Four Things Marriage Has Taught Me About My Relationship With Christ

Hello, All!
Today's post is one that I've actually been considering for some time, but haven't been able to get my thoughts collected clearly enough to write a blog post about it. (Not that this is going to be miraculously coherent now that I'm actually writing it, mind you--I'm not sure I'm capable of such a thing. ;) Still, I shall do my best. 

As most of you are aware, Luke and I have been married for just over a year now, and I can honestly say that I am incredibly blessed to have him for my husband, life partner, and best friend. Marriage has been so different in many ways than I imagined it...different as in FAR better than I ever thought! I'm not saying we've had a perfect marriage with zero problems or difficulties, but I can say that these have been few and far between; mostly because he is so good about patiently dealing with issues when they come along, and putting up with me and my flaws incredibly well. ;)

Over this very new season of life, God has used marriage to teach me some valuable lessons that I believe can apply to anyone, married or not. I hope that these things will be a blessing to those who read it, no matter what stage of life you are currently in! :) Without further ado, here are four things God has been teaching me through our marriage thus far.

1. The importance of serving God with the right motives.
One thing that has struck me lately is the fact that motives do matter. If you are doing the right thing for the wrong reasons or with the wrong attitude, then how much good are you really doing? In 1 Corinthians 13, it talks about all the "good works" that you can do that become nothing without the motive being that of charity. 

Applying this with marriage...I have realized clearly that when I serve my husband out of the deep love and respect that I hold for him both as a man, and as the man in specific that God has placed in my life to lead and protect me, it is so much more fulfilling and full of joy! Tasks can become a blessing and a pleasure, whereas if I'm performing them merely out of duty, they have the potential to become routine or tedious. I believe service to God is the same way--when my heart attitude towards the acts of service are not right, I can very quickly slip into the mindset of either pride ("My church should be thankful they have me") or self pity ("No one recognizes how much I do around here"). None of which is truly pleasing to God. How convicting!

2. My responsibility to invest in my communication and relationship with The Lord.
A few weeks ago this thought really hit me...if I talked to Luke as often and as long as I talked to God, how would our relationship look? Wow. To rephrase, if I were to go days or weeks hardly talking to Luke at all (as I'm ashamed to say I've done with The Lord--short, unfocused prayer times, etc.) we would probably have a really terrible marriage. I know everyone talks about the importance of communication in marriage, so much so that it sounds cliche, but it's really incredibly true. The minute our loving and focused communication starts slipping, our closeness begins to suffer. The sad thing to me is that in the area of my relationship with God, a communication breach is always MY FAULT. Not His. Ever, in any way. God has given me His Word, and promised to speak to me through it. I have everything I need, and yet I fail Him and hinder a close, loving relationship by MY lack of communication. It would be as if Luke came home from work with loving words and arms open wide for me, and I turned my back and ignored him. I wouldn't dream of doing that to my sweet husband...yet how often do I neglect to draw near to my Lord because I "don't have the time"? 

3. How seriously I need to take sin.
When I hurt Luke, even in a small or seemingly insignificant way, it breaks my heart. I can't be content or happy until I have asked and received his forgiveness, and I know that things are reconciled between us. The feeling that I have caused a rift between us is something that I can hardly stand.

And yet, so often I tend to take a light view of "little" sins or offenses against God. I've really been convicted about this lately, because obviously I should be much more zealous about keeping a "clean slate" with God than I am even with my husband!

4. How much God loves me.
My husband loves me with such a selfless and unconditional love. He shows it every day through his words and actions--there has never been a time when I doubted that he loved me dearly. God has used Luke's love in my life to prove to me how much He Himself loves me. As much as I love and respect my husband, he is a sinner, as am I. And yet, if the love and care of a mere flawed human being can be so sweet and fulfilling to me, how much more the love of a perfect and unchanging God? To take this thought a step further...Luke has seen me at my worst and chosen to love me still. But though he knows me better than any other human on earth, even he cannot see my heart and the sin and folly it contains. God can, and His love for me is still perfect. That is amazing to think about! God knows all my deepest thoughts and imperfections, and keeps on loving me in spite of them. 

