White Button Down: Old Navy | Leather Vest: Forever21 | Ripped Boyfriend Jeans: Aeropostale | Fringe Bucket Bag: JustFab | Shoes: Steve Madden
Love: One Size Fit All
Many times an outfit can speak volumes. An outfit choice is usually correlated to a season. Not just seasons in terms of climate and weather, but seasons of lessons, relationships, and growth. One of the most important lessons that brings growth is learning how to love one’s self.
There’s nothing more rewarding than waking up every day loving ourselves; Jesus encouraged us to “Love your neighbor as you love yourself (Matthew 22:39). But, let’s be real. Truly loving ourselves is one of today’s biggest challenges. It has taken me about 4 years to actually learn what love is and what it looks like to genuinely love myself.
Looking back at the process, I can remember the foolish things I would do so another person could, sadly, love me too. And, I say sadly because it wasn’t the right kind of love. Have you been there too?
You Are Chosen for Love, by Love
When you or someone else CHOOSES to love, you’re choosing it all – the good, the bad, the scary past. Love isn’t just an expression, it’s a verb that requires a constant commitment.
Every day without missing a beat, Jesus CHOOSES US (John 15:16) – even if our current mood or actions don’t choose Him. He says, “I’m willing to love you with your mess and all.” He’s in favor, in the mood, intentional about all of you. When this love begins to sink into our hearts and minds, we’ll slowly digress from the world’s definition of love.
If friends, significant others, mentors, family members, YOURSELF, are not loving all of you, then it’s time to re-evaluate those areas in your life. There’s no way in heaven that you could carry out healthy relationships with yourself or others without loving yourself correctly.
When you believe in your heart that you are worthy of love, your mind will start to act on that thought, and you will freely choose yourself and others daily.
Once I accepted this truth, my relationship with God grew. The way I treated myself changed and the way I treated others and/or allowed others to treat me also changed.
We were created by love, to love, and to be loved.
So LET GO and start to… LOVE!
