Scriptures: 1 John 4:16, 1 John 4:19, John 3:16

This love is yours!

I didn’t even have to think for a moment what to write to my parents for their 46th wedding anniversary! The words just flowed from my heart:

“Thank you, Mom & Dad, for your one-of-a-kind love! Thank you that I never need to doubt that you’ll be together for the rest of your lives. Thank you for the great gift of the SECURITY of your love!”

Reading this, perhaps you’re thinking “I wish I had parents like that.” Or maybe even thoughts like “But I screwed up in MY marriage” or “I don’t believe in love anymore” are coming to you right now. But do you know where this love begins? It doesn’t begin with your parents or even with yourself. It begins with the One who is love! “…GOD IS LOVE…” (1 John 4:16, NLT, capitalization added) And because of this, we, too, can love! “We love each other because He loved us first.” (1 John 4:19, NLT)

No matter what circumstances you grew up in or what you’ve faced since, you can love! It’s even possible to love again if you’ve had traumatic relationships and your love has been taken advantage of in the past.

Please don’t build your life on your experiences with earthly love when you can build your life on the One who is love itself! That love is yours for sure! (see John 3:16)

Today, I invite you to thank God for His love, just as I thanked my parents for theirs. As you do so, I pray that God’s truth and perspective about love may be powerfully restored in your heart! “Heavenly Father, thank You for Your one-of-a-kind love and that I never need to doubt that You’ll love me for the rest of my life. You are love, and thanks to You, I, too, can love! Thank You for the great gift of the security of Your love. In Jesus’ name, amen.”

You are a miracle!

Scriptures: Jeremiah 33:3, Psalms 127

Call to Me!

Something is burning in my heart today! It’s to encourage you and strengthen you in the fact that what God has placed in you is good. What He has gifted you with is enough!

You may be thinking, “But it doesn’t look very good right now. My soul is depressed. I don’t feel like I’m taking a single step forward.”

Oh, how well I know that! It’s especially hard before every album I release or even before each new book I write. That’s when the storm of self-doubt rages—”Am I good enough? Do people care what I record or write?”—or unexpected obstacles arise (for example, suddenly the car breaks down, and I have to spend half the day in the repair shop, etc., etc.).

But do you know what? Usually these are exactly the kinds of moments that happen before you experience a big breakthrough! When you’re lying on the floor in despair, the moment of victory usually follows directly after you make up your mind: “Then I’ll just fight this fight on my knees!”

“‘Call to Me, and I will answer you…’” (Jeremiah 33:3, NKJV)! Perhaps you’ve heard this verse a thousand times. But it doesn’t do any of us any good if we don’t put it into practice!

Here’s the good news: you don’t need more than you have. You just need God’s blessing on what you have. All things depend on His blessing, as we can read in Psalm 127.

You have what it takes! It’s true. You need nothing more than His blessing. Will you ask for it today? He says, “Call to Me,” and He will answer. Wow! What a gracious and loving God He is.

Yes, I encourage you: don’t wait! Even this moment, this day, choose to trust God and call upon Him. 🙂

You are a miracle!

Scriptures: Matthew 14:13-21, Jeremiah 1:5

You have what it takes!

If you heard my first music recordings, I’m sure you’d say, “Oh, how sweet!”

The meek, delicate little voice I had when I was young is almost unrecognizable when you compare it to my voice today! Also, I didn’t record any of my own songs back then…I did all covers of other artists’ music.

And none of that mattered because back then, just like today, it was all about my heart. I didn’t want to make music because I thought I was particularly great. Even at a young age, I just felt that I could reach people’s hearts through my music, that it did them good. So I just did what was possible for me at the time.

Even if not much seems possible for you, I’d encourage you…do everything that IS possible for you! 🙂

You probably know the story from Matthew 14:13-21, Jesus’ great miracle of feeding the 5,000 with only five loaves and two fish. By this time in Jesus’ ministry, Jesus’ disciples had already seen Him do many miracles. But when they saw all the people, they said, “‘…Send the multitudes away…’” (Matthew 14:15, NKJV).

What’s exciting is Jesus’ response! He says, “…’Bring them [the five loaves and two fish] here to Me.’” (Matthew 14:18, NKJV)! The disciples saw how LITTLE was possible through the few loaves and fishes. But Jesus saw how MUCH was possible through the little—with much faith!

Your “little” is enough! What’s important is that you make something of it. As you do, you’ll see and experience what God then does through it! If I hadn’t started recording songs years ago, even as I thought it was likely “too little,” I certainly wouldn’t be where God has allowed me to be today!

“‘I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart…’” (Jeremiah 1:5, NLT).

This verse doesn’t say, “you do not have what it takes.” Rather, it says, “I have chosen you!” That’s love. You have His love!

You are a miracle!

Scriptures: Romans 5:2, Isaiah 54:4

This is not the end

“Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand…” (Romans 5:2, NLT).

What a wonderful verse! What a wonderful new beginning, one that’s possible for each one of us. Yes, for you, too!

Many times in my life, I have come to the place where I thought I’d ruined everything, but each time, God has surprised me anew with His love! As a teenager, despite my parents’ warnings, I got involved in a really unhealthy relationship. As an adult, I got into a relationship that looked perfect but was actually one-sided—and ultimately, it caused great pain. Each time, I believed that was the end for me.

