Love

I have found the paradox, that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love- Mother Teresa

 

Keep your love on- Danny Silk

 

Love Does- Bob Goff

 

These three phrases (and two of them, book titles), have sat with me a lot this year(And I mean a lot!!), and every time I have gone to do something, or have had a choice in responding to a situation have been reminders so often. The first, to love beyond any hurt has baffled me to the extreme, and challenged me more than possible. Every time I have been faced with a choice of responding to a situation, the challenge has been there to ‘keep my love on’, to respond from a place of love rather than hurt, or, more commonly, fear. It’s not easy, and there’s often not much to show for it in the present, but I guess, as with so many things, it’s exercising love, like a muscle. Choosing to love, no matter what. No. Matter. What.

 

It often hurts. And a lot, it’s often hard, confusing, doesn’t make any sense. But it often, if I hold out, is amazing what comes as a result. Not always, but mostly, it’s so worth it. There are some situations where I am reminded that I can choose only my own actions and responses, and no one else’s, and that’s ok.

 

Twitter never fails to offer good food for thought with so many short comments and I have been collecting some favorites, but there are so many, and are joyful and challenging as I try and find a way to love beyond my own ability.

 

God made love for His purposes, not ours, we’re rivers, not reservoirs. (Bob Goff)

 

 

Love NEVER FAILS! NEVER… not ever! Not even once… hold on, help us on the way (Kris Valloton)

 

 

Every act of extravagant love answeres the only question everyone really has about your faith (Bob Goff)

 

When you know that you are unconditionally loved by God, you are free to be yourself- to be open and vulnerable (Nicky Gumbel)

 

Love is foolish enough to believe the impossible will just keep happening. BE that foolish at least twice a day. (Bob Goff)

 

When we look back after many small steps of love, we will discover that we have made a long and beautiful journey. (Henri Nouwen)

 

Some people will always be skeptical of extravagant love. Give them something to talk about. (Bob Goff)

 

Extravagant acts of love don’t need return addresses. Bright lights don’t need spotlights. (Bob Goff)

 

The sign that you are in a relationship with Jesus is that you love people- period. (Danny Silk)

 

We try to organize our days, God tries to shape our hearts. (Bob Goff)

 

 

Plans work or they don’t; loves’ always a sure thing. Plan to help and it might work; plan to love and it always works. (Bob Goff)

 

Love breaks our fall, grace carries us home (Bob Goff)

 

Our only business is to love and delight ourselves in God (Brother Lawrence)

 

When a powerful person says “I love you” there’s nothing that can stop them. Their love is NOT dependent on being loved in return. (Danny Silk)

 

 

 I want to take each of these favourites and write a blog post on each one, but for now, I will share these. I have continued to add to this list, and will continue to do so, am sure, but these need sharing, and are certainly shaping my year hugely.

Love wins in the end but in the meanwhile, it fights for and pursues the things that matter. Love isn’t sentimental, it’s fierce. It endures.