Tag: love

Love yourself

Loving Yourself Because of God’s Unending Love :: Dr. Monica Debro

Posted on by Evangeline

Over the last couple of years, I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know Monica Debro through a Mastermind group for coaches that we’re members of.  She has a doctorate in Nursing. Every week, I get to see the compassion she has for others. She has a group that ministers to women on Facebook  called “Love Yourself to Life”. I believe one of the most influential things she does is to speak out on domestic abuse.

All of these factors are key in how she views life–that it should always be lived through the lens of God’s love. It’s an honor to have her share her wisdom here.

But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

I remember being in high school and not liking myself, let alone loving myself. As a teenager I wanted to fit in and be liked by others. Developing friendships was important to me because I thought it would bring value to my teenage life and help me to like myself even more. Well, I graduated high school, still not liking myself much and my actions definitely didn’t show love for self.

Fast forward to my adult years, I’d learned to like myself and if I can be honest, it was mostly because of my accomplishment of becoming a nurse. Little did I know that I still hadn’t learned to love myself. It wasn’t even a thought of consideration and definitely didn’t take up space in my heart’s desires. How could it? There was no thought of loving myself and embracing the second half of the scripture ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ Mark 12:31 NIV. It was easy to love my neighbor and doing for others. However, the “as yourself” part took years to become activated in my life.

My Journey of Love and Self-Discovery

For me to emerge from darkness into His light, I had to make necessary, specific, dedicated, and realistic actions daily.

  • Submerging myself in God’s Word
  • Spending quality quiet time with God
  • Writing scriptures on index cards and reading them daily.
    • This especially helped during moments when Satan was badgering my thoughts.
    • I keep handwritten index scripture cards by my bed to read every night.
  • Reading daily devotionals and affirmations out loud over myself every day
    • Remember, the devil flees at the name of Jesus, so we must speak His name and His Word for Satan to flee.
  • Praise and Worship music
  • Paying attention to my environment, what I listen to and the conversations that I have with others.
  • There were days that I shut off television and social media because I needed to focus on my healing.

Loving myself has been a journey of pain, forgiveness, healing, and restoration. It also involved remembering unhappy times that I’d suppressed deep in my memory. Why was this necessary? God had to uproot what was holding me hostage and not allowing me to see myself as the woman He created me to be. He needed to awaken my inner being to understand the value in loving myself unconditionally. I couldn’t be bound to past sins that had unknowingly been preventing me from embracing Romans 5:8 and God’s unending love for me.

Scriptures for Loving Yourself

God took me on a journey of self-discovery and healing. Through His Word, I discovered who I am in Him and what I can have through Him. Guess what? So can you!  Are you ready to go on a short, not all-inclusive journey of self-discovery? Trust me, there is much more to who God says we are than what I’ve listed below for us.

  • Fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:4)
  • More than a conquer (Romans 8:37)
  • Forgiven (Colossians 3:13)
  • Saved through faith (Ephesians 2:8)
  • Have power, love, and a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7)
  • I have perfect peace (Isaiah 26:3)
  • A light of the world (Matthew 5:14)
  • I AM A Proverbs 31 Woman!

God’s unending love helps me to believe His Word. It helps me to embrace Proverbs 31 even when I go astray from the characteristics of this woman. Reality check! We all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). So, do I miss the mark sometimes? Absolutely. And if you’re truthful with yourself, you do too. But as the open scripture says, “While we were still sinners, Christ dies for us.” He knew that we would need saving. He knew that a demonstrating of his unending love by sending His Son Jesus would help us to learn to embrace self-love and truly, authentically love who He created us to be.

An Action Plan for Loving Yourself

  • Quiet yourself and your environment for a few minutes. Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths. Calm your thoughts before we shift to the action plan.
  • Identify where you are struggling to embrace God’s love and desires for your life?
  • What is the root cause of the difficulty in believing who God says that you are and what you can do/be?
  • Is there someone you need to forgive, or do you need to forgive yourself in order to love yourself because of God’s unending love for you?
  • Take some time to reflect on these questions. Then write out your best realistic action plan to begin healing in whatever areas is holding you bound. Why? Because You Are WORTH IT!

Along your journey of self-discovery, remember that you are worthy of love and forgiveness. Remember to forgive yourself in the process because God forgave you a long time ago.

