love

Love and grace

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Happy Valentine's Day, friends!

Over the past few days (maybe even weeks!), I've been wrestling with negative, ugly thoughts. Specifically not being _______ enough. On & on in my head the lies spin, leading me to believe that's right, I'll never be _______ or _______ so I'm done trying, Lord. Instead of running the race Christ had put before me with perseverance, I was more like, "Yeah, how about I just sit for awhile, maybe crawl a few steps?"

At church on Monday night (yes, we meet on Monday nights. Come check it out!) right before we took communion, I had bowed my head & was confessing my heart before the Lord. As I was really pouring it all out - my doubts, frustrations, sin - the Holy Spirit recalled this verse to my mind:

"And He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, my strength is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." 2 Corinthians 12:9

Bam! Just like that & I was filled with the overwhelming sense of God's grace. He doesn't love me because I'm the best friend, wife, photographer, neighbor or daughter. Friend, the same is true for you! His love isn't dependent upon what we do or don't do. God is love (1 John 4:8) & He loves us because that's His nature. It's who He is. Yes, we should strive to do & live everything - our work, our resources, our time, our relationships - for His glory, like it says in 1 Corinthian 10:31. But that doesn't mean we just call quits when the journey we're is difficult or we don't think we're enough.

As followers of Jesus Christ, He made us His workmanship & created us for many good works that He prepared in advance for us (Ephesians 2:10)! As Ruth Bell Graham so eloquently put it, "We are to take care of the possible & let God take care of the impossible." I love that! There's so much freedom when we live our lives the way the Lord intended them to be lived. We're to do our best, for His glory & honor, & leave the rest up to Him.

"You're love more than you'll ever know by someone who died to know you."
Based off of Romans 5:8

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