Meet Love!
As I stepped onto a plane headed for an unknown country, to an unknown situation, to unknown people, I felt unloved, unworthy, unwanted.
It was December 2008 I could not face Christmas. I was running to the other side of the world—Australia, to sort out my messy life. My kids had previously left home, my marriage was in shambles having found out about my husband's unfaithfulness, and I was internally tortured.
Should I stay in the marriage or kick him to the curb as people suggested? Everyone had a different opinion, and I was too sad, too broken, too angry at both my husband and God to come to any conclusion.
It's a story for another day how God woke me in the night and told me to go to Australia to a place my son had previously visited. When I asked him the name of that town, he said it was called Shell Harbour—the name itself, shell and harbour signified safety. I got on the internet and had just enough travel points to book the trip.
I cried all the way to Australia never more alone.
What a gift that time turned out to be. These people who had never met me picked me up at the airport. I call them my Aussie angels—as they became the hands and feet of Christ Himself. Their warm hugs to a complete stranger, and help in finding a place to live, buying a car, learning how to drive on the wrong side of the road, and sharing Aussie lingo and laughter were just a few of their gifts. Every week Jenny and Karen picked up this lonely waif and took me on an Aussie adventure to see kangaroos in the wild, Seven-mile beach, best seaside fish n'chips in the world, boating, dirt biking in the outback, shopping in downtown Sydney, skydiving ... you name it, they arranged it . And not only the two of them, but their church, their families, their friends, everyone embraced me and surrounded me with God's overwhelming love.
Over that three months God showed that He truly was the God of Love and Peace—even in the midst of incredible sorrow. He renewed my faith in Him and His desperate love for me despite the sorry circumstance of my life. God showed His incredible love one hug at a time through living people who loved Him and consequently loved me.
As a Christian never underestimate the power of your love given to a hurting soul. You may be who God wants to use to restore faith in His goodness when life is not good.
And if you are hurting, never buy into the assumption God is not a God who answers your prayers because your life has fallen apart, like I did. Yeah, after years of praying for my husband I grappled with the why. But then I met God in a new way, a way I would never have known Him otherwise—the God of extravagant love. Like indelible ink, He is now tattooed upon my heart. I no longer fear anything for I know His powerful love will see me through. I came back to Canada with a restored identity, knowing my worth and believing what God believed about me—I was both loved and loveable.
God is waiting to show you this same life-transforming love. For His very character is—God of Love and Peace and He loves you very much.
"Become complete. Be of comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and The God of Love and Peace will be with you. 2 Cor. 13:11
If you are feeling sad, unworthy, unloved please listen to this powerful song by Lauren Daigle called You Say. The words and music will restore a piece of your broken heart.
All Scripture taken from the NKJV
Other Names of God that may encourage can be found on the following dates.
1) Elohim-God - October 1, 2018 2) Abba Father - October 15, 2018 3) El Shaddai - October 22, 2018 4) The Truth - October 28, 2018 5) The Alpha & Omega - Nov. 5, 2018 6) Yahweh-Shalom - Nov. 12, 2018 7) God of All Comfort - Nov. 19,2018 8) The Rock - Nov. 26, 2018 9) Our Maker - Dec. 3, 2018 10) Our Defender - Dec.10, 2018 11) Immanuel - Dec. 17, 2018 12) The Bread of Life - Jan. 7, 2019 13) Yahweh-Nissi - Jan. 14, 2019 14) Yahweh-Rohi - Jan. 21, 2019 15) The Lord - Jan. 28, 2019 16) Deliverer - Feb. 4, 2019 17) Spirit of the Living God - Feb. 11, 2019 18) Yahweh-Rophe Part 1 - Feb. 18, 2019 19) Yahweh-Rophe Part 2 - Feb. 25, 2019 20) King of Kings -Mar. 4, 2019 (21) Adonai - March 11, 2019 (22) I AM WHO I AM - Yahweh, March 18, 2019 (22)The God of Love and Peace-Mar.25, 2019