On Mother’s Day I visited my 93 year old mother. We sat and I asked questions. My mother is the sweetest woman I have ever known. She carries no upset, anger, or bitterness. People love to visit her. They always leave encouraged.

In my youth, I remember times when dad lost his temper. He’d raise his voice and make degrading comments. He would insult and talk down to his wife. I wanted to understand how she could be such a gentle giant. So, I asked. “How come you never buckled under dad’s verbal attacks?”

She responded, “I never thought it was your father’s job to define me!” then explained the foundational beliefs upon which she stands:

Belief #1: I am loved and I am lovable.

My mother and father really loved me. My mother was kind and took good care of me. My father worked hard and sacrificed for me and his other children.

Belief #2: I have always believed in God and that Jesus loves me.

My father loved his Bible and lived his Bible. He taught and drilled me on the Bible I knew from a very young age I was deeply loved by God. I spent a lifetime with my dad speaking of the love of Jesus.

Belief #3: I have allowed no other emotion to define me, only love.

I knew love was the most important emotion. All other emotions could pass through me but they had to leave. I learned to camp on only one emotion: Love. Remembering these role models helped anchored me: Mother, Father, God, and Jesus.

So, when your dad tried to tell me I was wrong, ignorant, or worthless, I knew better. In his anger I quietly repeated. “Your pain does not get to define me. I stand on a foundation of love. And, today in Jesus, I am love!”

Belief #4: As your father aged, he became a sweetie. And, he deeply loved me.

Belief #5: All my children love and bless me.

Today I still stand on foundational beliefs of great love.

-My mother

Prayer

Father, help me know, deep abiding love. Help me know love more than any other emotion. Today I release all other emotions except love. All pain, grief, losses, and hurts, you may leave my life now. I want to know love and peace as never before. Father, I only want your definition of me. All other definitions must leave, now. In Jesus’ name and love. Amen.

Mediate on God’s Word

Jesus spoke to Nicodemus what we now refer to as John 3:16. But this is just a reference, a location for where you can find what he said. Don’t miss the context of what Jesus was talking about. For this exercise, we’re going to meditate on these words, personalizing it for yourself:

For God so loved YOU, that he gave his only Son, so that if you believe in him, you will not perish, but have an eternal (love story) life.

John 3:16 NAS (personalized)