Theme Of My Life: Love

     If you really know me, you know I'm your typical southern girl who was raised on a family first mentality. Of all the things my parents instilled in me growing up I am most thankful for that. It was definitely a lesson I needed considering the huge family I have! Another thing about me, I am your stereotypical big girl. I dance wherever whenever. I love giving big momma hugs. And I have quite a large heart, it's just a fact.
     With the big heart comes a lot of emotion. Particularly for goodbyes. I'm not good at them, nor do I like them. Let me rephrase, I am AWFUL at goodbyes. Not my strong suit. Today, for example, was our seniors last day at school. There are many seniors I will be missing but the one that just jabs in like a knife is saying goodbye to my ultimate best friend, Madeline. I know I'm going to see her throughout the summer, and when she's away at college I'll probably be bugging her constantly, but I could not handle it today. Still trying to, actually. She had to come get me today off the bathroom floor so I wouldn't be late to 2nd block. I was pitiful to say the least! I mean, she came in when I was trying not to go into a  full on panic attack while sobbing, she got me to calm down enough, got my butt off the floor, picked up my stuff and said "Come on Cassafrass." See why she's the best? I know, she's awesome! I feel like that scene is the perfect example of our Saviors to His broken sinners. Coming in, even with seeing all the mess, picking up the pieces, putting us back together, grabbing the weight that was crushing us, and says "Come on, I got you."
"God, pick up the pieces. Put me back together again. You are my praise" Jeremiah 17:14
"But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on the wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint" Isaiah 40:31
God has no problem picking up the pieces. He wants us to rely on Him!
     There have been many goodbyes in my life(as yours as well), teacher after wonderful teacher, grandparents, and so many graduating seniors I can't see straight. I'm not going to lie, most of these if not all have been dealt with a lot of tears. A lot of pain. But every single time God's like "Come on girl! Are we going to do this again? Okay lets do this." He comes in and overwhelms my mind, and heart, with love. Memories of all the love he has given me. He reminds me of every smile, every laugh, every blessing, every sweet baby, every comforting hug, every teacher, every sibling, every uncle, every aunt, every cousin, every close friend, every church member, and all my moms! :) God has totally lavished my whole life with so many loved one! And all that loved wrapped up still couldn't compare to the love of my Redeemer! With all the love and gifts God has given me, how could I be any thing but grateful! He's given such a life full of love to such an unworthy person. Ever heard the song A Thousand Years by Christina Perri? I consider the chorus God's love song. "I have died everyday waiting for you! Darling don't be afraid I have loved you For a thousand years, I love you for a thousand more! And all along I believed I would find you! Time has brought your heart to me! I have loved you for a thousand years, I love you for a thousand more" Consumed by, lavished with, so much love. For eternity. I am so honored, humbled.
You see all these people, all these great times? They are only a snippet of the all my loved ones, of all the smiles and laughs, all the blessing. Eternally grateful.

Where Are You Searching For Love?

• The book "Do You Think I'm Beautiful?" by Angela Thomas has particularly highlighted this topic; and is where this post is coming from. Side note: I suggest ALL women read this! You want to see God's love for you, how much he cares for you? READ THIS BOOK!

     If you really dig down "where does your happiness come from?" and "what are you putting our faith into?" are two big questions that really need to be dealt with. What you put your trust, your love, your faith, and life into makes all the difference in the world! So often we find ourselves as teenage girls, or even adult women, searching desperately for love. For the ultimate romance! We desire the chase! We want a knight in shining armor to ride in! We want someone that thinks we are the most beautiful girl to ever exist, and love us forever! We want the perfect man. A guy who can be sensitive to our feelings, but at the same time a strong man to hold us and protect us. What most of us haven't realized: WE ALREADY HAVE THAT! We have an amazing God that is all of that and more! He is chasing after you with full on passion! He's our knight! He road down from heaven to save us from our sin! He is our perfect guy! He knows your whole heart, the depths of your soul, and thinks you are BEAUTIFUL! He is in love with you!
     When we chase this ultimate love, but look for it in guys, and not our Savior, something truly heartbreaking happens. This guy can't give you that full pure love your heart is made for. Even if you put all your chips into the relationship, you won't get out what you're really looking for. You'll end up with disappointment. He can't fill that longing in your heart. So many girls think if they push harder maybe they can fill that wanting through their relationship. They take it to a level only meant for marriage, hoping this will finally be where they are loved with a full love. Your boyfriend, fiance, husband can very much truly love you, but they are only a vessel of God's ultimate love!
     When we can't find that love, when the boy that gives us butterflies in our stomachs ends up not that in to us, we feel like there's something wrong with us. Am I pretty? Am I interesting? Am I good enough for your love and affection? When we go searching for these answers in men we'll only end up with the same conclusion. But God chooses to love you! Even through every thing man kind has sinned against him, God still loves us!
     Why should you trust what I'm trying to get through to you? Who am I? I am a teenage girl that has never even held a guy's hand before, so what could I possibly know about relationships? These opinions are all supported by the Bible. Of which is nothing but truth!

• "I’m absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God’s love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us." Romans 8:38-39.  NOTHING can stop God's love for you!
• "The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing." Zephaniah 3:17. God will REJOICE over you, He will quite that broken heart, He will EXULT you with loud singing! He is proud to call you His daughter! He's that proud parent in the audience shouting "That's my girl!"
• "Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it." Proverbs 4:23. The only way to completely guard your heart is to keep it with God. If your man isn't one with God, he's not ready to handle your heart.
• "There’s more to sex than mere skin on skin. Sex is as much spiritual mystery as physical fact. As written in Scripture, “The two become one.” Since we want to become spiritually one with the Master, we must not pursue the kind of sex that avoids commitment and intimacy, leaving us more lonely than ever—the kind of sex that can never “become one.” There is a sense in which sexual sins are different from all others. In sexual sin we violate the sacredness of our own bodies, these bodies that were made for God-given and God-modeled love, for “becoming one” with another. Or didn’t you realize that your body is a sacred place, the place of the Holy Spirit? Don’t you see that you can’t live however you please, squandering what God paid such a high price for? The physical part of you is not some piece of property belonging to the spiritual part of you. God owns the whole works. So let people see God in and through your body."1 Corinthians 6: 16-20.
  
  
  
       Too many times I hear of girls giving their hearts and their virginities away not realizing how precious they are! The topic is just too big and too common for me not to try to shed some light on it! You will never be able to fill that desperate longing for love and to be called beautiful without God.