“It is doubtful whether God can bless a man greatly
until He has hurt him deeply.”
A.W. Tozer
(a early morning sky in late October / Julie Cook / 2021)
Love.
A joyous yet difficult word…
but an even more difficult emotion…or it that feeling?
Love is uplifting as well as dejecting.
Warm yet equally cold.
Elusive yet beautiful.
Embracing while devilishly full of rejection.
Is it easy to love?
Easy to feel?
Easy to know?
Easy to hold?
Love, we know, offers security, protection and comfort
while also offering hurt, pain and misery…
So is love effortless?
Or is love futile?
Yet what of being loved?
Is receiving easier than offering?
Can we open ourselves to being vulnerable, fragile or perhaps
even foolish?
Will we feel worthy, deserving or capable?
Is our self image, self worth, self respect intact
enough to handle such a wild, yet calming gift given either so
freely or with much trepidation?
To love
To give
To offer
To receive
To accept
To grasp
Such is our human love…
“Love is not affectionate feeling,
but a steady wish for the loved person’s ultimate good as far
as it can be obtained”
C. S. Lewis
cookiecrumbstoliveby 
Beautifully said. I think love requires a lot of hard work and most folks today find it hard to put other before themselves. Unselfishness is key in all relationships, especially when shared by all parties.
You’re so right— maybe I’ll bring that ‘selfish’ v ‘non selfish’ component tomorrow 🥰
Makes me question love based on affectionate feelings, at least insofar asking someone to marry him/her. Is offering myself a worthy act if you love someone. Joking a bit. If I had really loved Sammy maybe I should have left him for some body more worthy than I. 😀
That is a question 🧐
Love is a breakable emotion. I prefer loyalty. If you can get both, latch on and do not let go.
Ooo—now that another great component!!
Reblogged this on Talmidimblogging.
Love to you GW 🐛🐛🍪🍪
Love you too SC 😘 🍪🍪🐛🐛
Amen. Well said, Julie. It’s interesting that people seem to have more trouble being loved by God than trying to love Him. But being loved is how we learn to love Him. As John said, we love Him because He first loved us. And when we get it in that order, we begin to understand His other-centered, self-giving love.
Learning to be loved in order to receive that love is the craziest yet hardest thing for some of us!
Thank you Mel for always offering such spirit filled insight
When I accepted that I no longer had to be anyone but me, and fully God’s, I found true love. I had felt abandoned so much in life. When I was finally alone God said, “I needed you alone so you’d be fully mine!” And my capacity to love, and be loved, grew. Much love to you. 💛
Far better than the Left’s slogan of “LOve is Love…”
I mean really— what exactly is that anyway??? Mishmash!!! With no reality behind it!!!
Yeah they just give slogan with no substantive content