Tag: love

MY BLOG POSTS, My Reflections

FATHER’S DAY: The Man, The Myth, The Legend

Rachel's Reflections

From the day that my parents got pregnant with me, they were both excited. The photos I’ve seen show that to be true, but more than that, as I grew through the years my dad set so many great examples in my life. While no dad is perfect, as I became an adult, I learned that most parents try to do their best. Especially now, I have a relationship with him that is more like the times that I’ve always cherished the most.

BEING AVAILABLE
My dad and I love talking with other people. We thrive on engaging with others and both of us love and respect people. So, since as long as I can remember, I have loved the times when my dad spent time talking with me. He was so good sharing with me when I had questions, and trust me when I say I had A LOT of questions. No matter what, he ALWAYS stopped what he might be doing to chat with me.

Often, after we were close to the end of family dinner, I would ask him deep questions ever since I was young. I often asked him about God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, all sorts of parts of the Bible, and also about the horrible things that exist in the world. What often happened next was that my dad would respond to every part of what I asked, and he always showed me the scriptures to read over, to think about and to come back and let me know what I thought. While you may think the conversations were easy . . . they were not.

My dad and I would stay at that table or sometimes shift over to the living room, talking for literally 3 to 4 hours. This made me feel loved, seen, heard and cherished. However, it wouldn’t be until my adulthood and even more so when I became a parent that I realized how many nights my dad must have stopped for hours when he might have been exhausted. He never brushed me off to take care of other things, when I wanted to have a conversation. If that wasn’t enough, my dad and I would often walk by the marina by where we lived and walk by the ocean and the pathways, people watching, enjoying the weather and talk, talk, talk about whatever he or I had on our minds.

Now, I cherish my conversations with him even more, and I don’t think we ever stop talking less than an hour each time. I love how similar we can be in that way and how much we have in common. My dad has always helped me to gain so much wisdom about following God and why, not just by what I asked, but he’s always been an open book. That made me see our Creator as the best God ever, which He is, and even when life has been difficult I know that my dad and I can discuss anything. All of that is also why I love the Lord so very much, trust Him completely and will discuss with him every day. Thanks Dad!

SACRIFICE
My dad, as well as my mom, grew up poor and wanted more in life as adults. More importantly, that meant talking a lot whether it was difficult or not. Sometimes I had to get through to my dad or he had to get through to me, but eventually we get there. While I knew that when my grandpa was on this side of Heaven, my dad’s father and he would talk on the phone or whenever he was available in person. Maybe my dad learned that from his father, but whatever he learned from grandpa or from his experiences, talking things out is something I truly cherish with others.

Now, I started this part about my parents being poor. The benefits of that to me and my sister were many. My parents always did everything they could for us, no matter what, to the best of their abilities. We lived in an apartment that was safe with a good school, and then, my dad was able to get us a house by the beach in another state and we loved living there. Owning a house was something that took sacrifice in so many ways for him, but he did that, for all of us.

I know that my dad learned sacrificing as he grew up, but I’m so glad that he does that. His sacrifices confirmed even more why God sacrificed His Son so we could live with Him in Heaven and have Him with us, while we are here. While I know that many people struggle with even the concept of God, my dad and I both love to read the Bible, books about the Lord and all the various parts that impact our lives, but Jesus was sacrificed for our own salvation. My dad has had to train me in so many ways that had to be a sacrifice when it was hard on me, but if it wasn’t for what my dad has done in my life, I wouldn’t be the person that I am . . . a woman of strength, convictions, love, wise, and so much more. Thanks, Dad!

FAMILY
As a family, since my parents hadn’t gone on vacations growing up, we had amazing summers. Life was always fun during that season while at home, but every summer we went on vacations. Sometimes it was close by and often it was also far away. Almost always we drove and camped, while we went to most of the east coast and other states beyond.

