I keep seeing it. All ages. All backgrounds.
It doesn’t belong to only one culture, one financial class, or one anything.
It’s common ground for all of us. Where our differences are immaterial.
It’s where we can look into the eyes of the sister next to us and recognize a place of longing coming from the depths of her soul.
A longing that says,
I want to feel loved for simply being me. I want to stop searching and have this settled once and for all. No more wavering or questioning. No more entertaining the whispers of the enemy. I want to feel loved beyond the shadow of a doubt so that I may step out in confidence
taking risks,
chasing dreams,
and setting boundaries.
I think in each of us, that longing presents itself differently. In some it is the walls built tall and wide around our hearts and in others the repetitive poor relationship choices. It is the roller coaster emotions and sadness that grip tightly like a vice around our hearts.
But in each of us it is the search. The search for the “someone” or “something” that will make us feel complete. And in each of us, it is the pain when that “someone” hurts us or when the thrill of that “something” wears away.
That’s when the whispers begin. They lurk around eventually finding their way in securing a foothold within our thoughts.
Maybe your whispers question your worth? Your value? Your abilities? Do they taunt you? Leaving you wondering if you are even lovable?
Where do we turn? Where do we look to validate our worth?
Our spouses? Friends? Careers? Possessions?
And even …
Yes … even our children.
Where do you turn to find your worth?Is it working? #21daychallenge #printablescripture #findyourworth Click To Tweet
If we really examine much of why we become frustrated or angry with our children, it often is because they have behaved in a way that make us appear unable to control them or parent well. We somehow deduce our worth as a parent has become sub par due to their actions or choices.
Friends, I am there with you. I fall prey to those whispers. My heart has the same longing. I, too, hear the enemy whisper …
“You …
aren’t good enough”
“can’t do this”
“fell short … again”
“are unlovable”
But I also know we have a weapon against that thinking. I know there is a truth bigger than any ugly whisper the enemy doles out. There is a fulfillment for that deep longing in our souls.
So, I want us to join together, receive, and delight in the only love that will fully satisfy the longings of our hearts.
Let's join together,receive,and delight in the only love that will fully satisfy the longings of our hearts #21daychallenge Click To Tweet
Together, I want to tackle LOVE. A love beyond the surface and into the hearts of who we are. Into the heart of how very much we are loved.
Today, let’s challenge each other. Challenge each other to STOP trying to fill the longing in our hearts with people and things. But instead, let’s fill our hearts with God’s love – the only love big enough, pure enough, and perfect enough to reflect our tremendous worth. Let us find an unconditional delight in His love.
Here’s the plan.
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I’ve broken this into 4 posts covering today and my next three posts.
Fully knowing God. His majesty, His power, His perfection.
Grasping the depth of God’s love for us and how His love differs from all others.
11 True Stories of Redeeming Love
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Each week, I will give you 7 Bible verses that correlate directly to the week’s truth.
I am providing a printable card version of these verses so that you can print and keep them with you each day. You can print more than one and stick them around the house so you can be reminded at all times! (They are free, too! Click here, here, here, here, and here. You don’t even have to sign up or subscribe! Although, I’d love to have you stay for the long-term!)
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Extra.
I learn best from using a variety of learning modalities so I like to hear it, read it, and write it. I’m not good at journals or organizers. I need something quick and at hand. So, if you are anything like me, you just might love this idea. I grab a dry erase marker and write verses on my bathroom mirror! It’s quick, easy, and in a place I can’t miss each day! It wipes away with a towel or tissue in a microsecond, too!
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Repeat the verses each day. Several times. The more the better.
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Pray. Here is an example to get you started.
Heavenly Father, You are love. Your love is a vastness beyond our comprehension, but yet I look away from it and to the people and things in my life to fulfill the deepest longings of my heart. To fulfill my worth. Lord, please forgive me. Make me aware of Your majesty. May my eyes be filled with the wonder of You and my heart be filled with the unconditional delight of Your love. Lord, I ask You to surround me with Your hedge of protection and fill me with wisdom and discernment so that I recognize lies and can replace them with truth. Lord, may Your Word be instilled within the deepest crevices of my mind, my heart, and my soul now and forever. In Your precious and holy Name I pray. The Name of Jesus. Amen
So, are you with me? Let’s go!
Week 1 – Fully Knowing God
Our God is so powerful.
So majestic.
So mighty.
When we fully grasp this truth, our hearts will have no choice but to burst. And likewise, until we can fully fathom the depth and breadth of Him, we cannot possibly grasp the depth of His love and thus not delight in it.
The scriptures I chose this week are those that simply reveal the wonder of God. The wonder that can leave us weak-kneed, drop-jawed and speechless. Friends, our God is so great big and so powerful. Once we grasp that and then comprehend His love, we have no choice but to be moved and transformed!
