It was a GodStop week for me as He works out the places in my life where I never can quite see the answer. What I realized is He is after my whole heart. Half-hearted attempts won’t cut it anymore. As it should be, what used to be enough no longer is. I also have experienced added blessing as we open those places where God is showing me I am not giving enough.
When you come from a place of loss early in your life, it is easy to shut people and situations out that you think may cause you pain. You build walls of protection that actually become the walls that entrap and imprison you. This is not excuse making but I am aware of the whys behind my actions. It seems a shame that in forty-eight years, I have not been able to do much about it and know that I keep people at arms’ length. At some point you realize that you may not have let love in your heart the way God intended for you, and arms’ length becomes no longer acceptable. As I open doors in my friendships and in my marriage, with my Lord and in my life, I realize I am more prone to get hurt, but I am also more likely to experience the fullness of life and joys of love that I have never before been brave enough to “let in.” Surrender doesn’t come easily for this stubborn girl, and even when I know there is blessing waiting on the other side, it is a tough thing to do. My head says, “People hurt you. Watch out.” But my God tells my heart to be courageous. “Above all, love and be true to Me. Be real. Be open. Let others in. Let Me in, and I will bless you beyond anything you can imagine.”
I have experienced that kind of love and amazing joy and blessing this week because I opened my heart just a little bit more. I also experienced some pain because of it. It sounds so elementary and fundamental as I write these words, but it is at the core of our Christian experience. Love and be loved. God is good to guard our hearts. We need only to give them wholly to Him.
Patty at Girlfriends in God graciously hosts Godstop Friday each week. Visit her blog to see how others have had beautiful God revelations this week. If you get a chance, listen to this song and may you be blessed with an open heart to love and be loved by Him.
annette geffert 
This blessed me today, and I wanted to pass it along to you, my friend.
‘Annie, I loved you before you were born, I knit you in your mother’s womb, and knew what your first and last words would be. I knew every difficulty you would face. I suffered each one with you. Even the ones you didn’t suffer with me. I had a plan for your life before you were born – the plan has not changed. No matter what has happened, or what you have done, you see, I already knew all things concerning you before I formed you. I would never allow any hurt to come into your life that I could not use for eternity. Let me perfect that which concerns you.’
You are just the sweetest friend and I’m so glad the walls are coming down for good! I love your heart!
Love you,
Angie xoxo
I stopped by to thank you for the kind words on Jean’s comments where I was writing about my mother. I have not written about her and found myself opening up. It led me to you and these wonderful and meaningful thoughts you wrote about today. I will come back to visit.
And, this verse in your sidebar for today (Friday) is just beautiful!!!
You are so dead on with this one!
It is so easy but so hard too. I can put those walls up and leave them up and not even realize their still up!!! They just become normal and then you realize one day….”this ain’t normal!” Oh, Lord…Come in and continue to help this girl give and give and give. I don’t want to be one that protects and protects.
I want His fullness!!
Blessings sweet friend~
Fran
Thank you for sharing with us today…love is so important yet for whatever reason we put “limits” on it…yet His word tells us to “love one another as I have loved you”…and He loves deeply and wholly and without barriers or conditions….
Annie, I could have written your post. I am also guilty of not only keeping people at arms length but sometimes 2 arms length. But as you said God does want us to let others in, to love and be loved. Thank you so much for this reminder today. I so needed to hear this.
Blessings,
Cecelia
Thank you so much for stopping into my blog… I love the words that you share with us… In my just under four short years of being a Christian, I have found that when things get tough, that is when God wants to work the hardest, and I just have to let him, even if it is not what I want. And in the end I always can see where he is working if I open my eyes and look around me… I try every morning to ask God to show me where he is working in peoples lives, and to know what to say to them, I try and share Gods love every day, and at the end of the day I give God the glory and thank him for helping with his children…
Connie
Annie, Love is truly a risk….and sometimes it really hurts. I love what you have written.
Thank you so much for stopping by my blog and your congratulations.
Love,
Julie
Annie that was just beautiful! What a lesson for all of us. Thank you so much for sharing your heart and what God is teaching you and in turn teaches us! Isn’t God amazing how He can take our hurts and heal them. He has done the same for me and I praise Him with you today!
Have a blessed weekend.
Love,
Patty