Gods love – The Will to Wake Up

The Incredible Reality of Unconditional Love

How does embracing God’s unconditional love for us change the trajectory of our lives forever?

Evangelical churches are often characterized in the media for stirring souls toward salvation with sermons about damnation and fiery flames. Even in small group discipling conversations, the emphasis is often on gaining eternal life rather than the earthly benefits of following Jesus. While eternal life certainly lasts longer than our time on Earth, it isn’t the only – or perhaps even most important – aspect of a relationship with God.

When we love Jesus, we will obey – or at least do our best to obey – His teachings (John 14:15). And what is Jesus’ number one command?

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.”
Luke 10:37

You know how spending time with someone, even someone completely different from you, can cause you to pick up their mannerisms and understand their perspective? The same is true of a relationship with Jesus. If you spend the rest of your life with Him, even when your growth feels slow, you are becoming more like Him. Your heart softens as it fills with His love and pours out on those around you.

You will find yourself naturally seeking out the interests of others above your own. You will crave honest and authentic relationships. You will pause before making major decisions and seek godly counsel. Even if your life looks more difficult and your faith causes you to make sacrificial choices, you will be filled with joy and the strength to keep going. And on the rough days, when you feel alone or defeated, you won’t stay stuck in those emotions because you have someone who loves you unconditionally to whom you can call.

When you approach someone without faith and explain that they should submit their life to Christ in order to be more kind and selfless, you may unintentionally come off as selfish. It’s like saying, “I just want you to be saved so that you treat me better.” In truth, they are the one who suffers the most from not having a relationship with Jesus.

The longer they try to do life without unconditional love, the harder their hearts will become. They turn inward for assurance and comfort and love, but they won’t find it there, no matter how desperately they search. Empty and defeated, they will invest in outward sources, whether it be relationships, wealth, physical health, or even humanitarian work.

While those sources may provide immediate comfort, they won’t sustainably meet their deeper needs. People come and go. The economy collapses. Illness hits. Causes and campaigns, even the most noble of them, fade out of relevance eventually. Or enthusiasm for them does when they try to take on the burdens of the world without God’s strength and comfort.

Naturally, when all else fails, they turn back to themselves, realizing they are all they have left. The world encourages us to pump ourselves up with motivational mantras: “You are special”, “You are worthy”, “You are loved”. But when these phrases come from ourselves, they don’t mean anything. We have been designed to need validation from an outside source. Sadly, we often turn to people who don’t have the capacity to love us fully 100% of the time.

But here is where God reenters the picture, though He’s been waiting there the whole time. He wants to take us by the hand and say, “My child, I have always loved you. I know you better than you know yourself. Give up the lie that anything other than my love will sustain you. Come, follow me.”

This path won’t be easy, but it will be lined with grace. All of these things that you’ve craved for your whole life, whether it be purpose or love or hope, can be found in a relationship with God.

How is God calling you today? If you close your eyes and reflect, how can you see Him working in your life to help you grow in love and selflessness?

Because of His love and redemption, you are special, worthy, and loved. Even as believers, we can struggle to remember this when our thoughts tell us otherwise. Today, are you ready to accept this incredible reality?

Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
1 John 4:8

But whoever loves God is known by God.
1 Corinthians 8:3

Why the Rush?

Understanding the root behind our burnout.

There are many reasons why we find ourselves stuck in a busy rhythm with little time to be still.

Perhaps we have trouble setting boundaries, our job requires much from us, or we get bored easily. But at the root of these various reasons is fear.

Fear tells us that people won’t like us if we say no.

Fear tells us that we have to be the one to save the day.

Fear tells us that we are defined by what we do, not who we are.

Fear tells us that we will collapse if we take a break.

Fear tells us that slowing down means giving up.

Fear tells us that God won’t be there when we finally make the time to be still in His presence.

Fear tells us not to trust God with all areas of our lives, including our temptations, our distractions, our inadequacies, and our demands.

