Check out ‘His Love Stories’ @ Boundless!

Just finished reading a beautiful article by Elisabeth Adams on the Boundless webzine – love it! When you have time, you need to definitely check out “His Love Stories“. It’s so beautiful to see that God works and God loves and God moves His people together to understand how deep His love is for US through real flesh and blood intimate relationships. Why is this so cool? Oh, I’ll tell you why! He wrote His love story on my heart, too! Our God is amazing!

For more good reading: [Don't] Mind the Gap: Part 1 also at Boundless.

Give God the pen

“Dreams Come True” is the love story of Eric and Leslie Ludy who have created Set Apart Life which is a ministry to encourage individuals to lead a sanctified life as Christ would desire. Apparantly their love story was super-amazing, wow, story-book written, but I can’t seem to find the book in any of my libraries so I’m taking their word.

The Ludy’s – who also have a pretty beautiful story regarding their adopted daughter and son - have been speakers on the beauty of marriage and the beauty of giving God the pen to write YOUR love story. What a novel concept, right?! I pray to let God take control of my finances, or to take control of my work environment, and even my family, but I don’t always keep my love story in that list. And if God hasn’t given up on me, then I really shouldn’t give up on the idea and try to make that aspect of my life a “last ditch effort” on my part and take the lead. I should continue to lift it up to God, and let Him do amazing things like He always does. To God be the glory.

Leslie mentions the purity involved in setting your life aside even before you meet your spouse. For the singles, that means setting myself up for the best that God has coming to me. It DOESN’T mean making things happen on my own, forcing a situation, or dwelling on the past. It also doesn’t mean sitting like a speed bump waiting for someone. I think that’s important too. God, as the author and finisher of our faith, desires for us to give Him the glory which naturally pours out into every aspect of our life, especially our marriage. What better picture of the love of Christ than the physical union of husband and wife?! Well, the church, yeah, but, the faithfulness of man and woman to one another is a very fleshy example of God’s faithfulness to us, even before we came to know Him as savior.

Simple? Definitely not. Worthwhile? Peaceful? Joyful, even? Definitely. Our actions involve premeditated actions that come from premeditated thoughts to live faithfully. Their story is an encouragement of the joy we experience when God is glorified above all.

You can listen to an interview here at their site for their book, “When God Writes Your Love Story” http://setapartlife.com/WGW_-_Q1.html. I highly highly recommend checking out their site and just scrolling through the pages. Time well spent.

 

Bleeding Love

 

Earlier today my mother heard a part of a song called “Bleeding Love” by Leona Lewis. Her voice is amazing and I think she holds a note for like 6 8-counts or something. But she asked me what it meant to bleed love (as if I was in tune to romantic expressions). To make a comparison, it reminds me of Daughtry’s “It’s Not Over.” There’s this desire to give selflessly, romantically even though you’re conflicted. The relationship’s deteriorating, friends don’t support you, the love’s killing you (“you cut me open”? hi)…it’s self-inflicted heartache. It’s not completely healthy. Given the proper conditions, I’d be stuck in bed crying my eyes out listening to it. The give and take we have in relationships - romantic or friendly – should come out of mutual love and respect. We want to know that we’re not alone, not the only ones loving, not the only one needing love. No need hurting ourselves over love that isn’t returned. It’s one thing to mourn over loss, it’s another to deliberately put ourselves through the pain.