Category Archives: Finding God’s Love

There are many habits and strategies we can learn that help us draw nearer to the Lord. And sometimes finding Him simply involves an attitude shift.

Light to See – Light Series Part 2

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One time at my sister’s house Andrew and I were sleeping in their guest room, and I woke up about 3am to get up to go to the bathroom. Still half asleep, I stumbled through the bathroom door……and found myself tumbling down the stairs. It was dark, and (obviously) I wasn’t terribly familiar with the floor plan of the house. I thought I was going one way, but I was really going quite another.

If I had left the light on in the hall, I wouldn’t have made that mistake.

Isaiah 42:16 says “I will lead the blind by a way they do not know, in paths they do not know I will guide them. I will make darkness into light before them and rugged places into plains.”

It is always good to seek God’s light, but it is especially important if we are in an unfamiliar place. Maybe we have just moved to a new town, or taken a new job. We find ourselves in new surroundings, or with people we don’t know. Or it could be we are facing a fresh challenge, such as a health issue or a financial situation. Or maybe God is leading us to give Him an area of our lives that we haven’t yielded to Him before.

Whatever this change is, extra light will make it easier to navigate. Spend extra time each morning in God’s presence. Listen for His kind voice, reassuring you of His love for you. and directing your next steps.

And then embrace the day and move forward. Confident that God is with you in this unfamiliar territory and will be there to guide you through any rough spots.

Where are you in your journey of living life with God? Are you in unfamiliar territory right now?

The Baby Jesus Crisis

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At Christmas time our kids used to love to play with the nativity set. No, not the fancy white porcelain one. That one was safe on a ledge out of reach. I mean the everyday nativity set with the brown barn and multicolored figures.

Needless to say, with all that use, we lost a fair amount of pieces over the years. Most of the time a missing piece wasn’t that big a deal. After all, do we really know how many wise men there were? And a shepherd looked a lot like Joseph anyway right?

The Baby Jesus Crisis

However, when baby Jesus went missing (which happened on more than one occasion)? Now that was a real crisis. You can’t really have a Christmas story without baby Jesus. Do you know how hard it is to find an infant-in-a-manger figurine just the right size for our old but beloved nativity set?

When I set out our ragtag collection of figurines this year, I remembered the baby Jesus crisis. How could I forget? Our current baby Jesus is a little oversized compared to the other pieces.

Y’all know where I am going with this, right?

As you celebrate Christmas this year, don’t lose baby Jesus. He is the pivotal piece in this story. Every day, make time–and take time–to connect with Him. Even—especially–if it means doing a few less things.

Going Through the Motions

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Going Through the Motions

by Lydia Floren

Greeting cards are a part of our family’s birthday tradition. As a “good husband,” Andrew knows this. And since he is not a homemade card kind of guy, every year he faithfully buys me, and gives me, a few cards – most funny, and, at least one is serious.

One year, I was particularly touched by the sweet sentiment in the “serious” card he gave me.

“Oh, Honey! That is beautiful. Thank you!” With a tear in my eye, I glanced up at him.

He had this blank look on his face. And, I got a little suspicious.

“Did you read it?” I asked. (His signature was at the bottom, so it would seem like a natural assumption that he had.)

His expression turned sheepish.

“Really? You gave me a card, but you didn’t even read it?”

“Well I glanced at it. It looked like something you would like.”

At first I was hurt. And then, I burst out laughing.

The next year, when I opened “the mushy birthday card” not only was his signature at the bottom, but there was a little “p.s.” afterwards:

“Yes, I read it.”

How often do we glance at God’s word, but don’t take the time to really read it? Or, we say a perfunctory prayer, but our minds are wandering elsewhere? When we do, we aren’t fooling anyone but ourselves. And, we miss out. Our relationship with God is the most important relationship in the world. If we truly believe that, committing our full attention every day to a verse or two in the Bible – and listening to what He might be saying to us through it – is time well spent.

Have you been going through the motions of spending time with God? If so, don’t miss out another day. Take some time. Give Him your undivided attention. It will bless your socks off. Do it regularly, and it will change your life.

“You have the words of eternal life.” John 6:68

“For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and
the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God.” 2 Peter 3:5

“Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.” Psalm 119:105

Love Is… Part 4: Sunrays

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Here are a few more sunrays about love, God’s love:

Love Is… Part 3: Sunrays

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Love Is… Part 3: Sunrays

by Lydia Floren

Here are a few sunrays about love, particularly God’s love.

Love Is… Part 2: Quotes

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Love is… Part 2: Quotes

by Lydia Floren

When you think of “love,” what comes to mind? Candle-lit dinners? Moonlight walks on the beach? Gifts that begin with Kay? In our world the word “love” covers a lot of territory. Love can describe anything from a romantic infatuation to a food preference. According to Webster, love is defined as “a warm attachment, enthusiasm or devotion,” or “unselfish…concern for the good of another.”

