When loves walks in you can feel it...

Unfortunately only women will able to relate to this, but if you’ve ever been pregnant you know what I mean. Once the baby in gestation gets to around the 16 weeks you may begin to feel the baby move. As the baby grows the feelings get stronger and you can literally discern the shape of the baby. My oldest had her toes wrapped around my ribs for the entire third trimester and I could caress the heel of her foot quite discernibly. I knew what it was.
This is extremely exciting, it never got old with each of my pregnancies, even when uncomfortable, I was too in love too mind. I knew what I carried inside and I knew what I was going to get to hold.

The same is true with the Love of Heaven. It may take some time for God’s Love to penetrate a hurting soul or regions of the heart so buried they become completely unknown—but He is Gentle and Kind so He takes His time as to not make it too painful.

How can Love be painful?

Love is...

Love is all things good and pure and patient and sacrificing, giving of self for the benefit of another. Caring for another more supremely than caring for self. Love requires risk. Love requires trust. Love requires the humility to accept it. It can be hard to accept love especially when it comes with great sacrifice. But love gives...if it didn’t, it wouldn’t be love.

Love is all things lovely and golden.
Love will win you heart and soul and draw you in.
Love will compel you to want to change.
Love will watch over and protect you and compel you to do the same for others.
Love is gracious and forgiving when wrong is done.
Love has merit.
Love will go the distance.
Love wins, hands down, every time.

So if it’s so glorious to be loved why is it so hard to accept? Why does God sometimes take His time with it?

Love is like a flower. It begins as a seed and must be watered. The soul must have the right nutrient balance for optimal growth. The storms of life strengthen the tiny and tender stem to give it a resilience it is going to need further down the road. Love will bask the petals with sunshine and grow the roots deeper through all the soot the fires of life have brought. And as it grows, Love is patient. Love knows what’s coming and that blossom is worth the wait. Just like a Momma with her babe in the womb...just like Mary, belly full bloom, anxiously awaiting her Prince.

The Prince of Peace is coming for you. He was born in a manger surrounded by scandal and, well, feces. I bet the scene was pretty smelly. Not all that glamorous and definitely not the five star palace due His Worth. But He came and His Mother knew all she had been through—He was worth it.

The angels came and they sang sweet melodies to their King.

What is blooming inside of you?
Do you know how extraordinarily loved you are? There’s just something compelling and attractive inside you, like a magnet, pulling down God’s Love. The King of Heaven has taken great notice of you. He wants to bless you through and through.

Love takes time. He can wait, but for Mary’s sake, Love walked in and saves the day. He will save your days too, every one because Love Rescues.

So drink deep of love today.
Allow it to influence all you do and say. You are a beacon of His Light and oh how lovely you shine bright! Your branches are strong. Your limbs can carry what He’s given you. And just look at those blooms. Heaven looks mighty fine in you.

Merry Christmas Eve—
God created you for splendid things.
Have a Peace of His Love.

Wise men still seek Him.

"I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her (Luke 1:38).

-Nicole