I hope that these thoughts were a blessing to you, whether you are in a relationship or not. They have been coming back to me over and over during the last few months, so I figured it was about time I tried to verbalize them. :) 

I'm sure once baby comes, I will have a whole new world of things God will want to teach me through that! For those wondering, the pregnancy is going well, and baby seems to be progressing as well as possible! :) I'll be 18 weeks on Tuesday, which means we will be able to find out the gender of our little one in about 2-3 weeks, depending on when I can get the scan before or after Thanksgiving. I'll be sharing on here once we find out!

Have a wonderful week! 
Mykaela

A Cry for Growth

Prone to wander and to stray,

Prone to slowly drift away.

Though my heart so longs to be

Nearer, Oh, my God, to Thee.

So foolish and unwise am I,

Oh, Saviour, do not pass me by!

Please guide me home

And wash me clean

Of sins that only You have seen.

And though I stumble and fail again,

Please let Your grace to me extend.

Lead me on to higher ground,

For through Your love,

I'm heaven bound.

Please help me now oh, Lord, I pray,

To walk your perfect, narrow way.

And when at last, Your face I see,

May the past hold no regrets for me.

May I give my all,

Surrender to You,

And trust that you will see me through.

I know Your love will hold me fast,

For on You all my cares I'll cast.

I love You, Lord, and though I'm weak,

In You I find the strength I seek.

I praise Your name for all You've done,

For in Your Cross my victory is won.

And when I stand before the Son,

I pray I'll hear, "My child, well done."

When Sorrows Like Sea Billows Roll

Hey everyone!
I hope your new year is going splendidly so far...mine certainly is! :) A few weeks ago, a friend from a church I really love asked if I could write a post for their ladies' newsletter. I was thrilled for the opportunity! If you have time, you should definitely check it out online at Grace and Honor...they have articles for women of all ages and stages of life. I've really enjoyed reading them! I wanted to include the post that I wrote on my blog as well, so here it is. ;)

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Do you ever face something in life that looms over your heart like a black cloud? Perhaps it's a tough decision that you desperately need wisdom in. Maybe a time of grief or pain over losing someone you love, or sorrow over family and friends that have turned away from following God. It could be a time of upheaval or change...we ladies sure do love change, right?

Not.

For me, change is a struggle. I know that God is at work, and that everything will turn out for His glory if I am following His will. But when I am here and now, in the thick of it, change is hard. Life can be challenging and scary at times. It is not fun to go through trials, to make difficult choices, or to have someone dear to me pass on to be with The Lord.

Sometimes, when facing these looming issues, it's so much easier to be brave and strong during the day. There are things to do, places to go, people to see. It's not hard to keep myself distracted.

And then comes the night. Stillness closes around me, and with it, the difficult thoughts I've managed to push away all through the day. Fear knocks hard at the door, demanding entrance into my mind. After all, just look at how big and scary this thing is! The weariness of the day tugs at me. Tears begin as a dull ache deep inside--yet another obstacle to grapple with. Sleep won't come, not yet. A choice faces me, and I have to decide which path to take.

From all around, my thoughts are crying at me to follow them. "Break down, have a good cry! Overthink this situation! It's natural that you should worry about this, it's a big deal!" Their clamor can almost drown out the still, small voice of The Spirit.

Praise God, in His mercy He pulls me back from the path of my own fearful thoughts! If I make the choice to pause and listen, He brings dear, familiar words back to my mind, words I memorized long ago... "Be still, and know that I am God" (Ps. 46:10) "Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you." (1 Pet. 5:7) The echoes of His voice grow stronger. "Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee." (Deu. 31:6) "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness." (Is. 41:10)

His precious promises flow over me in a healing flood. The sinful thoughts, full of worry and care, are completely crushed by the weight of God's perfect, eternal love for me. As I seek His face, He is so faithful to bring comfort and peace!

When I can't rise, He lifts me up.

When I am grieving, He comforts me.

When I am afraid, He calms my heart.

When I sin, He convicts and cleanses me.

When I'm confused, He gives me light and wisdom.

When I cry out to Him, He hears me.

When I am overwhelmed, He strengthens me.

When I feel lost, He brings me home.

"Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine."

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts."

His strength, not mine. His robes of righteousness, not mine. His thoughts, His plans, His ways.

Not mine. Never mine.

