Tag: encouragement

What Wondrous Love

I’ve been having a difficult time this year focusing on the meaning behind the Easter season. Whenever I go out to the store, there are various displays of candy and toys and other paraphernalia that people are racing to throw into their carts. Now I’m not saying that these things are bad necessarily, but sometimes it’s hard to look past all of that to Jesus and what He did for us.

And what did he do for us? Because of His great love for us, He allowed Himself to be beaten and mocked and nailed to a cross. He went through this agony for us – for you and for me – because we needed His forgiveness for our sins. And because of His resurrection three days later, we can live in freedom and abundance.

What wondrous love is this! It’s a love that we do not deserve. It’s a love that is pure and unselfish and kind. It’s a love that wants the best for each one of us…and we can receive God’s best by choosing to walk with Him!

So what has been filling your mind and life this holiday season? Are you getting caught up in things that don’t matter much in the long run? Or are you clinging to Christ and to His wondrous love for us? ❤

What Wondrous Love Is This
American Folk Hymn

What wondrous love is this, O my soul, O my soul!
What wondrous love is this, O my soul!
What wondrous love is this
That caused the Lord of bliss
To bear the dreadful curse for my soul, for my soul,
To bear the dreadful curse for my soul!

When I was sinking down, sinking down, sinking down,
When I was sinking down, sinking down,
When I was sinking down
Beneath God’s righteous frown,
Christ laid aside His crown for my soul for my soul,
Christ laid aside His crown for my soul.

To God and to the Lamb I will sing, I will sing;
To God and to the Lamb I will sing;
To God and to the Lamb,
Who is the great I AM,
While millions join the theme, I will sing, I will sing,
While millions join the theme, I will sing.

And when from death I’m free, I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on;
And when from death I’m free, I’ll sing on.
And when from death I’m free
I’ll sing His love for me,
And through eternity I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on,
And through eternity I’ll sing on.

*We’re playing the above song on handbells at church tomorrow. Prayerfully we’ll do okay! 😀 Happy Easter to each of you…I hope you have a nice time with your family and friends or however you choose to spend the holiday. Let’s just remember the One Who is behind it all.

Photo Credit: Lukas Budimaier

Live Like You’re Loved

“Live like you know you’re valuable
Like you know the one that holds your soul
Cause mercy has called you by your name
Don’t be afraid to live in that grace

I’m tellin’ you somethin’
This God we believe in
Yeah, He changed everything
No more guilt! No more shame!
He took all that away
Gave us a reason to sing

So go ahead and live like you’re loved
It’s okay to act like you’ve been set free
His love has made you more than enough
So go ahead and be who He made you to be

And live like you’re loved.”

~ Hawk Nelson, “Live Like You’re Loved”

I have a difficult time with living like I’m loved. I know in my heart that God loves me and that I am valuable to Him, but sometimes my mind likes to cause me to doubt this fact. It’s those thoughts that creep in unawares, telling me that I haven’t lived perfectly so God must be mad at me…or that I’m being “proud” by thinking I did a good job at something…or that I didn’t do as well as [insert name here], so I must be lacking in some way.

Do you ever have a problem with this?

I think it started when I was very young, and I didn’t feel like I was loved by a member of my family. I would seek that love, that tenderness, and that affection through my performance – whether it be in school or somewhere else. I would try my best to get straight A’s on my report card, to win first place at the Science Fair, or to excel at any number of tasks, with the hope of gaining the love that I so longed for.

But God tells me – and YOU – that He doesn’t love us based on our performance. He loves us because He created us, and created us in His image. We are His children. Jesus showed us how much we are worth to Him by giving his life to cleanse us from our sins.

We have value!

So even though it won’t happen overnight, I would like to re-vamp the way that I perceive myself. I want to see myself the way God sees me: as worthy, as loved, as valuable, as priceless, as unique, as….enough.

I want to “live like I’m loved!” Will you join me? ❤

Photo Credit: Julia Caesar

 

Thankful Thursday (episode 2)

Last week I began a habit that I wanted to continue: focusing on being grateful by recording three things that I’m thankful for each day. Well, I did okay with this, but not great. I tried using an app, the Five Minute Journal, to help me keep track of my gratitude list, but I would forget to write in it! Then a day would pass without my recording anything, and because of my memory loss from ECT (electro-convulsive therapy – it can help with depression), I would forget the things that I was thankful for. *sigh*

But not to fear! I am going to keep trying. The app has the option for sending you reminders, so I’m going to see if that helps me. And if it doesn’t, then maybe I could try keeping a physical journal. I just have to find what works for me. 🙂

Anyway, I WAS able to record a few things that I’m thankful for, so without further ado, here is my list:

  1. A fairly good appointment with my Psychiatrist
  2. Safety while traveling in the rain
  3. The opportunity to bring free drinks and a cookie from Chick-fil-a to Target for Roy’s (my Hubby’s) work break so we could enjoy them together
  4. A nice time at Barnes and Noble with the Hubby
  5. My Mom helped me with picking out a meal for Monday night (our good friends come over to share a meal before our handbell practice)
  6. We had a good time at dinner and handbells (the dinner turned out fine even though I was worried about making it, and we had a profitable rehearsal)
  7. Drinks at Dunkin’ Donuts…woo-hoo!
  8. Mild weather…I was able to take a nice walk with the dog
  9. A beautiful sunset
  10. That God helped me with work, as I wasn’t feeling very well

That’s it for this week! Hopefully I will do better next week with keeping my list. 😉 Thank you for reading! ❤