Friends on Fridays

I love a good cup of coffee, but I love having a good friend to share it with even more. Last week I wrote about finding the "little joys" in life when in pursuit of your passions, and this is an example of one of my little joys: a day of adventuring.

After this last week, you may be in need of a little more extra joy than normal; Valentine's Day is one of my favourite holidays because I think that a day solely dedicated to celebrating the people you love, with no strings attached, is great, but I'm aware of the fact that that's not the case for some people. People have lost loved ones, or relationships, or may not have had them to begin with, making the 14th just a little bittersweet (and I'm not talking about the chocolate). A special holiday aside, I think that love is something worth celebrating that doesn't get said enough.

By now, you might be asking yourself: how does a really pretty latte, love, and pursuing your purpose coincide? Well, let me tell you: according to Jesus, our ultimate purpose in life is to love God and to love others (Matthew 22:37-39 "Jesus replied:“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.") That seems simple enough, so why don't we do it more often? Why do we give ourselves in halves to a god we are supposed to love wholey? While I'm sure everyone has their own answer to this question, I think it's because we are scared. I think that we let the fear of rejection, hurt, and heartbreak stop us from opening up to people and showing them the love of God. Nobody wants to feel their heart get shattered, and by opening up to people, we run that risk. I know this, because I've been there, I've felt that fear. But here's what I know: fear is a liar. We are called to be a peculiar people who are set apart, regardless of what is "normal" for society (Romans 12:2 says, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind”) and that means loving, even when it's hard. Anybody can love someone who loves them back, but loving people who make it hard? That's Jesus.

This morning, right before I had that oh so fabulous cup of coffee, I heard a guy share his testimony who has attempted to take his life over four times, and every time it was the love of God and a friend that stopped him. But the thing he said that stuck out to me the most was that: "if someone had told me they loved me that day, I don't think I would have tried to end things". WOW. The power of saying "I love you" is that strong! Showing up, and showing out for people, can be the difference between life and death for them, and for unbelievers, it can be the difference between Heaven and Hell.

Pursuing your passion and purpose is the same way: if you let the fear of failure, of rejection, stop you from embracing your little joys and finding your purpose, then you are letting the Devil get in the way of the love that God is trying to show you!

So, love people. Love them hard. Have a spontaneous sleep-over on a school night because you love your friends, drink a good cup of coffee because you love your life, talk to a stranger because you love people, call your family because you love them, and worship the Lord for all his goodness, for giving you things to be joyful for, because you love Him.

I love you.

-Emma

#loveGod #loveothers #passion #purpose

"Be fearless in pursuit of what sets your soul on fire."