In His presence is fulness of joy, and the emptiness of grief has no place. In the palm of His hand is perfect peace, and turmoil no longer tears at my heart. In His Word I find the wisdom and strength I need, and confusion disappears. At His throne of grace I am accepted through the blood of His dear Son, and rejection by people here on earth is irrelevant. In His embrace is deepest comfort, and the ache of tears fades away.

His plans for me are just, holy, and right. I don't need to know what the path looks like around the bend, because my Lord is holding my hand and asking me to simply take the next step. As my Shepherd, He knows exactly which steps I need to take as He grows me and draws me nearer to Himself. In the darkness and unknowns, He shows me treasures and reveals His perfect holiness. He goes before me, leading the way.

Tomorrow may hold blue skies or gray, rough roads or easy. That's in His hands.

But tonight, I will take a breath, give this to God, and go to sleep.

Mykaela

Father, Thank You!

Psalm 30:11-12 Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness; To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever.

Hello, friends!

I promise I am still alive, contrary to all appearances. :) The last few weeks have been a crazy whirlwind of activity, most all of it good, but still...not too much free time to blog lately. ;)

November is a month of thanksgiving. A month of praising God for His grace, mercy, and bountiful goodness to us. Today, I would like to give thanks to Him for the many things he has done for me just in the past couple of weeks, and the opportunities to come in the next few.

In October, some friends from Alaska came to Wenatchee for several days for a family conference. The services were so good, and the fellowship was sweet. I was able to go to Leavenworth with some of the lovely Humphrey ladies (missed you, Aimee and Krista!! :'(. The fall colors were in full swing as we walked the gorgeous trails in the area, drank some awesome coffee, and ate Bavarian pastries. ;) No matter how many times I've been to Leavenworth, it never gets old. :)

After that, Bro. Doug Hammet and his wife came for a visit. Bro. Doug has been a good friend and mentor to our family and church for a long time, but I didn't remember meeting him in person. (Although apparently I met him at 4 or 5 years old? ;) Anyway, it was a blessing having them stay in our home and being able to talk with them about their amazing ministry to southern Africa. 

This past week, we went over to Oak Harbor for our annual missions conference. As always, it was an absolute highlight of the year! Convicting messages each night, and special missions forums every afternoon were a great challenge to me, especially in the area of personal evangelism. This is one area I very much tend to fail in unless I am actively seeking ways to build good habits. I want to be so much more faithful and bold in this area! I also got to practice tons of music with the group that is going to Fiji. There are 11 of us total, 10 who are singing, so it was really special to sing with them and get ready to minister to the brethren we will meet on the trip. 

One area of this year's conference was difficult, in that my great grandma went home to be with The Lord. She was 97, and had been a faithful Christian for many years. My mom was not able to make it to most of the conference due to being there with her, but I am so glad she was able to! I think it was truly important that she be there. I am deeply thankful to The Lord for making a way through His blood for me to see her again! Even though it hurts and there are tears now, I know that this is not a final separation. In a week and a half, we will be heading up to Canada for her memorial service, and I'll be heading straight from there to Oak Harbor in preparation for the Fiji trip!!

That means I have 11 days from right now to get ready for three weeks overseas. 10, if you are reading this on email. I can NOT believe it's so close!! I'm so excited for this incredible opportunity to return to the South Pacific and be a blessing in every way I am able! We will be attending a 4 day conference, as well as going to a couple of different churches for the guys to preach in different areas. We will be singing a lot as a group and in smaller duets and trios. It will be interesting seeing how everything works out, as many details can't be planned out until we are there. If then. ;) I think a lot of more minor things will just be done on the fly. Which is cool with me! International travel is unpredictable and just a bit scary anyway, a few more little unknowns aren't going to make a difference. ;P I will be away for 3 full weeks, (Thanksgiving Day through December 14th), so the blog may be neglected unless I can get some good Samaritans to send me a guest post. Ahem. Any volunteers? ;) 

A few more things I am super thankful for this month...

Hot soup on cold days. Huge sweaters and steaming coffee. My new job at a Sew and Vac store!! Long late night phone calls. Snail mail letters that make me laugh. My new tangerine clove candle that smells like Christmas. My Peaceful Guitar playlist on Spotify (so nice to fall asleep to!). Autumn colors blazing on the trees. Driving through the Cascades and being blown away by the majesty of them for the thousandth time. Cozy socks. Folding fat quarters at work. :) Christmas coming up. Siblings' birthdays. 

