The first Bible verse I ever read was printed in the inside cover of the Bible given to me as a Christmas gift from Mom years before I became a Christian, when I was only nine years old in 1975. It is something I didn't really understand.
"Perfect love casts out fear." 1 John 4:18
Forty-five years later I have experienced this love too many times to recount or even remember. I didn't know how it worked or who had this "perfect love" or how I could get at it. I only knew that I was riddled with fear and I desperately wanted it to be true and hoped someday I would discover this "perfect love" and leave all my fear behind.
That hope was enough to set me on a path to find it. And find it I did. Three years later when someone told me that Jesus had this perfect love for me and I asked Jesus that "IF" He existed and "IF" it was true to please show it to me. I was so tired of being afraid. I felt like I was an old lady with it, even though I hadn't even reached the age of twelve yet.
And now I will "pay it forward" and tell YOU simply this. It IS true and some of the greatest lives start with the "IF" prayer. You need such tiny faith to start you off. Only enough to give Jesus a chance. Only enough to talk to Him. You don't have to understand it. You don't even have to be certain He exists. You only have to have enough faith to speak to Him. To acknowledge Him enough to ask for help. He will respond. In fact, this is exactly the opportunity He's been waiting for. He will never force Himself upon you. But the moment you take a chance on Him just enough to speak to Him, He WILL show up. It's not my promise. It's His.
Therefore the Lord longs to be gracious to you,
And therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you. (Isaiah 30:18)
Talk to Jesus right now. Whoever you are and wherever you are. It is my prayer you will do this. You will take a chance and say the "IF" prayer and see Jesus respond. It is SO past time to dump your fears and start really living.
Speaking the truth with love,
Always, Laura-Lee
(Yes. I "outed" my age on the internet AGAIN.)
