The Depth of God’s Love For Me

Yep, it’s Summer! There’s NO denying it!  I see my family and friends “leaving on a jet plane,” for all places warm and tropical, and I am not jealous one single bit!

Now, “flip the script,” it’s January and the Facebook posts have turned from sandy beaches to snow covered slopes. Now, I am fighting jealousy that could take a swift turn to COVETING, which is a sin! But the mountains beckon me! There is a literal call in my spirit that draws me to them. Winter, Spring, Summer or Fall, I LOVE every season in the mountains! Summer for me is even tolerable in the mountains. The cool mountain air, the crisp feeling in the morning as the sun rises over the mountain top. It’s still cool enough to hold a mug of steaming hot coffee in your hand and watch as the horizon turns from barely pink, to clearly golden.

Then as the sun sets, I grab a soft sweatshirt and pull it on over my head as the sun exits or the day. But nothing compares to the shiver that runs up my spine when my toes touch the icy cold water of the Sierra Mountains. 

If you are as lucky as I am to live by Lake Tahoe then you know exactly what I am talking about. The snow runoff from the Sierra mountains that surround the Lake make its water icy cold and so refreshing on Summer days. 

Lake Tahoe is the largest alpine lake in North America. It boasts 122,160,280 in acre feet and trails only the five great lakes as the largest in volume. The depth of Lake Tahoe is what astounds me! For years there were depths no one had even measured. It is now known to come in at 1,645 feet making it the second deepest Lake in the United States. As phenomenal as this large freshwater lake in the Sierra Nevada is, it pales in comparison to God’s Love for me.

For years as man attempted to measure the depth of Lake Tahoe they failed to reach the bottom. It took many failed attempts and the development of sophisticated tools to find its true depth. 

This is how I feel as I try over time after failed time to understand the depth of God’s love for me.  It is so vast, so wide, so long, so high and so deep that my human brain cannot reach the bottom of it.  

It is not until my human heart connects with God’s Holy Spirit and His Truth and presence fills me, that I am able to read the words of Ephesians 3:17-19 and realize the depth of God’s great love for me.

“…And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide, and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge-that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”  Ephesians 3:17-19

“FILLED to the measure.”  That is what my broken heart needs! That is what my frustration at being misunderstood longs to hear! That is what my disappointment and feeling of failure needs to know!  

The Love of God for me is so deep that it fills me to the measure no matter the pain, hurt or grief I feel.

TRUTH BOMB

THE DEPTH OF GOD’S GREAT LOVE FOR ME FILLS ME TO THE MEASURE!

Friend this week as we speak these words of TRUTH over ourselves may we be reminded and KNOW that God’s love for us runs deeper than our biggest fears, our most painful wounds, and our worst failures! 

So, whether you are a mountain girl like me or a beach, sand, surf and sun lover like so many others, remember God created it all, and His love for you is deeper than the deepest lake or sea.

Speak Truth Love

Starting Each Day in Victory Instead of Defeat!

This is it! The “OFFICIAL” first day of Summer! You can run, but you can’t hide!

It may have been feeling like Summer for weeks now. You may have taken that plunge into the pool over and over again by now, but regardless, today is the day!

It is what is known as the ‘Summer Solstice.’ The astronomical calendar marks the first day of Summer as the Earth’s axis is pointed directly at the sun.

So what does all of this mean?

It means it’s the LONGEST AND HOTTEST DAY OF THE YEAR!

Now, all of the scientists in the room will point out that it could have happened yesterday on June 20th, or will happen tomorrow on June 22nd, or in fact could be today June 21st, and this is true. BUT IT’S HAPPENING! Summer is officially here!

The truth is, for someone like me, who loves the rain and milder temperatures, it can send us into the “DOLDRUMS!”

Yes, that is a real thing.

The definition of DOLDRUMS as a plural noun is:

“A state or period of inactivity, stagnation or depression.”

How do I keep myself out of the “Doldrums,” and walk in victory instead of defeat even on the longest, warmest day of the year?  

I read God’s TRUTH about me and step through the “inactivity” of the doldrums, into the “activity” of believing what God says about me.