What are you grateful for? <3 Have a blessed Thanksgiving if I'm unable to post again before then!! Love,

Mykaela 

To Know Him More Fully!

Psalm 42:1-2 As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?

"When we look to God, we trust. When we look to things, and circumstances, and surroundings, we grow anxious." ~~J. McConkey

"[Salvation] is where we begin [to know and pursue God], but where we stop no man has yet discovered, for there is in the awful and mysterious depths of the Triune God neither limit nor end." ~~A.W. Tozer

"The deepest fact about us is our desperate need of God." ~~Unknown

I would like to share with you something that I wrote in my prayer journal a few weeks ago. As I looked back over the things I'd written, these quotes came back to me as going hand in hand with it. I hope it is a blessing to you!

Prayer Journal, entry for ~July 30, 2017

Lately God has been teaching me an invaluable lesson. It is one that many others have learned, and even written about, before me. It's a lesson that, sadly, we can't seem to learn second hand. We must each find our way through it on our own. It is the path of realizing that there IS no complete and total fulfillment outside of knowing God. I will never find the fullness of joy in writing. In music. In a relationship. In a friendship. No mere thing and no mere human can ever take the place of the deepest longing of my soul--that of knowing and communing with God. Nothing can fill that hole. The more I try to fill it, the more weary and heartsick I will become. He is my strength, my Redeemer, my portion, my salvation, my Rock, my Fortress, the lifter up of mine head, the One True God, my King, my God. He is all. He. Is. All. Only God.

And another glorious wonder? God wants to know me. I am priceless and full of worth in His eyes. I have done nothing worthy of the God of the universe even noticing me, and yet He tells me that His thoughts of me are more numerous than can be counted. He loves me. How? I will never know. He is God. He is perfect. He is The Holy One, and yet He condescends to care about ME. I, who wanders away from Him at every turn. I, who is foolish and ungrateful, and does not love or praise Him as He deserves. He loves me. He wants me to know Him, He wants to fill that deepest longing of my heart. Wonder of all wonders, I am His. And He is mine. 
Mykaela

But Thou Broughtest Us Out...

Psalm 66:10-12 For thou, O God, hast proved us: thou hast tried us, as silver is tried. Thou broughtest us into the net; thou laidst affliction upon our loins. Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water: but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place.

There is a song that I really love, and listen to often, that is called "Though You Slay Me". Here are a few of the lyrics:

"You struck down to bind me up--You say You do it all in love, that I might know You in Your sufferings. Though You slay me, yet will I praise You. Though You take from me, I will bless Your name. Though You ruin me, still I will worship, sing a song to The One Who's all I need!"

What powerful words! When I first heard the song, I thought it was a little extreme in some of the wording..."though you ruin me"? And yet what other word than ruin could you use to describe the trials of Job? Or the dark, painful valleys that so many of God's saints have walked through with the help of The Saviour? 

Sometimes, for reasons that are perfect and just, God chooses to try us in seemingly extreme ways. In His infinite wisdom, He knows that we need that particular valley at that exact time. He takes us into the net, lays affliction upon us, causes men to ride over our heads--He brings us through fire and through water. 

And what does the next part of our passage say? "but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place." God shapes our lives like a sculptor molding something masterful. He prunes us like grapevines that must be cut nearly to the earth in order to bring forth rich and beautiful fruit. He leads us like a Shepherd, taking His flock through a fearful canyon, to reach the fertile green pastures on the other side.

The experiences that seem to shatter our souls into shards of pain and grief are stepping stones to the new, more radiant person that God desires us to be! Sure, we may collect a few scars and bumps along the way, but just like physical markings, they tell a story. A story of how God is lovingly, faithfully shaping us to be more like His Son, Jesus Christ. 

There is a very popular saying that is running around that goes like this: "God will never give you more than you can handle!" Let me just say right now...

That. Is. Not. True.

It's not! In 1 Corinthians, God's Word tells us that we will not be TEMPTED above that we are able. Temptation to sin will never be more than we can handle, because God provides a way to escape. 

