This is my motto as I enter this season of parties, family gatherings, and social gatherings with lots of people who I don’t know. I repeatedly remind myself, “I can Live Loved.”
I’m celebrating the love that fights the darkness. The love that heals.
The love that saves and redeems and carries us when we can’t take another step.
The love that is a Person who lives and weeps and bleeds with and for us. ~H. Gerth
Have you read the children’s book by Max Lucado “You are Special“? I love reading this story to my children because it has profound life lessons throughout the whole story.
At one point in the story Punchinello meets a sticker less Wemmick and he asks her how does she not have any stickers. The stickers others try to put on her don’t stick. This is her response:
“It’s easy,” Lucia replied. “Every day I go see Eli.”
If you’ve read his series of books you know that Eli is God.
When we spend time in His presence those “stickers”, those hurtful words, rejections… will sting but they won’t stick. So I pray that this kind of love fills you! When you forget may He bring to your mind how great His love is for you.
“…and may you be able to feel and understand, as all God’s children should, how long, how wide, how deep, and how high his love really is; and to experience this love for yourselves, though it is so great that you will never see the end of it or fully know or understand it. And so at last you will be filled up with God himself. Ephesians 3:18 (TLB)
Live Loved!
These words are on my kitchen counter to remind me before I walk out the door or when I’m in the middle of a “Momzilla” moment that I can live from a place knowing who I belong to. Knowing I am precious in His sight.
Live Loved.
His love changes everything.
Do you believe it? In order for this truth to penetrate our souls we can’t just say it but we have to allow it to transform us.
We have to mean it so it makes a difference in our life–
When we walk into that family gathering where there’s unspoken hurt.
When your child says hurtful words that sting to the core.
When we socialize with co-workers and acquaintances who don’t really know us.
When you don’t get the party invite.
When you feel like everything you do for your family is taken for granted.
When your words are twisted and your best intentions are overlooked.
When your family or friends are planning to meet-up and you don’t get invited.
When your friendship is not reciprocated and your invites are ignored.
When your spouse doesn’t notice you.
God’s love changes how we respond to the hurt. His love changes how we move forward. His love allows us to remember we have nothing to fear because we are loved by Him.
“There is no fear in love. But perfect love casts out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears has not been made perfect in love.” 1 John 4:18 NIV
How to Live From a Place of Love–Live Loved!
Here’s the key to living loved–It’s allowing Jesus to fill the empty places.
How does He fill those empty places? It’s as easy as Lucia responded to Punchinello, “Everyday I go see Eli.”
I’m not saying it’s not going to hurt, it will. But His love is healing, he redeems us, he walks with us and when we can’t take another step it holds us in His arms.
Listen to your emotions but don’t let them dictate your actions. Take that hurt to the arms of Jesus and let him sing truth over you.
…He will rejoice over you with singing.” Zephaniah 3:17
Let God’s Truth remind you how to respond.
No matter how today plays out whether your spouse forgets to value you, your significant other overlooks you, your family, friend or co-worker rejects you we can still live from a place of love!
The story of Punchinello ends with this scene,
Eli says, “The stickers only stick if they matter to you. The more you trust my love, the less you care about the stickers.”
Punchinello replies, “I’m not sure I understand.”
Eli smiled, “You will, but it will take time. You’ve got a lot of marks. For now, just come to see me every day and let me remind you how much I care.”
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