But who is fear to tell us anything?

Fear never stepped out in faith.

Fear never encouraged the outcast or belittled.

Fear never took a risk that could’ve cost everything.

Fear never filled us with peace amid a sea of uncertainty.

Fear has never gone through what you have gone through and still stands here today, undefeated.

So why do we trust a silly thing called fear when we have an almighty, loving God right beside us?

Today, may your act of courage be taking a moment to be still. Set aside all distractions and open your heart to God. Even if it’s a five minute walk, listening to nature rather than artificial sounds. Even if it’s participating in a simple breath prayer. Even if it seems so small and insignificant, it will make a huge difference on your wellbeing.

God is the God of rest. So be still in His presence today and be filled with His everlasting peace.

He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”
Psalm 46:10

You are Not Forgotten

No matter how you feel today, you are not alone.

I stood at the edge of the curb, rain dripping down my back, one earbud hanging loose over my shoulder. Angry, confused, wondering what was wrong with me.

And then soft words, as though an angel were singing in my ear, flowed through my remaining earbud:

You are not hidden
There’s never been a moment
You were forgotten.
Lauren Daigle, “Rescue”

That was four years ago, and yet her words never cease to haunt me. In the most comforting way possible, of course. But it’s funny how someone’s simple words can reach into your soul and pull something out that you never thought possible.

I’ve come to notice a trend in theology classes: they always start with Genesis. No surprise there. But this year, after reading these chapters countless times, my professor brought something new to light.

The first time we hear God speak to Adam and Eve, He asks, “Where are you?”. And this question, my professor remarked, is what God continues to ask humanity throughout history. Even now, each day, God might ask this of us.

It’s weird how difficult it is to answer that question. I mean, there’s the simple answer, “I’m at ___ address”, or even if you were to take it metaphorically, “I’m at peace in my life right now”.

Yet I don’t think I really had an answer until I didn’t know where I was geographically.

I was sitting in my room–which had only been “mine” for a few days–in Cambridge, overlooking a river full of punting boats and swans. I couldn’t tell you where to find me or how to get anywhere other than the local grocery store from there. And yet, as I took a deep, steady breath, I finally knew where I was. I wasn’t in hiding anymore.

Last week, I sat alone on the grass on my university’s campus watching the bright yellow leaves float down around me. This campus has engulfed me in loneliness, gripped me with terror, and coated me with shame. And yet, I could finally sit comfortably where anyone could see me and feel well.

God doesn’t ask Where are you because He wants to “get us” for our sin or pile on guilt. God asks because He wants to be in relationship with us, and we can’t have a loving, open relationship without being brave enough to present our full selves. To come out of hiding. To be honest about how we truly feel and what we’ve become.

Ultimately, God asks this of us because He never forgets us. He remembers us. Through the tears that came down with the thunder and lightning roaring inside to the quiet moments where no one knew we were hurting.

God remembers us in the joyful moments, the excitement that no one else can truly understand but Him. In the meaningful connections, the smile after the conversation is long since over, the memory that keeps us alive.

While we’ll always be remembered by God, we can’t feel remembered until we step into the light and allow God’s love to cover any inadequacies we still face.

Today, I hope you can believe that you are not forgotten. God loves you so much and He will never let you go.

I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life.
Genesis 9:15

The Arch of God’s Love

Life is more than a cycle.

So often, life can just feel like a cycle.

Brush, rinse, wash, repeat. Meet-cute, fall in love, break up, repeat. Feel lonely, make friends, get heartbroken, repeat.

Even life itself: Born, struggle, succeed, decline, die, onto the next.

But is that really life?

For the past few years, I’ve been caught up seeing life as a cycle. It’s more draining making friends after knowing how quickly you can lose them. It’s harder to take initiative after being rejected.

Perhaps you can relate. The worst is when you pray, God answers the prayer, and then the thing you feared happens anyway. False hope cuts deeper than no hope at all.

