Let's take up space with a conversation about self-love

Today while trying to resolve conflict between my child and another adult, the other adult turned on me. This trigger was without much warning but it wasn't a surprise as the same scenario has played out in my life many times, many days and for many years. My children stood there in horror as they watched this adult scream at their mother and take self-hatred out on her. For them the scenario had also played out many times and many days and for many years. This time was different though. I stood there with serenity and peace, very strong and with dignity, knowing the truth about who I am and how much I'm worth. Because I was able to remain calm, I was quickly able to redirect my children and unlike in the past, the situation fizzled out fairly quickly. What I learned today is, no matter what has happened in the past and no matter what obstacles we have faced and no matter what running diatribes we have bought into, it takes one instance in which we stand firm that we can immediately teardown every barrier that has been between ourselves and self-love and self worth and with our children watching, we can step into a whole new way of life as we embrace our resiliency and smile, knowing what we needed was inside all along. Why am I sharing on this on Facebook? Because people never do and because these are conversations we never have and it's time we step into that space and change the conversation. It's easy to recognize a strong woman but do we recognize the struggles that allowed her to find the strength? 

A Grateful Believer in Jesus Christ, 
Johnna

W

Finding My Tribe

We all need a tribe. Those people that celebrate us, even our quirks. When others may say "Sit down and be quiet", our tribe says "Stand up and tell me more".

We are wired for connection and planted in purpose. If we will meditate on this truth, we will see our tribes emerge.

Our tribe is made up of the people we are drawn too. They share our passions and they will speak up when we have just revealed our most vulnerable self and they dare to say "me too".

I'm grateful for the last year. It has allowed me to find my tribe. When others will tear me down and try to destroy me, they have lifted me up, spoke truth in to my heart, and loved me back to life.  Everyone deserves to have a tribe. Do you know who your people are? If not, find them, and love them hard.

A Grateful Beliver in Jesus Christ,
Johnna

Staying Strong and Walking Away

Staying Strong and Walking Away 

You know what's hard about being a strong person? When people don't know the price you paid for that strength. They didn't see the fire you had to walk through and they compare themselves with where they see you know. 

For many strong people, the difficult circumstances that are unspoken of, the ones that made you strong, are still going on but somehow you have managed to keep going and learned to let adversity motivate and drive you rather than defeat you.

But, what happens when people that see this  decide they want what you have and need to compete with you to get it. They don't understand that they can develop their own gifts and so they come after yours. 

A strong person is trained by life to react uniquely. When attacked or belittled, they won't retaliate with anger and malice but rather will exude grace and mercy as they attempt to absorb the price of helping another person unpack their pain, knowing that is their calling, secure in their identity in Christ and purposed to perform for the greater good. 

There does come a point in every strong persons life when they encounter someone or even a group of people that are toxic. That person or people come to misunderstand the strong persons unique reaction and are blind to the goodness and kindness of their heart. The toxic person(s) are not able to compete or compare so they attack and the blame game is in full force.  

So what is the solution for the strong person? Removing yourself from the situation and trusting the conviction of God to intercede. Sick people need you to be less than who you are. They want you to act outside of yourself so they have an excuse for their behavior. When you walk away, without your presence, they will have only eyes to see themselves. 

A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion.

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭18:2‬‬

I share this because on this journey the last 6 years, I have had to remove myself. At first, people blamed me for abandoning them. This is a tactic to keep you in the toxic place. Don't fall for it. You have a right to walk away from anything that is not healthy for you.  

If you keep doing what you have always done, you will keep getting what you have always had. Have faith and give God a chance to give you something new, let Him do what He has planned for your life, and stay strong. 

A Grateful Believer in Jesus Christ

Johnna

2017: Healthy Connections and Stewardship

Goals 2017:

Since 2012, I have set a simple goal, an area that was impressed on my heart to work on. This last year was authenticity and God did a good work on me. 

I have been given two areas for 2017 and I am excited to embrace the journey. Those areas are "healthy connections" and "stewardship".

