Tag: Search for love

A Search for Love-Why is it Actually Important?

As promised I am going to start a series on Love.  What is it?  How do I find it?  How do I keep it once found?  Why is love so important?  I plan to take you on a journey toward finding true love that will last an eternity.  Today, I want to start with a video introduction.  The series will be mostly written—it will be a journey through brokenness and sorrow; yet, will lead you closer to understanding love with all it’s beauty and it’s complexities.  Where ever you may find yourself along this journey, my desire is to help you discover the true joy and beauty of love.

LOVE IS IMPORTANT. Why?

1. Love says I matter, my life matters.

2.  Love gives purpose and meaning to life, beyond merely existing.

3.  Love stretches me to be a better person—it reveals my own weaknesses and pushes me to overcome them

4.  Love reveals the deepest scars so they can be healed.  You can never fight cancer until you find it first.  Often our own scars remain hidden deep inside our heart until love reveals them.  Only then can they be healed

5.  Love brings Joy to life.

6.  Love is central to hope—always looking forward.

7.  Love gives us a sense of belonging.  WE are not alone.

14 For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,[c]15 from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—(of Love) 19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.  Ephesians 3:14-19 (NKJV)

(NKJV)New King James Version  Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

©Effie Darlene Barba, 2016

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post.  I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Is There Any Hope for Finding True Joy and Love?

Love—that illusive emotion that every heart longs for. We devote our lifetime in search of it; albeit by many means. Some lock themselves into a world of self-love in hopes to avoid the heartbreak. Some devote themselves to giving themselves away in self-sacrificing love. Perhaps they do find a satisfaction in such; yet, sometimes they too are left with a hunger or hollowness within their hearts when their sacrifice goes unnoticed by anyone else. Hand in hand with our desire for love, we desire respect—validation that we have a purpose. That our life matters to someone, somewhere. When we cannot find that, we fall into desperate despair. We search for meaning perhaps in our jobs, our family, or in belonging. Too often, in our desperate desire to become greater we, in fact, move farther away from love and toward hate. Anger, violence, racism, all stem from hearts that desperately need love. These are the ultimate results of broken hearts in utter disarray with no hope within.

love wins

In these final chapters of the gospel of John, we are intimately brought into the presence of Jesus teaching His apostles and all of us who would one day come to know Him as Savior. With such love and compassion, Jesus wants to teach them the truth. He is fully aware of the agonizing road that lies before Him over the next three days; yet, He wants these to be ready. He knows that the only hope for mankind lies in their finding out the truth about love. “God is love” (I John 4:8). He is the perfection of love as demonstrated in His giving His most prized possession-His Son to die for rebellious, undeserving hearts. He did so because His love was so great and His Joy so overflowing that He longed to shower that love and joy upon us. It was the purpose for which He created us. Love is most perfected when showered upon another. God is that perfect love—first and foremost in His perfect love toward His son who is that perfect mirrored perfection of His own Glory. Jesus is that perfect reflection of God’s own love, joy and righteousness made flesh. God’s very words made flesh. That spirit of goodness, righteousness, joy, and love between Heavenly Father and His Son showering forth in the form of the Holy Spirit.

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