But maybe what we’re feeling isn’t false hope. Maybe we have our hope placed in the outcome more than in who gives us hope.

This week, I was reminded of the story of Elijah and the widow. He meets the widow and her son during a drought when they are preparing their last meal in anticipation of their greatest fear: death. But miraculously, God provides them with enough food to survive!

But then…her son dies anyway.

Arguably, the widow is distressed. Why would God save them just to have her son die shortly after? He’s all she has, or so she thinks. What good is life without him? And what kind of God would allow this?

When we have a pressing need, it’s easy to become obsessed with it. Perhaps it’s a person in our lives who seems like a miracle, just to be taken away from us. Or maybe it’s an opportunity that would bring so much joy, only to fall through. It could even be a physical need, such as a place to live, food on the table, or enough money to make it through the month.

All these things that feel like necessities. That are necessities when living in this world.

When the woman cries out to God, He hears her. Through Elijah, God is able to bring her son back to life. And through this heart-wrenching experience, she can finally proclaim, “Now I know that you (Elijah) are a man of God and that the word of the Lord from your mouth is the truth” (1 Kings 17:24).

Now. Now I can see. Now I know that You hear me.

It took not a cycle of God’s love coming and going. It took an arch of belief. Starting off helpless, going on a journey towards trusting God fully, and ending with the knowledge that God loves without fail.

Maybe the “son” in your story has already died. Maybe it feels like God was too late.

But I promise that God is using everything in your life to bring you back to His love. Through hardship and heartache, God is right there, protecting you from things you couldn’t even imagine.

God wants you to turn to Him when you feel yourself sinking in despair, loneliness, or confusion. He doesn’t want you to be alone. Through it all, you will never be alone. ❤

For none of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone. If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.
Romans 14:7-8

You Are Worth The Cost

You matter to God ❤

It’s just a paper plate.

I kept trying to convince myself of that as I walked in the door last night after a long evening of leading children’s programming at church. Still recovering from jet lag and a full day of classes, I funneled the remnants of my energy into spending time with the kids. Yet, of course, it was completely worth it after reflecting on their thoughtful answers, seeing their smiling faces, and most all, hearing their laughter!

Though the highlight of the night came at the end, when a sweet little girl came up and handed me a plate. It wasn’t just an old plate–it was adorned with multicolored paint splatters surrounding the words: “I ❤ you”.

A smile immediately illuminated my face as I gave her a quick squeeze and a “thank you” that couldn’t have possibly conveyed how much it meant to me.

And then in the hubbub of parents picking up their children and cleaning the giant mess of paint, the plate was somehow lost in the mix. It wasn’t until I got home that I realized my special gift was missing.

I tore apart my bags, just to make sure, though I knew deep down that it was somewhere in the locked up building.

It’s not worth driving all the way back and setting off the alarms, I reminded myself. But somehow, it almost felt worth it.

How funny it is that something as simple as a paper plate can have so much value once personalized. You might have something similar at home: what was once a piece of scratch paper is now a treasured love note; an old receipt is the reminder of easier days; a dusty photo is the last memory of a beloved person.

And to God, we were once just dust particles, and now we are worth the ultimate sacrifice. God would give up everything–in fact, He did!–just to be with us. As the Good Shepherd, Jesus would go searching high and low to make sure each of us are still with Him. He would go back for that one paper plate, no matter the cost or humiliation or time. We are worth it to Him.

Today, I hope you can allow yourself to believe that you are a valuable, beloved creation that has an extraordinary purpose. When God made you, He knew exactly what He was doing. You can’t mess up God’s plan for you. And even when things feel all out of alignment, God’s love for you will never fail. ❤

“I [Jesus] have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”
John 10:10-11

Reminders of His Love

God’s love isn’t far–it’s right here, in every detail of your life.

