let’s call out: LOVE

We start where everything starts, with love.

In the beginning God created. To create means to love something so much - an activity, a hobby, a person - that you go out and do it. In the beginning God loved so much that he made things. And that’s where it all starts. It where it all ends too.

It’s not lost on me that I’m writing this post on December 24. Christmas Eve. Love started with a God who poured His heart into creation and saw the brokenness that lived within us so He sent His son.

As Christians, we know how this story unfolds. Jesus lives and dies to save the world - not just Christians, but the world - from our brokenness. It’s the ultimate act of love.

So many times we get caught up in our hurt, in our heads, in who did what to us and how they should pay the price that we forget what it’s all about. We’re all just broken, messed up, messy people wanting to be loved. We hurt each other because of the holes and aches in our hearts. We hurt each other because of generational traumas. We hurt each other on accident and on purpose. There’s a variety of reasons why.

It comes down to this - it doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter who did what or what was done if we don’t acknowledge first and foremost that we are loved and they are loved.

Don’t hear me wrong, I do not want to diminish or shove to the side whatever was done or whatever a person is going through. It is possible to hold love for yourself and for a person who has hurt you as well as hold the hurt and pain that you have. It’s a hard thing to do and even I bounce between hating someone and loving them.

But hate and love are not two ends of a spectrum. They sit side by side. Love and apathy are the ends of the spectrum. So, if we want to have any kind of conversation let’s start at the same focal point.

You are loved because of who you are. Not because of what you did or what you’ve done. Not because of your career, your money, your family status. Not because of your education or lack of. Not because of anything you could accomplish or will. You are loved because of who you are - broken bits and all.

And if you’re like me, that’s a hard one to grasp. Self-love, self-worth, and self-confidence are all tied into how you view yourself. But when you start to say, I’m loved because there’s a God that loves me even though I’m a shit show - big things start happening in your life.

And let me tell you, this is not an easy overnight transformation. I’m still struggling with this concept and I’ve been actively telling myself I’m loved for a few years now.

So, take your time.

Even if you don’t believe it yet, you are loved.

Start here.