Thanks for reading my daily reflections on marriage in March. I am returning to my weekly Friday blog posts! Grateful for you, Mary

 

I wrote this intention in January 2017 – This year I want to listen more to those around me rather than speak into them. I believe listening is the way to heal and mend hearts – generationally and spiritually. I want to listen actively to find that which I am to love more.

Listen2 love has taken on more meaning than I anticipated. I thought that I needed to listen to others so that I could love them better. My natural inclination to jump in and fix. While I have experienced joy in listening to love others better,  I didn’t think that my intention meant I needed to listen to the love that is meant for me to receive.

One morning recently in my silent time, I asked God, Lord will everything turn out right? There was so much pain and worry in this one question. I am sure you have found yourself asking this as well. It reads like a calm question but it was a frantic cry.

I heard, Mary, ask me if I love you.

Do you love me, Lord? Yes, I love you and then I heard, Ask me if I love Gary.

Do you love Gary, Lord? Yes, I love Gary and then I knew what else to ask.

One by one I asked God if he loved each child, each spouse, each person in my family and with each one named I listened2love and heard God say over and over again that he loved them. I learned again that questions about the finish line aren’t as helpful as questions about the journey.

No matter how anything turned out it would all right because He loves.

If you are asking today will it turn out okay? Receive His Love for you!

 

1 John 4:18 The Message (MSG)

To Love, to Be Loved

17-18 God is love. When we take up permanent residence in a life of love, we live in God and God lives in us. This way, love has the run of the house, becomes at home and mature in us, so that we’re free of worry on Judgment Day—our standing in the world is identical with Christ’s. There is no room in love for fear. Well-formed love banishes fear. Since fear is crippling, a fearful life—fear of death, fear of judgment—is one not yet fully formed in love.  The Message