How Real Is His Love To You?

How great is the love the Father has lavished on us that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!

I was meditating on these words from 1 John 3:1 as we celebrated Father's Day yesterday. I have a wonderful husband that is a great dad to our children, and I have an amazing dad myself. They are both caring men who have provided for the needs of their children and have taught them many good things. My husband and my dad are examples to me of God's love, and I have never had trouble picturing God as a loving Father because of them. I know God loves me like that and even more so, but I don't always live as if I believe it. Sometimes God's love seems distant and abstract, but only because I allow it to become less to me than I should. I sometimes think and live as if I'm an abandoned orphan rather than a dearly loved child of God. His love is always there but often clouded by my own unbelief. Perhaps you can relate to feeling less loved by God than you actually are.

I wrote the following poem as a reminder of all the ways God's love is so evident and available to me. No matter what I have done or haven't done; No matter what is going on in my life or around me, I can cling tightly to my Father's love to stay afloat and live in peace, joy, and strength. I hope you are blessed. May you live more completely in God's love for you each day.

How Real Is My Love

How real is My love for you, child

As real as the food on your table

And the home where you dwell

And the clothes that you wear

Am I real to you like that

How real is My love for you, child

As real as the car you drive

And the work you do

And the fun you enjoy

Am I real to you like that

How real is My love for you, child

As real as the friendships you cherish

And the blessings of family

And the place you call home

Am I real to you like that

How real is My love for you, child

As real as the anger you hold

And the regrets you have

And the sins you hide

Am I real to you like that

How real is My love for you, child

As real as the forgiveness I give

And the peace you long for

And the healing I bring

Am I real to you like that

How real is My love for you, child

As real as the loss of someone dear

And the pain you feel

And the loneliness inside

Am I real to you like that

How real is My love for you, child

As real as the Bible in your hands

And the promise of glory

And the hope of tomorrow

Am I real to you like that

How real is My love for you, child

As real as the gifts you possess

And the cry of those in need

And the love you can show

Am I real to you like that

How real is My love for you, child

As real as the needs you have

And the longings of your heart

And the waiting you endure

Am I real to you like that

How real is My love for you, child

As real as the songs you sing

And the cries of your heart

And the truth and the light

Am I real to you like that

How real is My love for you, child

As real as the blessings you have today

And the beauty that surrounds you

And the grace in My eyes

Am I real to you like that

Lessons From Mom

My mother is a very special person. Anyone who knows her will tell you that. Sweet, loving, kind, funny, joyful, supportive, encouraging, and wise are a few words I would use to describe her. I am incredibly thankful for her and her love. In many ways I am who I am today because of who she is. It's true that the apple often doesn't fall far from the tree, and in my case that's a good thing!

My mother taught me how to be frugal without being cheap. She doesn't especially enjoy cooking, but her cooking is very enjoyable to eat (except for the Spanish rice and liver and onions--sorry Mom, I never could get used to those two dishes; but you can laugh at me now for having three of the most picky eaters ever). My mom would be the first one to tell you she's not perfect, and she never expected me to be either. She loves God more than anyone else I know, and she loves others unconditionally just like Jesus does. When I was bullied in school, she didn't tell me to fight back or flee; she told me to love my enemies and trust God with the hard things in life.

I think what makes my mother extraordinary is that she lives what she believes in. She believes in love. She believes in family. She believes in God's forgiveness, and she is so thankful for all He has done to bless her life. She believes in the good in others. She believes in the silver lining. She always has hope. She never gives up on anyone. She believes in the truth of God's Word. She believes in prayer. She treats others the way she would want to be treated. These are lessons she didn't teach me so much by what she said; she just lives that way, and I got the message.

My mother is an amazing seamstress. She made almost all of my clothes when I was growing up, even the fashionable things I would see in the store that all my friends were wearing. She would say, 'I can make it for much cheaper,' and she could; and she did. She made my wedding dress just the way I wanted it, including the layers and layers of lace that cascaded down the back and into the long train that everyone 'ooohed and ahhhed' over as I walked down the aisle; personally I think it was even more beautiful than Princess Kate's. I didn't inherit her love for sewing, although she did her best to teach me; but through her talent she taught me to do what I loved, not for money or praise, but for the joy of it and the blessing to others it would be. She was the first and only person to read my first novel, and although I knew it needed some serious work and never published it, her praise and encouragement inspired me to keep writing. The first novel I did publish was based on her testimony, and it was so satisfying for me to write because it reflected the values she taught me and the message of God's unconditional love: the cornerstone of her unwavering faith, and mine.

Thanks, Mom. Thank you for being who you are and never pretending that you're more than who God has made you to be. For never pretending to be perfect. For never letting me forget about God's constant care, His promises, and His forgiveness. Thank you for all the prayers and life-lessons you lived. I am blessed because of them, and I know many others are too.

Happy Mother's Day! I love you. Thank you for always loving me. May God continue to bless you. I know He will, and I know you know it too, because you taught me that. You taught me to live-loved. Because we are.

Do We Get It?

"The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this , and it is marvelous in our eyes." (Mark 12:10-11)

I've had this thought running through my head today. Do we get it?

Get what?

Do we get how great God's mercy is?

We talk about it, sing about it, teach about it: God's mercy that He has freely given us. We just celebrated it last Sunday on Easter. We contemplated His sacrifice. We rejoiced in His resurrection. We proclaimed that He is Lord! But do we get it?

Where we would be without His unconditional love? Does that thought make you shudder?

On the flip-side, does your belief in His mercy make you thankful, hopeful, loving, at peace, joyful, and unafraid? Do we see how blessed we are? How secure, free, and alive? Do we feel it, or is it just a nice idea? Do we believe? Do we live it? Do we say with confidence, 'If God is for us, who can be against us?' Do we recognize that as a rhetorical question, or do we secretly have answers? The economy, the government, gas prices, the boss, family, adversity, difficulty, losses, enemy #1, #2, and #3--or perhaps the worst enemy of all--ourselves.

God is so many things. He is powerful; the almighty creator and sustainer of life. He is living, spirit, truth, justice, and righteousness. But above all, He is mercy. He is love. He is our Father and we are His children: His dearly loved children. In spite of our sin, shortcomings, weakness, shortsightedness, stupidity, selfishness, and unbelief.

He is mercy, and we are forgiven. We are blessed. We are secure in His love.

Do we get it?

If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all--how will he not also graciously give us all things? (Romans 8:31-32)