Monica DebroDr. Monica Debro, DNP, MSN, RN

Dr. Monica Debro, owner of Love Yourself to Life™, is a leader who is transforming the lives of women through inspirational writings, events, and speaking engagements. She is the host and keynote speaker for The Elephant in the Room and the Love Yourself to Life™ conferences. Dr. Debro also hosts the Always Wear Your Tiara™ event in which women have received intimate breakthroughs in their personal and professional lives.

As a practicing Nurse Educator and Life Coach, Dr. Debro engages in life-changing conversations and action plans to help women embrace the essence of who they are and not allow the past to interfere with their future.  Being transparent allows her to be influential in helping others identify current concerns and develop specific and realistic action steps to heal from their past and reach their goals.

Dr. Debro is a member of the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence and has been a guest speaker at several domestic violence and community violence awareness conferences. She is the author of Broken Believer No More and Love Yourself to Life. Broken Believer No More has received recognition at the Los Angeles and New York book festivals. Dr. Debro is also a co-author in Grace to Recover: How to Divorce Hurt, Addiction, and OVERCOME Trials with the Power of a Loving God.

 

Monica Debro

Love is More Powerful than Hate!

Posted on by Evangeline

Happy Martin Luther King Day!

Martin Luther King Quote - Love

“Choose love everyday. It lightens the load you carry throughout life.”

– Evangeline Colbert

jesus' love

Jesus’ Love For You and Me is Solid Like a Rock

Posted on by Evangeline

Today, I can honestly say that I see more of the multi-dimensional, multi-faceted love that Jesus has for me, my family, you, and the world. His love filters through the muck of everyday living because it is strong, complete, and perfect. Jesus’ love does not look like swiss cheese. There are no holes in His love; no void spaces. His love is solid, like a rock! The song, Solid, sung by Ashford & Simpson back in the 80’s, acknowledges a love that endures through anything and everything. They sang it to each other as husband and wife. But now when I hear it, it reminds me of the love Jesus has for me. I can imagine Him singing it to me. 🙂

Everything that He’s done has been based on His love for you and me. Every bit of punishment inflicted on Him before and at the cross was because He did not want us to experience it. He took on every sickness and “condition” so that we wouldn’t have to endure any of them. Because He so deeply loved us (and still does), He left nothing undone and did everything perfectly as our substitute. His love still advocates for us in the Father’s presence.

Choose Jesus’ Love

No matter the circumstances that I find myself enduring, I’m determined to choose to look to Jesus’ love for me (Hebrews 12:2), to have confidence in it (1 John 5:14,15), to trust it (Psalm 13:5 NLT), and to believe that His love does not condemn me in any way (Romans 8:1).

I rest in the knowledge that Jesus is love. And His love for me has done EVERYTHING necessary for me to live life with good health, joy and peace.

What can you do to more fully engage yourself in His love for you?

Jesus' love does not look like swiss cheese. There are no holes in His love for me; no void spaces. His love is solid, like a rock! Click To Tweet

 

Photo courtesy of Microsoft Images

easter-death-resurrection

Jesus’ Death Was All That Was Needed to Remove the Obstacle Between Us and God

Posted on by Evangeline

As we celebrate the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, here’s a prayer to offer up. It’s a reminder that Jesus’ finished work on the cross was all it took so that we could have unhindered access to the Father’s love for us. [See Matthew 27:51]

Father, You tore the veil so there is no longer any boundary for us to cross to get to You. There is no barrier that hides You from us. Thank You that Jesus’ death did everything necessary to remove anything that stood between us, even our guilty conscience. Thank You for making a way for us to enjoy an unencumbered relationship with You. 

Because of Jesus, the Father’s love can now reach you, touch you, and move you toward your God-given destiny that is filled with goodness and joy. There is no force field or deflector shield that can act as an obstacle to His love and power. Fear may try to distract you and cast doubt on His love for you. But rest assured, His perfect love for you is eternal and provides unlimited protection and abundant grace.

**If you’ve never asked Jesus to come into your life, I encourage you to do so. His death was for you, so that you could choose to live in His Blessing. He’s waiting with open arms and an unfailing love.

There is no force field or deflector shield that can act as an obstacle to God's love and power. Click To Tweet
apple band aids - healing

Healing: It’s a Jesus Thing and He Does It So Well

Posted on by Evangeline

From time to time, I find it necessary to boost my confidence in Jesus’ desire for healing our lives. Can you relate?