For healthy connections, I am realizing the difference between wanting people and needing people in my life. It's impossible to want that which we need. Reflection has revealed to me that I was wired for connection and the connection I need is with the Godhead. Lacking healthy connection with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit will cause me to seek out people, places and things to fill that gap. This is the cause for my own people addiction and struggle with co-dependency. I know as my connections become healthier, there will be a shift in my ability to love others. That work has already been started in me and I am able to see the difference in my relationships with my children and my friends. 

Stewardship was another area huge on my heart stemming from a revelation that everything in this world is a gift from God and I should respect it as such. My morning prayer has been for God to help me be a good steward of time, love and money. I know through good stewardship, all those areas will increase. 

""One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much."

‭‭Luke‬ ‭16:10‬‬

I want to put out there, it is through progress, not perfection that we are molded. I hope by sharing these goals, they motivate you to reflect and set some space aside for the Lord to work on an area or areas in you for the coming year. 

A Grateful Believer in Jesus Christ, 

Johnna 

Standards and Belief Systems

Standards and Belief Systems:

 I have come across a lot of young women lately that have been going through that midlife stuff. I also see a lot of them stuck and it's sad for me. This has led me to share some of what I learned about this time.

I went through this reconciliation process with myself 6 years ago, during a time of pain and desperation. I was in a marriage that was hurtful and harmful because I thought I would go to hell if I got a divorce. I tolerated my mothers abuse because I was fearful of breaking any commandments. The reality is, I didn't understand Gods word, just the parts that were cherry picked by religion to condition me. I had reevaluate everything I was taught and everything I had believed.

This phase of life  is actually a very necessary process. It's in this place we reconcile our identity and purpose. Done in a healthy way, this can change a life for the absolute better. 

The most important piece here is making sure not to give up our standards and beliefs but rather evaluate what our standards and beliefs will look like. We are allowed to do that as adults. 

An example is religion. I had to come to terms with the reality that some of the beliefs I had picked up were not necessarily in line with God's  word. Without an environment of recovery, I would have probably just thrown away my beliefs about God and lived a lost life, but that was not the case. I had people to help me through the examination process. 

As I reevaluated my beliefs and standards on my own terms, the lesson I learned was to seek God and his will for my life. I learned to be spirit led, read my bible and live out my understanding of the great creator that I now love and no longer fear. ( I want to clarify I fear living outside God's will for my life so it's important I obey his calling for me but I don't fear being thrown into hell for making mistakes. He is good and forgiving and wants me to try again when I mess up.) 

Reconciling relationships with people is important too. I was able to decide what type of daughter, sister, mother, and friend I wanted to be and then I got to be that person. When we know what our standards and beliefs are, we are less likely to be manipulated and hurt in our relationships because we can be comfortable, confident and authentic inside our connection with others. 

I share this because I think that so many that go through this process get lost. They throw all of their belief systems and standards out the window and end up jumping from one relationship to the next with no guidance from the God they have given up on. 

Take ownership sisters. It's your life. Examine who you are and what you were created for. God brought your here with value and purpose. I pray you come to a place where you can recognize and embrace that.

A Grateful Believer in Jesus Christ,

Johnna 

Fish Out of Water

I borrowed this story for this blog. It is

Discovering Your God-Given Purpose

By Shana Schutte 

There once was a man who netted three trout from a mountain stream and carefully placed them side-by-side on a thick patch of grass. Before he removed them from the water, they were like a liquid ballet in motion. Fluid. Graceful. Vibrant. Alive.
After he netted them, it was another story.
As the trout lay on the grass, they were motionless. Their eyes were fixed. They gasped for air, and they looked — and acted — stupid.
The man noticed they seemed unhappy, so he talked to them, hoping that his encouragement would change them.
“Little fish, don’t be sad. You’ll like the grass. Just try it out for a while.”
No movement. No response. No change.
A few more seconds passed. The man’s neighbor walked by. “Hey, Bob! Come and check out these fish!”
Bob sauntered over and the man explained that he was certain the fish could adjust. “I’m sure they could prosper here on the grass. Don't you agree?”
“Why not?” Bob replied. So he also tried to tell the fish it would be good if they learned to like the grass. After all, he liked the grass. Why shouldn’t they?
Still, the fish didn’t blink. They just lay there looking dumber by the second.
Finally, a little boy approached exclaimed, “What are you doing? Put them back! They can’t be all they’ve been created to be when they are out of the water.”

