Loving like Jesus and my thoughts on Orlando.

"Just love them like Jesus, carry them to Him
His yoke is easy, His burden is light
You don't need the answers to all of life's questions
Just know that He loves them and stay by their side
Love them like Jesus

Lord of all creation holds our lives in His hands
The God of all the nations holds our lives in His hands
The Rock of our salvation holds our lives in His hands
He cares for them just as He cares for you."

-Casting Crowns

I found myself alone in church this morning, not even my husband-the pastor was there, when this song came on in the sanctuary where I was sitting having my breakfast. Life as church planters, or anyone in ministry for that matter, is exhausting and it's mostly an emotional exhaustion. Don't get me wrong I am in no way complaining. I wholeheartedly believe that the Lord has given us this burden for purpose and for reason and I 100% disagree with the statement that "God doesn't give us more than we can handle" because He does! Not to make much of us but to make much of HIM.

Sometimes my human nature takes over on Saturday night and Sunday morning and Monday and Tuesday and Wednesday and Thursday and Friday, and well... you get the picture, with total frustration with people and ministry and just daily tasks that I lose sight of the ONE and only thing I was ever called to do and that is to LOVE THEM LIKE JESUS.

There have been few times where I have felt the Lord speak to my heart ever so powerfully(and oh how I pray you have felt this even if ONCE in your life) and this was one of them-yesterday morning. My heart was terribly convicted and yet so passionately on fire.  I sat in the front row trying to eat my breakfast when finally I gave up and threw my pregnant self on my knees and prayed the lyrics of this sweet song like I had never heard it before even though I have heard it a thousand and one times before.

I remember super early on in our ministry I was fresh out of Bible college when we began planting our church and I felt like I was equipped to do so much. I had taken Philosophy 104, 201, Theology 104, 201, 202, Survey of Biblical Literature, Survey of Youth Ministries, Evangelism 101, Old Testament Survey, New Testament Survey, Creation Studies, Christian Counseling, Counseling Woman(I checked my transcripts for these), all this to say I thought I was ready for ministry. 

The Lord has quickly showed me that I didn't need any of that, have I used it? Sure. But not nearly as much as I thought I would have. Have I loved them(those in our congregation and community) like Jesus? Sure, but not nearly as much as I should of/be.
I have one main call in my life and that is to LOVE THEM LIKE JESUS, and carry them to HIM because I don't need all the answers and I don't need all those fancy religious classes.

My only thoughts regarding the Orlando nightclub tragedy:

The way to battle this kind of evil is to overcome it with love according to Jesus who, by the way, would be smack in the middle of Orlando if he was still walking around down here, attending to wounds and souls and beloved hearts. Put your arms around your friends and family members and speak love and solidarity and presence and hope into their lives.