I’ve been out of the country for missions many times. Every single time, right before my flight took off, I would text my mom and dad one last I love you.
And without fail, my dad would respond, “I love you so much it hurts sometimes.”
I’ve been thinking about those words a lot recently. Love so much it hurts.
My Daddy met Jesus two years ago. So, my last few mission trips, I haven’t gotten that text, but I always thought about it as my plane took off.
I miss my Daddy so much it hurts. There are days when I wish I could just FaceTime Heaven. There is so much I want to share with him. It hurts.
I feel that way because I loved him so big. We were best friends.
It’s a beautiful thing to love someone so much it hurts. That sounds a little strange, right?
I probably won’t ever understand a parent’s love until the day I have my own children, but I feel like it finally makes some sense to me…loving so much it hurts.
In February (Month 2 of my race), my ministry in Honduras opened my eyes to loving so much it hurts in a new way.
In Honduras, we worked at a ministry that is a refuge for single moms who got pregnant as a result of rape or incest. It’s also a home for 4 little boys whose parents didn’t want them or were born as a result of sexual violence. Two precious cerebral palsy girls also call this place home.
Papi Lee and Gracie are a dynamic couple that founded this ministry. They love in really hard situations. They love so much it hurts.
It hurts to see women and children that have been abused.
It hurts to help show women how to love a baby that is a result of a really tough experience in your life.
It hurts and is scary to disciple and fight for these kids when men are threatening your life.
Papi Lee and Mami Gracie show this kind of love every single day. They love so much it hurts.
They show Jesus and His love in picking up little Alejandro, Moises, Diego, or Christopher when they need attention, singing to Ivannia and Ericka to see them smile, and loving/praying for/challenging our team to go deeper in the midst of all they have going on at the house.
My time in Honduras clearly displayed loving so much it hurts.
This is a beautiful juxtaposition of the love our Daddy God has for us.
The love my Heavenly Daddy has for you and me is even bigger than the loved I’ve described. He loves us so much it hurts. His love has no bounds. His love is reckless. He loves us regardless of our messiness. He loves us when we run away from Him.
He fights for us because of how much he loves us.
I want to love others like that.
I want to love others regardless of how messy it might be.
I want to love others and meet them where they are.
I want to show extravagant love.
I want to love regardless of inconvenience.
I want to carry The Father’s love so strongly that people see Jesus in me in a new way.
I want to love so much it hurts.
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because he first loved us.
1 John 4:18-19
