Divine Love Letters (and winner announced!)

Hello to those of you who popped over after reading my devotion running on Proverbs 31 Ministry’s Encouragement for Today. If you haven’t read it yet, click here to view it so you can get caught up.

Do you remember passing those notes in class hoping a special someone would check the “yes” box and pass it back? I sure do. In fact, in this day and age of Facebook, I am reconnecting with old friends from high school and even grade school. How memories of those school days easily come flooding back when an old schoolmate becomes a new cyber-friend! It is fun to see how we’ve all grown and where we’ve gone.

As I look back over my life, I too want to see that my relationship with God has grown and changed. It started at a high school youth retreat as a desperate plea to try to make sense of my mixed-up teenage world where I dwelt in a home shattered by divorce. Now, 29 years later, I hope I can say that I love God more than I did back then.

However, there are times that I feel I have lost my first love; that I take God for granted. Because I know there is nothing I can do to earn His love and that I am promised heaven through His amazing grace, it is easy to set the spiritual gears on cruise and……well……just cruise!

But today, let’s think about these questions:

  • How would you rate your love of Christ right now? Cold? Lukewarm? On fire?
  • Was there a time in your walk with the Lord that your love and devotion for Him was very strong? Why? What happened to change it? More importantly, what steps do you need to take to rekindle that fire again? 

Leave us a comment with your thoughts.

Then, take time today to renew that love; to let God know that He is more than “just a friend” to you. Tell Him. Read  your Bible to hear from Him. Why, you could even write Him a love note! After all, He wrote you quite a long one, you know!

(* Now, I need to say “congrats” to Tammie Paul– comment left March 16 at 10:21 p.m.- you have won a Mom’s Brain in a Binder! Email me your address so you can begin to get those papers off of your fridge and kitchen counter and into your newly organized binder!!)

Have a day filled with love from and for God,

14 Comments

  1. Ms. Karen….I just wanted to let you know that I gave you an “award” on my blog. Now, I know how busy you are, and you definitely don’t have the time to check out everybody’s blog who leaves you a comment…but, I just wanted to let you know what an inspiration and blessing you are to so many people…including me!! I first saw you on a television show, shared your story with my daughter…and we’ve been “hooked” on your web-site and your devotionals ever since!!!
    May God continue to bless you. If you get a chance, check out my blog and see your little award…for an “ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE”!!!!

  2. Karen:
    I wrote a post on being lukewarm just today. Click on over to juliecoleman.blogspot.com to read it– it’s called “Loving Limas”. It is the latest edition of my weekly email devotional.

  3. Karen
    Amazing I too was very young when God first spoke to me it was something , I will never forget I was only 11 yrs old and it was at a retreat in upstate new york. I still today feel his unconditional love and I have been working on rekindling that fire. Thank you for the beautful message you put fourth may God continue blessing you and what you do.
    Judy

  4. Hi Karen.
    I enjoyed your devotional and blog entry. My pastor has
    been having sermons on the up and down of our devotion to Christ in our lives. For returning to our first love he had a
    formula==repent, remember, redevelop. On the day of a
    sermpn focusing on remember he gave some Psalm passages:
    Ps 91,92:1-2 God is above us therefore rejpoce
    Ps 23:3-4 Godis before me therefore rely on HIm
    Ps 27:1-6 God is with us Therefore risk for God
    Ps 63 God is around me Therefore run to Him
    Ps 139 God is everywhere Therefore relax in Him

  5. Great devo today!

    I love the little reminders that Christ is the great love of my life. Sometimes, just like with people, I start taking my relationship with him for granted. I know he is there, and will never leave, so I don’t do much to keep the relationship fresh and close.

    Thanks for the nudge!

  6. I was touched by your devotion today. As Christians, we do, too often, tend to set our gears on auto pilot without taking purposeful steps with the Lord every day. Your devotion reminded me of this today. Thanks!

  7. What a beautiful devotion this morning. :D Telling Jesus I love him is soooo important.

    Thank you for explaining the meaning of the words phileo and agape.

    Pleased to *meet* you through Encouragement for Today!

    Blessings, Nancy J

  8. Karen, my goodness how good God is! He has truly spoken through your words to me this morning. As my husband & I face a very familiar trial we wonder why it keeps coming up. I am concentratng on my heart this time, since after alomost 10 yrs. of marriage I have (almost) learned I can not control his. :)
    All to say I hear my Jesus saying “do you agape me this morning? today? through this familiar desert that I have placed you in AGAIN?? No, Kellie, do you REALLY agape me if things do not turn out the way you want them to? Do you agape me if your husband is treated unfairly and I take you to the familiar desert and then take off your shoes and make you walk on REALLY hot sand!?” Karen, what you have done is help Christ speak to me this morning along the lines that I was feeling him take me…do you agape me and only me? do you trust me and only me? do you want more of me and only me? may my heart’s cry be yes! Jesus, I agape you.

  9. Dear Karen,
    Your devotion really touched my heart this morning. Thank you so much for your ministry. I am currently in unknown territory with my walk with God and 2 of my 5 children. I have been saved since I was 10, but my walk with God has been more of a rollar-coaster than anything. I am an RN and have taken some time off to focus on my child who is in trouble – with drugs, with the law. It is so difficult to share my heart in such a short space, but I will try. I want God to have his way with me. I want to walk in faith for my children. I am at a loss as to how to deal with all this – even though I have been going through it for a few years already. But, on a positive note, I have recently discovered the website (The Proverb’s 31 Woman) and daily devotions that led me to your blog. I am daily touched by the devotions and truly thankful. God bless you. Thank you, again, for your ministry. Be encouraged that God is using you to touch lives for his sake.

  10. Praise God for you….thank you. I had always wondered that same question why Jesus asked Peter three times. Now, I have the understanding of the “love” being shared.

    Also, everyday, we must have that “on fire” love for Christ, not just when we want. Oh, and one more thing, how can I hear from him, if I am not in his word everyday? That was the reminder I needed today.

    In His Service,
    Cristina

  11. Good morning Karen, Oh did your P 31 devo bring back memories. I was the queen of notes and found myself forever in trouble. I wrote more notes to friends in school than taking notes from the teacher! I love God’s love note to me. Thanks for reminding us how much He loves us and the extent He will go to inform us.

  12. I loved your devotion this morning, Karen. It brought back a flood
    of memories. Sure made me smile.

    Thank you for reminding us to return to our first love.

    Blessings,
    Cheri

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