Little did I know how much sacrifice was a part of those times, when my dad was the bread winner and we went on amazing vacations: Hershey Park, Disney World, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, several countries in Canada, and every place we traveled to were so fun. Later, I realized that camping was my dad’s way of saving money to go to places so we could experience trips that he and my mom never got to see and do, and we loved camping. It was always an adventure, meeting so many new people and so many locations of beauty and information, as well as learning how different people talk from state to state. I don’t remember ever not having a vacation each summer and to this day, I know what a gift that is.

Another part of the family life was that music and dancing have always been a part of our Puerto Rican culture. So, when it was time to wake up, I still remember my dad waking me up with the song, “Rise, and shine and give God the glory, glory! Rise and shine and give God the glory, glory! Rise and shine, and give God the glory, glory! Children, of the Lord!” By the end of that, we were definitely up and out of bed, though sometimes he had to do a 2nd round.

I loved watching him dance with my mom in the kitchen. I loved the music playing in our home and when we were outside our home. My dad has always been a great singer, as is my sister and me and having that commonality has made me so thankful for music, especially with how it impact others and definitely me. Thanks, Dad!

GRACE
My dad and I have had so many great times and we still do, even though we are miles apart. However, that has always taken a lot of grace. Since we are Christians, we understand the purpose of grace and how much God gives every person in life grace, even when they don’t want to believe He exists. However, my dad taught me about grace so many times with who he is and I’ve learned grace, from both my dad and my Heavenly Father. There will be hard times. There will be scary times. There will be hateful times. However, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE and a HUGE HEAP OF GRACE always is what I try to give as I’ve seen my dad do the hard things including giving grace and even admitting his own issues, as we all have. But, what I love the most about my dad is that he’s always real, always true and always loving to a fault. Thanks, Dad!

SACRIFICE, FAMILY & GRACE
It’s also how I am who I am, in addition to following the Lord’s ways. While there are so many hard things in this world, I cherish having my dad around for as long as he lives. While he and I love sharing the great things we can enjoy in this word, as well, I’m also grateful he is my dad.

I know that you sacrificed when I had to do the hard things on my own. Thank You!

I know that I love family, whether by birth or by meeting people I am meant to call “framily” (friends/family), and I love first whenever I possibly can.

I am also still learning about grace, but I’m doing my best. May I always try my best and hopefully be understood in my attempts.

Dad, keep loving others as you do and always learning like we both do. Keep enjoying life to the fullest, and know that having you in my life has been and always will be a gift to me. ❤️ Father’s Day! Te quiero mucho! ❤️

MY BLOG POSTS, My Reflections, Poetry

AMBER DAWN

Rachel's Reflections


The storm was coming
As clouds grew dark
And ominous shadows
Played games with our hearts.

As the procession came
With a mix of anger and cries
And our dear Lord
Carried the world in His eyes.

As His surroundings
Seemed to melt away
All He could see
Were the souls who’d be saved.

While others shrieked and agonized
Knowing our Lord would soon die
He bore on with single purpose
For the sake of our lives.

All around us
Many cheered
As the Son of God
Slowly drew near.

We could not believe
That this was the end
But in the depths of His heart
He saw amber dawn ahead.

Hours moved on
In a sickenly . . . slowness
While He bore the pain
That rightly belonged to us.

As all we could see
Was the darkness and pain
Yet, His eyes showed no doubt
Amber dawn would rise again.

While the pains of the moment
Were clouding our hearts
We simply couldn’t bear
That from us He must part.

As the thunder roared
And the curtain was split
In the depths of our souls
We knew this was it.

The time had come
As the very earth shuttered
And we heard from His lips
The last words He would utter.

Before darkness descended
Both around and within
How could we know
That amber dawn would rise again?

And on that third day
While we were unaware
Amber dawn began to rise
Swiftly filling the air
Bringing with it
The hope of a new day
As our Savior arose
Taking the darkness away.

For the light of the amber dawn
Had become increasingly bright
As it ushered in the Lord
And Savior of our lives.

Now never again
Would we need to live in fear
For amber dawn would remind us
That He is always near.

By Rachel Basden ©️

Original Version 1999 & Revised in 2023

Amber Dawn Is Always Here With Jesus

Photo By Rachel Basden ©️ 2023

MY BLOG POSTS, My Reflections, Poetry

BE LOVE

Rachel's Reflections

Within the darkness, God’s love within us shines brighter.

