Christ Loved Us First!

Hello!  I have to say, I was incredibly pleasantly surprised to see that I won last week at Word Art Wednesday!  And the prize was from the fabulous Eclectic Anthology site by Avalon Rose.  DROOL.  Amazingly gorgeous vintage images, y'all!  So, of COURSE, I HAD to use one for my project this week! 

I've used an image from the Antique Catherine Klein Watercolor Paintings Graphics Collection.  Say that 10 times fast!  I chose to use an image of two love birds for this week's Word Art Wendsday challenge (John 4:19).  It'll make sense once you see it, I think. :)  I've also used other free digital scrapbooking elements that I felt matched the watercolor fabulously! 

Also, one last thing before I show you the print, I would like to submit this into Little Birdie Blessings' Scripture Thursday link party as well. :)

Here is my designed print~

And now, my thoughts on this verse.  I have often found that in order to find love in someone else, I need to first love them.  It is possible to love everyone--I know it is!  I also know it's incredibly hard.  But I have been in situations dealing with people I deem "difficult" and have been able to have a prayer in my heart that God will let me see how HE loves them.  And I have to tell you, it is one of the most amazing things I have ever experienced.

I work with children who have special needs.  It is very hard to be patient with them at times, and so loving them is the key.  Knowing how God loves them, that they are HIS children, and that their limitations will be for this life only, help me each day to be able to treat them with more Christ-like charity and to form bonds and relationships with them that are pleasing in His sight.

I also come in contact with many different personalities in people on a daily basis, as I know you do.  Where there is a difference of opinion, a disagreement on how things should be done, a dispute on what was said/meant, I know that a basis of love helps immensely.  Loving someone first creates a deeper bond with whichever brother or sister we are dealing with and helps us to remember that we literally are spiritual brothers and sisters.  When we do this, we continue to build God's kingdom on earth and become more like Him.  Which is our purpose here in mortality! 

God is our Father.  Because He loved us, He sent His Son.  Because His Son loved us first, we now love Him as our Savior and Redeemer.  I hope that this Easter season we each strive to do a little bit better each day, that we each try to build relationships based on Godly love, that we find greater happiness and joy in doing so.  Happy Easter!

(PS: Please feel free to use this for personal use--see the bottom of this blog for more details on the privacy clause of my creations.  Make sure to click on the image before saving and printing! :D)