Our guest blogger for today is such a sweet soul! I know you will find such encouragement in knowing Tara Hatton. I met her in an online Bible study class through P31 ministries and she is also a fellow Compel member. Our first conversation was one where she was covering me in prayer for a particular situation. She did not know me, yet she prayed for me. Our conversation was so spirit filled it brought me to tears and reminded me just how big our God is. This post is a little Easter themed but I didn’t want her to change a bit as I feel it is perfectly appropriate for us to hear no matter what time of year it is. Tara, take it from here . . .
I grew up going to church practically anytime the doors were open … Sunday school, Sunday morning worship service, Sunday evening prayer meeting, Wednesday night Girls in Actions, children’s choir rehearsal … My Mama made sure her three girls were there.
As a little girl, Easter was a time for new dresses, fancy shoes and gloves, Easter baskets full of goodies from the Easter bunny, and Easter egg hunts in Nana and Pa’s front yard.
With a little heart full of fun, frivolity, and finery I missed the true meaning of the Resurrection.
In fact, although I grew up in church and called myself a Christian, I did not become a true believer and follower of Christ until a few years ago.
Since then each Easter becomes both more sobering and more sweet.
More sobering because of the conviction that it was my sin that sent Jesus to the cross. It was my sin crying out “Crucify Him!”
But also all the more sweet.
Because of His great love for me, He took the shame, the humiliation, the torture, the agony that I deserve. He stood where I should stand, where my sin dictates I stand, under the wrath and the judgment of God. He took my place. He died for me.
But not just for me.
Because of His great and unending love for you, dear friend, He died for you.
Can you imagine someone loving you so much that they would die for you? Jesus did.
The following is from Isaiah 43.
I pray that as you read these words you will hear the voice of Jesus speak to your soul, feel His love pour through your heart, and rest in the loving embrace of His arms.
Dear sweet sister,
This is what the Lord says –
I created you.
You are beautiful, treasured, and adored.
I formed you – to be exactly who you are – to be the perfection that you are, JUST as you are.
You are more than sufficient; there is no more that you have to do, no more that you have to be
you are ENOUGH
JUST as you are
You are not too much.
There is nothing that you have to get rid of,
nothing that you have to improve that could possibly make Me love you even more.
Do not fear, sweet daughter
Do not be afraid that you aren’t good enough
Do not be afraid that you won’t measure up
Do not be afraid of what anyone else may think of you
I see you.
I know you.
I love you.
All of the fears tumbling around in your heart and in your head are lies – lies straight from the enemy.
Allow Me to set you free!
to set your heart free, sweet girl.
Do you know, sweet child, beautiful and adored daughter of Mine,
do you know that I have set you free already?
Out of my great and unending love for you, I have redeemed you.
I have summoned you by name.
You are Mine!
Dear sweet sister,
This is what the Lord says –
I created you.
You are beautiful, treasured, and adored.
I formed you – to be exactly who you are – to be the perfection that you are, JUST as you are.
You are more than sufficient; there is no more that you have to do, no more that you have to be
you are ENOUGH
JUST as you are
You are not too much.
There is nothing that you have to get rid of,
nothing that you have to improve that could possibly make Me love you even more.
Do not fear, sweet daughter
Do not be afraid that you aren’t good enough
Do not be afraid that you won’t measure up
Do not be afraid
Do you know?
When you pass through the waters
I will be with you.
I love you!
I will never leave you nor forsake you.
When you pass through the rivers they will not sweep over you!
When you walk through the fire you will not be burned
I am with you!
Always!
Do not let your heart be troubled and do not be afraid!
Though you may have trouble, take heart; I have overcome the world!
I am the Lord your God.
I am the Holy One of Israel
Your Savior
You, my child, are precious and honored in my sight!
Do you know that?
Do you believe me?
Do you trust me when I speak My Word to you, My beautiful daughter?
You are the apple of my eye,
the delight of My soul,
you are beautiful in My sight
I love you!
I love you! I love you!
I will give peoples in exchange for you
I gave my Son for you
I will give nations in exchange for your life
because I love you
Do not be afraid
Do not feel inadequate
Do not feel less than or not good enough
I am with you
I love you
I want you to rest in my love, to bask in the richness of my love, to let go, to allow yourself to be fully and completely loved by me.
Can you do that for me?
Will you do that for me?
Can you grasp how wide and how long and how high and how deep my love is for you?
You have been called my by My Name.
You were created for My glory
And Oh, how your beauty glorifies Me.
I formed you and made you.
You are my masterpiece.
You are my beloved, cherished, treasured, and adored daughter.
You are my perfection.
I don’t know who may read these words, but Jesus does.
He sees you, He knows you, and He loves you.
This may be just for you, dear friend.
If you do not know the love and saving grace of Jesus, if you do not have a personal relationship with Him, I pray that you will not wait any longer to taste the sweetness of His love.
The Bible tells us in Romans 10:9 that “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”
And that is all you have to do.
You don’t have to be in a church or a sanctuary.
I surrendered my life to Christ sitting at my desk at school.
Jesus will meet with you anywhere, at any time.
He is always loving, always pursuing, always available.
He loves you and He wants you to know He died for you.
Just for you. 😉
With love,
Tara
Make sure you connect with Tara via her blog Story of My Heart, or via Facebook
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His love is unfathomable … and yet He covers us in such awesome peace with it. My heart leaps at the thought of being held in His loving arms one day. All burden and sorrow and heaviness of heart will be completely washed away in that moment. ❤️ Thank you for this beautiful reminder of His great love!
Amen!