People have written a lot about love. Here are a few of my favorite quotes:

“Love means intimacy, closeness, mutual vulnerability, and a deep sense of safety.” Henri Nouwen

“Acceptance of the other, whatever he is.” Anais Nin

“To love at all is to be vulnerable.” CS Lewis

“Genuine love is honor put into action regardless of the cost.” Gary Smalley and John Trent

“Love is a decision.” Smalley and Trent

“Love is a choice you make everyday.” Gary Chapman

“Love is a verb.” Chapman

“Love has nothing to do with what you are expecting to get — only with what you are expecting to give — which is everything. “ Katharine Hepburn

“Love is not obligation done with a cold soul. It is when one person believes in another person and shows it.” Rabbi David Wolpe.

“[God’s] love is not a passing fancy or a superficial emotion; it is a profound and unshakable commitment that seeks what is best for us.” Billy Graham

Love is “a warm attachment, enthusiasm or devotion.” Webster

Love is “unselfish…concern for the good of another.” Webster

What are some of your favorite quotes about love?

Read “Love Is… Part 1” here.

A-mazing, by Lydia Floren

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A maze is a life-sized puzzle, where the challenge is to find your way from point A to point B, through a confusing labyrinth of pathways. (Quite a feat for directionally challenged folks like me!) Mazes come in all shapes and sizes: a hall of mirrors at a carnival, for example, or the sculpted shrubbery at a plantation.

But a maze in a field of sunflowers? Now that is a site to behold.

Here in Wisconsin a local farmer plants acres of sunflowers every spring, leaving a trace of paths unseeded. By fall his field is transformed into a sea of plate-sized blossoms. And that network of paths has morphed into a breathtaking maze of gold and green.

A-mazing!

This unique attraction opens to the public in October, and Andrew and I decided to go. We paid our entrance fee and were handed a map of the trails, which I clutched like a security blanket, as we meandered along taking pictures.

Getting back to A-mazing

Life is like a maze, isn’t it? It is full of twist and turns, often taking us directions we don’t anticipate. Sometimes it feels more confusing – or even frightening – than awe-inspiring. We’re not always sure which way to go next, or even if we’re headed in the right direction. How do we get back to a-mazing? How do we let the worry go?

Remember

We get back to a-mazing by remembering that we have

A map. The word of God to guide us.
A beaten path. Many others, who are living a God-guided life, who can share their wisdom, and help us find our way.
Good company. The God of the universe, the Creator of the maze, is with us every step of the way. He’s got our back, keeping us safe, and tugging at our elbow when we get off course. He magnifies our joy, constantly highlighting the extraordinary in our ordinary lives.

Enjoy

So today, enjoy those a-mazing moments. A bent-over belly laugh with a friend. An early morning fog blanketing a snowy field. The satisfaction of a job well done.

Give thanks

Today, give thanks for the a-mazing gifts you’ve been given. The privilege of being alive. The encouragement of people along the way.

Give thanks for the company of God, your Loving Father, who’s guiding you safely through the maze of life.

A-mazing.

I Love You

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I Love You, by Lydia Floren

“I love you.” God says these three words to us over and over again, every single day. He did it yesterday, and He’s doing it right now. He’ll keep on doing it, tonight and tomorrow and the day after that. But just because He is saying “I love you,” doesn’t mean we hear it, or that the meaning of those words sink in.

Our hearts have to be tuned in, to listen for that sweet message.

How God says “I love you”

God’s “I love you” might be a beautiful song, a stunning sunset, the encouraging words of a friend. He may say “I love you” through a great conversation, a belly laugh, a good night’s sleep. Or, an “aha” moment when a truth strikes home. Sometimes, He just whispers “I love you” in the stillness of our minds. And if we ask, he will help us to understand just what that means.

This is a little conversation I had with God recently:

“I love you.”

Thank you. But what do You mean when you say “I love you”? And why does it matter?

I

I am the most powerful being in the universe. I made up love. I define it. I am only good. There’s no evil in me at all. I am patient, kind, faithful, generous–and present. I created you, and everything else in this world, and beyond. I wanted you with me always, and I sacrificed greatly to make this possible. I know everything. I am the only person that will ever completely know, and unreservedly love, you. I see you now, exactly as you are.

I love you.

Love

I cherish you. I enjoy your company. I want the best for you. I’m here, and I’m not going anywhere. I see exactly what’s going on, and I’m guiding you. I’ve got your back. I’m providing for you. I’m healing your heart from the faulty thinking that has kept you in bondage. And, I’ve already forgiven every wrong thing you have done, and will do, to me. I adopted you. I respect you, and I am protecting you.

I love you.

You

You are my precious creation. Before you were even born, I chose all the qualities that would make you uniquely yourself. And that hole in your heart? That is an incompleteness that can only be filled by me. And I am filling that hole. You belong with me. You are wanted. You are loved. You are my beloved child.

I love you.

LOVE

YOU.

I LOVE YOU.

I love you with an everlasting love. Jeremiah 31:3

Superhuman Part 1: The Need for Super Power

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by Lydia Floren

Our family has always been enamored with superheroes. Ever since our boys were little our home has been populated with superhero toys, games, comic books, movies and costumes.

One of the kids even had a superhuman theme for homecoming one year.

And how many people do you know that have a Thor-sized hammer in their garage?