Finally convinced, the man carefully placed each fish back in the stream. After splashing for a split second, all three swam away effortlessly. Again, it was like a liquid ballet. What ease! What grace! What beauty!
In that moment, the man realized that no matter how long the fish lay there they would never adjust to the grass, and would never be satisfied — no matter how much he (or anyone else) told them otherwise. Even if the fish tried to convince themselves they could learn to like the grass, they never would, and they would never prosper. In fact, they would eventually die.
Do you feel like a fish out of water? Your prolonged dissatisfaction, God-given gifts, passions and the voices of others could be telling you that you were created for another purpose. And like these fish, if you feel like you are dying inside, listen up. It could be just what you need to push you into another, more satisfying ocean.

Spiritual Warfare is Real

Spiritual Warfare is real. The bible gives us a glimpse of a battle in the spiritual realm in the book of Daniel. Daniel has prayed for 21 days for the answer to his vision, the answer to his ministry. An angel comes to him, an angel not named but assumed to be Gabriel, the same angel that came to him previously. This angel tells Daniel that from the time he had humbled himself and prayed, his blessing was on the way but that the prince or Persia had tried to block his blessing. The Chief angel Michael had to come help in this battle in the spirit realm so that blessing could be released in Daniel's life. (Daniel 10:12-14)

If you are aware of spiritual battle then you know about the Amor of God we are told about in Ephesians 6:10-18. This armor prepares us defensively and offensively for spiritual warfare but the book of Daniel tells us we aren't in the battle alone.  Angels are fighting for us. 

In a broken and sinful world, it appears at times that too many bad things are happening and evil is gaining ground. We have to remember that we are only getting a partial picture. God works all things out for His glory! Those spiritual battles are ongoing but as Christians we know the outcome. Jesus has overcome this world (John 16:33) 

I share this because awareness equips us for the battles that we are all going to face. The strongest warriors aren't those that face the biggest battles, they are the ones that have faced battles and don't hesitate about going into the next one. It's those warriors that, win or lose, still have the confidence of Christ sustaining them to endure the next situation knowing the calling isn't about the single battle, it's about each soul that is saved and advancing the Kingdom of God. That is the war we are here to win. That is why Angels are on our side.

A Grateful Believer in Jesus Christ,

Johnna  

Deciding to Move Forward

At any given moment we have the ability to say, this is not how our story is going to go. Things are always getting better or getting worse, there is no such thing as stagnant. The part you need to know is that getting better is a decision, getting worse is the absence of decision.

In recovery, Step 3 tells us that "we made a decision to turn our life and our will over to the care of God". The biblical comparison for that is :

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.  ROMANS 12:1 NIV

It is a decision to work be better rather than getting worse. We make a decision to trust God for the plan and with the outcome. He had our steps planned before we ever took a breath. He had plans for us for a hope and a future :  

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." Jeremiah 29:11

So in reflecting, in moving forward, what decisions are you ready and willing to make? 

A Grateful Believer in Jesus Christ, 

Johnna Hurt

Authenticity

For the last several years, my goals for each year have been summed up in one word. 

In 2015, my focus was “children”, I wanted to work on being a better parent, by better I mean more engaged.

In 2014, it was “intentional". I wanted to work on making intentional decisions in my life. Growing up, I wasn’t always taught that, more so I learned by reactions of those around me. The year of “intentional” grew me so much as a person and I was able to develop goals in a lot of areas of my life 

In 2013, the word was “growth”, I wanted to continue with the work that was began in me in 2012 with focus on “Recovery”.

I love that the good Lord sees fit to help me out in simple focus areas. It has amazed me since this journey back to my intended path. Life has been complicated and it tends to make me think too much so simple focus makes mountains movable.

I am finally sure of 2016, and the area of focus I'm called to. It is “authenticity”. 

This is a huge one for me. Growing up in dysfunction, I survived by being who I needed to be. I am sure my authentic self was deeply hidden by the time I was 4 years old when told my teacher I had a twin sister who lived with dad. (This was a completely fictional story I made up to justify why my dad was gone and why I felt so alone, yay therapy, but whatever).