God’s love shows up in mysterious ways. Yesterday, it came in a lost receipt.

Recently, I’ve been struggling to figure out a lot of things, including where God is during this stage of my life. I know He’s always there, but it’s hard to remember that during the seasons when life feels directionless. An additional concern is my health, which has taken some unexpected turns over the summer.

Last evening, after a day of asking God for strength and answers, I was running around the house in search of a receipt I needed to turn in for reimbursement for my job. I turned over objects, reshuffled the dining room table (which is always too cluttered to eat on anyway), and poked through every possible location it could be in.

As I headed up the stairs, I silently asked God for help. Literally less than a minute later, in the one place I didn’t think to check, there was the receipt.

Honestly, most of my “big” questions weren’t resolved last night. Yet God was still showing up, reminding me that even the small things matter to Him. When we pay attention to how God is within every detail of our lives, we can have peace even in uncertainty.

Today, no matter what you are going through, I hope you can give God the things that are burdening your heart. Everything feels so ginormous when we’re caught up in them, yet God has a plan to use it all for good, even when it doesn’t feel good right now.

God has an extraordinary plan for you.

You may not feel like it when the days begin to take their toll on you, or when you aren’t at the point you thought you’d be at by now. Yet God is in control, and that promise will never fail. ❤

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

Living in a Graceless World

Do you feel exhausted living in a world that assumes?

Connected even when apart, whether through mobile devices, social media, or even tracking apps, why are we (GenZers) considered the loneliest generation?

Whether or not you are part of this generation, our world continues to feel isolated even as COVID restrictions relax and people start getting out in the world again.

Perhaps it’s because “connection” no longer means meaningful conversations, getting to know one another on a deeper level, or the start of a friendship. Rather, connection has grown cold. A mere point of contact.

I am part of a social media community that began as a way for people with similar hobbies to encourage and help each other develop photography skills. However, now it has become a place where anyone who even likes or follows the “wrong” or “cancelled” person will be the next kicked out. While this is done out of hurt feelings, or perhaps even fear of being “exposed” themselves, it has destroyed a space that used to bring joy to many.

While internet relationships are often blamed, we are just as inclined to judge people quickly when face-to-face, including in communities of Christ-followers.

While participating in ministry, I have sadly witnessed many otherwise loving and God-honoring leaders turn on each other over issues that could’ve been resolved in a polite and respectful manner. One preference leads to a series of assumptions that are often untrue or speak nothing of a person’s character and capabilities.

Our society prides itself on how much better we are than previous eras in history. We are so much more informed and aware now.

But are we really better? Or are the same traps our ancestors fell into the ones we are encountering today?

The stereotypes we create for people aren’t the same as in the past (which is a step in the right direction), yet we still make assumptions about people, particularly because we often don’t take the time to fully get to know the people in our communities.

It is wonderful that we now have the opportunity to make friends from around the world, yet this gift needs to be handled with wisdom. How can we rationalize “exposing” someone on the Internet if we don’t even know their real name or anything about their history? How can we convince ourselves that we are loving when we remove someone from our lives over a difference of opinion?

The truth is, opinions (yes, even the ones that feel like so much more than that) will change. People, when given the opportunity and environment, will grow.

Put yourself in your childhood shoes. If your teacher yelled and screamed at you, then forced you out of the classroom if you didn’t get the answer they were hoping for, would you actually learn anything except that you didn’t want to be near the teacher? Probably not.

But if your teacher listened to your ideas, even if they were misguided, and respected you as a person while explaining another approach, you would likely remember the lesson and desire to come back the next day.

Jesus is the best teacher of all. He listens to us, even though all of us, with our minds combined, could never compare to His wisdom and knowledge. Yet He loves us, and as He helps us become the best people we can be, allows us to make mistakes and ask for forgiveness.

