God loves you.

He really, really loves you.

How do I know this? Because He keeps telling me. To the point of distraction. That He loves -

You.

In fact, He shouts it so loudly that most days it is all I can do to function normally – whatever that is.

I am not being melodramatic here, even though I am prone to it, He really, really loves you and I need you to know it.

I wish I was better at conveying the love He has for you, but most days I forget myself. I strive and I work and I push and I, well I just don’t remember who I am. It is easy to forget who we are. Life has a way of poking holes in us and draining us until all that is left is an anemic shell moving out of momentum and not purpose.

I know the shell, I have lived in the shell for much of my life.

The thing is, that’s not real life! That’s not even life when you get down to it, that is just, well, it is just sad and was never part of the plan.

The plan was family.

The plan was children.

The plan was fellowship.

The plan was love.

You know what? That is still the plan.

And it starts with a simple understanding that God is Daddy. God is Pa Pa. God is Father. God is really, really happy with you and really, really loves you because it is all He talks about.

All He talks about is You!

With your faults, regrets, fear, pain and bitterness. Your love and fear, good and bad and all you do that is wrong. Your anger and selflessness, jealousy and kindness and all you do that is right. He hears you when you laugh, sees you when you cry, and tenderly holds you when you are broken because he is your Daddy.

You are His Son.

You are His Daughter.

And as His child, there is nothing you can do to make Him love you any more, or any less.

So just for today, stop and hold out your hands and ask Him to show you. Just do it, don’t talk yourself out of it, right now as you read this, ask Pa Pa to speak to you. Ask Daddy to tell you what He tells me.

About you.

Please, just try it.

For me.