I think we all have times like these, times when we feel like it’s the end. God knew we’d feel this way, so He said “Do not be afraid!” in His Word many times (see, for example, Isaiah 54:4).

Apparently, these words of comfort appear in the Bible 365 times—that’s once for each day! Believing is not as easy as reading it, but even if it were written only once, it would be more than enough. All each of us needs to do is believe!

God tells you “fear not” so that you have the strength to keep going, even if today, you’re still thinking, “This is the end.” With God, it’s never the end!

Remember, “Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand…” (Romans 5:2, NLT). If we keep going, we will experience it!

God wants to give you this new life today, too. He does so out of pure love. He is the God who loves you!

You are a miracle!

Scriptures: 1 John 4:16, 1 John 3:18

Words or deeds?

When my seriously ill friend asked for prayer in a WhatsApp group, my response was, “We love you, and love will carry you through this!” I received a response back right away from another person on the chat: “Not our love—’His’ love will carry her!”

The situation made me realize something that keeps getting in the way for all of us. Of course, I, too, had meant His love: “…God is love…”!(1 John 4:16, NLT), but misunderstandings so often arise via social media. Have you, too, experienced something like this with social media?

We often spend hours each day on our computers or cell phones. We encourage each other via WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram; send hearts and hugs; etc., but what we may not realize is that this isn’t necessarily the way Jesus has shown His love!

“Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” (1 John 3:18, NIV)

Jesus took the costly and even painful way to come to us! There were already scriptures at that time speaking of His love, yet it was important to Him to show Himself to us personally! To seek us out…

An emoji is quickly sent, but a visit, a genuine hug, taking out the neighbor’s trash, or doing the grocery shopping for a sick person? These are the kinds of real and true acts through which our fellow human beings often can tangibly recognize God’s love.

True and real love is demonstrated through deeds, not just typing. What an amazing challenge for all of us (me included!).

Today, would you consider where you could turn your words into actions, actions that would leave no room for misunderstanding? If you reach for your cell phone and want to send a heart, first consider whether or not a real visit might be even better! 🙂

What you have to give is so valuable. It can truly show others that they’re loved…loved by God Himself!

You are a miracle!

Scriptures: Matthew 10:31, Psalms 37:4

Do you know how valuable you are?

I was lying comfortably on the beach when a big seagull swooped down to eat my delicious lunch. It was so funny that I didn’t object at all. Later that evening, I watched many birds try their luck, too. They’d fly right up to my picnic basket, trying to grab whole pieces of bread, but the slices were too heavy for them to carry away. Charmed, my friends and I tore bread into small pieces so the birds could pick them up more easily and eat their fill.

The experience made me think of a children’s song I learned a long time ago: “Because God loves the little birds, I know He loves me, too.” There are so many truths in children’s songs like these! They become embedded in our hearts, and then when we’re adults, the melodies and lyrics often will come back to our minds. I searched for a Bible verse to go with the song:

“‘Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.’” (Matthew 10:31, NKJV)

Yes, it’s true! If we humans take such delight in these birds and love to feed them, don’t you think your Father in heaven, loves to give you your heart’s desire as you seek Him? (see Psalm 37:4)

Maybe He has to give it to you in “little pieces” at first, seeing that you wouldn’t be able to take hold of it otherwise. But He already has the fullness of your desire in His hands, and little by little, He will often give you what you long for.

If you stay close to Him, He’ll give you everything He has for you—in His time!

You are worth so much more to God than you understand right now. Fear not…He loves you!

You are a miracle!

Scripture: 1 John 3:18

P.S. I love you!

“I love you!” Imagine if this message appeared on your cell phone screen, and the sender was Jesus Himself!

Wouldn’t that be something? To get such a personal message from heaven, addressed directly to you? Sometimes it may feel like this would be easier. After all, we’d have instant reassurance that God loved us as we were, right at that moment.

But do you know something? I think Jesus didn’t want to make it that “easy.” I think He knew that even after personally receiving this message, each of us would’ve quickly doubted: “Yes…but how much does He really love me now? Was that message meant to be more than just a casual ‘love you’? How strong is His love really?”

That’s why Jesus did something that made it clear, once and for all, how strong His love for you personally is! He showed His love through more than just a text message that takes only a few seconds to type and send…

Jesus took TIME, leaving His beautiful home in heaven to prove to people here on Earth how strong His love is through His nearness; His miracles; and finally, His death on the cross:

“Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.” (1 John 3:18, NLT)

Jesus took this hard step so that you wouldn’t doubt His message of love for you! He made it absolutely visible. I exhort you today: don’t doubt a love about which there is no doubt!

Yes—this love is for you. You personally. And I’d like to pray with you if you’d like to accept that love today!

“Jesus, thank You for not simply choosing the ‘easy way’…thank You for the effort, time, and cost of Your love. You gave Your very life to show me how great Your love is. No one has ever loved me more, and today, I gratefully accept that love! I love You, too, from the bottom of my heart. In Jesus’ name, amen.”

You are a miracle!