How Do You Measure Love?
When I was in my early twenties, I found myself in a place I never thought I’d be. I always dreamed of being rich and famous. In fact, my first goal was to be a famous photographer and driving a Porsche by the time I turned 25. It was a wonderful dream.
Instead, at the age of 24, I became pregnant. An event in my life I truly wanted to avoid. In fact, I was proud of myself for being careful so when I heard the results from my doctor, I felt as if my body betrayed me. More so because I knew I wasn’t cut out to be a mother.
I was career driven. I wanted to be a success and a person of importance. In fact, I felt uncomfortable around babies.
I was faced with a serious decision—do I abort, adopt, or be responsible, and keep the child?
For me, abortion, was not an option.
I witnessed first-hand how adoption can be heart wrenching and a decision that some people live to regret. I didn’t want to be faced with that outcome.
However, if I was a mature 24-year-old, I would’ve made the decision to adopt. Because I was not mother material. I was a little girl trying to raise a baby and my thought was—how hard could it be? Children are precious, innocent, a joy to love and embrace. But I knew nothing of how to be a mother.
The years of raising my child were chapters in my life mixed with joy, frustration, disappointment, guilt, and regret.
I felt guilty being a single parent and believed I was a major disappointment to my parents.
I was embarrassed, ashamed, and considered myself reckless and irresponsible.
I regretted he had no father figure.
I struggled being consistent with discipline.
However, I gave my all to him. I encouraged him to be the best he could be. Always told him I loved him. Now, that he’s grown into an adult, we celebrate our close relationship.
It’s no secret, parents question how they raise their children. If they’re guiding them in the right direction, giving them advice they need to hear, believing in them even when they make decisions you don’t agree with. Moreover, making sacrifices to ensure you’re there to support them.
Despite my trials as a parent, I can’t help thinking about our Heavenly Father. The sacrifice He made with His only Son, how He guides and teaches us through the written word. How He speaks to His children who’ve dedicated their lives to Him.
I don’t know about you, but I couldn’t imagine for a second, sacrificing my son. He is the most precious person in my life.
I’m quite certain, Jesus is precious to our Heavenly Father. Yet, He had Him sacrificed so you could be saved. Why?
This is important. When Jesus died, His body was completely drained of blood. And when you’re saved, your sins are cleansed by His blood. If you want to cast out demons, its done using the words ‘in the blood of Jesus’.
Throughout scripture, blood is referenced from the onset through sacrifices of goats and lambs. I admit, I found it disturbing until you understand the message. God was preparing His people for the coming of His Son and the meaning behind His ultimate sacrifice, so you could enter His Kingdom purified.
For the life of the flesh is in the blood. —Leviticus 17:11
Blood spilt is how you stand before God cleansed. It’s how He can communicate and develop a relationship with you, which He desires immensely. It’s His passion, as He loves you deeply, and sin separates you from Him. His intention—to break the barrier from Him being separated from you, His creation.
Pause for a moment and meditate on these words ‘God sacrificed His only Son, so as sinners, He isn’t separated from you’.
I can’t even define the depth of love He has for you. To contemplate a millennial this heart wrenching plan so He can be with you. Yet, He left the choice for you to make. Only you can decide if you want to surrender, you’re all to His Son, Jesus, and be with Him. As it’s only through Jesus, you can be with the Father.
There are so many variables to living a spiritual life. Just like a parent, it’s making decisions for a positive and valuable outcome. It’s not something you decide upon instantly, you need to feel it.
I believe God is ever present even if you haven’t given your life to His Son. It’s written in scripture:
Psalm 91:11
‘For He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways.’
This can be interpreted as God sending His angels to His children; however, I believe He also sends His angles to guide you to Him.
This story is one I’ve never forgotten.
Mark was driving his Ford Pick-up truck with his girlfriend, Lacey. He’d an adventurous spirit, enjoyed the thrills of life and liked to drive fast. He approached a sharp corner on the road, misinterpreted the turn, lost control, and the truck flipped and rolled several times. Lacey remembers being encircled in a sphere of light. She walked away from the accident with a bruised elbow where, sadly, Mark, didn’t make it. When I heard this story, it gave me goosebumps, as the truck was heaps of metal. For her to walk away with only a bruised elbow was a miracle.
