Self-Love vs. God’s Love

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“Believe in yourself.” | “Make yourself happy first.” | “Treat yoself.” | “Love yourself first. | “Be who you want to be.” | “You’re worth it.” Do some of these look familiar? Maybe you’ve seen quotes like this on Pinterest in front of a pretty, inspiring background. They’re common things to see on posters and makeup commercials, scattered about on Twitter and Instagram, hear people say on Disney Channel, or just passed from one person to the next. They’re motivating, right? Make you feel good about yourself. How about this one? “Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man…

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The Life Pattern vs. God’s Pattern

2017 is HALFWAY OVER, GUYS. HALFWAY. *faints* And next thing you know, August is going to be here. With August, for many, comes Big Life Decisions. Maybe May for you was a flurry of graduation excitement. Some finished high school, others college. While many of you are getting prepped to return to school. I had multiple graduations to attend in May, and I know many people who are stepping out to do many new, exciting, and maybe even scary things. And others are trying to decide what they want to spend the rest of their life doing. With this transition…

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A Time of Peace

Well, will you look at that, Christmas is just a week away. If you’re like me, it feels like 2016 just started. And yet, here we are at the end of it, about to celebrate Christmas. How did that happen??? Despite the year breaking speed limits, it was, in fact, 365 days (wait, this was a leap year, so 366?). And, well, a lot can happen in 366 days. A lot of heartbreak, a lot of joy, a lot of change. Each year brings something new—good and bad. And, let’s face it, life can be stressful. That’s why I love…

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Thank You

He took all the pain. All the agony. The stripes, the nails, the suffering. He took all the blackness of the world. Him so pure, so beautiful, untainted. Perfect. But He took on every bit of it anyway. But I don’t deserve it, I whisper.“I love you,” He says.But I deserve death.“I love you.”But I mess up so much.“I love you.”But. . .but. . .but. . .“I love you. Forever. Unconditionally. I love you, My child.” He calls me child, when I should be nothing but a slave to the darkness. He calls me beloved, when I’m so filthy. When…

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Merely Passing Through

Saturday I returned from a trip out of town where I spent an entire week with my best friend and her family. Getting to spend every single day with your best friend is a dream, especially for this extrovert. We stopped by multiple bookstores (she’s as wild about books as I am), frequented a particular coffee shop, jammed out to a variety of music during the car rides, had long conversations both deep and ridiculous, ate way too much pizza (just kidding, “too much pizza” is an impossibility), and in general enjoyed life away from life. But now the week…

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Dear You

You are beautiful. Sometimes the world will say otherwise. Sometimes labels will be slapped on you and weigh you down. Sometimes those lies will seem an awful lot like truths. Sometimes you’ll wonder what is the point in your existence. Do you know why you exist? Because God loves you. Just as the world is screaming you’re worthless, He’s whispering gently in your ear, “You were worth it.” Don’t ever apologize for your existence. I know people like that, that seem as if they’re ashamed of even breathing. That they’re just here to get in the way. And they’re the…

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Focus

The old canvas—filled with messy scratches and beautiful scenes and a chaos of life painted across its surface—has been tucked away and a brand new one sets out before us. White and pristine, ready for new colors of life. We’ve said goodbye to 2015 and 2016 is here and ahead of us. Waiting. For the laughter. For the scars. New hopes and fears in the horizon. Endless possibilities. I’ve yet to write down any goals, to think far in the future. The realization that it’s a new year hasn’t quite sunk in yet. Christmas decorations are only just now being…

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These December Days

One morning just a week ago I opened my eyes and realized: It’s December. December. Where the world seems a little cheerier, the days a little cozier, and life a little brighter. These are the days frost covers the ground in the early morning and the sky is soft in the afternoon. Where boots and scarves and gloves are donned for outings of Christmas shopping to find that perfect gift to make a certain someone smile. To bundle up in the car with the family and gaze at the colorful lights illuminating neighborhood homes. Where the Christmas music is pulled…

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Who Am I?

Do you ever have those days where you feel like nothing? Just. . .here, and that’s about it. I sure do. More often than not I examine myself and think, “What’s the point in me? In Christine?” I’m just here, not really making the world worse (hopefully), but not really making it better either. Just here using up empty space for no reason. It’s a hard thing wondering why you’re here, what your purpose is, what you’re supposed to be doing with your life. These are our years that we supposed to be figuring these things out, right? While we’re…

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The Greatest of These

Not too long ago I was doing my Bible reading and going through the book of Romans when a particular passage jumped out and halted my progress. “Love worketh no ill to his neighbour:therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.”Romans 13:10 (KJV) I’ve passed by this verse many times over, seen it numerous times. It’s a rather popular verse after all, obviously not a new concept, but on this day it grabbed hold of me and wouldn’t let go. In chapter 22 of Matthew, Jesus said the greatest commandment was to “love the Lord thy God with all thy…

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