Learning To Love Again [Part 2]

 

Follow up on my last two blogs:

I appreciate all the feedback I’ve received from everyone in response to my blog “Learning to Love Again”. I wanted to give a little update on what all has been going on since then.

 

As mentioned in my blog, I tend to love people easily and completely and then get hurt by not receiving love from them in return. I then stop loving them because I’ve been hurt. This not only hurts other people, but it creates hatred in my heart that stacks up and makes me a bitter, resentful person.

 

I don’t like that.

 

I shouldn’t like that.

 

So I finally asked God help me out.

 

I decided to pray a dangerous prayer.

 

“God, please give me opportunities to love people who won’t reciprocate that love for me. Put people in my life that I can serve and show kindness. Teach me how to love like you love. Teach me about true love and how to give that to others.”

 

Why is this a dangerous prayer? Because I don’t think I could ever love like that. I don’t know how to love like that. Most of the love I’ve given throughout my life was conditional.

 

I’ll love you if you love me back
I’ll trust you if you give me a reason to
I’ll show kindness to you because you were kind to me
I’ll respect you because you respect me

 

One of the first things God has been teaching me is that his love is not conditional, and praise God for that! He pointed this out by showing me how many times I run from him, how many times I have loved other people or things more than him, how many times I love myself more than him, and he showed me how regardless of all of that, he still loves me. He cherishes me. He’s not going anywhere, He’s always by my side, and he embraces me whenever I call to him. He catches me when I fall. He wipes away my tears. He calls me beloved.

 

I’ve asked God to open my eyes to the people I need to show love to. I’ve asked God to give me the capability to love even when I don’t want to. I’ve asked God to remind me to love when I’m thinking of giving up on someone.

 

I’ve also started praying. A lot.
When I pray for other people is when I feel closest to God. When I pray for other people I can feel love and joy in my heart increasing at a rapid pace. It also makes it really hard to feel negative feelings for someone you’re praying for.

 

I can honestly say, even though it’s only been 9 days since I posted the previous blog, God has taught me so much and is seriously working on my heart right now. I can feel his presence walking with me throughout the day, showing me people to love. I can feel his strength in me when I decide to love. I can feel the joy and peace in my heart that I’ve been searching for in all the wrong things.

 

There is still a LOT God is teaching me, and I’m going to be working on loving the way God loves for my whole life, but I’m so grateful for this big step in my life.

 

 

For those of you who didn’t read my last blog, I wanted to announce that I have PASSED my first financial deadline! I’m so grateful for everyone’s support and prayers and encouragement. It truly means so much to me!

 

I have sent out prayer cards with my picture on them and important dates and information that you can hang on your fridge to remind you to pray for me, financial deadlines, training camp dates, launch, support information, and my blog site. I sent out over 150, so if you’re reading this you’ll probably get one! But if you don’t get one then I probably don’t have your address, so if you want one shoot me an email with your address and it’ll be in the mail shortly!

 

Thank-You all again SO SO much!!!