A Love So Grand

There's something so comforting about being in a relationship with God.

Feeling His love is like no other feeling, experiencing His kindness is unlike the greatest show of humanity, knowing that He cares about little ole me, just puts me at ease. I can't believe He loves me. I mean, I can, because I know that He does; but it's just difficult to....to grasp.

I make so many mistakes.
I make so many terrible decisions.
I've turned away from His open arms so many times.
I've placed people, things, goals, situations, preoccupations before Him soooo many times in the past; yet He's still here, leading and guiding me.
Still He's here, holding me as I slumber, gently awakening me with a kind reminder of His presence, walking with me daily keeping me in constant remembrance of Who He is.

I am so blessed to know Him. I am so blessed to be able to read about His miracles, His wrath, His jealosy, His omniscience. It's like I completely understand His jealousy.
He's my Father and the Love of my life.
I'm supposed to seek Him when I'm in trouble, seek Him when I need advice, seek Him when everything is perfectly fine.
He's my perfect Man.
He is my first love, my last love, and my always love.
No man will ever treat me as well as He treats me.
No man will ever love me like He loves me.
The loving arms of no man will feel like His loving arms wrapped around me all snug and tight.
I will never feel as safe in any other man's arms, as I feel in His.
No one, no thing, no situation, no perfection, no accomplishment - nothing can compare to Him.

I don't now, nor could I ever deserve anything He does for me, but He does it anyway, just because He loves me. That is INCREDIBLE. Who loves you like that? Who is willing to treat you like a princess/prince even when you treat them like a stranger or an invisible person? Who loves you UNCONDITIONALLY? Most people don't even know what it means to love unconditionally.

Lord, I love you so much, and I thank You for this opportunity to get these words off my heart. I appreciate You blessing me with this peaceful moment, and I look forward to spending the remainder of this day with You. Thank you!

A Beautiful Place

Where to start...

Fresh air and cool breezes that make my skin feel so natural and comfortable.

Smells I've never before smelled, sights I've never before seen. God truly blessed these people when he created this country. The grass is actually greener, the trees taller and fuller, the clouds thicker and closer, the animals more content.

The picturesque views effect such positive up-lifting changes on whatever mood you may be in.

The people - beautiful!

Aside from their creamy caramel- to rich dark-chocolate-colored skin, their cascading dark hair, their striking features, and their obvious contentment with their body shapes/types/sizes, their character and their genuine personality traits make them rare treasures in this massive, ever-expanding world.

We are so quick to place value on clothes, shoes, houses, cars, jewelry, etc; but the truest value lies in the heart of genuine, honest people.

The area of Brazil to which we traveled wasn't the poorest of the country, but neither was it the wealthiest. The standard of living was very different from that of the US. Poverty here is pretty close to luxury there, and poverty there is beyond what we could fathom. I say this not to condescend upon their style of living or to degrade their way of life, but to enlighten the unbeknown individuals of the truth behind lifestyles in different.

They have pride, but its a different type of pride. They take pride in themselves, but its not a vain excessive pride. They take pride in their country in an incredibly laudable way. They could certainly teach people across the globe, what it means to have pride in one's country. These people, these beautiful-spirited people - they are my role models.

They have the hearts, the mindsets, the open arms I want to have.

From being in Brasil for one week, I've soaked up the core of what true beauty is.

I went over there to impact lives, and to live God's love, but I think that God meant for that encounter to impact me and to show me the awesome splendor of seeing Him glorified in a language I don't understand.

I didn't need to speak the language to see their love and devotion to God. They have encouraged me in my walk with my Father in a way that I never expected.

Thank you, Lord, for opening my heart and my spiritual understanding in such an amazing way.