Why are superheroes so popular? Because they have super powers, of course. All of us, at one time or another, have wished for some type extraordinary ability, haven’t we? Maybe we dreamed of having

Photographic memory, so that we could get an “A” on every test.
Time travel, so that we could see the future (and maybe win the lottery).
Instant tele-transportation, so that we wouldn’t be late to an appointment (although I am not sure that would totally cure my tendency toward lateness).

I have often thought that following God requires supernatural strength, especially in the most fundamental thing God asks us to do: to love. “Oh that’s not so hard,” you might say, Everyone knows how to love.” Well maybe, if you think that the love God wants us to give others is just sappy sentimentalism, or electrifying passion, or dutiful good deeds. But the love God wants us to give others goes far beyond this. Here’s what 1 Corinthians 13 says love really looks like (my paraphrasing):

Love is…

Patient.

Kind.

Trusting.

Understated.

Respectful.

Gracious.

Selfless.

Unflappable. (Has a long fuse.)

Love…

Forgives easily and often. (Doesn’t hold grudges.)

Celebrates the good.

Bears all things.

Believes all things.

Hopes all things.

Endures all things.

Love never fails.

Impossible.

Loving like this is hard, isn’t it? It’s particularly difficult when you try to love a person who is rude, or selfish, or arrogant or fickle. And it’s near impossible to do when that person has deeply hurt you, or someone you love.

And why would we want to love someone like that? Some people don’t deserve to be loved…do they?

No. Some people don’t deserve to be loved. But, let’s be honest. There are times when each of us is hard to love – much less like. Haven’t we all at one time or another been rude, selfish, arrogant, and fickle – and probably worse? It’s funny how little we remember the hurt we inflict, and how often we recall the pain others cause us. Truthfully, no one – not one of us – deserves to be loved the way that 1 Corinthians describes it. But God loves us like that anyway.

Still, being around a difficult person is, well…difficult. So how do we get past the distaste, the offense, the hurt? How do we release the pain so that we can love someone in the way God asks us to love them?

Super strength for super love.

Godly love requires God’s power. Only with the help of God can we set aside our own feelings and love others like God calls us to love – bearing, believing, hoping, enduring all things. God-Who-Is-Love has given us His super-strength to love others in a way we could never do on our own. Our job is not to conjure up love, but to access God’s rich store of love, already present in our hearts.

Are you finding it difficult – maybe even impossible – to love someone in your life? You are not alone. And you are not on your own. God gives us the ability to love others with superhuman, life – changing love.

Which, by the way, is the same way He loves each of us.

We love because He first loved us.

Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant,

does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into

account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth;

bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never fails; 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a

Father, Thank You

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by Lydia Floren

The following prayer is on the first page of my thanksgiving journal. It blesses me, and I thought it might bless you too.

Father, Thank You…

You give me identity. You made me and gifted me with all the wonderful qualities I possess. You have helped me see them and explore them. To understand them better. To cement them into a better understanding of who I am.

You give me belonging. My place to belong. With no judgment or condemnation. Just acceptance, love, arms open wide. This place/home is

– with You. Every day. Where I am, there You are as well. And where You lead me to be is where I belong at the moment. And I am safe wherever that is.

– with other true believers, including those who have gone before, (like Nouwen, C.S. Lewis, Solzhenitsyn, St. Francis, Brother Lawrence, Hannah Whitehall Smith), and those in the Bible. And those in my life right now.

– And in eternity, my forever home.

And because of this true place that I belong, I can be content in the place that I am, wherever You have led me to be that day.

You give me immeasurable value, an innate sense of true worth that has nothing to do with any accomplishment. Just with the reality of who I am – my inherent and unique spirit. You didn’t come to save me for my usefulness, but simply because I am important to you. I was worth coming for and dying for, simply for the joy of my company with You forever.

You give me a sense of significance. A unique place of service and influence in this world. You invite me into the world every day to love people, and to serve them and minister to them. To be a part of what You are doing to redeem the world, and to restore it. In Your power. By Your direction. With Your wisdom and discernment. And because it is in Your power, and by Your direction, I don’t need to fret about the details. I can just trust the process and the plan I have prayed thru with You, knowing that You will adjust and redirect me when needed.

You give me safety and provision. Protection. Safe passage wherever You lead me in life. And the understanding that You will provide everything that I need, including contentment in whatever circumstance I find myself. And the ability to face pain and walk through it. And You give me the security of knowing that You will come find me if I wander off the path, and will lead me back in the direction I need to go.

You give me guidance, and fellowship/company along the path You have set out for me, every day practical guidance in healing, in ministry, in growth, in self-care, in tending what I have been given. Even guidance in how to plan, to strategize. Guidance in the spontaneous. Guidance in how You want to work thru me to bless others.

You give me Yourself. The greatest and best gift, and the most enduring one. The ongoing joy of knowing that I am continually in Your presence/company. Continually loved/cherished. Continually wanted, and included. Continually protected. Continually supplied with everything that I need. Continually being healed, renewed, empowered, challenged, encouraged.

Father, thank You for the joy of knowing that I can trust You with my whole heart and my whole life.

But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth. John 16:8