We thrive in the midst of cracks that life sends our way
For when it is truly dark, our light still remains
To see us through the hard times, the sad times and the pain
As we allow God to further grow us into the beauty that He’s made.

Just as a child comes into the world, often starting with a cry
It is often our struggles that truly make us thrive
For when we are pushed beyond what it is that we desire
It’s then that what’s within us starts truly turning into a fire.

One that ignites justice
One that brings warmth
One that allows others to gather and to be close
One that provides a source to guide us along the way
One that reminds us that our light has something to say
One that speaks louder when so much may seem dark
One that draws us to singing around the glory of its sparks
For as the fire grows, we see the cracks for what they are
They are there to let us know that God is never far
The light that’s within was never meant to be kept small
For we are meant to BE LOVE in the darkness most of all.

By Rachel Basden © 2021

SOURCE: YouVersion App

My Reflections, Poetry

HOPE STILL REIGNS

Rachel's Reflections

The Lord is my shepherd

I know His call

For when I was young

He became my ALL

Providing me still pastures when I’ve needed rest

Bringing me to quiet waters, my soul restored the best

Whenever I’ve ever felt alone

His Spirit has guided my way

And through every dark valley

His hope within me has stayed

When I’ve felt like I could break

He’s comforted, loved and held me

Even when enemies were on the attack

He nourished and He blessed me

For His goodness and His love have followed all my days

And one day, I’ll be fully with Him forever and always

But till that day comes, He’s always been near

Till that day comes, He shows me that He’s here

When a pandemic tried to seriously crush my soul

When isolation and loss seemed to take control

Hope still reigned in the songs sung

Hope still reigned with every beautiful rise of the sun

Hope still reigned when justice marched

Hope still reigned as humanity battled on

No matter what’s happened or what will come

I will cling to His promises, every single one.

No matter what happens in life, there’s hope. It may not always be easy to see, but it’s all around. May you have hope all your days.
My Reflections

BE THE CHANGE: Matthew 10:25-37, Mark 12: 30-31, John 3:16

Rachel's Reflections

Not to Act is to Act

Almost from the start of mankind, the existence of  evil and suffering have been a part of the human experience. While the faces and the circumstances may change, evil and suffering still persist. Watch the news and there is plenty of evidence of the horrific acts that have been happening in the Ukraine, the beheadings of Christians in Iraq or the fighting and killings in Israel, to name a few.

While these are indeed horrible, there are other acts of evil, of injustice, happening daily in our own country and world-wide. Sex trafficking is one issue many would rather ignore. According to F.R.E.E. International:

1)     There are more slaves in the world today than at any other point in history, including the trans Atlantic slave trade

2)     Commercial Sex Trafficking is the third largest criminal enterprise in the world

3)     Trafficking occurs both internationally and domestically within the United States

4)     It is estimated that anywhere between 100,000-300,000 children are exploited for commercial sex every year in the United States

5)     The average age a person enters into prostitution in the United States is between 12 and 14 years old(SOURCE: http://freeinternational.org/the-issue)

There’s also the issue of the abuse and neglect of children by the hand of those who are supposed to love and care for them. According to Royal Family Kids, which serves abused and neglected foster children across the globe, “Annually, 3.6 million cases of child abuse, neglect or abandonment are reported in America,” and “One of these victims dies every six hours due to that abuse” (http://royalfamilykids.org/about/our-history). Those are just the facts on the reported cases.

Actor, comedian and humanitarian Robin William’s suicide was another stark reminder that the hurting are among us. Many people put on a good face and say that everything is fine, when their lives are far from it. There are people going through domestic violence. There are people contemplating taking their lives, feeling there is no other way. There are people who wake up every morning wondering why they exist, because they feel worthless. There are those suffering from mental illness. Need I go on?

