Todd grinned. “I like you a lot”
“I like you a lot, too” [Christy]
“I like you more,” Todd said.
“No, I like you more.”
Todd leaned forward and with the warmest glow ever in his clear blue eyes, said, “I love you, Kilikina.”
Christy froze. She couldn’t make her lips part. She couldn’t push out the words. A single tear was all that escaped her heart and raced down her cheek.
Todd moved his chair over so that he was right next to Christy. He kept his hand in hers. With patient, gentle words he said, “You don’t have to respond, Christy. I don’t want you to feel pressured. Ever. In any way. Just let me love you, okay?” He leanaed over and kissed the tear where it clung to the edge of her jaw. “Just let me love you.”
- Excerpt from Robin Jones Gunn’s “As You Wish”
Lying in the hammock on a steep mountainside, cool breeze whistling all around me, I read this. When I finished this section I just began to cry. Just an unexplained outburst of tears ran down my face. Being self conscious I wiped my eyes and looked around, only to be reminded that I was surrounded by the sun, trees, and clouds. I laughed at myself and thought ‘what the heck?’ and just let the tears fall. I closed my eyes and began to hear the Father speak.
Just let Me love you.
As He spoke, the cool mountain breeze warmed gently and I felt as if two huge arms just embraced me. I just layed in the arms of my Daddy and wept.
Isaiah 40:11 “He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart…”
As I’m processing His words in my head, I’m trying to figure out when I STOPPED letting Him love me. Or even when I LIMITED letting Him love me. The truth is tbat I can’t stop Him.
I had a conversation with a friend of mine she said “I love youuuuuuuu” and I said back sarcastically, “Just because you love me doesn’t mean I have to accept it.”
How true is that? How often to we reject the love of our Lord? We assume because things are not going our way that He doesn’t love us, or He doesn’t care for us. Which in our hearts we know that it is utterly false, but when we let our brains go for a ride, we lose sight of the truth.
All He wants is to love us, and for us to love Him in return. Even the times we don’t want to love Him, or we are mad at Him, He STILL LOVES US. And there’s absolutely nothing we can do about it, but when we “Just let [Him] love [us]” how much better is our life? How much more abundant and obvious are His plans for us.
He carries us close to His heart. Where we can lay and breathe in the things He has for us.
With All My Heart,
Jeremiah 29:11-14
11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you," declares the LORD
9 comments:
Beautiful truths here Jillian! You drew me right in. Thank you for writing the words from your heart...they flowed right into mine. Keep writing!
Jillian, I had to leave a comment because it's just ironic that I happened to read this entry this morning. Your blog was pulled up on my laptop when I opened it this morning; not sure by who, but since I was surprised to see it, I read.
Yours are the first words I am reading this morning, but I have to tell you that I think Jesus purposed it that way. What you wrote to accompany the excerpt from the book is so sweet, so tender, so reflecting of Jesus' love for us, that I soon had tears falling down my cheeks. It was as if Jesus was whispering your words to me; sweetly washing me with gentleness and possessing an unabashed desire to get me to see that He "just wants me to let Him love me." What an engaging and treasured way to begin my day!
Also, I was shocked at how your sarcastic remark to your friend resonated with me. I didn't shake my head at you, I reacted with the thought, "That sounds like something I would think, even if only subconsciously." The fact that it shook me to my core means that this is something Jesus wants to deal with. Without knowing it Jillian, Jesus has used your words to continue peeling my onion.
Again, I'm not sure how I ended up on your blog - I'll call it a sweet Jesus miracle - but I'm so glad I did.
Much Love,
Babs
Jillian,
First off I have to say I LOVE your middle name YVONNE is means "archer" and thank you for this heart felt arrow that landed in my heart ... opening it up to be loved today by my Daddy!
I pray that Lord continues to use you has His archer ... shooting truth into the world and into hearts!
I loved the quote, your style and your heart! Keep at it girl ... I wanna keep reading whats on your heart!
Great Love!
~Ris
btw I had to use the DIB login because I don't have a blogger access:)
Jillian,
Wanting to encourage you that God had used this writing, I leave you this note. This IS my one huge struggle.... Letting God love me or accepting that love. Great perspective. I trully encourage you to keep writing as the Lord leads. He has, is and will use you for His kingdoms glory.
Forever seeking,
Crystal
<><
:) love.
This is so good! Such transparent truth. Thank you for taking the time to write this down and share it with us.
Stacy Burnett
<3'd the way you shared this truth!!
I love your writing Jilly... so vulnerable. Beautiful.
I just read this again for the 2nd time last night and wept because I was letting God love me. Such a good word....
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