{my images are free goodies for you to enjoy & share}
I felt the tickle begin at the back of my throat. I silently told my body, “Fight back. You can’t get sick this week.” But by the next morning my pounding head, aching muscles and chattering teeth from chills told me I’d lost the battle. I curled up under the covers and thought about my long to-do list.
It was launch week for my new book You’re Loved No Matter What: Freeing Your Heart from the Need to Be Perfect. And while I could reschedule meetings and postpone other projects, there was nothing I could do to change when the book released. Several days into my illness a friend asked, “What do you think God is trying to tell you during this time?”
I responded, “It feels like I’m living the message of my book to the extreme. Not only can I not be perfect…I can’t perform at all.” Until I put it into words I hadn’t caught a glimpse of the unexpected gift hidden in my uncomfortable, inconvenient circumstances–God was reminding me all over again that my worth isn’t based on what I do but on Who I belong to. As soon as I hit “send” on that message to my friend I clicked over to facebook and this was the first thing I read:
It sure felt like a little love note from Jesus.
I don’t know what you’re facing this week. Maybe a mountain of must-do’s you feel powerless to climb. Maybe a relationship that is full of disappointment. Maybe a dream that seems to only lead to discouragement. Whatever it is I want to whisper this to your heart: God will finish the work He wants done in your life. That’s not your burden to bear.
Your real job is to live loved.
To remember you’re a treasured daughter.
To trust you don’t have to prove your worth.
To believe nothing can separate you from God’s love {Rom. 8:35-39}.
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. {Rom. 8:38-39}
How would your version of that verse read?
For I am convinced that neither __________________ nor ___________________ will be able to separate me from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
I’d love for you to leave a comment sharing your answer. Mine would have said:
For I am convinced that neither the flu nor deadlines and to-do lists will be able to separate me from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
It took my body a bit longer to get better but as soon as I remembered that truth it was well with my soul again. I pray the same will be true for you–that wherever you are, whatever you’re going through you’ll find rest in God’s perfect, unconditional love for you.
XOXO
Holley Gerth
*****
Welcome to the Coffee for Your Heart weekly link-up! You’re an encourager so I’m asking you to pour out a little love with your words every Wednesday {link-up goes live at 5:30am CST}. Simply write an encouraging blog post and then share it here. Don’t have a blog? You can still write an encouraging comment. If you’re reading this by email, go to holleygerth.com to see all the fun and join in too.
Giveaway and Optional Writing Prompt: For the next few weeks, the Wednesday posts are going to be about getting free from the pressure to be perfect. I’ll have an optional writing prompt for you about that topic. If you write about it, link up and include my new book You’re Loved No Matter What: Freeing Your Heart from the Need to Be Perfect in your post somewhere, you’ll be entered to win a God’s Heart for You necklace {thanks to DaySpring for providing the necklaces!}. If you don’t have a blog, you can share today’s post on Facebook, leave a comment here saying you did and answer the prompt in your comment.
The prompt for today was: Where do you think pressure to be perfect comes from and what can we do about it?
Next Wednesday’s prompt is: Part of getting free from the pressure to be perfect is knowing nothing can separate us from God’s love. Write a post about your version of Romans 8:38-39 {see above}.
photo by The Nester
Pretty please use this button in your blog post so others can easily join in with us {html code in right sidebar}. And when you link up your post, take a moment to leave an encouraging comment on the one that’s linked up just before yours. Thanks, friends!
I’m having Coffee For Your Heart with my friend Holley Gerth
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