Beloved...

Mama had the flu, so little blonde, blue-eyed, recently turned four year old granddaughter spent the night at Nana's.

I laid down next to her when it was bedtime and we read You Are Special by Max Lucado.

It's all about the Wemmicks, wooden people carved by the Master Woodcarver, Eli.

The Wemmicks, they give each other gray dots or gold stars, 

their identity found in how others label them.

Except for one Wemmick.

 No labels would stick on her.

Every day she spent time with the Master Woodcarver who told her who she really was.

She was His, 

created by Him,

 loved by Him

and that's the only label that really mattered.

I've worn many labels through the years,

daughter,

sister,

friend,

wife,

mama,

pastor's wife,

counselor,

teacher,

mentor,

and most every one of those labels I've worn proudly.

But the one that's the most me,

that's me right down to the core of who I am, 

is

BELOVED.

I don't know how it happened,

because I know that struggling to believe God's love for you is so common,

but somehow,

someway,

this little girl from a broken home,

this teenager that did her fair share of messing up,

this young wife and mama who made it through the day by grace alone,

this middle age woman who fought a two year battle with depression,

this 55 year old woman clickity-clacking away at this keyboard,

grew up with a deeply rooted awareness of God's love for her.

I am His beloved one.

I am accepted by Him.

He likes me.

I make Him smile.

Lots of times, I make Him laugh.

{I know this because He's the One Who gave me my ridiculously quirky sense of humor.}

When hard times have come, 

hurtful things have happened to me that I didn't deserve,

the enemy tries to whisper that I've believed a lie.

But I will not be shaken.

I will not be moved.

I will breath my last breath on this earth knowing that I am loved beyond measure.

In this knowledge, I know I am richly blessed.

I know it's a struggle for so many to believe and receive God's love.

I know I did nothing to earn or deserve His love.

It's simply that

I am His,

created by Him,

loved by Him

and so are you.

 So   Are   You.

And that's the only label that really matters.

Believe it.

Still following,