Back to the point, I know as a Christian I was made with a purpose, sewn together in my mother’s womb by a God who knew my name since before the beginning of the earth.

           

 For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother's womb.~ Psalms 139:13

This world tried hard to change me and dictate me and remove me from my purpose and bury the real me underneath the desire to be loved and the fear of being seen. At least the fear of the real me being seen because anyone that knows me, knows I will work my way to the center of attention every time! Maybe I have a gift when it comes to teaching to a large group of people but whatever that looks like, it is time for it to be a reflection of my authentic self, the one the world tried to shame into hiding. 

So I have fallen in love with author and shame researcher Brene Brown. If you don’t know her work, you should know her work. It has been through this work that I have learned the importance of authenticity. I think some of my shame comes from the fact I know, that not everyone, knows the same me and that is just ridiculous. I will take it one step farther (for the sake of authenticity of course) and tell you that if you haven’t seen me in the last year, you just don’t know what I look like. I am terrified of a picture that hasn’t been cropped and filtered making it to social media. I have never been this large even when 9 months pregnant (and I have birthed 5 children). Okay, I know someone relates to that! Workout clothes and shoes are on my Christmas list, I will be working out and making that area of my life “authentic”. I don’t want to pretend to look happy with myself in a picture, I want to be happy.

One more specific area for those still following. I don’t want to be nice to the lady at the grocery store or kind to a client at work just to come home and be short with my kids. They deserve the best of me, not the less of me. I hate being out in public with them all bubbly and smiling to others to come home and be fussy and sad in their presence. I grew up with all that and it just isn’t going to happen here. They are my first priority, not my last and they deserve to know it.

So, authenticity it is for 2016. Ironically this is probably one of the most authentic posts I have written. Have you thought of an area you can surrender this year? Just one small focus handed over to one Sovereign God can accomplish so much!

A Grateful Believer in Jesus Christ,

Johnna

 

Winning the Battle: Complacent No More

If we are complacent, meaning overly satisfied with our situation, than you can be sure it is a sign that we are exactly where Satan wants us to be. God didn't call us to complacency, he called us to battle as warriors of Christ. That is why he provided us with a full armour.

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.  Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.  In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people." Ephesians 6:10-28 NIV

Recently, a family member has been preparing to make some new, some better decisions. We had a discussion about the spiritual battle that was certain to ensue. You see, as long as we are content in our own little world, not growing, not changing, Satan will often leave us alone. He likes us to be content. As soon as we allow for change, for growth, for God to do the good works in us that he desires to do, well that will get then enemy in a tantrum and he will start throwing fiery arrows at us. It is a scare tactic for us to recede back into that stagnant place rather than to be out there witnessing to others and winning them over for Christ. 

The armour we are given, it is all defensive, to keep us from harm and protect our selves from the attacks, except for one piece. We are given a sword, a sword of the spirit. This sword is God's word, the bible. The more we know our bible, the more we are able to pray God's word, speak his truth and claim his promises, the stronger we will become in Him. 

The surest way to get the enemy to recede, while we stand firm, is to use our sword. When we fight back against the enemy's attacks in a way that will strengthen us in Christ, Satan will make a run for it. The enemy comes to kill, steal, and destroy (John 10:10). He wants to weaken us with oppression and depression. When he sees his attacks are strengthening us, when he sees us calling on Christ and winning the spiritual battle through prayer and agreement, he will cease the attack. Satan doesn't want anything to do with us growing as Christians. 

As people, we see life as hard. Before I had an understanding of how to win at spiritual warfare, I felt every time I tried to make things better, they got worse. I felt defeated and overwhelmed and often wandered, what's the point. When my paradigm shifted and I gained an understanding of God's purpose for our journey, when I learned that war had been waged and we have been called to battle, I no longer felt defeated. I became empowered through Christ understanding that I could do all things through Him that strengthen me, including, defeating the enemy. 

