A New Expression of Love

This weekend I've been more contemplative than usual. Weekends are typically calm and quiet for me lately. If I haven't got plans to go out of town for a family visit, I tend to spend several hours at home alone. It's nice in the sense that I get to relax and unwind my thoughts–I have had a hard time getting work off my mind lately, and it seems I let go best when I do a little housework or go to the gym. But on the other hand, I guess I've been feeling a little lonely during this time. Mike works most of the day during the weekend, and our weekdays are filled with work, school, and commuting.

Yesterday was Saturday and I was alone until Mike got off work and came over around 7pm. We went to dinner with some of our best friends and I enjoyed that very much. We are planning our wedding, and it tends to be the topic of conversation often–as it should be. My life is blessed beyond measure, so I shouldn't be able to find anything to complain about, right?

While driving home, my mind became my enemy and depression began to settle on me. I don't normally deal with depression, but I couldn't even muster the words to express how I was feeling. Mike and I sat in silence almost the whole way home, and then in the moment I hugged him to tell him "bye", I couldn't seem to end his embrace. I actually stood inside his arms–mine folded across my chest as I rested my head on his warm and sturdy frame.

All I could manage to say was, "I don't know what's wrong." Tears began to flow and I tried to explain my odd behavior. The basic thing it all boiled down to was that I felt unhappy with my day-to-day existence.

"I feel like I don't have anything to talk about outside of work. I don't want to talk about work, so I don't have much to say anymore. Even our time together is spent relaying the details of things we experienced throughout the day–we aren't experiencing much together. I'm bored with myself."

As I allowed these strange words to spew from my mouth and the tears to soak into his t-shirt, he held me close and listened. Once I had said all I could think, he began to encourage me and talk about ways we could change our situation. He talked about solutions. He had answers. He held me until I could see the truth about who I am and about why we are where we are and how we stay the course and continue to run towards our goals–both as individuals and as a couple.

This moment not only changed me, but it laid out another level of understanding and clarity of the love God commands of a man for his wife. I will be his wife very soon, and this messy moment showed me how much he really does love me. The Bible says that love edifies. To "edify" means to "build up." Even when I am wrong, love builds me up and lifts me above deception I allow myself to believe–like I did yesterday. God used this to show me how much I can trust Him. It's God that has brought me to this man. My God's love for me is even expressed through my husband-to-be!

God has spoken to me in such a dynamic way about His love for me as a Father. Healing has come in a complete way. I see now that He is about to unfold an entirely new expression of His love for me. I'm so thankful for my God and for His intense love! And I'm thankful that I will soon be married to the man that God knew I needed all along.

Looking for Purpose

A manifold purpose is clearly evident in all of creation, yet still so many of us question our own purpose. Some even convince themselves of the lie that they have NO purpose.

Simple creations have more obvious purposes than complex ones. Man is the most complex creature of all, so why wouldn't it take some time to understand our purpose?

Have patience for understanding to come. Only the Creator knows of every capability, every area of service you are perfect for. He knows every action that inspires your reaction, and every short path to the solutions to problems you face today. The only path to understanding–to TRUTH–is through the way of the Creator. Your Creator has every detail of your existence mapped out on the palm of His hand–etched into the flesh of His heart.

Seek your answers from Him alone. He's the only One with the original blueprint of your mind, heart, and soul–you want to understand purpose and truth for your life, so go to the source of Life and Light! Go after the Creator ALWAYS–every day! You will find all truth, life, and FREEDOM.

A New Family Tradition

As a member of a web design team, I’m fortunate enough to have a job that offers an unimaginable array of colorful varieties of both people and causes. One of the latest websites we have created has an especially unique call to action. Because of Tom McQueen’s Legacy Nation USA (www.legacynationusa.com), I’ve been inspired to start a new family tradition.

Tom McQueen is the author of Letters to Ethan: A Grandfather’s Legacy of Life and Love. You’d think this is where I’d plug the book (available November 1st), but the truth is that I haven’t read it. It should also be noted that although I plan to read it, the website reveals the heart of the author, the purpose of the book, and the inspiration to leave a legacy for your loved ones.

Letters to Ethan is the product of a father’s love and commitment to a tradition to first his son, then to his grandson. Tom shares how he began the tradition of writing letters to his son over the course of his life. He saved these letters for all of those years, and then presented them to his son on his wedding day. What a gift! Now, he is dedicated to writing similar letters to his grandson, Ethan. Tom writes about a father’s love and wisdom attained by learning from his own mistakes.

When I think about the determination and patience that is required in order to present a gift of this value, I really find it a challenge to commit to leaving this same type of legacy for the little ones in my life. I am not yet a mother, but I am a very proud auntie. I often think about how different the culture here in America will be by the time my niece and nephew are adults. Everything certainly does change quickly, but I also know that every generation always has the ability to leave a mark on society. Just as I have gleaned and will glean much knowledge, wisdom, moral values, traditions, and so much more from the generation that has walked before me, so will it be for the next generation from my own.

This poses a stark question: Am I living in such a way that will positively affect the future?

I have examined myself, and I feel like I can answer that question by saying, “yes”, but I still will always be looking to choose paths that lead me to better ways to make that ‘yes’ an emphatic one. Legacy Nation USA has motivated me to leave my mark in a new way, and hopefully in a way that will survive the storms of the ever-evolving culture that we live in. I don’t want the fickle culture to shape who my kids become--I want to give them a solid foundation for building their goals upon.

I’ve decided to start writing letters to both my eight-year-old niece and my two-year-old nephew, and when I have children of my own, I hope to continue this tradition. I think I will save them and give these gifts at their high school graduations. It may be that I don’t feel like I have the stamina to wait until they marry, but I also am remembering how quickly life changed after high school. I think that during that time, I would have loved to have had some written words of love and wisdom from the adults in my life. Some understanding only comes when it is birthed out of life-experiences. Not only would letters like these be insightful, but they could definitely strengthen relationships. When light falls on a dark path, fear has no ground to stand on. If we can bring another person some understanding in the midst of a hard situation, we can really empower them to rise above the odds and overcome. That’s the kind of legacy I want to leave for the next generation.

I challenge you to begin writing letters to the young people in your life. Give them something to hold in their hands--a written legacy of your life and your love for them. Inspire greatness for the future of those you love, and for the future of this great nation!