“Yet to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God.”  John 1:12

I AM A CHILD OF GOD!

That TRUTH can breakthrough any doldrum we go through. We are a child of God. He is our Father, we are His sons and daughters.

I am a daughter of The King! I am a princess! I am royalty! My name is written in heaven! Someday I will live there forever with my Father, The King! 

Just read Ephesians 1 if you need any more proof.

God chose us before the creation of the world to be His sons and daughters!

My feet are too far off the ground after this proclamation, to be stuck in the doldrums of life!

TRUTH BOMB

I AM A CHILD OF GOD BECAUSE THE KING HIMSELF CHOSE ME!

Walk in the victory of that TRUTH today my friend, even if it is the longest day of the year!

Speak Truth Love

Starting Each Day In Victory Instead of Defeat

One of the reasons Summer can be a tough season for me to navigate through is because I can wake up in the morning hot and sticky!  Do you know what I am talking about? My hair can be stuck to the back of my neck and my pajamas feel like I put them on with one of those storage bag suckers! Do you know the ones I’m talking about? You put six puffy sweaters in a bag, seal it and then attach this device that sucks all of the excess air out of the bag and renders your sweaters flat. It’s amazing and great for storage, but not so great if you are a person who feels like all of the water in your body got sucked out during the night!  

So, how do I turn this hot, sticky seemingly defeated Summer morning into a victory?

I open the Word of God and let its Truth about me, bring me victory!

TRUTH BOMB

I AM FORGIVEN AND FREE NOT BECAUSE OF WHO I AM BUT BECAUSE OF WHO CHRIST IS!

“Therefore, there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”  Romans 8:1

I am not only a beloved child of God, sticky, hot and sweaty though I may be, but I am forgiven and free from condemnation! The beautiful part is, my freedom and forgiveness does not come from anything that I have done. My freedom and forgiveness comes through Christ Jesus and what He did for me!

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  Romans 6:23

So, receive this free gift from God my friend, open it and walk in the freedom He has given you. No matter if you are sticky and hot through the Summer or refreshed and warmed, you are FORGIVEN AND FREE!

If that does not turn your day from defeated to victorious, NOTHING WILL!

Speak Truth Love

Starting each day in victory instead of defeat!

This is the first week of June and that means SUMMER! For all of you ‘Sun Soakers,’ that means extra Vitamin D as you absorb every ounce of these long Summer days.

For those of us that are PLUVIOPHILES, we just hit the pause button on happiness.

The new urban term for those who love the rain and actually find joy and peace of mind during rainy days.  

Does this mean that I cannot find joy in the sunniest of days? Absolutely NOT! I can focus my mind on the joy that Summer brings, even if it is not my favorite season.

I can look forward to early morning walks around Spring Lake, near our home, and grab a cup of iced coffee instead of hot coffee. I can BBQ dinner later in the evening since the sun is still out. I can look forward to Beach trips and longer days spent with my family. I can make frozen fruit pops and enjoy them with my feet dangling in the pool as I watch my grandkids swim and splash. I live in California, so the fact that I can get fresh fruit and veggies all year long does not change much from season to season. But red ripe strawberries do begin to appear for sale on every corner and sweet corn on the cob never tastes so good! All of these things help boost my mood in Summertime, but there is only one thing that moves me from defeat to victory, and that is GOD’S WORD!

In order to walk in victory and not defeat every day regardless of the season, I must put the word of God in my mind first and let it absorb into my heart and spirit.

So, while summer sizzles, our spirit can soar!

My blog series this summer is simple… each week I will write a word of truth about who God says we are, and I challenge you to take that word of Truth and commit it to your mind and heart with me!

First Word of TRUTH:

I am a beloved child of God held in His arms.

“Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life.”  Psalm 143:8

As we step into Summer, I pray that whether you are a Lover of Sun or a Lover of Rain, you will know that you are loved by God!

TRUTH BOMB

GOD’S LOVE FOR US IS UNFAILING AND HOLDS US IN HIS ARMS!

Speak Truth Love