Resting in Love

We need not to force God to love us; He already loves us. "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but shall have everlasting life" (John 3:16). His love is simple; many times it seems we try to complicate it. It is my prayer that the people of God (YOU) would receive His love in full and meditate on it, day and night.

I have tried to explain to some that God really loves me and that is why I love Him. Unfortunately, not all people understand this. Because of previous relationships that led them down a path of brokenness, they find it hard to believe that God would ever love them unconditionally (this used to be me; this is a sad thought). Thankfully, God is greater than this thought process. God's love is SO great, that nothing in the world can separate us from it.

My message is not "God loves you as you sin", my message is "God loves you, so REPENT".

Once, I was fatherless. Lacking a father caused many social problems and much rebellion. If I would have known that my case would go before the Father of the fatherless, then I would have asked to be adopted much earlier. All throughout my life, I thought "maybe someone will adopt me" or "maybe another family will take me in". Many times, I thought my sufferings were the worst (they were not good, but they were not the worst). I desired day after day to be adopted or to have a father come to me! When I was a senior in high school, I was required to write a paper on "the one thing you want". The subject of my paper was A Father. I wrote about the things we would do, the joy that it would bring the members of my family, and the comfort I would feel in knowing that someone of authority loved me.

Thankfully, I was heard! My cry, the deep thoughts of my heart, were heard! The Father of the fatherless, God ALMIGHTY, heard me!

After another year of rebellion, I called out for help. My faith was now in Him to rescue me.

I was adopted in January of 2010. My adoption story is intense & a clear picture of how much God really loves us. I feel like when God looks at an orphan, He does not care how much they have messed up or what they have done, but He sees a need for Love & Authority and knows that He is the only one that can fill that void, so He takes care of it by adopting them.

When I was adopted by Love Himself, my life flipped upside down. I was once looked down upon & suddenly, because I had His name, I was looked up to; I was once ashamed, but my shame turned into honor; I was once broken, but now I had been put together; I was once hungry, but now I AM FULL.

Having God as my Father has really changed everything about who I am. My confidence soars so high, simply because He is my Father. It is amazing. There is always this peace inside of me that reminds me that my Daddy has my back! :) It is as if, He is always right there taking care of my every need.

You know, He is better than ANY earthly Father could ever be. I have met some really awesome Dad's here, but none compare to God, my Father.

He is my Provider! Really! MY PROVIDER! It is beautiful. Many people receive financial support from their parents, but I do not. When I started walking with the LORD, I did not even have to make Him aware of my need for financial provision. He simply just started providing for me. He provides for me beyond what I could EVER ask. Not only does He make sure that all of my bills are paid, that I have food & drink, but He provides so much extra! Sometimes I feel like His favorite child. As I walk with Him, He just takes care of me. For instance, I will go out to eat & somehow or another my meal will get paid for (once again, the favor of His name). If I ever pay for myself, He will literally make sure that money gets right back in my pocket by the end of that week. It is so fun! I put all my trust in Him & am grateful that He provides all of my needs. So, financially, He is my provider! His favor is all over everything I do and always will be, simply because HE ADOPTED ME & HE IS A GOOD FATHER!

The truth is, financial provision is not even close to my favorite part about being adopted! My favorite part is being loved! Oh wow! My whole life I desired to feel loved & to know love. Now, I am so overwhelmed by His love that sometimes all I can do is lay before and thank Him. He has blessed me beyond what I could have ever asked for. His love is so undeserved. Looking at where I came from, you would understand that God needed not to love me. I was a sinner, a very awful sinner. But, He looked past that. He loved me, not because of who I am, but because of who He is. This grace, this mercy, is what overwhelms me! This love is what causes me to weep before the Throne! He alone deserves my love. He alone deserves my attention. When you experience love like this, you want to give Love Himself all that you are!

Every decision that I make, I bring to Him. Because I have seen Him, day after day, take my life and make it into something that brings Him glory! How much more rewarding could it get? He takes my dirty humanity & turns it in to something beautifully supernatural. He RECEIVES glory through me? That alone makes me want to give him everything I hold on to. I am confident that what I give Him, He will do with it what is best. Sometimes, this means I will never see it again. Other times, this means that He will purify it & give back to me only what is meant for my good. My Papa is A GOOD PAPA! He intends everything to work together for my good. He will not give me something that is going to harm me, especially if I am asking Him to take my life! He is a good Papa! We have to trust that He is who He says He is. If earthly fathers are good, how much better is He? I pray that He reveals to YOU (all) how great He is & what a wonderful Father He is! Trust Him! Oh trust Him!

As if financial provision & love were not enough, He gave me a family!! A real family. A group of people, scattered around the world, that will ALWAYS be there for me. I have family members ALL OVER that I have never met, but I know they are my brothers & sisters! Here, in Mobile, He has given me the most precious family. My brothers & sisters are men & women of God who pray, read the Word, and serve their Father in Heaven! When you come from a place where you never know if family is going to leave you, it is such a blessing to have an ETERNAL FAMILY! I am thankful that I grew up the way I did, in inconsistency, because now, I am able to appreciate this permanent love. Family is so precious to me! Growing with my brothers & sisters in Christ (and my spiritual mothers & fathers) I am able to understand the value in staying together & always loving one another, regardless of circumstance. I know that one day, I will be apart of a family & I so look forward to introducing them to my Papa & His children :D

I am a child of God. He has adopted me into His family; I will always be His! No, I do not have an earthly Father. No, I do have parents to provide my every need. No, I do have a family that has held together. BUT I do have a Heavenly Father, a Provider, and a Family that is eternal!! I AM A CHILD OF YHWH! He is who He says He is; He is my DADDY!

-Just resting in His love today-

May you recognize God as Father today. May you all rest in His love today.

WE HAVE THE BEST DAD IN THE WHOLE WORLD!!!!

Humility

Someone somewhere might tell you that you do not have to be needy or desperate for God, because He is with you. The first time that I heard this, I thought it to be true. After testing this thought and seeking the Scripture, I have found that those who NEED God to live are the one's who find Him. We have to remember that "humility is the fear of the LORD" ... humbling ourselves and recognizing God as holy & above us is key. We must think, talk and act from a position of humility. When we are humbled before Him, we see the need for Him.

Yes, we are Kings & Queens. Yes, we have all authority & power. Yes, we are victorious.

-This is only possible by His blood-

I have found in my personal walk that the lower I go, the more I gain. The more humbled I am, the more power I have. We are nothing. He must become greater in our lives, we must become less. Until He is GREATER than all things, I will be needy for Him... I will be desperate for Him. I am nothing without Him. I NEED HIM!

Humility is key.


"Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven" Matthew 5:3