God Loves Me...And You

"Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us... that we should be called the sons of God." I John 3:1

My daddy was one of those men who, in many ways, refused to grow up. The true life Peter Pan. He was the one who would wait until you were just about to snap a picture, and then make bunny ears behind someone else's head, or stick his tongue out or tickle the grandchild in front of him.

He would ride the river rapids float at Six Flags "Just one more time" with my sister and I until there wasn't a dry spot left anywhere on him, challenge us to a Judge Roy rollercoaster marathon until he was green around the edges...and then take everyone out for Mexican food!

He wasn't above crawling on the floor to play cars with my son and he never batted an eye when my girls wanted him to play tea party. An ice storm was just a reason to slide down Grandma and Grandpa's hill on cardboard boxes. Lights going out during a thunderstorm was an excuse to make ice cream sundaes...even if it was an hour before dinner time...after all, no one knew how long the electricity was going to be off and the ice cream might all melt. Giggling girls who were supposed to be going to sleep were an excellent target for a well aimed pillow thrown from the doorway, which usually started...pillow wars.

At this time of year my thoughts always seem to turn to Dad. Liver cancer claimed his life June 30, 2004 and left a hole in my heart that is now filled with only memories. It's hard to believe he just celebrated his fourth anniversary in heaven, and even harder to believe how much it still hurts.

Some that will read this devotional will remember the year I lost my Dad, and how close I came to losing myself. Those were days filled with grief so deep, I wondered if I'd ever crawl out and days filled with sorrow so great, I didn't care if I ever did. But God in his infinate grace and mercy put people in my life that literally picked me up and carried me through that valley and out on the other side. At the end of the journey, their shoulders were wet from thousands of tears that had been shed as they'd held me, more often than not crying right along with me.

One of my favorite songs is called "God Loves You". The Chonda Pierce song is a sweet and simple reminder that no matter what our circumstances are: He is with us. We are not alone. He will see us through. And we are loved far beyond our imaginations.

We all have trials and brokennes, and lives that seem to be spinning out of control. We all have fears, and crushed dreams and feelings of failure. But I serve a God that is bigger than all of that. And He loves YOU.