8

God Cares

It’s easier to believe that God cares about our “big” needs, but does He really care about the little things that matter to us?

With every change in season comes a change in perspective. Though our seasons in life don’t always coincide with the annual seasons, there often is a change in our way of life as the weather grows chillier and bright yellow buses begin barreling their way down the road. And as summer is coming to an end, I’ve desperately tried to think of some sort of profound thing to share from this past season because God has taught me so much. But I suppose it all comes down to this: God cares.

Now, I know what you might be thinking. God cares? Sure, about the big stuff, like saving us from death and taking care of our needs. But when I say God cares, I mean He cares about everything. I’m talking the big stuff, the small stuff, and everything in between. The stuff we don’t even admit matter deeply to us.

I’m currently in a season of transition, and over the past week, I’ve had to say a lot of goodbyes. To be honest, though I am excited about what’s ahead, it deeply saddens me to say goodbye to people. Though the old proverb goes, “When one door closes, another one opens”, it still hurts when the door closes.

Anyway, two things that mattered a lot to me were finding closure and making sure I said goodbye to everyone I particularly care about. Though I didn’t even express these desires through prayer, God gave me three unexpected opportunities to say goodbye to the kids I taught, a friend, and even a special opportunity to honor those (both the two-legged and the four-legged) at the barn where I worked. Those seemingly small things meant the world to me and reminded me that even when life feels like it’s overlooking you, God never overlooks any of your needs.

I’m sure you’ve been in a group of people who haven’t made you feel heard. Perhaps they avoided making eye-contact with you when you spoke or interrupted you repeatedly. Or maybe you’ve felt overlooked when a close friend forgot your birthday or an anniversary that mattered a lot to you.

The truth is, people let us down. They let us down all the time. And that’s why they can’t be the sole source of our joy and contentment. However, even when life doesn’t go your way, God has a bigger plan for you and in the end, He will never let you down.

People come and go, but God is faithful. He will never leave you nor forsake you. You have probably heard those words a thousand times, but let them really sink in. God will never leave you. You are never alone. And your cares, your concerns, and your desires never burden God.

You are loved far beyond your imagination. Never lose hope in that truth. God will take care of you because you mean everything to Him ❤

As high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. Just as a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him.

Psalm 103:11-13

I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined to me and heard my cry. He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay, and He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God; many will see and fear and will trust in the Lord. 

Psalm 40:1-3

Also, just a site note! Due to all the transitions going on, I will be temporarily putting “Encouragement Thursdays” on pause. However, I will certainly be updating this site and I look forward to hopefully sending you more encouragement! ❤