Unfortunately, we often ignore the obvious signs of the pain in others and the injustices that exist, because it makes us feel uncomfortable or we don’t realize that we can do something to help. What’s even sadder, is we don’t often even notice the pain and injustices around us, because people have learned to hide so much of it, recognizing that most people will sit by and do nothing.

Christians have been taught to serve, to love our neighbors, to get involved when we see someone in need.  Many who haven’t read Matthew 10:25-37, have heard of the Parable of the Good Samaritan.  In a nutshell, those who should have helped a stranger who had been victimized walked by him and did nothing, while the most unlikely person stopped to not only help him, but to get personally involved.

Jesus Christ died for all. As John 3:16 tells us, ““For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”  Notice that Christ died for ALL people.  He has and always will love ALL people, and yet, we don’t often do the same.

Love requires action.  Love goes beyond feeling.  Love sometimes involves us to get uncomfortable. Why?  Because it is not about us. It is about others, loving them, protecting them, serving them.

In Mark 12:30-31, Jesus reminds us, “And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.” To love God is to love people. To love people is to act. 

As my pastor, Dr. Ryan Darrow shared on a Sunday morning, “The Samaritan could have made many excuses to not help, like the others. What area is God asking you to get involved in another’s life? It doesn’t always mean getting involved with an organization, but the person who we see every day.”

We so often feel more comfortable conforming to what others do, even when we know we have the means to help, which doesn’t always mean money. We can help with our skills, talents, knowledge, time, whatever we have and are.  What is right is still what is right. Our lives are meant to make a difference in the lives of others. We are called to fight for justice with whatever we have within us and whatever we have to give.

The Lord calls us to be involved in a practical way. As Pastor Darrow reminded us, “Our neighbors, [at home, school, work] are often metaphorically lying in a ditch hurting. What can you do? What is God calling you to do?”

We are His hands and feet. There are people dying on the inside. You are not where you are without a purpose, a purpose to change the world.

We are called to advocate on behalf of others. They are counting on us. We all know that change is needed. Be the change.

Want to talk with me more about how you can be the change?  Let’s join our efforts. Are you already being the change?  I’d love to hear about what you’re doing.  Let’s inspire one another to do what we were called to do.  May Jefferson Bethke’s latest video inspire you that darkness is losing.

As with all of my blog posts feel free to COMMENT, to FOLLOW my blog and to SHARE. I value you taking the time to read my posts.

My Reflections

THE BONDS THAT DON’T BREAK: Romans 8:31-39

Rachel's Reflections

My Daughter's Mother's Day Gift to Me
Mother & Daughter Forever: My daughter’s Mother’s Day gift to me

I can think of very few bonds that are as strong as that between a child and her parents.  There is very little I wouldn’t do for my daughter, whether getting matching mother/daughter tattoos as we did this Mother’s Day, as her gift to me this year, or unhesitatingly dying for her, which I would do in a heartbeat.

While those may be two extremes situations, one thing I know, without question.  My love for her is boundless.  We are connected forever.

Even stronger than the bonds that tie my beautiful daughter to me, are the bonds that don’t break between our Heavenly Father and His children.  He is very much connected to us.

I know that not all of you may have experienced this sort of parental love, this sort of connection, this sort of bond. However, I know as clearly as I know how I feel about my daughter that my God loves His children without any hesitation, without any wavering, no matter who we are or what we do.

As Romans 8:31-39 reminds us, “What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself.Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us. Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? (As the Scriptures say, ‘For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.’) No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,  neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

I don’t know about you, but I take comfort knowing that absolutely nothing separates us from our Heavenly Father’s love.  That’s a true bond, one that cannot be broken.  God will eternally love us, ALWAYS!

Do you feel like you’re not good enough for God?  Do you feel like you have messed up so much that God would never consider loving you?  Do you think that God might care about others, but there’s nothing to love about you?

Those are common thoughts or feelings, but God isn’t like that. Just as a loving parent would never dream of turning her back on her child, there is nothing we can do to make God love us or to make Him not love us.  He just loves us, because He is love and He knows no other way to feel towards His creation, His children.

As 1 John 4:7-12 reminds us, “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.”

