What is it About His Love?

A few weeks ago my lifegroup was asked a similar question to "What made Christianity real for you?"  This question made me think, because I have grown up in a christian home, and I have always "believed" in God.  But one thing I realized is that believing in God is not the same thing as having a relationship with him, and true Christianity is about your own personal relationship with God, not wether you believe in him or not.  So that got me thinking... "What drew me to an intimate relationship with my creator?"
There are many things that God has done in my life that have drawn me closer to Him.  Through everything the one thing I could think of that kept me connected in our relationship is His LOVE.  I've always hear "God is Love" but I didn't really understand that till recently.  In life there's more than just one kind of love, and God is all of them.  God has really shown me who he can be for me in different times in my life.  Any kind of Love you need at any point in life God is there to provide it.
God provides the love of a Father.  A Father is someone whose roll in life is to protect his family and be the leader.  A Father's love is one that is very secure, very safe, and is very much needed.  A Father is suppose to be a man you can approach with anything a man who will protect you in time of need and be there for you as a leader and when the time is right, a Father will tell you what you need to hear.  What I mean by that is a father doesn't always give you advice you want to hear but he gives advice that is needed.  God is someone who I can run to for protection, someone who I can bring anything before and he will accept me without judgement, I can ask him anything and he will tell me what I really need to hear not what I want to hear.
Along with being a loving father, God also loves like a Mother. A Mother's love is a love that is irreplaceable.  It is a nurturing love.  A Mother will rejoice when her child rejoices and will hurt when her child is hurting.  A mother's love is sweet.  In the same way a mother loves, God loves.  God loves to see his children happy, when his kids are happy so is he.  When he sees his children taking the wrong turn in life or when he sees them hurting, he will hurt with us.  Just like a Mothers love, God's love is very nurturing and loyal.  He will not leave us in the hard times.
The third kind of love is the love of a friend.  When you have a true friend you can approach them with anything.  They won't judge you, they won't tell anyone, and they are there to listen. This love has been the most recent kind I've experienced in life.  God is there for you to talk to.  God is there when you have no one else to vent to.  God is the best listener, and he won't judge you for any of your mistakes.  God is also the best secret keeper.
The fourth kind of love I found from God, is the love of a companion. People in this world look and look for their soul mate.  They look for that happiness.  People want someone who they can share the weight of the world with and who will stand with them through thick and thin. That's not a bad thing, but it can distract us from who we really need to seek companionship from. A companion is someone you can come to at the end of the day.   A companionship is very unique and is made for only for two people.   Although God has relationships with all of his children, no one else has the unique relationship I have with him. At the end of the day, when everyone has gone of to do their own thing, God is there. You can have a relationship with God no one else can. If someone can't be satisfied with God as their companion how in the world are they going to be satisfied with anything less?
So many times, I've realized I try to search for these loves through other people. That's not wrong, but what I've realized is when I can't find the love I need in other human beings I don't need to keep searching, I need to look towards God; He should be my first option.
He is always there with arms wide open, being the love you need the most.

A Priceless Gift Given to the Underserving...

So many times in life we get used to the nice things and think nothing of them.  We often take the things that were meant to be special for granted.   Why is it we think more of material gifts that will eventually rot away given to us by people of the world then the more valuable gifts that never stop growing given to us by our Heavenly Father?

Recently I have  realized how much my life is a gift,  a gift given by God to someone undeserving.  Going through 2011 I thought it was going to be the hardest year of my life but looking back it has been the most rewarding and blessing filled thus far.  The other morning in my quiet time, my mind started to wonder, I began to ask myself, "Would I still be the man of God, the christian that I am today without the family I grew up in or the friends and leadership I have now and have had along the way?..."  

As that question Lingered in my head and I thought about it more I became more unsure of the answer.  I realized God could have done anything he wanted with my life, he created me.  He knew about the many many many times I would and have failed him, he knew about the times where I would completely shut him off from my mind.  Even though he knew these things he still decided to make me the guy I am today and bless me with the things I have today and my relationship with him.  Yes God gave me free will to make my own choices,  but I realized throughout my 19 years of living the Lord guided me every single step of the way to make the right choices.  He guided me to my high school youth group, where I now have the honor to be a part of the team of leaders,  He guided me to what are now my closest friends (Besides my own family) I could not picture my life with out this family, He brought me to my very own mentor, five years ago I didn't even know what a mentor was now I don't know what I would do with out his spiritual guidance.  One other thing in my life I found to be a very precious gift from God is my family.  God knew exactly where he wanted me, he knew that I would be the most productive for him in child slot number six.  He gave me godly parents, one who has left a tremendous legacy here on earth and the other who has a rock star ministry as a high school janitor... of all things.  After I kept these thoughts fresh on my mind I realized these things, the things that I mostly take for granted, these are the gifts I need to be most grateful for.  Without God's use of these people in my life I would not be were I am today.  God could have easily let me go off the deep end but for some reason he placed each and everyone, who I mentioned, in my life to guide me to the growing relationship I now have with him.  These are the gifts I need to be most thankful for, not the new clothes or watch that go know where, but the gifts God gives that keep growing.  I am very much undeserving for these people and experiences in my life, but words cannot describe the joy and thankfulness I have in my heart because My Father decided to give me these priceless and timeless gifts, gifts that lead me to the most priceless undeserving gift... my relationship with Him.