.png)
We have all heard of the 5 love languages of quality time, gifts, physical touch, acts of service, and words of affirmation that are meant to tell us how we like to give and receive love. I think we can experience most of these from God too, despite a physical hug from Him, but can also have our own love language with God in how He uniquely speaks to us and to our hearts and souls.
For me personally, my two biggest ones on how I like to give and receive love is words of affirmation and quality time and I enjoy spending quiet, prayer time with Jesus, preferably in nature, and reminding my heart what God says about me and over my life. But also praising God on all His attributes and His greatness in my life. I want it to be a two way street.
But I also think if we open our eyes, God will remind us of His love for us in unique ways. For me I love walking on beaches and scouring for seashells! I could do for hours. And I have found the most amazing shells. Some hidden and some in plain sight. But I love it and it’s like God’s little nature hunt with me. What other people may overlook, I see some much beauty in and I have quite the collection from beaches all over the Pacific, Gulf, and Atlantic oceans and bays and bodies of water. It may look like there are no seashells on the sandy seashore, but if you get closer, you will find them. I have been blessed to live about four blocks from Sail Bay (in San Diego) and walk down there many mornings with my dog and coffee mug, only to return that coffee mug with shells instead. And it just feels like God places them there just for me and it’s this little bond we have and have been doing for probably fifteen years.
My dog will be ten in a few weeks (Eek!) and we have walked my beautiful neighborhood extensively over the past decade and I love all the foliage, architecture, flowers, sunshine, and activity going on, but what I have recently spotted are these “hearts” scattered throughout the sidewalks. I try and be more present to spot them now because they are just so cool to me and I wonder how long they have been there in plain sight and I haven’t noticed. But it just reminds my heart of God’s heart. Little love notes from Jesus. Reminder of His love and that He sees me. I can be grumpy, running late, overwhelmed, scurrying to walk my dog and get her to do her business, so that I can get to my business. Then see these hearts and just instantly have a “heart check” to remind myself I am loved, valued, and to focus my attention back on God’s principles.
I am going to be honest, with a bunch of medical treatments I have had over this year, I have put on a few extra pounds and it has bummed me out, especially being single and I realized I was putting a lot of ‘weight’ on that and feeling like “well I can only be skinny to be loved.” And just getting older and aging in general, you feel less good about yourself. That’s lame and superficial I know, but mind of a girl sometimes. But I have to say overall, I feel more loved, adored, secure and confident in this season despite all that…. because of God. He has put broken pieces back together the right way, spoken truth in who He created me to be, challenged my beliefs, shifted my perspectives, healed past hurts, built up confidence after setbacks, and really shown up in my life. And not by answering all my prayers the way I would like them to be answered, but by providing in ways outside of the box, every step of the way. I was telling the women in my bible study I have long since prayed for God to give me one area of my life I can feel confident in- either my health, or my finances, or a romantic relationship…. Well God hasn’t done any of that. Feeling hurt, forgotten, frustrated, and angry about this for a long time, I would then compare myself to others and not understand why and be tired of this boat I was in. But at least I’m in a “boat.” So, instead I flipped my outlook and see all He has done to sustain me. So much faithfulness to me in providing medical treatments, positive results; if even temporary, hair clients out of nowhere and referrals, and the hope of good Godly men still existing, even if we aren’t a good match, their taken, or we have never met. God has provided free trips and airbnbs that are amazing places to heal and feel His love or money from places I didn’t think of or think possible, andstrengthened quality friendships that offer support and laughs. My life may not look like all I had hoped or what the world defines as success, but I see God’s provision and hand in it and all the blessings along the way. Sometimes it truly is His “daily bread” for today and I’m okay with that. God cares more about the journey than the destination and more about my character than my comfort. He is refining me everyday to love more, trust more, and surrender more. God’s love is more powerful than anything on this planet and I realized I would rather have Him on my worst day, than the best day without Him. His love is everything.