One thing I want my daughter to always know, no matter what happens, is that my love for her will never waver.  It only strengthens with time.  Nothing can ever happen that would break the bond between us, because I wouldn’t let it happen.  I could never let that happen.

God speaks that over us, as well.  How, you may ask?  The Bible is a love letter to us, from start to finish.  It tells us, over and over again how much He loves us.  How desperately He wants to stay connected to us.

Having a hard time believing it?  I would love to chat with you.  Feel free to send me a message.

Want to rediscover that bond with Him? He has been by your side all along.  Just talk with Him.  You’ll quickly discover that the bond still remains.

As with all of my blog posts feel free to COMMENT, to FOLLOW my blog and to SHARE. I value you taking the time to read my posts.

My Reflections

THE POWER OF YOUR LIFE: Psalm 139

Rachel's Reflections

appreciation

I have taught for 17 years of my life, and I absolutely adore what I do for a living. While I very much enjoy the subject that I teach, I enjoy my students even more. They always brighten my day, remind me of how important it is to serve others and to use our gifts, and they teach me so much more than I ever imagined I would learn, before I embarked on this journey, called teaching.

Over the last two weeks, or so, God has been so kind in showing me some of the impact I have made on my students.  Some showed me their appreciation through gifts, like the one in the picture, given to me during Teacher Appreciation Week. However, this week, four of my classes got to write letters of appreciation to any staff member in the school. While organizing those letters to distribute to my co-workers, I was overwhelmed to discover that a quarter of them were addressed to me.

Very humbling, to say the least!

In one student’s letter, I learned of the impact I had unknowingly had on her, during a very trying time in her life.  Another letter shared a variety of personal traumas she has endured for two years, and she credited me to causing her to finally overcome these traumas. Each letter was such a gift, as these precious teens shared pieces of their hearts with me.

I know that none of this is because of me, but because of Christ within me.  I sat in marvel, over the working of the Holy Spirit, with tears in my eyes, as I read one letter after another.

Psalm 139:1-18 says, “O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up.  You know my thoughts even when I’m far away. You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do. You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord. You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand! I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence. If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there. If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me. I could ask the darkness to hide me and the light around me to become night—but even in darkness I cannot hide from you. To you the night shines as bright as day. Darkness and light are the same to you. You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me!”

Do you know what I see when I read that? God truly cares about us, has always cared about us, and doesn’t leave us. He sees us, even before anyone else ever did. That’s huge!  That’s amazing!

Honestly, I think that’s a big part of why “what” we do with our lives is so powerful. People want to know that they matter, no matter how old they are. They want, and more importantly need, to be seen, heard, understood.

As I read each of those precious letters, from my students, that’s what I heard speaking to me, over and over again.  You saw me.  You cared.  You went out of your way to go beyond teaching me the subject, and taught me about life.  You believed in me.

All I want to say in return to all of them is this. . .Oh, honey, I don’t just see you, hear you, care about you, and believe in you. God does! If I hadn’t realized that as a child, I wouldn’t be fulfilling my purpose, as I am right now.  Touching you all with His love. You are so very precious to me, because you’re precious to Him.

I encourage you, no matter where God places you, to be His hands and feet to those around you.  It may be an encounter with a person that lasts for just a brief moment, or you may spend years with these individuals.  But, live your life with impactful purpose.

We matter. Others matter, and they matter, because we matter to our Creator.

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My Reflections

BE MINE – Genesis 1:27, Psalm 139:13-18, Psalm 36:5-7, Isaiah 49:15-16, Jeremiah 29:11, Zephaniah 3:17, Luke 12:6-7, Romans 8:35-38

Rachel's Reflections

be mine heart alone sharpenedPeople enjoy messages of love from others.  For some, they prefer these messages verbally. Others enjoy receiving it in a written or a typed format. Still others enjoy messages of love through gifts, acts of service, and the like. We all want to be loved and know for sure that we are loved.

Whether or not we enjoy eating them, many of us even like those heart shaped candy hearts that come around Valentine’s Day. Why? Because with each heart, they tell us that someone cares for us, wants us in their life, possibly even loves us.