But trials? God absolutely will give you more than you can deal with--in your own strength. God doesn't want you to handle everything on your own! He wants you to be continually leaning on and trusting in HIM to give you strength! He wants to be your Help, your Shield, your Guide, your Light, your Father, your Shepherd, your Everything. So when trials come, YOU should not be the one handling it...God should be. He will carry your burdens for you. In the very words of our Saviour: "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." What precious words of promise from One who wants to carry and comfort you as you walk life's path!

When you come to Him for strength in the trials that come your way, you'll be able to look back and see where those hard and weary times were being perfectly orchestrated by The Master Planner. They were all for the beautiful purpose of bringing you out into a truly wealthy place. <3

Mykaela

Shattered

John 6:37 "All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out."

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I pass them on the street each day,

I see them as I work.

Shattered, torn up people, trying to hide their hurt.

They turn their brimming eyes away,

So none can see the pain

That attacks like ravenous beasts that show

No mercy to their prey.

Some will drown their sorrows

In addictions of all sorts,

While others simply will deny

The despair that haunts their hearts.

Oh why can't we foolish humans see,

Our hearts were made to love!

Why cannot we lift our eyes to God Who dwells above?

He wants to bring us healing and peace,

Far greater than we know. 

And yet He will not force us--

The choice is ours alone. 

Yet who indeed would choose to live

A shattered, torn up life?

When deliverance is promised when we turn from sin and strife?

Oh, Broken One, He's waiting with open arms for you!

He gave His very life to save and give you a way through.

Just ask Him, weary soul, and He will grant you life anew.

The Day The Earth Cried Out

The middle of a sunny afternoon, and the sky suddenly darkened to a thick, menacing black. Day turned to night in a moment's time. 

Then came a low rumble, deep in the heart of the earth's foundations. It grew and built until the world seemed to be shaking itself out of orbit. 

Great cracks ripped across the ground like a garment being torn apart at the seams. The sky itself roared with a cacophony of thunderous sound. The planet cried out---its Maker had just laid down His life. 

The Creator. His breath had spoken the universe into existence. And His breath had just left His body.

The Lamb. Slain from the foundation of the world, yes. And now that prophecy had been fulfilled.

Jesus. His hands held the fate of mankind. And they were nailed to a wooden cross. His heart was so perfectly compassionate, so eternally and deeply loving. And it had just stopped beating. 

Is it any wonder that the creation itself was moved? The day His life ended, every prophecy concerning the coming Messiah was completed. The atonement for man's sin was fulfilled. God's law was satisfied, his wrath appeased. When He cried, "It is finished!", it was. Nothing was left to do for the salvation of man. Nothing. 

The day Christ faced death was the day He made sure we wouldn't have to. 

If the creation trembled on this day, imagine how it must have rejoiced three days later. For on the first day of the week, Jesus took up his life again. He has the power and authority to lay it down, and to take it up again. The day that borrowed tomb opened was the day he proved once and for all that He was the perfect Son of God, the One who holds the keys of death and hell!

The day Christ rose to life eternal was the day He granted it freely to you and me!

Will you take it?

They Gave. What Have You Done?

Abel gave an acceptable sacrifice.

Enoch gave absolute commitment.

Noah gave manual labor.

Abraham would have given his only son.

Joseph gave up his hopes, dreams, and plans.

Moses gave strong, Godly leadership.

Joshua gave good council, both in war and in peace.

Rahab gave shelter to the spies, by faith.

The Judges gave justice and guidance in troubled times.

Ruth gave unconditional love.

Elijah and Elisha gave healing, judgement, and hope.

Nehemiah gave up time and personal safety.

Esther gave deliverance to her people.

Job gave everything precious to him.

David gave mercy to his enemies and passionate praise to God.

Solomon gave of his wealth.

Isaiah gave prophecies of the coming Messiah.

Jeremiah gave truth where truth was not wanted.

Ezekiel gave God's Word, though everyone hated him for it.

Daniel gave his whole heart, mind and strength.

The three Hebrew children gave their bodies to violent death rather than disobey God.

Hosea gave to those who were not worthy.

Jonah gave under protest.

Matthew gave up his dishonest livelihood.

Mark gave his service.

Luke gave his talents.

John gave humbly.

Paul gave writings, time, and strength.

The widow gave two mites, all her living.

