Love

Thoughts of love kept going through my head today. So many times in life people try to figure out what love is - what it feels like. I've never been in love, I thought I was close once but I now realize that was based off of lust. I used to think that love was just a feeling that we got when we found that person we wanted to be with. Love confused me - and it still does in many ways. I've always been terrified that I would over look that one person who is meant for me, or that I would have too calloused a heart to give them anything in return. That love in all forms in my life from friendship to romantic love would never play out the way they should because I couldn't understand it. That was I didn't understand it till I asked God...

There are 281 mentions of love in the Bible. God is the best form of love we have - for His is unconditional - because of Him we received Jesus. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life." [John 3:16]

A few weeks ago my culture teacher asked the class "What do you think love is - what do you think marriage is." The answers were depressing, it's as if we no longer believe in love anymore. We are all so obsessed with our own needs and viewing the person as a means to those needs that we no longer see how amazing love truly is. In a love relationship between a man and a woman, the romance is the physical evidence of the love that exists. When that relationship progresses to marriage, the love built between the man and woman only grows deeper as the bond is made stronger through the intimate union of body and soul. The Song of Solomon is completely filled with love - every passage attests to the deep and abiding love between the lover and beloved. The two are so consumed with that love that it fills them and gives them strength to face each new day.

However - it's important to keep in mind that love is an action. It's not passive, and it's not a feeling. It's a verb. It requires you to do something in order to bring it to pass. It also requires that you put the other person's wants and desires above your own.

The reason I wrote this is not only because I was thinking about it today but to show how much we misunderstand what God created for us. I used to think of the worldly version of love as the only way - but with God's love and guidance in my life I've now seen the truth. Where I used to be cynical and hardened by the world - now lays a slowly mending heart open to all that God has to offer.

"Whom have I in heaven but You?And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You.My flesh and my heart fail; But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." Psalm 73:25-26

“I will love You, O Lord, my strength.
The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer;My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised;So shall I be saved from my enemies." Psalm 18:1-3

-Steph

A fresh start :]

Everything is finally done - I feel like I can start the life that I was meant to live 100% now. I'm done moving, my faith is solid and I have the most amazing friends and family here for me. I'm so excited to see what can happen now, I know I just need to continue to become the woman He meant for me to be.