Thursday, January 30, 2014

Love Letter


An Open Love Letter For You (I will post this the entire month of February)

     I would like to start off by letting you all know that even though we may not talk to each other often, I still think of you and I pray for you.

     This year I will be on my second year of the fourth decade of my life.  I never thought I would love being in my 40’s, but I would not take years away from my age, my experiences, my knowledge, or my body.  My age is a reminder of the blessings the Lord has allowed me to enjoy.  He has wonderfully and gracefully allowed me another year of life to enjoy love, to fulfill, to struggle, cry and to laugh.  My experiences are many, and the lessons have not always been the most enjoyable, in fact, my lessons have been some of the hardest lessons people on earth can endure, but I carry them as guides and tools for my future.  I have learned, matured, and moved on.  These experiences go hand in hand with my knowledge; I am that much wiser.  To repeat a bad experience is not to have learned from the lesson, but to avoid that path or help someone not walk through it is gain.   
     
     My body is a beautiful reminder of the two children I have given birth to, the endless hours of school work, the stresses of life, the rich foods I thoroughly enjoy every day of my life.  It is also a reminder of my younger years, late nights with too much fun and too little rest and too little of God.  The wrinkles on my face show the joy and happiness in my life, real genuine content and satisfaction of where I am at, exactly where God has placed me.  My grey hair is in full bloom, and I am ok with it.  I don’t know if I will ever dye it again, but for now, I will enjoy the full splendor of the white throughout my brown locks of beautiful hair, perhaps thinning, but nevertheless beautiful.  I have grown, literally, to love, appreciate, embrace, and care for my body.  To see it how God sees it; a wonderful masterpiece of love, grace, and tenderness.  My body is a place where my children lay their heads when they are tired, it is what they hug when they need comfort, and it has the warmth of the love they need every single day.  It has just the right amount of strength to play with my dogs when they are playing rough and to clean the house an entire Saturday.  It is building the endurance to run more, and the will power to eat better.  

      Through my journey, I have hurt many people and I think I have made peace with them all.  I have also been deeply wounded, and even though forgiveness has not been sought, I have forgiven everyone everything.  I have also learned to be more compassionate, meek, loving, understanding, and wiser, oh yes, wiser.

     I have also been blessed with the knowledge of God …not just that He is God.  I really know who He is, what He wants of us, why He has created us, for us, and in us, how He has forgiven us and the deep love He has for us. How He means every single word He has ever spoken, and how He remains the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.  It is because of Him that I am able to live 42 years, and know all this.  It is because of Him that I am able to make peace with myself, my past, my experiences, and my body.  It is because of Him that I feel absolute peace and joy even in the midst of my daughter’s brain surgery.  It is because of Him that I know I did not know anything, and I have nothing, and yet because of Him I have everything.

     Today, I can look anyone in the eye and speak clearly, without fear, without holding back, without trying to be someone else, without trying to impress.  I do not owe anything to anyone, there are no shackles on me, there is no debt I can not be freed from.

     My desire is that you know I have learned to accept and to give love in an unconditional manner.  God is the reason for all this, and because of all this I am able to love you more and beyond. Love is a powerful word that has action attached to it; love without action is worthless. That is why I am acting and speaking so boldly.

      So, if you have read this very intimate letter of love, know that I do. Even better than that, you are greatly blessed, highly favored, and deeply loved (one of my favorite Christian phrases), by our Father, God Almighty.

Verse of the Month

                
  John 15:13 "There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends." 

As Jesus prepared for His undeserved death, He taught us how to love through His teachings and actions. We do not necessarily have to lay our lives down for others, but, like Jesus also taught us, by feeding the poor, loving the undesirable, helping the widow and the fatherless, and visiting the sick. There are so many ways in which Jesus showed us how to love. Be bold and love unconditionally.


Join me and many others for more encouraging words with Holley Gerth at  Coffee for Your Heart  or join me at asoftgentlevoice.blogspot.ca
















How have you been encouraged to love boldly?

Love and Blessings, Bea 

8 comments:

  1. Thank you for the gentleness and serenity in your words today.
    I am here from Coffee for Your Heart and am happy to have found your words.

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    1. Laura,
      Thank you for reading, and I look forward to our blog friendship.

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  2. Beatriz - I love this! So sweet and honest... ah yes - to be about the Fathers business is to be all about being love, yes? So glad we are sharing a cup of coffee together again today!

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    1. Karrilee,
      It has not been difficult to age, for me. I understand that our bodies are designed to go through changes while our spirits are being constantly renewed. Isn't that what matters? Thank you for reading, dear friend. See you next week.

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  3. Yes and Amen! Forgive everyone ...
    Everything and live FREE!

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    1. Dear Sonya,
      I am so glad I get an opportunity to say hello! I love your post, but I cannot find a place to leave a comment. Please know that I read it and love it! See you next week!

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  4. Beautiful, joy- filled words. Thank you sharing!

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    1. Alecia,
      Thank you for reading. I also enjoyed your post! See you next week.

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