Simply love !

I just go a BB message from my sister and it read: Momma J says ‘Guess what? I was just reading UNIQUELY WOMAN. Tell your sister (my other daughter) that I simply  love her & her writings’. As I read this over again, I can’t describe the warmth that just filled my heart. Yep! I could feel the love right from the other side of the world. And yes, I can already hear your question: ‘Who is Momma J ? ’ Momma J is my sister’s Mother-in-Law. But wait! That doesn’t begin to describe who this awesome woman of God is. Momma J is so much more, and today I ask that you allow me some space to appreciate this beautiful soul. I had heard so much about her from my sister. I was excited that she had a mother-in-law-to-be that she was able to love on so easily. They even shared the same birthday which I thought was really cool. But Momma J wasn’t my focus earlier on. Nope! My focus was on the young man who had so obviously stolen my sister’s heart. I got to meet him and at first contact, deep called unto deep. I knew then and there that this was a good guy, one with a good soul and a heart that was not afraid to love. Yes o! He sure got my vote. So, I have shared previously the drama that went with my attempts to attend my sister’s wedding, and the testimony that ensued out of allowing the Lord to take absolute control. I made the trip.... and that’s when I got to meet with Momma J. I still remember clearly how she smiled when I walked into the room. It was a smile from the heart. She stood, smiled and hugged me real tight. She embraced me from her heart. Her eyes spoke of the richness of her essence. There was no sizing me up; no holding back to try and figure me out..... No, Momma J just chose to love on me.   We spent very little time together but I was very mindful of her. I mean, here was the woman who was going to ‘Momma’ my baby sis going forward. We had dinner with her family before I left, and I by the end of that evening I had decided that she had adopted a second daughter (Me, that is ...and whether she wanted to or not, lol). So in reading her BB message today, my heart went out warmly again at the thought that this woman whom I had chosen to adopt, had chosen to see me as ‘her other daughter’ too.   Momma J had texted ‘I simply love...’ and I can’t help but think that truly, she simply is love. This is my tribute to you Momma J. Truly, I simply love you right back.   Thinking about Momma J reminded me about the love of God. This is a love that continually amazes and overwhelms me. When we come to God we don’t need to worry about Him sizing us up. We don’t need to worry if He will think we are good enough for His company. We don’t need to worry if we will have clashing personalities. We don’t need to worry if we will find common ground, or be able to make conversation with Him. We don’t need to worry if we are in the same social class. We don’t need to worry if we will make a good enough impression; if we are dressed right, etc.   God loves us exactly as we are and exactly where we are. He for sure does not love any imperfections or sins in our lives, but He loves us individually and unequivocally. He hates the sin but He loves the sinner....and no, that’s not an empty cliché. God is love itself and  ......love simply loves ! Love does not judge; it does not prequalify; it does not condemn; it just opens up and accepts. The beauty of God is that right from the first time you meet with Him, He smiles at you from the depth of His being; He enfolds you in His deep, warm embrace; and He lets you know without a doubt that you are His other daughter , as special to Him as the next. Yes sis, it is so beautiful how from the first, and every single time you come to Him, God simply loves you and He loves on you. I love how God is always there, even when we stray. He is patient; He does not rub our noses in our mistakes; He just holds out His everlasting arms, always waiting in a ready embrace. I love how with God, I can truly be myself. I can’t hide because He knows all things anyway, yet I am comforted by the fact that I don’t even need to try to hide. He sees it as it is, and He sees me as I am. I love how even when I fall, He is always on hand to lift me. He is my biggest cheerleader when I am on the right path. He has no hidden agenda, but truly is concerned with what is best for me. I love how with God I can be weak, because He is my strength. I love how I can cry my heart out to Him, and mascara-streaked face and all He kisses the tears off my face.   As I think through how my interaction with Momma J  and the commandment of love, I find myself wondering if in any of my family relationships (direct or in-law) I am not reflecting the love of God and the Christ that is in me. I can think of a couple where perhaps I haven’t truly simply loved. I was saying to my husband last night that God has been chiding me a lot recently about a few relationships I am not handling as well as I ought. Specifically, God said to me that I would be so busy focusing on what I think are the big sins in my life, that if I was not careful, the smaller things I was not paying attention to would be my undoing. Oh dear! Thankfully, He also made clear the areas He needed me to work on and I have set my feet squarely on those paths of restoration. I see His bringing Momma J and this message to me today, as a reminder to simply love on His every other daughter (or son) whom He has brought into my space.   I encourage you to look at your love walk sis. Look at your relationships, especially with family. Be sure that you are simply loving on everyone as best you can, for these are the other daughters and sons of the most High God. And if we are to truly claim that God is in us, and that He is the hope of our glory...... then His love must shine through us  - in a ready smile, in a warm embrace, and in an authentic simple love. I saw this in Momma J. I pray she saw this in me.... as I pray I will see this in you my sister.   Be blessed.... for you truly are!