I had my own experience before I returned to being a Christian.
I’d been stuck in traffic and when it broke up, I sped up, and then realized the car in front of me wasn’t moving. I slammed on the breaks, heard a loud screeching sound behind me, as a yellow mustang swerved slightly into the next lane to avoid striking me. If that vehicle struck my car, I’d been sandwiched between two vehicles. My heart pounded in my chest, and I could barely breathe. When I told my mom, she said, “angels were watching over you.”
I believe God works in your life, as He wants you to be with Him. Through His Son, Jesus, the barrier of our sinful nature is broken, and you’re guaranteed a place with God in His house that has many rooms.
John 14:2, Jesus said:
“In My Father’s house are many rooms; if that were not so, I would have told you, because I am going there to prepare a place for you.”
Jesus prayed daily, receiving guidance from His Heavenly Father to teach you the cost of sin and how to live your life according to the will of the Father.
As parents, we want our children to follow our ways, or our ‘will’, as you want to teach and guide them to make good decisions, be equipped to handle all life has to offer. You may also rely on friends, or siblings, for advice to help you with difficult decisions. It’s the same with our Heavenly Father, he sends angels to help and guide you, however, His vastness of love for you came at a price. The sacrifice of His Son.
He is the perfect loving, Father. There is no one else like Him. He is our creator, the giver of life. He didn’t create sin, the devil did. And its sin that separates us from being with Him.
I like to imagine how God feels at this given moment. All He’s done to encourage us to surrender to His Son, Jesus. Yet, many don’t believe in Him or His Son.
Our spirituality is split, like pieces of a puzzle, with nearly 4,000 recognized faiths globally. The five main faiths include Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. There are many others, one of which, is new age, which is growing in numbers. A culture that believes humans are energy in a human body, connected to Mother Nature, and elemental forces—wind, water, air, fire, and manifesting your own reality. A practice I fell into when I was searching for spiritual answers. It’s an indoctrination where Jesus is placed as an ascended master and an equivalent to Buddha and not the Son of God. It leads you down a path of lies and trickery (read my testimony to learn more).
There is no doubt we search for answers, as we all want peaceful, happy, joyful lives.
The only way I know to have eternal peace in your heart is through, Jesus Christ. With Jesus at your side, imagine the difference in parenting. Your ‘will’ would change to His Father’s ‘will’ in how your children are raised. Equipped as a warrior:
1 Thessalonians 5:8-9
..... putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.
It’s a leap in Faith to believe in someone you can’t see. However, when you read scripture, it changes you. God whispers changes in your heart while you sleep and some experience instant changes, where others change overtime as God molds you into the person He created.
Take the movie, ‘I Can Only Imagine’. It’s the true story of Christian singer / songwriter, Bart Millard, for the band, Mercy Me. Bart had a complicated relationship with his abusive father. A person you’d never imagine changing, as he was physically and verbally abusive.
Yet, inspired by Bart, he began to read the Bible, and was transformed. He changed into a loving father. A father who followed the ‘will’ of our Heavenly Father.
You can choose to be a child of God, have your children raised by the ‘will’ of our Heavenly Father, however, it’s your ‘will’ that makes the choice.
God Bless,
Hi, I’m Cathy.
A blogger, photographer, author, passionately driven to pointing people away from new age indoctrination to find redemption in Jesus Christ.
I’m a mixed blend, excited to share all I offer...
Blog-Twisted Roots
Do you find yourself asking questions about new age, whether the practices and beliefs are leading your soul to redemption?
As a reformed new ager, I was saturated in the belief I could co-create with the universe and manifest a life of abundance. But I was deceived. This blog is to point you to the truth of God’s words and how He perceives the new age indoctrination.
Fine Art Photography
I always dreamed of being a professional photographer when I grew up. It was a journey to reach this goal, but I did it!
I owned a home-based studio for over a decade but have been shooting images for two decades. Now, semi-retired, I have a collection of my most cherished images of landscape or nature available for wall décor.
