Christian
Encouragement

Welcome! This page is dedicated to providing a place where you can read about other Christians, perhaps like yourself, and how they've dealt with trials and struggles in their walk with Christ. Everyone on this page has expressed their willingness to receive e-mail from anyone reading their stories that might want to write to them. If you find that you can identify with one of the stories here, maybe because you're going through the same thing, and would like to ask that person for advice, or you would just like to write to someone that you feel might understand, please don't hesitate to use the e-mail button by their name. Each month a new question will be asked, and the results posted for you to read.


This month's question:
Why do you love the Lord?

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Katie: Well, first of all, you have to understand what kind of background I came from. I was raised (NOT) in a poor home, and (NOT) in a rich home either. My dad was very abusive toward the ENTIRE family all the time I was growing up. My mom was always too afraid of him to really do ANYTHING because of the FEAR of my dad beating her or us kids. I hardly had ANY friends the entire time I was in school, and was always picked on and made fun of as a child. I was ALWAYS craving for someone, ANYONE to love me, but NEVER found that LOVE until the Lord JESUS stepped on the scene. Yeah, sure my mom and four brothers loved me, but I always felt as if there were something MISSING in my life. I tried to fill that void with drugs, alcohol, music (MOSTLY rock-n-roll), and sex! The reason why I left home wasn't just because I wanted to get married, but to be REBELLIOUS! I wanted to just GET AWAY FROM HOME!!! I went bar-hopping A LOT when I moved away from home, and got myself in some of the tightest jams that you can imagine. I got to the point where I said to myself, "WHAT'S THE USE?" That is when JESUS stepped onto the scene and totally changed my life. Before I came to the Lord, I witnessed the MOST PURE LOVE EVER! And that was PEOPLE LOVING ME! I mean they didn't know ME from Adam, and the two people who led me to Jesus loved me unconditionally. It didn't matter to them that I was a drug addict and alcoholic. They saw past my faults, and found my NEEDS. They spent A LOT of time just absolutely LOVING ME. I had NEVER experienced that kind of love before, and I knew IMMEDIATELY that this was what I was looking for! To sum it up? They led me to JESUS, and HE accepted ME just as I am. In essence, I love the Lord because HE loved ME first. The word of God says in Luke Chapter 7 verse 47, [47] "Wherefore I say unto thee, her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little." I was the chiefest of ALL sinners, and JESUS even loves ME!!!!! That is WHY I love the Lord!!! *Food for Thought* If JESUS can forgive ME, HE can forgive ANYONE!!! God Bless You Always! Love Katie French!

Katie (35 years old)

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Dave: When I try to think of an answer to this question, the only thing that keeps coming to mind is, "How can I NOT love the Lord?" The thought of not loving Him is inconceivable to me. He has done so much for me and my family that I couldn't even begin to list everything. He's there every second of every every hour of every day for me. He's been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. Even during the "bad" times (from our perspective), He has been there strengthening me, and encouraging me. He's the True Friend, that I can tell anything in the world to, and no matter how bad it was, or how badly I may have stumbled, or how angry or upset I may get because something might've happened that I didn't like, He forgives me, and lets me know that, through it all, He loves me, and will never leave me nor forsake me. He's the Father that I can run to in any circumstance, and find comfort and shelter in His arms, and even if chastisement is necessary, His love is perfect toward me. That kind of love is irresistable.

Why do I love the Lord? Because it's impossible for me not to love Him.

Dave (34 years old)

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Penny: Before I was a believer I don't remember loving the Lord. I have to say that we all start once we've accepted Christ. First of all I'd have to say I love Him for dying on the cross for me. We all can say that, I'm sure. I know He has commanded us to love Him first. I have to admit it's hard to do sometimes. I guess overall I have to say I love Him because He's always there for me. I know I can call out to Him when needed, and when I just want to talk and tell how I feel. He's there and understands too.

Penny (27 years old)

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Dana: Why do I love the Lord? It's so hard to put it in mere words. He is so powerful, so all-knowing, so prepared for every situation, so eager for eternity with us. He was so willing to sacrifice on our behalf. He's so willing to share Himself with us, and form relationships that we never want to do without again.

When I look at the BIG picture...heaven, I am amazed at how He showed us what He had in mind by the construction of the temple. He showed us his desire to rescue us through the Exodus. He revealed our oneness with Christ through the ark and the flood. He had it all planned out to show us to Himself.

