This month on the blog we are focusing on different expressions of love. As we seek to live lives of love, the best way to truly love others is to first and foremost personally receive the incredible gift of God’s love toward us. When I think about His gift of love and the many ways it manifests in our lives, I can’t help but parallel it to gifts we give one another.
God’s Love is like a lighthouse - it is a comfort to those tossed to and fro, and shines brighter than all surrounding darkness (Psalm 26:8).
God’s Love is like a fire - it is atoning, refining, and enduring (Hebrews 12:29, Psalms 136:26).
God’s Love is like a friend who gives you their sandwich when you forgot yours - it is sacrificial and generous, a simple truth at its core (John 15:13).
For years, I loved listening to Bob Reed‘s wonderfully smooth, deep bass voice as he sang at church. You couldn’t resist returning his ready smile. I knew I hadn’t seen him in quite a while, but didn’t know why until this past year when the CRBC Women’s Ministry started a new ministry called The Table, placing his very spunky wife, Alice, and I in the same multi-generation small group.
Love is in the air and it’s the greatest thing in the world! February brings the opportunity to celebrate those we love. We buy cards and chocolates, send flowers, plan romantic dinners at our favorite restaurants and enjoy those seasonal conversation heart candies. Children decorate shoe boxes in red, pink and white to receive Valentine’s Day cards in, while also giving notes with sweet messages to classmates and friends.
“Please secure your own oxygen mask first.” Virtually every time I hear a flight attendant voice those words, I have one thought: Could any piece of advice be harder for a Mom to follow? As intentional Moms, our first inclination is to care for others. So what happens when Mommas care and care and care for everyone else, without first breathing in the help they need?
