Reason #32
I was a little worried about how my day was going to go. Today is Valentine's Day, and I haven't been looking forward to it this year. As I drove to work, I began to just lay it out before God. We talked about how I was feeling today. I had to be brutally honest, but I knew he would understand. Today is a day set aside for love. A day when you're really suppose to go out of your way to show someone you love them and to feel loved yourself. I asked that he would open my eyes to see the love he pours out on me, and I prayed that I would see the love surrounding me.
So this is how my day went. I woke up to a sweet gift and card from my parents. A nice surprise! When I got to work, I found a box of chocolate truffles and a cute card sitting on my desk, another nice surprise. About an hour into the work day, a friend sent me a "Happy Valentine's Day" text. An hour later I was surprised again with a beautiful bouquet of flowers from another sweet friend. I received an e-card from my aunt, my boss gave me some mini-cupcakes, and to top it off, my sweet grandad called and left me a message with a Valentine's Day serenade, which almost brought me to tears! This day far exceeded my expectations.
As I am sitting here writing this post, I am overwhelmed. I am filled with joy and humbled at how love has been poured out on me today. I am blown away at how so many sweet people have rallied around me and lifted me up on a day where I didn't expect to be able to move. I am not worthy of a love like this, but I'm so grateful to receive it.
God is so good! He speaks to me in so many different ways, and I'm always in awe of how he takes care of me. He knew exactly what I needed today, and he provided. Since the theme of today is "love," I have been thinking about the love of my Savior. I've always known he has loved me, but I have been fortunate to experience his love in a new and incredible way over the past few months. I suppose this has come about because I have yearned for him like never before. I have desired and craved to feel his love. I have desperately needed my king to consume me with his love, and he's shown me again and again how deeply he loves me. He has shown me his love in so many forms, but I'm reminded in 1 John 4 of his biggest display of love. Verse 10 says, "This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins." He loves me. He did that for me. He didn't do it because I deserved it. He didn't do it because I love him, no, he did it because he loves me. He loved me before I knew I loved him! I try and wrap my mind around the love he has for me, and I just can't even begin to grasp it. I don't deserve it. I'll never deserve it. I'm thankful that his love is not contingent on what I do, how I act or what I look like. I'm thankful that I can't escape his love. I'm thankful that because he loves me, I can experience love. Most of all, I'm thankful that he gives his love lavishly, freely, and immeasurably.
#32 - Because I am loved!
"We love because he first loved us". - 1 John 4:19
So this is how my day went. I woke up to a sweet gift and card from my parents. A nice surprise! When I got to work, I found a box of chocolate truffles and a cute card sitting on my desk, another nice surprise. About an hour into the work day, a friend sent me a "Happy Valentine's Day" text. An hour later I was surprised again with a beautiful bouquet of flowers from another sweet friend. I received an e-card from my aunt, my boss gave me some mini-cupcakes, and to top it off, my sweet grandad called and left me a message with a Valentine's Day serenade, which almost brought me to tears! This day far exceeded my expectations.
As I am sitting here writing this post, I am overwhelmed. I am filled with joy and humbled at how love has been poured out on me today. I am blown away at how so many sweet people have rallied around me and lifted me up on a day where I didn't expect to be able to move. I am not worthy of a love like this, but I'm so grateful to receive it.
God is so good! He speaks to me in so many different ways, and I'm always in awe of how he takes care of me. He knew exactly what I needed today, and he provided. Since the theme of today is "love," I have been thinking about the love of my Savior. I've always known he has loved me, but I have been fortunate to experience his love in a new and incredible way over the past few months. I suppose this has come about because I have yearned for him like never before. I have desired and craved to feel his love. I have desperately needed my king to consume me with his love, and he's shown me again and again how deeply he loves me. He has shown me his love in so many forms, but I'm reminded in 1 John 4 of his biggest display of love. Verse 10 says, "This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins." He loves me. He did that for me. He didn't do it because I deserved it. He didn't do it because I love him, no, he did it because he loves me. He loved me before I knew I loved him! I try and wrap my mind around the love he has for me, and I just can't even begin to grasp it. I don't deserve it. I'll never deserve it. I'm thankful that his love is not contingent on what I do, how I act or what I look like. I'm thankful that I can't escape his love. I'm thankful that because he loves me, I can experience love. Most of all, I'm thankful that he gives his love lavishly, freely, and immeasurably.
#32 - Because I am loved!
"We love because he first loved us". - 1 John 4:19