LOVE
Donna Zangara / Next Gen and EH Preschool Director
“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command.” John 15:9-17
It was one year ago this month that everything changed for me just by walking out my front door on what I thought was an ordinary day. I was in full routine mode and took two steps out the door on my way to the car. I woke up a few minutes later on my back with freezing rain pelting me in the face saying to myself, “I think this is bad.”
The next few months were anything but ordinary. I experienced God’s love for me in extraordinary ways. God’s people poured out love to me through cards, meals, and special gestures that truly helped me to heal well. I remember telling someone, “I just feel so loved.” All that love helped me to rest well which is not always an easy thing for me do. I HAD to rest in this love. And it turned out to be a wonderful blessing that gave me joy in the midst of recovering from a pretty serious concussion and whiplash.
That season of love and rest taught me to stay “living loved” long after I returned to my life and routines. When I am remaining in His love, I am more love-directed in everything that I do. I am able to lavish others with grace more freely. I am able to humble myself less painfully. I cast my anxiety where it is supposed to be rather than trying to carry it all on my back. When I am living LOVED I can resist temptation firmly and I can trust my most difficult trials to be made into something good.
May you receive His LOVE this Valentine’s Day in new way. (Without having to get hit upside on the head of course! LOL!)
R-estored
“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command.” John 15:9-17
It was one year ago this month that everything changed for me just by walking out my front door on what I thought was an ordinary day. I was in full routine mode and took two steps out the door on my way to the car. I woke up a few minutes later on my back with freezing rain pelting me in the face saying to myself, “I think this is bad.”
The next few months were anything but ordinary. I experienced God’s love for me in extraordinary ways. God’s people poured out love to me through cards, meals, and special gestures that truly helped me to heal well. I remember telling someone, “I just feel so loved.” All that love helped me to rest well which is not always an easy thing for me do. I HAD to rest in this love. And it turned out to be a wonderful blessing that gave me joy in the midst of recovering from a pretty serious concussion and whiplash.
That season of love and rest taught me to stay “living loved” long after I returned to my life and routines. When I am remaining in His love, I am more love-directed in everything that I do. I am able to lavish others with grace more freely. I am able to humble myself less painfully. I cast my anxiety where it is supposed to be rather than trying to carry it all on my back. When I am living LOVED I can resist temptation firmly and I can trust my most difficult trials to be made into something good.
May you receive His LOVE this Valentine’s Day in new way. (Without having to get hit upside on the head of course! LOL!)
R-estored
E-ncouraged
S-trengthed
T-aught