Yes, Jesus Loves You

This weekend, I went to visit a dear friend who recently moved to Richmond. While there, I saw a woman who was put together. Her hair was perfect*, she was stylishly dressed, she was smiling and she looked like she had it together. I saw this woman in the reflection of a window and realized it was me. I was caught off guard at the way I appeared in the window because I was having a hell of a week. And by hell of a week, I mean the enemy has latched on and will not let go. And by week, I mean the past two months. Sitting in church yesterday, I was led to write this post.

(* Hey, I do not have perfect hair very often! When you do, you have to throw it out there. And thank your awesome stylist, Garrett.)

I find that when I am upset or sad, I do things that remind me of those times when I was little and I felt secure. I listen to Eric Clapton because I remember laying my head in my Mama's lap and the two of listening to Lay Down Sally until the grooves of the record wore out. I cook because it reminds me of my Grandma's house and there was nothing better than getting to spend the night with her. To me, it was better than Disney World, Kings Dominion and Busch Gardens all rolled into one. I do the things that Grandma did hoping to, if for only a second, feel as loved and as special as she made me feel. I absolutely do not for one second want you to think I do not feel loved. I have a wonderful husband who tells me and shows me and a family that does the same every chance we get. This is about that one special relationship that I hope we have all had that teaches you how much Jesus loves you.

I don't know why but this is one of my favorite pictures of her so in it goes! 

So here is the truth about the put together girl in the window. There are times I feel:

Broken- Really one more thing to add to the list of things going wrong?

Angry- We try to be the best we can be and do what's right because it's right and this is what happens?

Insecure- I simply am not good enough.

Scared- Y'all live in the same world I do, I am sure EVERYONE understands this one.

Unworthy- This list is long and oh so distinguished.

Tired- I feel like the world is winning.

I wish I could say I did not feel these things often but lately they are more prevalent than any other thoughts. So what do we do when we are here? Once again, it's so simple a child can tell you... Remember- Yes, Jesus loves you because the Bible tells us so.

Let's start with the one you see everywhere.

John 3:16  “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

I hate to say this but you see and hear this one so much that it seems cliche. But think about the words for a moment. Many of you are parents, Brad and I are not. But hear me when I say, there are children in our lives that we love like our own and would hurt someone over. I have heard every single one of my friends and family who are parents say they would sacrifice their life for the life of their child. God loves you so much he sent his only child to suffer like we suffer and die for you. 

Romans 5:8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Christ died for us. And it was not a simple, easy, pretty death. He took on the punishment of the world and all of our sins. He did this because of His love for us. I got popped on the hand for something my sister did once and you would have thought the world had ended. I cannot begin to imagine what that must have been like for Him. But the one thing we can NEVER forget is why He did it. The answer is because he loves us.

Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God. who loved me and gave himself for me.

Remember all of those things I listed above? Well, here are the answers.

Jeremiah 29:11

For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.

Matthew 11:28-29

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

Isaiah 40:29-31

He gives power to the weak
and strength to the powerless.
Even youths will become weak and tired,
and young men will fall in exhaustion.
But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.
They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary.
They will walk and not faint.

Philippians 4:19

And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.

Romans 8:37-39

No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

It is funny how everything I am feeling today is answered in a book written thousands of years ago. Because God knew. He knew what it would be like and as His children, He wanted to put His arms around us and tell us it will be okay. There it is, our great big Bible hug. Our Father, telling us "Lean on me, I am here for you and I love you."

As I have typed this, I have had one prevailing thought... There may be someone out there who has not had a person love them the way they deserve to be loved. They may not had an example of God's love from someone. This world is a broken, fallen place. People do not so great things and lose their way. We make bad decisions that have horrible consequences. We mess things up royally. But regardless of what we do, what we don't do or how badly we mess up... Actually let me say this as well- regardless of how much those around you may have messed up by what they did or did not do, we need to remember that someone loves us enough to send their child to die for us. God knew Jesus' life down to the last detail. He knew what would happen but to save us, He sacrificed His son. And Jesus had a glimpse of the book's ending as well. He knew what He would face and He loved us enough to die for us. Someone loves you enough that He gave his life for you.

1 John 4:9-11 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

We Christians are not perfect by any stretch of the imagination! See my list above. Sometimes our human, imperfect side is seen. But our job and hopefully, our goal is to be more Christ like. How do we do it, of course read the Bible, that is the play book. But we have to talk (pray) to God. He tells us He is our Father, Counselor, Friend. Why would you not turn to Him first and foremost in every situation? Ask Him! Because in working on this post, I realized I had not specifically prayed about the situation that caused me to feel like I did above. I had been praying about my feelings and why, oh why Lord, was this happening? I never once stopped and said "I give it to You, Lord. Tell, me what You want me to do." I threw myself a little pity party prayer and kept on going but I never once asked Him to take the situation and turn my ugly into beautiful. 