O Sovereign LORD, you have begun to show to your servant your greatness and your strong hand. For what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do the deeds and mighty works you do? –Deuteronomy 3:24 NIV
For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes. –Deuteronomy 10:17 NIV
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. -Hebrews 13:8 ESV
print page 1 scripture cards here
Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. -Isaiah 40:28 ESV
But ask the beasts, and they will teach you; the birds of the heavens, and they will tell you; or the bushes of the earth, and they will teach you; and the fish of the sea will declare to you. Who among all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind. -Job 12:7-10 ESV
These are just the beginning of all that he does, merely a whisper of his power. Who, then, can comprehend the thunder of his power? -Job 26:14 NLT
print page 2 scripture cards here
How great is our Lord! His power is absolute! His understanding is beyond comprehension! -Psalm 147:5 NLT
print page 3 scripture cards here
Finally, friends, I pray God will use these words for His good. That He may walk you to a deeper into relationship with Him and give the joy and peace that comes from unconditionally delight in His love. If I can pray for you along the way, I would be honored. I always love to connect with you whether by comments, email, or social media. If this is your first visit, you may want to sign up to receive each new post with all the extra freebies via your email inbox 🙂 I’d love to get to know you!
See you next week for Part 2! – Grasping the depth of God’s love for us and how His love differs from all others.
This is a beautiful challenge and thoughtful post given your struggle with your medical issues. I hope you are feeling better! It’s so true how we’re always looking to be filled by relationships, and anything but God. We all need to go deeper into scripture, and you offer beautiful ones, to help us anchor in God’s love! Take extra good care of you these weeks as you fill your heart with God’s love and word!
Thank you so much, Kathy! I have had some good days. They are doing some treatments to ablate the nerves causing the migraines. It is a long-ish process, not immediate, but I am super hopeful!!! I love how you say “anchoring” in His love. It truly is the source of freedom. Getting them and staying there can be tough, though, right?! I do think that once we are there and experience that deep-into-our-souls feeling, even when we slide or begin to hear the whispers of lies, we recognize it and with good habits can get back to resting in Him! Thanks so much for stopping by to visit me, sweet friend!
“God’s love – the only love big enough, pure enough, and perfect enough to reflect our tremendous worth.” Amen to this and the prayer! Yes, we all have that longing in us and we can so easily try to fill it with people or things, but only God’s powerful love can fill us. I love this post, Lori. Thank you!
Trudy, I’m so glad you enjoyed this and felt encouraged! Thank you, friend, for being the BEST!
Lori, I forgot to mention how sorry I am that your health issues are putting more limitations on you. I know by experience how troubling that can become. Hang in there and be gentle with yourself. I am blessed by your writing on whichever day your post comes out. 🙂 May’s God’s love help you through this!
This may have been the sweetest comment I have ever received. Thank you so much, Trudy. You are a treasure!
This sounds like a great study! I’m on the easier side of parenting now–our girls are 23 and almost 22–but the most difficult year for us was last year. When your kids are ‘bigs’ instead of ‘littles’ there’s still a lot of moments when the evil one whispers in your ear!
Oh, Anita, I believe that! I am the youngest of my siblings and had children later while they had them younger. I have watched them all become parents of adults and even grandparents. Our hearts are forever held by our children – whether they are young or old. And where our hearts lie, the enemy will attack! I am so sorry last year was so difficult. I am praying it is in the past and the future is filled with much more good than difficult! Thank you so much for visiting!
So true and well said, Lori! I especially love the scripture cards you suggested. There was a time probably 30 years or so ago when I was encouraged by a pastor to do that. I carried index cards with me everywhere I went until they were dog-eared and coffee stained to knead into my heart the truth of God’s love for me and who He said I was in Him. It had a tremendous power in my life during that time to give me a foundation of truth to rest on when I am tempted to doubt or question myself in relation to Him or anyone else!
Visiting as your neighbor on #Women with Intention. Thanks so much for this great post!
Pam, I so LOVE the image of you with those cards – worn and dog-eared. The signs of love. Of use. Thank you for this testimony from your life. It made my heart smile and affirmed I am following God’s will in this challenge! Thank you so much!
Nodding my head in agreement with you girl. I’m reading the book “Fervent” and seeing all the ways the devil tries to derail us from our love of Jesus- condemnation sure is a favorite of his and he’ll stop at nothing to trick us into thinking we’re unworthy or unlovable. You’ve pinpointed the most worthwhile weapon against it- God’s word. And it’s funny because I’ve been toying with making some scripture cards too! Love yours! ♥ Thanks for an uplifting and inspiring post! God’s got you my friend♥
Hi Heather, Thank you so much! I haven’t read “Fervent” yet, but it sounds like something I’d love! I spent way too much of my life listening to those lies from the enemy. I pray the words God has given me work to lead others to the same freedom I found in Him. We all need to be aware of the enemy – recognizing him and stopping him in his tracke! Thank you so much for visiting!!!
