relationships

I Won’t Give Up On You

Recently I have been pondering about life and those that love well (as well as those that do not love at all).

My thoughts are this: someone who loves much has known much hurt. Someone who loves deeply has often experienced much loss. It may not be the same for everyone but generally it seems to be the case.

On the same note anyone without a proper understanding of who Jesus (Love) is can turn into bitter, pain inflicters. Life can be really rough. If one does not know how much that God loves them; if they do not know that He is good, that He has not been to blame, then one often sees yucky, ugly, venomous behaviors towards themselves and others (remember this when you are treated poorly by someone, betrayed and ignored).

Too many times people blame God for circumstances in their life when it was either due to the sins of others or their own.

When loss comes, when things have been stolen from you, when you have been betrayed you still have a choice. How will you respond? Will you love more, deeper, and wider? Will you ensure that no one will ever be hurt by you the way others have hurt you?

If you died tomorrow who would you need to reconcile with? If you are waiting for someone to put in any effort towards reconcilation and you keep waiting, who would you need to forgive? For many it could be combinations of all these plus some.

My prayer is to love better than I did yesterday. The losses in my life have made more room for love because that is what I chose.

What will you choose?

When it comes down to the end, love is what matters. Love wins. Love lasts for eternity.

Even if no one were to ever love you truly as God intended, you still have a choice. In the end there will be no excuses because no one else is to blame for the choices you make.

So…I will choose love no matter how much someone hurts me. I will forgive as my family is slandered, ignored & hurt. I will cling to God and His promises in the thick of battle. By faith I will believe that miracles are happening.

I cling to hope.

Because of God and His love I won’t give up on you.

No Grey

Black or white. Truth or lies. There is no grey area regarding our words.

Have you ever been nervous to be in someone’s presence who you knew had been told awful lies about you?

This alone can make one feel instantly unsafe.

It is horrible when slanderous words are used to steal your true identity or the identity of ones you love. Gossip and slander can steal the opportunity away for a genuine connection with others. Relationships, and entire family units can be torn apart just by one person sowing lies about individuals character and life. It is sad. It breaks hearts.

Until repentance occurs and time reveals that the lies have stopped, things will never be remotely similar to what they once were. With children the lies they may believe could take a lifetime to work through.

What we say is very powerful. Death and life is in the tongue. We either uplift or tear down. There is no grey area.

Choose your words wisely.

Choose love.

Choose truth.

“Always Hope No Matter How Much It Hurts”

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Reconciliation has been what is on my heart, especially as the year mark has been occurring in pieces. Tomorrow marks the year that we had the celebration of life service for my Mom. Naturally when someone passes some people feel like making changes to reconcile relationships. Others remain constantly waiting for a friendship to begin as they slowly reach out.

 

Forgiveness is the first step. And as reconciliation does not occur, forgiveness becomes a daily process. Many have wanted nothing more than for reconciliation to occur in order for a friendship to blossom and grow.  Several have opened up to me asking for guidance. The constant question is, “How do you deal with this when there is no closure, when there is hope for reconciliation and a relationship but constant rejection is what I get?”

 

To you who have asked this of me, and are asking this yourself, the answer God has given me for my own personal journey is,

 

“Always hope no matter how much it hurts.”

 

To be perfectly honest with you, I have struggled with this answer. I have struggled with it because it means that I am open for constant pain and rejection. This may be something that you struggle with as well. The truth is that God always intended for reconciliation to be a part of everyone’s life but not everyone is obedient to his will. Everyone has a choice to submit to him.

 

For those of us who are waiting, hoping beyond all hope that reconciliation will happen sooner than later, keep holding on. Do not give up hope.  Our hope is in Jesus. That is the best reminder I can give anyone as well as for myself.

 

In this beautiful mess, this journey we all are on,

 

“Always hope no matter how much it hurts.”