God's Love…More Than You Think

Overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loves us. I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love. Not death or life, angels or demons, nothing today or nothing to come…nothing at all can separate us from His love—I mean, just look at what Jesus did for us! What more proof do we need?

Romans 8:37-39

When you think of God's love, what comes to mind? He loves me…He forgives me…He loves me in spite of my sin and shortcomings?  I certainly hope you believe that, because it's true. His love is for everyone, it's unconditional, and it's free. There is nothing you can do to earn God's love or make Him love you more. 

Your only barrier to experiencing His love is receiving it—but even if you don't think you deserve His love or try to push it away, His love will still reach you in the form of blessings, protection, care, rescue, and that pull you feel toward choosing what is right: What is truly best for you and others. He loves you too much to leave you completely on your own, and nothing in heaven or on earth can separate you from His love.

Repeat this truth to yourself:

Nothing can separate me from God's love.

If you believe that and are trying to receive as much of His love as you can, I'm sure you have experienced the benefits of believing more deeply. It makes a difference in the way you see God, the way you see yourself, and the way you see others. It brings peace and joy. It leads to greater faith. And it makes you more loving. How else have you seen it make a difference? Each of us has a unique story to tell about how God's love has rescued, transformed, healed, or changed us.

But can we still go deeper? Is there more of His love to receive? Always! As Paul said, May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully…(Eph. 3:19 NLT) We can never reach the end of His love, there's always more for Him to give. But there are also new ways we can think about His love. What do I mean by that? Here are a few examples for you to ponder.

You know God loves you in spite of your mistakes, sins, and failures; He loves you for what you aren't. But do you know He also loves you for who you are? In other words, He doesn't just love you, He likes you. He loves the unique person you are—who He created you to be. He loves your personality: whether you are outgoing or an introvert, perky or melancholy, spontaneous or a planner, funny or serious, analytical or creative, emotional or even-tempered, organized or a scatterbrain, talented or not…You are His unique creation, and He loves you just the way you are.

Repeat this truth to yourself:

He loves me for who I am.

He also believes in you. Whatever your passion is, He loves that about you and wants to see you reach your full potential. He knows you can succeed, and He wants to help you. There is no need to go it alone or prove anything to Him. He knows who you are and who you can be. So believe what He tells you about yourself. Believe it when He says, "You can do this!" And when you feel weary or overwhelmed and He says, "Let me carry you," don't be too prideful to let Him.

Repeat this truth to yourself:

He believes in me, and I'm not on my own.

He invests in you. As much as He likes you for who you are, He knows you can be so much more. He knows you have more love to give, more courage to show, more talent to exercise, more traits to refine, and more hope to endure through the challenges you face. Your life is not a random series of events, problems, good times, bad times, struggles, and victories. It's all part of a plan: God's divine purpose for you. From the moment He first thought of you, He designed every detail of your life.

He knew when you would obey and when you would rebel. He knew when others would be there for you and when they would let you down. He knew what your needs would be and how they would shape you and draw you to Him. And even if it hasn't always seemed like it, He's been with you every step of the way. And He's not done yet. He is willing to invest whatever it takes to help you rise above your doubts and fears, your weaknesses, your past hurts, your current obstacles, and any unbelief you are still having about His love for you and your value in His eyes.

Repeat this truth to yourself:

I matter to God;

He has a plan and purpose for me.

He is your biggest fan, your loudest cheerleader, your most encouraging and supportive teacher, your greatest mentor, your defender, your source of strength, and your best friend. In other words, He's got your back! You are His. You are His workmanship. You are His beloved treasure.

Repeat these truths to yourself:

I am His;

I am His workmanship;

I am His beloved treasure.

Maybe you don't believe all that yet, but you want to. You want to feel special, protected, valuable, and loved. You want to be the best version of yourself. You want to make a difference in this world. You want to be or do what seems impossible to you now, but it's not. 


Jesus said so...“If you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.” (Matthew 17:20 NKJV)

How does a tiny mustard seed become the largest plant in the garden? It simply becomes who it was designed by God to be, despite its small beginnings…and you can do the same, if you simply believe.

Praise Him with music and dancing,

for the LORD delights in you.

(Psalm 149:3-4)

Rom. 8:37-39 and Ps. 149:3-4, paraphrase mine.
Love Ring Photo Credit: FreeImages.com/jaime101. CC
Mustard Seed Photo Credit: David Turner, February 23, 2005. CC
Mustard Plant Photo Credit: www.bibleistrue.com

When God Seems Far Away

Sometimes girls ask me, "How do I grow in my relationship with God? How can I know Him better?" Sometimes they add: "I read my Bible and pray, but it doesn't seem to help. He seems far away."