He loves us and wants to be in our lives. He wants to be first in our lives. Here is the interesting thing, when I allow him to be first, my circumstances may not change but I do because of his promises above. We need to remember He loves us and wants to help. We just have to be willing to ask and let Him.

My prayer is that throughout this year that is something that becomes second nature in my life.

love- j

Where you are, is where you're at...

Bad Grammar! Bad, Bad Grammar! I will try to use better grammar for the rest of this post. Notice the use of the word try, so don't get your hopes up too high. :)

The title of this post came from one of those moments driving down the road deep in thought and having the realization that I was physically exactly where God wanted me to be. Not too long a go, I had a post called Pffft. And it was lamenting the fact that I just wanted to see God's outline for my life. He did not have to show me the whole playbook, just give me somewhat of an idea of what his plans were/are. I was waiting to hear about an exciting opportunity. A dream come true really and by dream, I mean DREAM!!!!! A close your eyes and think of the most unobtainable, crazy, thrilling, exciting dream you have ever had and that was what I was looking at coming true. Unfortunately, it did not come true. I was disappointed to say the least but then an amazing thing happened. I had a wonderful realization.

Where you are is, where you're at!

This did not happen for me now because God wants me to give up. It was the exact opposite. He was jumping up and down for joy that I had stepped up and out of my comfort zone (FINALLY) and began the realization of my dream. I feel He allowed me to get as far as I did to encourage me to stay on course with my dream and not to give up. It did not come true because He has me where He needs for now. I would have had to leave home for 8 weeks and things have happened since that I now know God has me where He wants me.

As I type these words, I realize how much I have grown in my relationship with God over the past year. I would still be pouting, if this had been a year ago. And yes, I said still. I am not going to pretend that I did not mope for 2 days because I did and then I sucked it up, counted my blessings and decided to stop sounding like a little snot.

The story of my life- the condensed version: I can't wait until I am sixteen, then everything will be perfect. I can't wait until I go off to college and then everything will be perfect. I can't wait to get a real job and then everything will be perfect. I can't wait to get married and then everything will be perfect. Do you see the pattern here? I have accomplished all of those things and still nothing is perfect- well at least not definition number 1 of perfect.

I know I have posted this previously but I think we need a little reminder...

Perfect: 1. excellent or complete beyond practical or theoretical improvement. 2. exactly fitting the need in a certain situation or for a certain purpose.

You see God is perfect. He is perfect number 1. And because we so kindly screwed up perfect number 1 on this Earth in the Garden of Eden, He blesses us with perfect number 2. He places us where He wants us and needs us exactly fitting the need in a certain situation or for a certain purpose.

And here is the even better news. Let's say you made a mistake and lost your way. You thought, as ALL of us have at some point and time "Hey, I got this. I don't need God's help." or you reached a point where God had no room in your life or you did not want Him in it. You may be looking at your circumstances thinking there is no way any good can come of this or that God can turn this mess around. Stop that crazy talk, honey. God does his best work with the messes we make. He takes the most broken down, lost, sad, scared people and through His love creates beauty.

Every mistake in my life begins with me excluding God. Every mistake ends when I come back to him or allow him to lead me where He wants. And here is the crazy thing, all of the time I was lost, he was right there waiting, patiently waiting. And the most beautiful, incredible, amazing thing is, He was still using that to His good and I was blessed immensely during those times. I may not have seen the blessings or the growth in the moment or it may not have happened until after but it always happened.

We have to stop wasting our time wishing for different circumstances and situations. God may be waiting for us to accept where we are so He can use it for the purpose he intended in the first place. If you have strayed and are not where He wanted/wants you be, it is okay. He can use that for His good too. Let Him.

The story of Joseph really hit home when preparing for this post. It was this passage specifically.
Genesis 45:4-5

4. Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come close to me.” When they had done so, he said, “I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! 5. And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.

You have to realize that Joseph said these words to his brothers, the men who threw him in a pit and wanted to kill him out of jealousy. Instead they sold him into slavery, where he was unjustly accused of attacking his Master's wife and spent years in prison for this crime. 

(Have I ever mentioned everyone should be thrilled it was not me living these Bible stories because the outcome would have been a whole lot different. I once got mad at my sister and didn't speak to her for a week because she used my lipstick. A whole lot different...)

In Genesis 45:8, Joseph sums it up perfectly.

8“So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt."

Well yeah, that is easy for him to say, he is basically running Egypt and living a king, well a Pharaoh. But he wasn't when he was tossed in the pit, he wasn't when he was a slave and he sure wasn't when he was in prison. Joseph had faith. God was using his current circumstances to help Joseph grow. I mean come on, Joseph became second only to Pharaoh and maintained a level head, keeping God first. There had to be some major character strengthening before hand for that to happen.

You slap a tiara on my head for 45 seconds and I start referring to my hubby as my loyal subject and asked to be fanned and fed grapes.  Yep- be glad I was not a Bible person.

Just remember, whether you are there because God put you here or you put yourself there. Where you are is where you're at. Use it to glorify him and the most wonderful things can happen even if the circumstances do not change.

love- j