Grace is Jesus’ never-ending gift for us. If we can sprinkle a little of that grace within our lives, imagine the healing it would bring. ❤

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.
Ephesians 2:8-9

In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world—just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace.
Colossians 1:6

Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
Colossians 4:6

The Key to Dealing with Annoying People

Advice for reorienting frustrating relationships.

We’ve all got that person. Maybe several.

The one who pushes our buttons, rubs us the wrong way, and makes us second guess whether or not Jesus really knew what He was talking about when He said we have to love everybody. Surely Jesus hasn’t met this person, right?

I have many “button-pushers” in my life, so I completely understand where you’re at. In fact, trying to be “nice” to these people is something that’s been really hard for me recently.

Many devotionals will tell you to just remember how much Jesus loves them, and you should too. But that’s not really practical, is it?

For me, the thing that helps me deal with irritating people the most is random acts of kindness.

Not “killing them with kindness” in a performative, superficial way that ends up in resentment. Rather, just one simple act as a reminder that they are human and so are you.

Perhaps one act will lead to another and you’ll find yourself a much more patient, generous, and compassionate person. Or maybe it will end at one, but even kind deed can change someone’s life.

We all make mistakes. We won’t get along with everyone. But these tiny things can add up to make big changes in the most difficult of relationships.

The truth is, we really don’t know what’s going on in another person’s life. Maybe this act of kindness will soften their rough edges or improve your relationship. Or maybe it won’t and things will feel the same.

But you won’t ever have to regret showing them God’s love. You will have peace knowing that you did the right thing and someday maybe they’ll see that.

And above all, pray for them. It might not seem like it will make a difference, but I promise you, putting all your difficulties into Jesus’ hands is the best way to find wisdom and grace.

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.
James 1:2-3

What Does it Really Mean to Follow Jesus?

Following Jesus isn’t about achieving “goodness”, but what if that’s a beautiful thing?

Perhaps if you grew up in a Christian home or attending Sunday School, you were taught that being a Christian meant asking Jesus into your heart.

And that’s true. But that’s not all of it.

Following Jesus isn’t about whether or not you miss a church service (or haven’t even found a church home yet). It isn’t about which pastors you agree with, whether or not you tithe, what your political views are, or how often you pray.

It all comes down to one simple question.

Who or what do you orient your life around?

And if the answer is anything but Jesus, it seems like you may be following something else instead.

Because if you put Jesus at the center of your life, your decision making, and your way of interacting with others, then everything will change. It will be evident that something greater than you is at work.

Now, this doesn’t mean you have to go around preaching the Bible to every single person you meet. It isn’t the stereotypical image of being a “good Christian”. In fact, I don’t believe there’s really any “good Christian”; that just sets up an unachievable image that turns people away.

I believe what matters is that we try our best and don’t give up on our relationship with God.

I’ll confess that I struggle at keeping Jesus at the center of my life. I often want my plans or dreams to come into fruition and then have the faith element happen later. But that’s not how faith works. Faith comes out of not knowing how things will work out, but believing that God is faithful regardless.

So how can we keep Jesus at the center of our lives without making it performative or have the act of “being a Christian” take over the true essence of embodying God’s love?

Do things that bring you closer to Jesus that don’t require an audience.

Read the Bible on your own, not to master a passage, but to envelope yourself in God’s promises.

Pray by yourself at a time when you know you won’t be disturbed.

Immerse yourself in God’s creation, appreciating God’s eye for beauty.

Don’t go out of your way to preach the Bible to others, but instead experience who God is and do your best to imitate that.

Most of all, be open to when God is speaking to you. See who God leads you to, what opportunities would best allow you to shine God’s light, and when is it time to refuel yourself in God’s peace and rest.

Following Jesus isn’t a simple checklist that can be completed in a lifetime. The truth is, no one can complete it because none of us can perfectly embody Jesus’ characteristics.

It’s more of a process, a true relationship. And I’ll guarantee, it’s the best relationship for you to invest in. ❤

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Ephesians 2:8-10