LoVe

It just seems appropriate that since Hallmark has decided that February be a month focused specifically on love, that I would write about it. I, however, am writing from a different perspective than the way that the traditional Valentine's Day Hallmark Card tends to typically focus on. When you have expercienced love from the very Creator of love...the One who is called Love...you have experienced an authentic, genuine and unconditional type of love; a love that can only come from God.

"If my heart is overwhelmed
And I cannot hear Your voice
I hold on to what is true
Though I cannot see

If the storms of life they come
And the road ahead gets steep
I will lift these hands in faith
I will believe

I'll remind myself
Of all that You've done
And the life I have
Because of Your son

[Chorus]
Love came down and rescued me
Love came down and set me free
I am Yours
Lord I'm forever Yours
Mountains high or valley low
I sing out and remind my soul
I am Yours
I am forever Yours"

The lyrics above are from the song "Love Came Down" that was written and sung by one of my favorite Christian artists, Kari Jobe.

I am pretty sure we all have had those moments when we become so incredibly overwhelmed by a feeling or circumstance that we almost lose all focus. We lose all ability to hear any voice of reason. Suddenly everything around us becomes invisible, and all we can seem to put all of our attention on is ourselves. I have these moments more often than I would like to admit. There is hope though! I have come a long way and with each "moment", I am able to see the mighty hand of God in each circumstance.

God's faithfulness in my life really blows my mind. I am so humbled and amazed by how much God loves me. He will go out of His way to show me that love. There just aren't adequate words to describe how it impacts my life when He prompts others to pray for me, to come up and hug me, to simply smile at me and say hello. It in turn reminds me how important it is to reach out to other people and just love on them! A smile can turns someone's day around. Trust me, I know firsthand!


"When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken."
Psalm 34:17-20 (ESV)

The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Isn't that beautiful? He loves us so much! We sang the bridge to one of my favorite worship songs at church last night...and the bridge is really quite simple - yet incredibly profound. The beginning of it goes: "He loves us, Oh how He loves us, Oh how He loves us, Oh how He loves"...as I was singing this last night, I was overwhelmed with the love that my God has for me. If you would have talked to me exactly one week ago yesterday, you would have spoken with a person who was allowing her emotions and feelings dictate her reality. You would have spoken with a person who was under an attack from the enemy...who was believing the lies that were being whispered into her head..."you will never be good enough", "there is no way you will ever fit in", "no one really cares if you are there or not", "no one will really love you, you aren't worth it". These lies permeated my mind and began to try to take root there. I am learning, as Pastor Cymbala spoke, that we face attacks from the enemy typically in two situations: when you have recently experienced a spiritual high...or when you have experienced a broken heart. I have experienced both of these scenarios as of recent, so I was just a prime target for the enemy to attack. I almost fell for it. ALMOST!!!

A week ago today, through the prayers of faithful friends and through the love and faithfulness of God, I was able to cast those lies that I was beginning to believe into the trash. I began to claim God's promises...that He began a good work in me and that He will be faithful to complete it. I began to remember that He placed me here in NYC and specifically at The Brooklyn Tabernacle. You see, what the enemy wants me to lose focus on and completely forget is the fact that I am GOD'S. The enemy wants me to forget that I have a Divine Calling, that God has some amazing plans ahead for me, and that I am moving forward in the will of God. The enemy wants me to focus on myself...my shortcomings...the times that I have failed...the things I have allowed myself to think about or say that aren't in line with what God is all about. The enemy would love to take another 8 years of my life and sit me back down on that freezing cold spot on the bench that I once kept nice and toasty.

But guess what enemy??

"You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives." Genesis 50:20 (NIV)

Just like my pastor just recently said, "Nothing in this world builds faith like a good fight with the devil"...AMEN to that!! I feel even stronger and more determined to stay on track and focus with what God has called me to do. God uses these moments to help prepare me to in turn help others. That's what it's all about...reaching past yourself and extending love, mercy, grace, and hope to others who so desperately need it. It's not about ME...It's all about giving God the glory for His steadfast faithfulness in my life.

Everyone deals with similar struggles...you are never alone in your hurt or in the way you may be feeling. The enemy wants you to feel as if you are, though. It's his first line of defense between you and God. He wants you to seclude yourself, isolate yourself; he wants you to think you are all alone in this struggle and that absolutely no one can help you; he wants you to believe that no one cares about you and that you will never be able to find peace and joy. The enemy gets down and dirty. He doesn't care what type of hurt he inflicts on you. All he wants to ensure is that you are indeed injured...that you are hurt beyond what you would ever believe could be repaired...and that you are successfully sidelined and of no use in the work of God. Don't believe the lies. That is all they are...LIES!

God's love for us is so wide...so deep...and so GREAT! I am thankful for His faithfulness.