A few days ago, my youngest daughter had to use my writing desk for a test. Right in front of my desk, a window looks out on the road. The light comes through sheer lace curtains in the most beautiful way, particularly at sunset. I absolutely love it. I was a little worried she would struggle with focus because people walk past with their dogs, ride past on their bikes, and drive past in their cars. And UPS and FedEx trucks are constantly driving past (and often stopping). I moved the desk to face a wall. It was a boring view, but I needed her to focus. 

When I moved the desk back to its proper place and set up my laptop to work, I glanced up, and through the curtains, I saw the sweetest thing. My daughter had written in index cards taped together, “I LOVE YOU!” with a heart. That girl. Be still my heart. 

She is my note leaver and picture drawer, which always blesses me.

Seeing that little message on the window through the shears reminds me of how often God says those words to me on any given day. 

If I stop for a minute and look, I see His love all around me.

Recently, I read this in Jerry Bridge’s book Trusting God: “We must see our circumstances through God’s love instead of, as we are prone to do, seeing God’s love through our circumstances.” That has been my default setting for far too long. I’ve been so discouraged by circumstances sometimes I wonder how much God really does love me. Even while telling my children they are dearly and relentlessly loved, I sometimes wonder how much I am. 

There is no doubt that if I take a moment to look away from the challenges of life, I can see how blessed and loved I am. But that is not the whole message of His love. His love is not measured by the number of blessings I can count. If my life continues to challenge and break my heart, God’s love is still as strong and relentless as ever. He still loves me. 

I am made, chosen, and saved by His love. 

I have told my children that this life is a 24-hour flu bug in light of eternity. The joy that is before us does indeed far outweigh the struggles we have here. It’s hard to “get” that when we are in the middle of our struggles, but God never leaves us. We are not alone, ever.

While I’m down here trying to live this life with all its overwhelmingness and disappointments, God gives me messages of love. All. The. Time.

Even my daughter’s sweet note was not only a message of love from her but from my Father too. Yesterday, while sitting on my porch, I felt the gentlest breeze. It was pure loveliness and reminded me of God’s gentle kindness. The day before, I walked with a dear friend and talked about life with vulnerability and laughter. Today, a softly flickering candle that smells divine sits on my desk. An unexpected gift from one of my other daughters because she knew I’d love it. My oldest son sent me a sermon clip that challenged me, and I know we will have a great conversation about it soon. My other son calls for advice and even takes the time to ask how I’m really doing. My oldest daughter recently recognized a long day and offered to take us all to dinner. Little things are actually pretty big in the grand scheme of things. Those ways God uses people in our lives to bless us…to say, “I love you!”

I am grateful for so many things, but most of all, for the love of my Father, who holds me gently in the palm of His hand, who soothes my heart and mind with His word, who rejoices over me with gladness, who exalts over me with singing, and who quiets me with His love! (Zeph. 3:17).

Bridges, J. (2008). Trusting God. NavPress.