Love Begins at Home

This month being the month of love, I wanted to take some time to reflect on how to truly love those around me with Christ like love. I have been going through the Jesus storybook Bible with my daughter and I am overwhelmed by how deep God's love for us. As a parent I am looking at it in a richer light, it grasps at my heart strings and it's convicting me to lean into it in new ways. So I am challenging myself with a four week challenge and I am inviting you to do it with me, because everything is more fun with friends. Let's focus on simple, faith-filled ways to love like Jesus right where we are.

Starting with our homes, this week let us look for ways to choose to find opportunities to love in the unseen moments of our days. I think sometimes it sometimes easy to love in the moments we know we will get recognition for, instead of the moments that are less flashy? But Jesus doesn't call us to love in flashy, showy ways. Instead he has modeled for us selfless love, loving from the overflow of love that God shows us each and everyday. Love that requires sacrifice, grace and mercy.

It is easier for us to want to do the grand gestures of love, the things we will get noticed for, the pat on the back, the outpouring of gratitude. Loving with reciprocation and acknowledgment. It feels good to be noticed, to be appreciated, but that should not be the reason we choose to love others. What if that was the condition for love? How awful would that be? Instead lets choose to faithfully love our closest relationships this week. Who do you consider your "home" circle? Perhaps it is your husband, your kids, roommates, parents? How can we intentionally choose to love them this week?

Here is the challenge I am issuing us. Each day this week choose one act of love inside your home that costs you something. Not money cost, but personal cost. That could be like choosing an act of love that costs you patience, like baking with with your toddler and actually letting them help with the steps. Another idea is the cost of time, find an hour or two to love on your people. Maybe instead of watching your show, reading your book or something of the like, you instead choose to do something with your family. Something that they enjoy doing. Sit down and play with your kids, letting them take the lead. Schedule that activity that your husband really enjoys doing, but perhaps you don't absolutely love. Maybe the way you show love to your family this week costs you your pride. Instead of correcting, getting upset or second guessing when your spouse is helping around the house or parenting you let it go. It may not be the way you would choose to do it, but its okay. You saw them and their effort, tell them thank you for how they served your home. What other ideas does this spark?

I can't wait for us to report back next week with how we chose to love our home in unseen ways this week. If you try this challenge I would LOVE for you to comment here, send me a DM on Instagram or even send me an email. I leave you with this reflective thought, How would my home feel different if love, not convenience, led my choices?