Lori, this sounds like a wonderful study and I can’t wait to follow along. I pray the Lord gives healing and strength for you. Have a beautiful weekend, my friend! Thank you for linking up with Thankful Thursdays.
Hi Lori 🙂 I am so glad you are following along! I’ll also ask you to pray God uses these words to grow others closer to Him and find His freedom! Thank you so much for the prayers. The most recent treatment seems to be bringing some relief! Praise God! Now if I can just not spend most of my days running to and from doctor’s offices for me or one of my kiddos!!! Thank you so much for hosting each week, friend!
This is so beautiful, Friend. My heart keeps hearing the same whispers from God from so wonderful words like yours. I am loved! My value and my worth are based on God’s measurement of me. What a blessing. You are right, our hearts this week are tied to the same thoughts. Thank yo for sharing with us at Sitting Among Friends. I look forward to more from you. P.S. I love how your post was written.
Thank you so much, Jaime. You always make my heart smile!
Lori – Such a beautiful & encouraging post. While my children are grown, I now have 2 granddaughters whom I watch FT while their parents work each day. So in many ways, I still face those issues 🙂 yet in a different way. It is so true – to love others we must first love and accept the love the Father has towards us. I loved reading Job 26:14 this morning – to think all that He has already done is “merely a whisper of his power”. Astounding to think about so thank you!
May you get to feeling better soon! Blessings!
Hi Joanne,
Ooooo! I love that … “merely a whisper of His power” It gives me goosebumps! Those moments when we our hearts are blown away and humbled by Him are the best! It is so great that your granddaughters get to be loved on everyday by you! What a blessing for them… and you! I see my parents and their different interactions with grandchildren over the years and with all of us kids, and they do have those very same issues like you mention. Yes, a little different way, but yet a very real way!!! Thank you so much for visiting this week!
This is such a wonderful idea, and I know it will be a blessing to all who read and follow along. It’s so vital for us to know we are completely loved for who we are. It’s where we find our peace and purpose. Blessings!
Hi Tasha, Thank you so much for stopping back by! I’m still holding onto the last post I read of yours and want to incorporate it in this series! It was awesome!
Yes, the lies lurk and pounce when we are most vulnerable. I’ve learned all my worth is in Him and for Him. As long as I keep that truth front and center, the devil has lost his grip on my thoughts! Thank you for sharing!
Hi Carrie, I am praying you keep that truth front and center, my friend! You are amazing! Thank you for your beautiful heart and powerful words of encouragement each week!!!
Been thinking about you lots. I hope the treatment is helping, I know what it’s like to not feel good. And I know that you know that when we are going through something like this it may be happening so that we come to a better understanding of the pain of those around us. A higher degree of love and empathy. Wishing you the best. Miss you!
This is a great series, we all need to turn in to God more, and I am pinning so I can go over these verses again and again. We are enough, we are worthy, we are the children of God! xoxoox
Thank you, Nikki. You always have the best insights! I believe you are right. It truly does make us have a higher degree of empathy. The latest treatments seem to be bringing some relief. Praise God! They are time consuming, but relief is wonderful! Hopefully I will soon be back to interacting as much as before! And thank you for the kind words regarding the series. I truly pray God uses these words to walk others closer to Him so that they can find the same hope and freedom I have found! There is nothing better! 🙂 Hugs!!! Lori
That’s a beautiful challenge/activity to try for 21 days. And timely for it’s the love month. 🙂
Thanks so much, Lux! I am praying God does some great things with it! 🙂
What an amazing and challenging 21-days! Our hearts need to hear the truth over and over again. Committing it to memory certainly makes this possible!
I pray God uses this challenge to bring others closer to Him so they can experience the hope and freedom I did! Thank you so much for your encouraging words, Michele!
Lovely post. Your writing always makes me happy and smile Lori. Even when I see your comments on my posts too. (I must have told you my mother is Lori same spelling too) lol Thank you so much for linking up to Share With Me. I hope to see you again tomorrow for another great round of #sharewithme
I am so glad I make you smile! That makes my heart happy! You hadn’t mentioned before about your mom 🙂 I already love her! 😉 And thank you, my friend, for your beautiful community of bloggers!
I enjoy reading your posts so much, Lori! It is so hard finding that balance between putting those walls up and letting others in. I think this challenge is a wonderful idea, and I am so glad you shared your encouragement with #SocialButterflySunday! Hope to see you link up again this week! Blessings 🙂
Hi Kelly,
Your words are such an encouragement to me! Thank you! It is so difficult to find that balance. It takes intentional checks. I’ll be praying for that for you!
Hugs,
Lori