I am linking up for the Five Minute Friday. The FMF is hosted by Kate Motaung on her blog Heading Home. Today’s prompt is “lose.”
Have you ever lost someone close to you? Do you yearn to sit with them and talk about faith and life? I do. I yearn to pick up the phone and phone my best friend. I yearn to sit and chat with my grandma and grandpa in their living room. It’s hard to believe how long they’ve been gone from this earth.
Losing those we love is never easy. Sometimes the loss is expected and other times it is unexpected. Yet loss is a part of life. This past week, many people in Orlando lost those they loved much sooner than they ever should have had to. These individuals were simply enjoying their night at Pulse night club. I am so saddened that someone went into that club with the intent to kill; with the intent to take someone’s life. As we remember these lost lives, it is our call to be agents of love; to share God’s love with the world.As we share our love, we lose that fear that seems to so often overtake us.
For when we let love win, we remember who and whose we all are; beloved children of God. This past week my friend KA wrote a post about who God calls her to be. She asked us to listen and hear who God says that we are too. Last night, as I lay my head down for the night, I heard God call my name. God said, “You are the sweet stanzas of my heart; poured out in love and actions.” (In the words of my blog friend KA swoon-worthy, right?)
Who does God call you to be, my friends? And once you hear who God calls you to be, don’t lose sight of who God calls you to be for when we truly live out that call, we help let love win.
So many good thoughts here.
"As we share our love, we lose that fear that seems to so often overtake us." This line makes me think a little more clearly about the phrase "perfect love drives out fear". It's not only that when God loves us we are able to be fearless, but also a part of it is funneling that love into our own actions as well. What a great thought.
– glad to be your neighbor at FMF today! 🙂
Thanks Erika!
It's an interesting question, Tara, who God created us to be. I was trained for war, and when I left that life and entered the civilian world, I was flat-out miserable. It was then that I started to realize that God had shaped me as an instrument…and with the lethal challenges of illness I am being honed bright again.
Blessed be the Lord, my rock, who trains my hands for battle, my fingers for war…(Ps.144)
Embracing this is helping me to survive.
#1 at FMF this week.
http://blessed-are-the-pure-of-heart.blogspot.com/2016/06/your-dying-spouse-169-hooks-to-future.html
Oh THIS: "Embracing this is helping me to survive."
"When we let love win, we remember who and whose we are" profoundly beautiful!
Thanks Tammy!
"Have you ever lost someone close to you? Do you yearn to sit with them and talk about faith and life?" all the time! i have many…from parents, grandparents to friends from the past who have gone on ahead of me.
of course, this weekend of Father's Day, i especially miss my dad. he died suddenly of a heart attack at age 54! there was no chance for even a simple good-bye or a final, "i love you." just like with many who were in orlando:(
Thinking of you as you remember your dad.
Loss is just hard. Sometimes I still miss my great gran so much even though she died over 20 years ago. And it is especially horrific when the loss is so sudden and pointless as it was in Orlando and the result of someone's deliberate actions. We have to play our part in letting love win.
Loss is indeed so hard.
Tara,
"As we share our love, we lose that fear that seems to so often overtake us."
People are often afraid of things they don't know. How do we approach people we perceive may be hostile toward us? That response of love is what separates Christians from other religions.
You embody love, truly. 🙂
Love,
Tammy
(#45 this week)
Awww thank you!
Yes! to remember who we are in Christ especially when life gets rocky or when cultures screams and demands we change. God calls us to just be. So good. Thank you for these words!
Thank you and you're welcome!
Tara, love this!
Thank You!
Beautiful and encouraging post, Tara! Such a great reminder to pursue love even when we want to clam up or protect ourselves against hurt. Thank you for your wise words xx
Thanks Emma!
Beautiful, Tara. I'm so sorry for the loss of your grandparents and best friend. I'd love to chat to my Mum about faith too.
Yes, more than anything we are called to love. The more we receive Christ's Love for us, the more it can flow out of us onto others…and this is exactly what your post encourages at the end…beautiful!
Yes!
Great post! It's so easy to lose sight of who we are when so many crazy things happen around us. I guess it's a real fight to keep on loving and being who we were created to be.
So true!
What beautiful words. A sweet stanza. I love the imagery of this. Thanks for sharing. I am #60 on the linkup this week. 🙂
Thank You!