And so, I guess my answer goes back to the old hymn that says, "I love Him because He first loved me." He proves it over and over again, not just in scripture, but in my own life. He arranges circumstances in my life according to His plans for my future. I can't seem to do that very well for my own kids, but He does it for all of His. What a loving Father! What an amazing God.

Dana (37 years old)

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Shane: The reason why I love the Lord Yeshua (Hebraic for Jesus) is plain and simple. It's because He loved me first! I know what kind of a selfish, lusting, nasty, prideful, mean, vindictive, rotten person I am without Him. I know because that is the way I lived for most of my adult life, until I met Him personally. But "I was a good person" based upon my own opinion of myself. "I had no need for a Savior." Or so I thought. When I look back at my life through the "eyes" of the Holy Spirit, I can see clearly how I was in His view. Let's face it, there is no way a guy like me could ever love the Lord based upon his own resources. It's impossible. Only after seeing what He did for me, and learning how He loved me so much - first. Only then could I love Him back. That is why I love the Lord, because He loved me first.

Shane (26 years old)

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Betty: First, and the most obvious response: He saved me. He made a place in Heaven for me. He forgave me for all the AWFUL, UGLY, HORRIBLE things I had done. HE knew all these things about me, and HE didn't care!!!!!! HE took me anyway! At the point in my life when NO-ONE wanted me, when NO-ONE thought much of me, HE said, "It doesn't matter to Me, I forgave you at the cross, so just believe Me, and be My child."

I owe my whole life to GOD. I owe my family's life to GOD. I owe my wonderful marriage to GOD. I owe the Miraculous lives of my children to GOD. I owe my changed heart to GOD. I owe it all to HIM.

You may not understand, unless you have experienced this yourself, but when you're truly worthless, and GOD, who has every right to judge and hold you responsible for your behavior, says, "It doesn't matter. I forgave you long ago. Just come home to Me, My child. I have loved you always!" You LOVE HIM!!!!! You're thankful to HIM, you want to make HIM happy because HE made you so happy. You want to love HIM the best you can, because HE loved you better than anyone ever has or could.

Yep, I LOVE GOD!!!! I ALWAYS WILL!!!!!

Betty (35 years old)

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Kathy: Simply, because He knows what it's like to be human and tempted...that He would have stooped to our level to relate to us, but more so, to save us.

Kathy (36 years old)

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Rafael: I love God because of the way He is, and the way He has acted in my life. You just need to look at His Word, and when you believe in Him, and you let Him be your purpose in life, loving Him is like breathing. Every sunset, breeze, or ray of sunlight should move us to tears when we realize with how much love He created that for us. Even when He knew that we would reject Him and kill Him, He came to us to sacrifice Himself in our place.We didn't deserve that. We all deserve to die for our sins, but no matter how many times we fall, He is there to carry us in His arms back to the flock and heal our pains.What else can we do but love Him with all our hearts, never understanding why He loves us so much, when sometimes we hurt Him so much? He is so special and tender with us that I can only cry, and hold on to Him with all my soul, and give to Him my whole self.

Rafael (18 years old)

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Leslie: I love the Lord because He literally picked me up when I was in the gutters of hell. When I had no hope for the future, nothing to look forward to, He reached out to me and let me know that He desired to be my future. Me! A nobody, a nothing. He showed me that He loved me, and desired for me to love Him too. He took the weight of my burdens and lifted them from me, and set me free to enjoy a peace that passes ALL understanding, and filled me with an unspeakable joy!

I love the Lord because He is faithful, He is Holy and Just and nothing can compare to serving the Most High God. I was purchased with the sacrifice of the shed blood of an innocent Lamb, Jesus. Me..who the world could care less about. His blood was shed for you too!

John 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

Leslie

Leslie (35 years old)

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Leslie used this poem in her answer to February 1997's question. I liked it so much that I decided to keep it posted here.

"Broken Dreams"

As children bring their broken toys with tears for us to mend,
I brought my dreams to God, because He was my friend.
But then instead of leaving Him in peace to work alone,
I hung around and tried to help with ways that were my own.
At last I snatched them back and cried,"How can You be so slow?"
"My child," He said,"What could I do? You never did let go."


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