Love

As humans, we are our own worst critic. I can look in the mirror daily and wonder how in the world people see the good in me when I have days I can't see it myself. I'll never have the "perfect" outside shell, I'll never be the "perfect" wife, mother, daughter, sister or friend... because they don't exist. I falter daily, hourly.. even by the minute some days... but one thing is constant... God loves me.. for me. He created me. He knew who I would be, what I would become, even before I was created. That's a hard thought to grasp sometimes. The awe of it.

I am not a fan of different versions of the Bible. I don't think it needs to be modernized so that you can "understand" it better. I like my good old fashioned, only version that matters, King James Version. When I need to understand it, God provides the answer and explanation I need.

Having said that though.... I found the following verses that have been paraphrased. Normally I would not even give this a second thought, much less post it. However I am a firm believer that God sends you what you need when you need it, and in ways you'd never expect.

If you need a reminder of just how much God loves you.... here's a little challenge for you.

Read these outloud to yourself...
Insert your name in place of "her"...

See how much God speaks to you...

Tell me honestly that you don't feel uplifted when you're done... I certainly did..

I made her. She is different. She's unique. With love I formed her in her mother's womb. I fashioned her with great joy. I remember with great pleasure the day I created her. (Psalm 139:13-16)
I love her smile. I love her ways. I love to hear her laugh and the silly things she says and does. She brings me great pleasure. (Psalm 139:17)

I made her pretty and not beautiful, because I knew her heart and knew she would be vain. I wanted her to search out her heart and to learn it would be Me in her that would make her beautiful and would draw friends to her. (I Peter 3:3-5)

I made her in such a way that she would need Me. I made her a little more lonesome than she would like to be, only because I want her to turn to Me in her loneliness. Only because I need for her to lean to and depend on Me. I know her heart. I know if I had not made her like this she would go her own way and forget about Me, her Creator. (Psalm 62:5-8)

I have given her many good and happy things because I love her. (Psalm 84:11 and Romans 8:32)

Because I love her, I have seen her broken heart and the tears she has cried alone. I have cried with her and had a broken heart too. (Psalm 56:8)

Many times she has stumbled and fallen alone, only because she would not hold My Hand. So many lessons she has learned the hard way, because she would not listen to My Voice. (Isaiah 53:6)

She is mine. I made her then I bought her because I love her. (Romans 5:8)

I have to reshape and remold her, to renew in her what I want her to be. It has not been easy for her or for me. (Jeremiah 29:11)

I want her to be conformed to My Image. This high goal I have set for her because I love her. (2 Corinthians 2:14)



Amazing isn't it??