{Perfect Love}

I haven't slept a full 8 hours until 2 days ago. It's been about 2 weeks. I'm the kind of person that needs sleep. If I don't sleep, I get grouchy. And WAYYYYY more emotional. So that is why I have been crying daily for a week straight.

Maybe it's not just that. But that is what I will blame for [now.]

It's almost 2014.
It's a time for reflection.
It's a time to be reminded of love.


Love that is
 
overwhelming, 

powerful, 

unconditional.

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

1 John 4:18

We forget that this is the love that we have. God perfectly loves us. 

Our society is so focused on love from another person that people think that will be their fulfillment. No, dear friends, love from another human will be imperfect. Imperfect love was not intended to be your fulfillment. God is. And God is love. {Perfect love.}

{Perfect love} gives us confidence. 

{Perfect love} shows us acceptance. 

{Perfect love} cares, always. 

{Perfect love} is real. 

{Perfect love} can be seen. 

{Perfect love} desires relationship. 

{Perfect love} changes us. 

{Perfect love} wants more for you than you want for yourself.

{Perfect love} waits for you to come back. 

{Perfect love} is perfect.

{Perfect love} is eternal. 

{Perfect love} moves us to tears.

Are you living in that {perfect love?}

Listen To The Story

What is it about a person's story that can capture our attention so wholly? 

Why do we listen intently to great storyteller's? 

What is it that draws us to hear powerful stories from people just like ourselves? 

If you read, The Story That Has Captured My Heart, then you've heard me talk about how our story is not our own when we live for Christ.

God has truly been showing me how to listen, truly listen, to someone's story. He's showing me what it looks like to see past all of the exterior walls that people build, and see someone's heart, even when they don't want you to. It is intriguing for me to watch an audience engage with a speaker as they tell a story. Just the other day, I was sitting in a meeting and as one of my pastor's told a story it gave me goosebumps. When we are watching movies, which are stories, we are wrapped up in them. Sometimes we laugh, sometimes we are moved to tears, sometimes we are angry, and sometimes we cringe. But we are entranced by the story.

What God has me pondering is why we only listen to some stories. Every story is unique and every experience has a story. My encouragement for you, and for myself, is to listen to people's stories. You can learn so much about a person by allowing yourself to listen, truly listen. That story may show you something you didn't realize about that person. If you let it, it could move you to tears.

God gave us the ability to relate to others for a reason. Do it. You may see God in a different way through someone else and their story.