Jesus is LOVE

    Day 19 and Day 20 of The Love Dare tie in nicely together. I think these were probably the easiest ones yet, especially day 20. Why? Because the challenge is to acknowledge the love of Christ and accept His love into your life.

    Acknowledging His love is something that I did years ago. I can point to a lot of things—my mother's cancer, being robbed at gun-point at age 6, meningitis, my 3-month=old son's hospitalization with RSV, a miscarriage, financial troubles, to name just a few—that I could never have lived through without His love. There are so many places where my family could have been torn apart. But the love of Christ—the love He has for us and the love He has given us to share—have brought us closer together. That loved has proved over and over again that life is worth living.

    Accepting His love—that is something that I am still learning to do. Oh, I have asked Jesus into my heart. I know that He is with me and that He has forgiven my sins. I know that He will forgive sins in the future and that He will help lead me away from sin. But I don't think that His love is a one-time only gift. I think it is something that I need to accept every morning.

    "Lord, today is a gift from You. Thank You for it. Please be with me today. Cover me with Your endless love. Help me to show that unconditional love to everyone I meet, especially to those I don't think deserve it. I don't deserve Your love, but I have it. Thank You for loving me even when I am unlovable. I'll never be worthy of all You have done."

    I'll be the first to admit that I am NOT a perfect person. This past week, I've had more moments than I can count where I have felt my less-than-perfection. I am not a good enough wife or a good enough mother. I am certainly not a good enough daughter. My husband, sons, and parents deserve much better.

    The good news? With Christ, they can get that! I don't mean by them accepting Christ into their lives, either. That is between them and Him. But if I consciously seek and accept Christ's love into my heart, He will give me a heart that I can be proud to give back to my family. Christ loves me. He loves me enough that He died for me. He loves me enough that He hasn't given up on me, though I have given up on myself more than once! With His love in me, I can be what my family needs and so much more.

    Thank You, Jesus, for this love.