The ABC’s of Love, God’s Way

Life has been different for us this summer.  A journey planned by God for our family at this time for a purpose.

In late May our oldest daughter was diagnosed with thyroid cancer.  We were here (twelve hours from home) with her family in late June as she underwent surgery.  We are here again for two weeks as she goes through the follow-up treatment.

My husband and I come to be with her, our son-in-law, and their four young children.

A long emotional summer.  Physical weariness.  (There’s a reason we have our children while we are young!)  My plan was to take a break this week and not concern myself with a blog post.  …My plan.

But today (the day before blog post day), the word LOVE kept coming to mind.

This summer, among many other things God has been teaching me, I have had the privilege of seeing LOVE lived out intentionally, clearly, in obedience, with great joy!

It has been a beautiful sight to watch the body of Christ love on my daughter FAITHFULLY, over the long haul.  One day when it’s not so raw, I may be able to share specifics.  But for today as God brings the topic to my mind once again through a cheerful visitor and a chapter in Alan Fadling’s An Unhurried Life, I simply feel compelled to share broad strokes of the LOVE I have seen demonstrated this summer.

Love God’s Way

Allows the plight of the broken to touch its heart.
Bears the cost of caring.
Comforts and cares for the wounded.
Defers to another.
Enables us to listen when we are tempted to react.
Follows through and follows up.
Grants the time needed for someone to recover.
Hangs around.
Investigates and serves.
Judges not.
Keeps step with Jesus.
Looks long enough to be affected by what it sees.
Moves us to seek understanding when we feel misunderstood.
Notices and acts.
Offers intensive care.
Primary measure God uses to determine what is valuable.
Quits measuring care in terms of time.
Requires from us a more unhurried approach to life.
Stops when it encounters human need.
Travels a journey for the wounded.
Unhurried.
Views people with mercy and extends grace.
What matters most.
eXerts effort for others.
Yields its own agenda, choosing instead to
Zero in on God’s.

Praise the Lord!  The scans came back “ALL CLEAR” just this morning!  No more cancer!