Mary gave precious ointment.

Martha gave her skills.

Zaccheus gave back four times as much as he took.

The little boy gave his loaves and fishes.

Peter gave bold deliverance of The Word.

Barnabas gave compassion and support.

Dorcas gave help to widows.

One of the ten healed lepers gave God the glory.

The woman at the well gave her testimony.

Timothy gave behind the scenes work and encouragement.

Philemon gave undeserved forgiveness.

Onesimus gave up his freedom.

All of them gave their lives.

And One Jesus Christ of Nazareth gave more than all of these. He gave His perfect, holy blood. He gave His ALL. He gave so we could live. He gave matchless grace.

What have you given?

Guest Post: Perfect Love

Today I am excited to present a guest post from a lovely friend of mine, Jenny! You may remember Jenny's sister, Katie, who guest posted for me a few months back. You can read that post here. Jenny is such a blessing and encouragement to me, and she is truly gifted with words!! She could be a very compelling author...I'm still working on her about that. ;) Without further ado, I shall let her writing speak for itself! :)

Perfect Love

"As the Father hath loved me,so have I loved you: continue ye in my love."
~ John 15:9

John 15 speaks of so many things, the main theme being the importance of abiding in God's love. But right now,I'd like to focus on this verse, because it really jumped out at me recently. What does that mean, "As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you"?? How does God the Father love His Son Jesus Christ? Well... He loves Jesus perfectly, the kind of perfect love which "casteth out fear" (I John 4:18) He loves His Son completely, fully. A father's love is a strong love, a love without end. I know that my Daddy loves me. No matter how much I mess up, he'll never stop loving me. And since God is love (I John 4:16), how much more must He love His Son? I believe that God the Father loves His Son with the truest love in the world...even more than Mr.Darcy and Elizabeth, even more than the "wuv,true wuv" of Wesley and Buttercup in The Princess Bride! :)

And then the other part of the phrase..."so have I loved you:" Wait, wait. Does that mean that Jesus loves ME that much? As much as His Father loves Him?? Me? How can He? I can think of hundreds of different reasons for Him not to love me like that. I am not worthy. I'm so weak, so sinful. So filthy in His presence. (Isaiah 64:6) And yet He loves me. Enough to die for me. That's an overwhelming thought! I know better than anyone how unlovable I can be. To think that Christ loves me like God loves Him...? Sure, I can deal with the song "Jesus Loves Me". That's easy to say, but when faced with the reality that He loves me perfectly? Completely? Endlessly? Thinking about that makes me want to cry!

Jesus loves me. But not only me! The wonder goes on, as I try to fathom that He loves each and every person on this earth, despite our great sins against Him. (The clear teachings of Romans 3:10,3:23, First John 1:8,and Ecclesiastes 7:2 show us that we've all sinned!) Yet He has suffered and bled and died for our sins, because He loves us with that deep, abiding, everlasting and unconditional love. As that song goes, "Red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in His sight." It doesn't matter who you are, or what you've done. It makes no difference to Him, for He is no respecter of persons. (Acts 10:34, Romans 2:11) He loves each and every soul alive, as well as those who've already passed on. To each of them He offers Himself to cover their sins. To each He offers eternal life. Romans 6:23 tells us "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Salvation is not limited to any denomination, race, gender, or age, but it is available for everyone. "For whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved." (Romans 10:13)

So, now that we are starting to realize just how much Jesus loves us, we arrive at the last phrase in the verse. The part where we are to continue in His love. The part where we live out the rest of John 15, such as verse 17: "These things I command you,that ye love one another." First John 4:11 puts it this way.... "Beloved, if God so loved us,we ought also to love one another." The amazing, powerful love of Jesus Christ should spread to those around us, those whom He died for!

Do you have a hard time believing how much Jesus Christ loves you? Are you loving Him as He loves you? Is God's amazing love for you being evidenced in your life? Is it shown through your treatment of others?

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I am so thankful for Jenny writing this sweet post! What an amazing thing is God's love for us. I'd like to add that one of the most powerful evidences of His perfect love is the fact that Jesus Christ rose from the dead for us!!!! As we celebrate His resurrection this weekend, let's meditate on how very much God loved us to send His Son for our salvation. Christ is risen!

Mykaela