Our entire life is just a series of exercises&exams on our ability to receive the Love&affirmation of God.  Be aware in every situation, every encounter, the Lord exemplifying His love to you and through you - sometimes it’s all He wants to do,
with no agenda,
no prerequisite,
no performance,
no pointing out your sin,
just pure and transformative love.  Will you receive it in childlike faith or turn away blind and brokenhearted?

It’s all for you if you’d have it.

Even greater than our own ability or attempts at loving others is God’s love for us and those around us - it is one of the hardest things to accept, believe in, rest under and live with, yes, but it is key to the greatest commandment.  How are we to love God or others when we don’t comprehend the Love he FIRST gave me and my brothers and sisters? How can we learn to love truly if we never let Anyone show us how? 

For many of us the source of much of our frustrations and trials hinge on our own shielded hearts, a heart we began boarding in and locking up long ago.  Will we allow a Gospel so glorious infiltrate these walls and all of our own silly ideals? A Truth that steps in to abolish our fearful self-punishment? A Love that reminds us our debts are still at zero.  Do we have enough faith to believe what was done on the cross was the embodiment of a love so complete that we have come to the end of our striving?  This ‘faith’ we hear so much about is not a hope for our improvement or an understanding of facts - it is the faith that trusts in the fullness of the cross and resurrection dwelling in us even when we feel empty.  The power that has washed away ALL of our sin (past, present and future) even when we feel sinful - and yet continue to fix our gaze on Him.  The faith that brings an end to those belittling, intimidating voices.  Love starts here.

This is so foolish, it’s hard for us who consider ourselves wise to comprehend let alone live out - but this is truly such good news! Can we humble ourselves to accept the goodness of it?
Surely, it cannot be too good to be true. 
Surely, my mind is incapable of conjuring up a story that is more redemptive than one authored by our Originator.

(c) Stephanie Diaz-Schumm