Start lighting up the love...

  God is love. When we take up permanent residence in a life of love, we live in God and God lives in us. This way, love has the run of the house, becomes at home and mature in us, so that we're free of worry on Judgment Day—our standing in the world is identical with Christ's. There is no room in love for fear. Well-formed love banishes fear. Since fear is crippling, a fearful life—fear of death, fear of judgment—is one not yet fully formed in love.

  We, though, are going to love—love and be loved. First we were loved, now we love. He loved us first.

  If anyone boasts, "I love God," and goes right on hating his brother or sister, thinking nothing of it, he is a liar. If he won't love the person he can see, how can he love the God he can't see? The command we have from Christ is blunt: Loving God includes loving people. You've got to love both. (1 John 4:17-21, from the Message)

I'd add my own thoughts and words here, but too often we think scripture needs our additions, when all it really needs is our attention. It always speaks for itself.

Cravings.

Ever had a craving for something? Happens to me every morning and the cure always seems to be Chick-fil-a hashbrowns or chocolate from Ginger's desk. Not everything we crave is good for us, and of course on the reverse not everything we crave is bad. We might crave time with our families or more rest. We might crave some gym time or some garlic on our mashed potatoes. Cravings are strong. And cravings often aren't satisfied until they get what they are after. For example, when I crave mexican food...you can give me anything else to eat and it can even be great, but still lead to disappointment. Because what I got is not what I wanted. What I got was not what I was craving.

This seems silly, but I find this also to be true in my relationship with Jesus. If my soul craves Him (and it does), it's not satisfied until I give it what it wants. And what it wants is Him. Time with Him. Reading His word. Talking to Him in prayer. Or maybe just some silence in His presence. Funny thing is I keep trying to feed my soul other things...(kind of like giving any other kind of food but chips and salsa to the person craving mexican). So, why am I so surprised when I find myself unsatisfied? Still craving. I know what to feed my soul to satisfy it... seems simple enough right?

But satisfied and full don't mean the same thing. So, I get so "full" feeding my soul all these other things...that I try to ignore my lack of satisfaction. Ever try that? Like if you've ever ignored the laundry, hoping someone would break into your home and wash and fold it...maybe even hang some in the closet and not take any of your valuables. You eventually end up running out of clothes and decide you have to do laundry or you'll be busting out the birthday suit. Why do we neglect something until it's empty? No need to wait until your out of toothpaste to get more and risk going to work a few days trying not to breathe. I need to remember this in my relationship with Jesus. I don't need to wait until I'm empty or overwhelmed to seek Him. I need to satisfy the cravings by spending time with Him (daily) and not get "full" on so many other things. Because nothing else will satisfy me and anything less will leave me feeling empty.

Teenage Self

Last week I attended a training for work. The training was incredible. It taught me a great deal about working with girls and their sensitivities. It also taught me how to listen, like really listen. Not the kind of listening where you are already wanting to interrupt with what YOU have to say, but instead the kind of listening where you just let someone else be heard. Also, in this training we wrote a letter to our teenage self with all the experience and information that we now know. They were very personal, but I'd like to share mine all the same.

Dear Teenage Self,

Read these words carefully and know that they are being passed along to help you. Sometimes the greatest wisdom is that that comes from inside of yourself.

Listen to your parents, they truly do know best. Don't be so hard on yourself. Be careful about receiving and mistranslating affection from guys. Continue to pursue your dreams, even if they change over time or even if you feel you never reach them. Don't let the opinions of others become your opinions. Never quit. Find reasons to love yourself. And I'll give you one reason now: God loves you. Remember to engage in positive conversations with your mother, respect her. She loves you. A lot.

Don't stop building a relationship with the Lord---he has your best interest at heart. Begin exercising so that it will become a discipline in your life. Go ahead and stop eating meat, you are going to do it down the road anyways. Your smile is beautiful even though you have braces, so go on and smile more. (Side note: I had braces all through high school.)

Embrace today. Write your dad more "I love you" notes, cause one day he won't be around to read them. The only time you'll be able to see his face is in pictures. So, memorize his smile. Be bold. Believe. Stand taller. Keep your head up and your shoulders back. There's nothing wrong with good posture. Eat fruit, you can't survive on cookies and chips. FORGIVE. Forgive, forgive.

Love unconditionally, this will take you a lifetime to accomplish but try. Serve more. Whine less. Remember, it's not AT ALL about you. Pray harder. Don't underestimate the power of Christ in your life or His love. And let Him know it by pursuing Him. Constantly. Consistently. And Continuously. Love. And love some more. Keep loving until you feel like it's effortless.

You are not alone, and it's not such a bad thing if you turn out a little like your parents.

Much love,

The older and barely wiser....you.