I share this today, because I want to encourage you to take up your battle.  There may be changes you want to  make, that God is calling you out and preparing you for. He does have a purpose and a plan for your life and maybe you aren't in His will yet but He wants to help you get to that place. Take that leap of faith, and be fully prepared by putting on the armour of God. If God has brought you to it, He will bring you through it. Let Him.

A Grateful Believer in Jesus Christ
~Johnna 

 

Being the Church

Biblical Hospitality 

I should open this by telling you that this post is the result of a situation that touched me. But I'm going to speak it clearly, this post is the result of me being ticked off  by religion. 

Not spirituality but religion. Let me give you the definition of religion I am referring too... 

     " a pursuit or interest to which someone ascribes supreme importance."

Religious practices can be important for us, but it does not hold supreme importance. God holds supreme importance. 

What I have seen many times and saw again today, is that we as a church can get so wrapped up in religious practices, we forget to obey the living word of God. We have conformed to worldly standards and thrown obedience out the window.

How do you and your church react to strangers/ guests? Yep, that is where I am going with this. We have our congregation  and we fellowship, have fun, sing, learn, and then return to our homes. 

What happens when someone interrupts our expectations of a special event running smoothly and we have to be burdened with the inconvenience of tending to a guest? Burden, why did I just use that word? Because that is the reaction I see and it isn't what we are called to practice. We are called to practice biblical hospitality. 

Let me hand you some verses. 

Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. (1 Peter 4:9 ESV)

You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God. (Leviticus 19:34 ESV)

He said also to the man who had invited him, “When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.” (Luke 14:12-14 ESV)

Is being comfortable and enjoying an evening of fellowship without an glitches more important that a precious opportunity to witness and plant seeds into a person who is unchurched and desperately seeking Christ? No, we are missing the whole point of being the church if it is.

My heart was heavenly burdened with this when I recently witnessed it.  What I am asking is for you to search your heart. Where is it at? Are you allowing yourself to be interruptible so that you can be available if someone needing salvation is put in your path? Take some time, process that question and allow yourself to become full available. God wants to use you! 

Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. (Hebrews 13:2 ESV)

A grateful believe in Jesus Christ 

~Johnna 

Growth can feel destructive

There is a story I have read about a seed. It describes the seed being cracked open and the insides falling out before it begins to grow. For someone that doesn't know the process, they might look at the seed and just see destruction. 

Four years ago, I started a journey of growth. I had made a decision that my life was no longer going to continue in the direction it had been going. What I didn't realize when I made this decision was the destruction that would occur first. 

Today, there is very few things in my life that resemble my life four years ago. People, places and things have all changed. The lifestyle is not even similar. 

What happened? Well the details of what happened won't fit in a blog post, but I am sure of one thing. I sought God's will for my life and he plucked me out of chaos and placed me with purpose. For that, I am grateful. 

That process has been difficult, exhausting and lonely. But a good friend kept reminding me, "don't give up before the miracle happens". So I kept surrendering, not sure of the outcome but knowing that I could not negotiate life on my terms for one more minute. God has plans for me and I had to let God be God. Oh the miracles that did eventually come to fruition.

I wanted to share, there is another side, another place for those of us that are seeking something other than what we have been told. For those of us that wake up thinking, this can not be what my life was intended for. God can and will bring each one of us through the desert. Just like the Israelites he brought out of Egypt, he does have the ability to grant victory over any hurts, habits or hangups that may be causing us to live as slaves. 

Many of us know Jeremiah 29:11, but we also need to know Jeremiah 29:12-13.

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. "

(Jeremiah 29:11-13 ESV)

 Seek God with all your heart! Have faith and give in to the process of growth, even if it looks like destruction. God will not destroy you, he wants to bring you a future and hope. 

A grateful believer in Jesus Christ, 

~Johnna 

2015- Children

Children 

For the last three years, I have had a focus area for my life. Three years ago it was recovery. Two years ago it was growth. Last year it was making intentional decisions. This year it is my children. 

In the beginning of my recovery, I had to do step work and uncover those false belief systems I had developed as a child growing up in dysfunction. I then had to allow my self to learn healthy and honest belief systems. I grew through that process in the second year as those new belief systems developed and took root. Last year I had to be intentional in my focus and put some real work into this new life God had given me. Now, it's time to take my children along in that recovery.

Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it. (Proverbs 22:6 ESV)

The thing about children is they will go the way they are trained up. Even though we have participated in the family centered recovery program "Celebrate Recovery", our children learned from our behavior before recovery as well. 

The family arguments, the reactions to drama, the critical comments and sarcastic whips, all found in most families but very predominant in families of dysfunction. They are unhealthy coping skills and we certainly passed those on to our children. 

We have worked with our kids and as I said earlier, they have been to recovery as well but they need more. They need taught better and re-trained.

 I heard something at a conference last month and it resonated in my momma heart. "No amount of discipline will make up for lack of training". I can correct my children's behavior all day long. I can ground them and put them in time out for mean things they might say or for unruly behavior. It won't change that they have been trained up in the presence of unhealthy coping skills. It will take learning new coping skills for them to recover and change their behavior. 

I am sharing this in preparation for the beginning of 2015. I am sharing it to inspire other families, other parents. Recovery is exhausting. We weren't all "churched" growing up or taught healthy belief systems. It's okay to admit that, to claim for your life what you are going to do now. 

God can make changes in our lives at any point we are willing to submit to them. We have to remember if we have done that after we have had children, we have to bring our children along in this decision. We have to allow God to show us a healthier way to parent and then we have to apply those actions  to our everyday life. It won't be easy but it is possible and it is certainly worth it. 

Praying for all of my recovery family and their children. 

A Grateful Believer in Jesus Christ

~Johnna 

Such a Time as This

For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14 ESV)

Have you ever found yourself in a place or situation and you wonder why? 

In the book of Esther, we meet a queen who is courageously obedient. Her obedience allows God to put her in a place and at a time where she will ultimately aide in the rescue and victory of her people. 

There are many aspects to this book but what touched my heart this time is how much of Esther's situation played out for her good and for the good of her people on mere obedience. She risked her life multiple times by approaching the kings throne without being summoned because Mordecai told her to. I suspect her obedience also played a factor in her finding favor with the King and the grace he extended to her.

It is a simple concept that still applies today. The King of kings wants to extend his grace to us. The difference is we do not have to fearfully approach his throne but rather we are urged to boldly approach his throne. 

What would happen if we were to obediently seek God and make our request and petitions known? We are living in a world full of sin and evil. We, as Christians, need to intercede for our people, our families, our neighbors, and our leaders. We need to ask God to deliver us, help us, show us grace and mercy. God wants to extend to us all of those things. Not everything requires a miracle, in fact, God's plan is meant to fall in to place, it only requires obedience. 

Are you willing to step up and be an Esther or a Mordecai? The world today could use a couple of them. 

A Grateful Believer in Jesus Christ, 

~Johnna 

Real Love

In the past, I have resented many people in my life for not loving me. 

What I have learned in recovery is that it wasn't people. People did and do love me. I, meanwhile, had developed a false belief system when it came to love. 

At some point, in a chaotic and tumultuous upbringing, I came to misunderstand what love is, what love looks like, and how to love others. This made it impossible for me to receive and give real love. 

This post may be a little premature, as I am still learning what real love looks like. Here are a few things I know now... 

Real love is the same love that God had for us when he sent his son to in to the world. Real love is the same love that Jesus had for us when he went to the cross. Real love is the same love that causes the Holy Spirit to dwell in us and intercede for us. 

Real love is not earned. Real love is not achieved. Real love doesn't cost anything. Real love doesn't hurt. 

Real love comes from the father, son and Holy Spirit. We can't give or receive real love to and from other people unless it's filtered first through the Godhead. To love and receive love apart from the trinity will result in idolatry in our hearts.

I share this post because I see others struggling with aches. I, too, know that ache. Maybe you also have that emptiness, that desire, that gap in your heart. You might have tried lots of things searching for relief; drugs, alcohol, sex, people approval. 

The only cure comes so simple, receiving the real love that has come to us through salvation. 

We don't have to do anything, be anything, give anything, tolerate anything... We need only to accept Jesus as our savior and he will provide everything we  need for the gaps. Just accept his real love.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16 ESV)

A grateful believer in Jesus Christ,

~Johnna