No matter how many messages of love we receive from anyone, in our lives, there is a love message that was written to us long before we even drew a breath. It is a message of love that has withstood the test of time. It is a message said in many ways, so that we would all understand that it is for real, and it is for us.

God has a message of love for us that surpasses any that anybody could give to us. It’s found in His Word. Continuously, He tells us that He loves us, from cover to cover. These are just some:

  • “So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” – Genesis 1:27
  • “You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb.   Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. How precious are your thoughts about me,O God. They cannot be numbered! I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me!”               – Psalm 139:13-18
  • “Your unfailing love, O Lord, is as vast as the heavens; your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds. Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the ocean depths. You care for people and animals alike, O Lord. How precious is your unfailing love, O God! All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of your wings.”    – Psalm 36:5-7
  • “Never! Can a mother forget her nursing child? Can she feel no love for the child she has borne? But even if that were possible, I would not forget you! See, I have written your name on the palms of my hands. Always in my mind is a picture of Jerusalem’s walls in ruins.”  – Isaiah 49:15-16
  • “For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the Lord. ‘They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” – Jeremiah 29:11
  • “For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.” – Zephaniah 3:17
  • “What is the price of five sparrows—two copper coins? Yet God does not forget a single one of them. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.” – Luke 12:6-7
  • “Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? (As the Scriptures say, ‘For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.’) No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.”     – Romans 8:35-38

The wonderful thing is that we don’t have to wait till February, our birthday or any special occasion, to receive these messages of love. He looks at us, and He says, “Be mine,” constantly.  Can you imagine being that adored? That loved?

Circumstances will fail us. People will fail us. We will fail ourselves. But, God’s love never fails us. That is sweeter than any candy I could ever eat.

As with all of my blog posts feel free to COMMENT, to FOLLOW my blog and to SHARE. I value you taking the time to read my posts.

My Reflections

TRUE LOVE – Proverbs 30:18-19, John 3:16, 1 John 3:16

Rachel's Reflections

It’s troubling how many marriages, both in and outside the Christian population, are failing. I know this is Valentine’s Day, but when I think about love, it makes me think of many things.  How so many people are settling for less than what love really is.

I understand that life is easier when you have the support of others, but we were made to be loved fully, unconditionally.  Yet, how often do we “fall in love” with those who only partially or under certain conditions, love us in return?  How many choose to love others selfishly, rather than selflessly, like we deserve.

How can I say we all deserve that type of love?  Because God gave up His only son, to love us as we were meant to be loved, fully, unconditionally (John 3:16).  He didn’t demonstrate His love to us, after we got all perfect and loved Him back as we should, as He is meant to be loved. He loved us with all of Himself, in spite of ourselves.

What better example do we have than that?  You may be thinking, “Yeah, that’s God. How can we be expected to love like that?”  We do it all the time.  It doesn’t matter what my kid does.  I will ALWAYS love her.  As often as I screw up, my husband still forgives and ALWAYS loves me, anyway.  We are even told that it is possible in 1 John 3:16, which says, “We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters.”

Too often, we believe the fairy tales fed to us in movies and books, but we settle for whatever we can get, from others. It doesn’t have to be that way.  It shouldn’t be that way.

Proverbs 30:18-19 tell us:

“There are three things that amaze me—
no, four things that I don’t understand:
how an eagle glides through the sky,
how a snake slithers on a rock,
how a ship navigates the ocean,
how a man loves a woman.”

Do you know love that like that, love that just amazes you?  I’m blessed and so very thankful that I have a husband and others in my life who love me in a way that often amazes me.  That’s a gift, but it is a gift my Heavenly Father says I deserve, that He desires for us.  It’s a gift I know I deserve, because I’ve experienced it from knowing Him, and you deserve like that too, because He created you for it.

I may not always include a video like I did in my last blog or I am doing in this one, but this one is so perfect for this day, and for what I felt led to share with all of you. It’s by a young man named Jeff Bethke, who figured out what true love is all about.

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