If you can relate to this, you're not alone. And I think there is more than one answer to these questions. First of all, if you want to grow in your relationship with God and know Him better, reading the Bible and praying is a good place to start, but if you are already doing this and you still feel lost, God seems distant, or you're not sure what He is saying to you, you're probably closer to Him than you feel.

When it comes to "measuring" your relationship with God, feelings are not always an accurate scale. If you are reading your Bible, then God is speaking to you and you are listening. If you are talking to Him, asking for things, and trusting Him to help you, guide you, teach you, etc., you may not see any immediate results or have instant feelings, but His words are in your mind and in your heart, and that makes a difference. So be patient and wait for the promise Jesus gave when He said, "You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you…Those who remain in me and I in them will produce much fruit." (John 15:3-5)

Another thing to consider is God's timing is not usually our timing. We like immediate answers. We like instant change. We prefer to fix, solve, and do things ourselves, but God tells us to wait on Him. In Psalm 37:7, David penned these words: Be still in the presence of the LORD, and wait patiently for him to act. And in Psalm 62:5, he says, Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him.

When Jesus says to "remain" in Him, waiting is often involved. I must trust in His promises, believe He is with me, and rest in His love. This can be frustrating at times, but it can also be super-rewarding! I always grow closer to Jesus when I wait on Him, and I know Him better at the tail-end of my waiting. I see why I needed to wait, purposes He had in mind I never considered, and I experience His faithfulness. This helps my faith to grow, and it helps me to grow. I become more patient with life. I become more patient with others. I love more.

They say 'knowledge is power', and when it comes to knowing God more deeply, that is definitely true. He strengthens me. He gives me courage. He produces things in me I didn't think I was capable of. So when others say God seems distant even though they are seeking Him, I know God has them in an amazing place…a time of waiting. If you are there now, trust that He is with you. He has wonderful things to show you, teach you, and give you.

Just wait…and you will see :)


Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

What Christmas Means To Me

Christmas has always been a special time for me. In my family, giving gifts and opening presents on Christmas morning was our greatest tradition, along with getting the tree, hanging decorations, and setting up the Nativity Scene. Although we talked about Santa and his reindeer delivering packages on Christmas Eve, I always knew it was my parents who bought the gifts and that Jesus was the true reason for the season. Traditions, gifts, a family dinner: these were the things we did to celebrate. But the story of Jesus coming to earth as a baby, being born in a stable, and lying in a manger wasn't lost in the shuffle. We remembered, we sang carols, we participated in the church programs, and we gave gifts as a reminder of the Three Wisemen who brought gifts to the Baby Jesus.

I still do those things now that I'm older. I visit my family at Christmas, and we exchange gifts and have a Christmas Feast. I celebrate at home with my husband and children with the traditions we have kept over the years. It's still about giving gifts, decorating the house, putting up the tree, Santa and his reindeer, and the Baby Jesus born in Bethlehem. But that aspect has changed a bit for me. It's not just about Jesus being in the manger, but more about what He was doing there. Why He came and what that means for me today.

Jesus was God's gift of love to the world. He brought redemption, forgiveness, and peace. Jesus did a lot more than give us a reason to have a fun holiday. He gave us a reason to live. To love. To experience joy. To find meaning in times of sorrow. To have hope in a world filled with sin, lawlessness, heartbreak, and tragedy. I have a friend who is undergoing cancer treatment right now. She was diagnosed at the beginning of December, and at first I thought, 'What a horrible time of year to face such an illness.' But the more I thought about it, the more I realized it's actually the best time to face cancer if she has to. Christmas is all about hope. Hope for this life, and hope for the life to come. We are never alone. We are loved. God cares about our needs and desires and hopes for the future. Jesus is about all of that and more.

To me, Christmas is about life. My life today, tomorrow, and always. Similarly, it's about your life and where Jesus is leading you. What He is teaching you. What He can give you. The peace, the joy, the love He wants to fill your heart with, no matter the time of year or your circumstances. Just look to Jesus and remember, you are loved.

To us a child is born, to us a son is given…and he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)


Photo Credit: "Gerard van Honthorst 001" by Gerard van Honthorst - The Yorck Project: 10.000 Meisterwerke der Malerei. DVD-ROM, 2002. ISBN 3936122202. Distributed by DIRECTMEDIA Publishing GmbH.. Licensed under Public Domain via Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gerard_van_Honthorst_001.jpg#/media/File:Gerard_van_Honthorst_001.jpg