Things to Dump in the name of Love

The month of Love. For some, it's a blissful month of chocolates, cuddles, oodling, dating, intimate moments, extravagance and flowers while others feel heartache, loss, jealousy and loneliness. 

We were created with a need for True Love. We spend our days searching to fill that space, trying so many different things, and will until you find Love Who Fills.

The media is so good at showing us ways to fill this need. Eventhough Love Himself fills and holds my whole heart, and blessed me with a Man to share life and love with for over 30 Valentines, I catch myself oodling at the beautiful diamonds and romantic getaways on all the commercials because in my every day life, I am simple. I enjoy a coffee on the couch in pjs, I enjoy a simple gift, simple meal, simple outing, simple way of life. I am not a glam girl. Do I love pretty things? Beautiful clothes? Nails and hair done? Nice food out? Luxurious spas? Sure! But I don't need them or chase them.  

A few years ago, I decided to start hosting a Sweet Love night at my home. I was so nervous because I hadn't ever hosted a party for friends before...fear of rejection. There it is. What if no one came? What if I was boring? What if they thought it was stupid?

But God! I dumped the lies and pursued True Love and did it anyway. I invited a group of women from my church over, in the Name of Love. Valentines is sweet, yet bittersweet. In the room were woman who had recently lost their spouses, who were struggling to feel loved in their marriages, some who were too exhausted to feel loved Sisterly or Intimately.

These were wonderfully satisfying nights of introducing these Sisters in Christ to each other, sharing stories of hope and love, and for those who don't know me yet...yes, we enjoyed some serious coffee & chocolates!

As much as we need to embrace Love, some of us need to break up with false idols who keep us from receiving and giving love.

Today, what do you need to dump in order to have True Love?

Insecurity?

Fear?

Anxiety?

Control?

Addiction?

Perfectionism?

Feelings of lack, envy, hate, jealousy, greed, addictions, pride, immorality?

Lust?

Now that you have broken up, let's pray for Love's return and filling. Let's ask for blessings of Grace and deep soul satisfying wholeness to fill us. Let's open our hearts to receive again. Whatever barriers have been placed around your heart, will you allow Jesus to be the new Gate Keeper? Will you trust, let go of control and surrender to Love?

May it be so.

I pray this month brings you such deep joy as you remember the Love The Creator, Your Father, the Great I Am has for you. His Love is unconditional and of the purest kind that no human on this earth, no matter how wonderful they are, can match. He is the Ultimate Lover of Your Soul. You can trust Him. He's got you in His heart. Will you allow Him in yours?

"Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 

bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 

And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 

And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. 

And be thankful."

Colossians 3:12-15 ESV

Are you missing out on the real thing?

"No creme, and no sugar." That's how my friend takes her coffee...black! Personally, I think she's crazy. All those yummy flavors to choose from to mix in!! How can she drink it "plain?" I have asked her and her response is this: "You miss the original, intended flavor of the coffee when you add all the artificial stuff to it." I am thinking, "Yes, that's exactly what makes it sooooo delicious!" Her reply is always, "You're missing out on the real thing!"
As much as I (respectfully) disagree in regards to my coffee "enhancers", God used this last coffee date to encourage and teach me. When we add "stuff," we take away from the original. How true this is in life. There are things we add into our friendships, our marriages, our schedules, our parenting process, our worship, and even our coffee than can completely void out the "original core" of what it was originally created for. 
We fill our days with unnecessary stresses or avoiders through busyness or laziness or selfishness and it keeps us from completing what needs to be done. 
We fill our relationships with surface conversations, selfishness, jealousy, unrealistic expectations, that we miss the beauty of what sharing life is intended to do in our soul. 
We fill our marriages with selfishness, "stuff" and expectations, that we live by feelings and not by covenant. 
We fill our kids heads with all the rules and expectations and totally miss on shepherding their hearts and spirits towards the Lord.
We fill our hearts with temporary pleasures, fears, pride and even close them off to others, that we miss being filled with purity and unconditional Love. 
When we add "stuff" to our worship, we can easily find ourselves worshiping worship and not the creator and receiver of who worship is intended for. 
There are enhancers and there are overtakers! If I add a little coffee to my milk, I have Coffee-Milk which is nothing like coffee....at all! If I add a little milk to my coffee, I have Coffee with a hint of smooth, taking off the bitterness of the bean. But, if I add whip creme, heavy cream, vanilla and cinnamon, or go for a White Chocolate Mocha, extra creme and add the whip, for example, it's like getting a dessert, not a coffee! I can simply enhance or completely change my coffee to not really be "coffee." God instructs us to encourage one another and "as iron sharpens iron", we too ought to love and serve (with humility) one another. The Holy Spirit is our Enhancer. When we follow His lead, we live "enhanced" lives. But if I make everything about me, I overtake what God has planned. I want to be an Encouragement Enhancer, not a Distractor or Overtaker! God's ways are better than ours!!! 
God, give me eyes to see the things in life that are enhancers, and help me know when I begin to overtake something and loose sight of the original. Help me seek after You Lord God in everything I say and do, that You would be glorified and lifted up. May my friendships, my home, my family, my worship, my relationship with You, be filled with the enhancers You have gifted in this life to bring me closer to You and remove from before me all things that hinder and draw me away from You. Be forever, the center of everything in my life! "May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer. " (Psalm 19:14). Amen.

"If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth....Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." Colossians 3:1-2, 12-17

"O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. 2 So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory. 3 Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. 4 So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands. 5 My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips, 6 when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night; 7 for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy. 8 My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me." Psalm 63:1-8