Livin a Life of LOVE

So I am extremely behind on my blogs, but I am trying to get back on track. Things this time of year are getting so crazy with projects, papers and just everything in life. Every day I find myself doing fun things instead of the piles upon piles of work that I must conquer- but it's ok! I know God will get me through it all. 

Sorry for the random side note, now onto my blog...

 Living Love, what exactly does that mean? Well, if God is love, and Christians are called to live as Christ, we are to live out love each day. That saying sound simplistic, until you dig deep. What does it really mean to fully love those around us? God has been teaching me constantly about what that means, but I know I don't even understand a fraction of what that really is. His love is so great, so extravagant, I will never be able to comprehend it's extremities.  I do know that the only way I can grow deeper i that knowledge is by drawing closer to the One who is Love. Knowing how to truly love others is only possible by pursuing the Lord's love and all of it's many facets. It is only by investigating the Word of the Lord that we can grow in love. Love is extreme, love doesn't make sense. Someone who constantly lives out love is able to, by the Lord's grace, love those who seem to be unlovable.

" People who are obsessed with Jesus give freely and openly, without censure. Obsessed people love those who hate them and who can never love them back"- Francis Chan, Crazy Love

I was challenged to love this summer. Part of the mission statement at Strong Rock Camp is to love each child at camp, to really show them that we love them. That was difficult at times with some campers, but as I pursued the Lord and His word, and was humbled knowing that I could not love in my own strength, I began to see a glimpse of love.

I feel like God guides me through so many hardships and time when I don't think I can love others, only to hear him whispering in my ear to continue to love. I often argue with this. I want to give up, but then he reminds me of how much he loves me. Then I remember how much I don't deserve his love, but how I will never fully understand how great and wonderful his love is. His love makes me realize that the situations he puts me through are nothing compared to what he did to show his love for me.

His love is so complex, so wonderful.

I want to be challenged in my love more and more. How can my love become extreme. I know I am currently far from that. 

"Oh how he loves us so" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-rW528qiYw

I don't want to live a life where I am lukewarm and am never challenged in my love. Love isn't easy. Love is crazy. I want to pursue crazy love. 

God loves us no matter what. His love never lessens. Wow, how amazing. His love should compel us. 

God’s Love and Ours:  1 John 4

 ⁷ Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. ⁸ Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. ⁹ This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. ¹⁰ This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. ¹¹ Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. ¹² No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.  ¹³ This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit. ¹⁴ And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. ¹⁵ If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. ¹⁶ And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.
   God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. ¹⁷ This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. ¹⁸ There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
 ¹⁹ We love because he first loved us. ²⁰ Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. ²¹ And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.