Romans 8:18 - "Beloved"

One time when I woke during the night the Lord had me praying for our friends Jim and Sandie who are dealing with a rollercoaster ride with her stroke. Another time He had me praying for Kim who is traveling home from seeing her mother. Another time He had me praying for a former pastor who has been filled with lies from the enemy and taking a different direction in life. When I woke this morning, He had this song on my mind...

You are beloved
I wanted you to know
You are beloved
Let it soak into your soul
Oh, forget the lies you heard
Rise above the hurt
And listen to these words
You are beloved
I wanted you to know
You are beloved

We all need to realize God loves us. He loves us so much that He had His Only Son die on the cross for us. He didn't just die for us. He died in agony and pain. He died in such a way none of us could ever endure. When we are going through tough days, we need to lean into His love. When we feel like the world is against us, we need to cry out to Him. When we feel rejected, we need to think about how Jesus felt. My heart breaks to see people going through tough days yet I know it is through tough days that my faith goes deeper. As the tears came yesterday with the morning I had endured, I cried out to Jesus to give me His strength. When my body was so tired last night, I cried out to Him asking Him for rest not only in my physical body but in my entire being. As the tears came this morning when I saw a picture of Paul and Bella, I cried out to Him to help me through these next few days in a powerful way. Holidays are so hard being away from family. Tomorrow a lot of my family will gather to celebrate Easter and remember my Daddy who died six years ago. Oh how I wish I could have been there but I know that is not God's plan. Sometimes it is so, so hard to walk in obedience but I know I am blessing Him and He is blessing me. Tomorrow is also the twenty-five year anniversary of my M.S. diagnosis. I grieve for things I've 'missed' and things I have gone through yet I also praise God for making me stronger through it. I am so emotional today but I am thankful God is with me. Once again, I pray for others to realize that too. He never leaves us. Instead He is there to encourage us and love on us. He showed His love in a powerful way when His Son died on the cross and rose again.

Dear Jesus,
Thank You for being My Strength through tough times. Thank You for taking my faith deeper through them. Thank You for going before me today and opening doors for me to be You to others. I know before that happens I need a cleansing in my spirit so You can fill me up with Yourself. May You be my words, actions, and attitude throughout this day so people will see and hear You instead of me. Father, I continue to pray for Sandie and Jim and their family. I pray they feel Your love today. I also pray someone will go before this former pastor who will say or do something to get him back into right relationship with You. Father, be my strength today in a very real way. I need You physically, emotionally, mentally, financially, and most of all spiritually. Thank You Jesus for being The One Who Loves Me. Amen.