Love is in the Air

Our sights and emotions are set on love each Valentine's Day. We recognize it and we cherish it! We shower our beloved with gifts, flowers, jewelry, or even candy. The love that we all have is priceless and all we want to do is celebrate it. Seeing other people in love and cherishing that love brings my heart so much joy. My deepest desire though is that we may never stray away from what love truly is.

When I think of Love, I think of my family, who loves unconditionally. I think of my friends who would serve one another till their hearts run out. But most importantly I think of Jesus. I think of that beautiful sunset He so graciously presented to me every night on my way home from work. I think about Him giving His life for me so that I may gain one. Now, if that's not love, I don't know what is.

He is the definition of Love, my friends, and so often I feel like we leave Him out on Valentines Day. We celebrate Him on Christmas and Easter, and don't get me wrong I love those holiday's! They're so grand. But I feel like Jesus is more than a holiday. He is love. He is a friend to someone in need. He is a beautiful, merciful, redeeming savior and for that I am grateful.

About a couple of months ago, I went on a hike to the West Pinnacles. I was just feeling really down about life with no job, no community, my heart was getting restless and I felt my future wasn't bright. So, I decided to do the one thing that would give me peace... go on a hike with God. I was talking to Him and praising Him along the way, singing songs of worship from Bethel to Hillsong. I was this crazy lune talking to myself, but I didn't care. As I reached the top, I couldn't see the trail anymore because of all the leaves... I came upon an obstacle. So, I went around different rocks trying to reach the top having no idea where it was. In that moment I just decided to take the most out of this opportunity and cherish that I was lost. Soon enough, I found the "rock". As I was walking to it, I got caught in a bush of thorns poking me. My first thought was that it hurt and I just wanted to get away so I wouldn't bleed, but then my brain automatically switched to Jesus.  I thought about Him and His crown of thorns and how much that hurt. I thought about how in this moment I'm symbolically surrounded by His love. I was surrounded, covered in these thorns, in His love and I didn't want to leave. Even though it hurt, the pain went to praise and love was in the air.  


I could go on and on about this walk and everything He taught me through it, but it would be a chapter in a book. The one thing I hope you got out of that is even though you may be heading toward a "destination" with your significant other, my prayer is that you will continue to look to the cross as you receive God's blessings. My hope for you is that you won't stray away from the one who brings us true love.  I hope tomorrow you will not only think about your significant other, but the widow at your work or the janitor and his wife who just lost a daughter. Even that man without a home who doesn't have shoes. But most importantly, I hope you think about Jesus. Whom pursues you relentlessly in His love of grace. Where ever He is...Love is truly in the air