Unconditional Love.

The past few months have been a whirlwind.  I have been learning, oh so much, but at the same time I also feel like I have not been truly processing everything that has been happening in my life. These past few months I have had some of the hardest times I have experienced with my friendships. It has been a roller coaster of emotions y’all. But now, taking time to look back at what has been happening, I get to see the full circle. I get to see the lesson that I learned, and that even though some things seemed to get lost in all of it, I got to learn more about myself and my own motives. God taught me more about the word love then I ever knew existed. I always thought that yeah, you love your family and friends, and yeah, if you have a boyfriend you “really” love that person, and oh, God loves us too. But my love was tested. Conflict arose, and there were choices I had to make. To act out of hatred or to act out of love. But I learned something that I want to share with you guys. Love is refined by pressure. I truly saw the love of Christ when I sat across from a dear friend of mine and allowed God’s love to abound when I had the chance for hatred to interfere. You see, there are going to be bumps in the road with our friendships and relationships. But how we handle them says so much of who we are. My love should not be of me. I want my love to be God’s overflowing love for me that it leaks out into the other areas of my life. Because if it were simply my love, it would be conditional. We are humans and our emotions are flighty. But God’s love will never forsake me. Not in my brightest nor darkest hour. Not when my friend hurts me or makes me beam with happiness. His love is never changing. His love is unconditional.“O, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of GodO, it chases me down, fights 'til I'm found, leaves the ninety-nineI couldn't earn it, and I don't deserve it, still, You give Yourself awayO, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God, yeah”This song, Reckless Love, has been so sweet to me lately. Picking love is hard. I have been in that boat lately, but it has been pushing my to really find myself in Christ. So my (late) New Years resolution is more of a act of faith. I have tried resolutions every year and generally fall short. So this year I am asking God to show me more about love than I could possibly imagine.  And just from the acts of boldness I have taken lately because of His love, I am trusting Him to do pretty amazing things. I invite you to do this with me. Take a leap of faith and allow God the space to move in your life. I promise you, He will not fall short. Will you walk in His love? 1 Corinthians 13 is a good place to start...words and photo by Abby PullicinSaveSaveSaveSave