When I come across scriptures like Mark 7:37, my spiritual eyes open to see Him more clearly. Scriptures like this help me to have more confidence in His ability, in His love for me, and in His willingness to do good things for me:

“He has done all things well.”

The passage where this verse is found relates the account of when Jesus healed the man who was deaf and stammered when he spoke. People brought this man to Him because they had heard that Jesus was the One who had the powerful healing touch.

Healing is What Jesus Does

In this case, Jesus used an unusual method to lay hands on the man. He didn’t just speak to the man and say, “Your faith has made you whole.” Jesus chose to 1) take the man away from the crowd, 2) put His fingers into the man’s ears, 3) spit on His own fingers and place them on the man’s tongue, 4) look toward heaven, 5) groan as He prayed, 6) speak to the man, 7) command the ears and tongue to be thoroughly opened and restored.

Taking the man away from the crowd may have been important because Jesus wanted the man focused only on Him. It would have been easy for the man to become distracted with the crowd surrounding him.

What’s the most effective way you pull away from all that would distract you from looking only to the One who has the best healing hands in the universe?

His Healing Touch

When Jesus put His fingers in the man’s ears, my first thought was, this is how He “laid hands” on people– He’d put His hands on the specific body area that needed healing or restoration. But how can we experience that today when He’s not physically here to lay hands on us? I think using His Word is how we make that connection. After all, Jesus is the Word (John 1). We can “apply” His healing words to our bodies and minds.

OK, I have to say, when reading the next part about Jesus putting His spit on the man’s tongue, I thought that was gross. Imagine a stranger coming to help you and spitting on his fingers before touching you. Wouldn’t you be grossed out?  Wouldn’t you have turned away from the incoming spit? 🙂 But this man was open to whatever method Jesus chose to use in order to receive healing from Him.

Are you open to allowing Jesus to use His preferred method and timing when it comes to healing you?

Notice that this healing did not take place immediately. It didn’t happen when Jesus put His fingers in the man’s ears. It didn’t even happen when His spit touched the man’s tongue. It only happened after Jesus looked toward heaven and then SPOKE. He gave the Father His attention and then spoke what He heard the Father say. He commanded the ears and tongue to be thoroughly opened and restored. The man’s body responded favorably to the words that Jesus spoke.

His Healing Words

The words that Jesus spoke were, and still are, spirit and life (John 6:63). His words are powerful because He always speaks from a position of love…the most powerful force that exists.

So remember to use His words as you speak to your situation/condition that needs healing because Jesus does all things well!

Which of Jesus’ words and promises apply to what you are facing today? Will you speak them to your circumstances?

Are You Willing to Let Go and Let God Do the Work?

Posted on by Evangeline

wait with confidence - let go and let God

 

Have you ever been able to really “let go and let God” do the work that only He can do in your life? Psalm 138 provides motivation to let God do the work– to allow Him to bring to fruition all the good that He planned for you. Here is that Scripture in its entirety:

1 I will praise You with my whole heart; Before the gods I will sing praises to You.

2 I will worship toward Your holy temple, And praise Your name For Your lovingkindness and Your truth; For You have magnified Your word above all Your name.

3 In the day when I cried out, You answered me, [And] made me bold [with] strength in my soul.

4 All the kings of the earth shall praise You, O LORD, When they hear the words of Your mouth.

5 Yes, they shall sing of the ways of the LORD, For great [is] the glory of the LORD.

6 Though the LORD [is] on high, Yet He regards the lowly; But the proud He knows from afar.

7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me; You will stretch out Your hand Against the wrath of my enemies, And Your right hand will save me.

8 The LORD will perfect [that which] concerns me; Your mercy, O LORD, [endures] forever; Do not forsake the works of Your hands.

 

Verse 8 is the particular verse I want to call your attention to. As you probably know by now, I enjoy reading various versions/translations of Scripture. Here are some other ways of stating verse 8:

The Lord will work out his plans for my life. (TLB)

Will you trust Him to do so, in His way and His timing?

Finish what you started in me, God. Your love is eternal—don’t quit on me now. (MSG)

Will you decide to not give up on His love for you?

Adonai will fulfill his purpose for me. Your grace, Adonai, continues forever. (CJB)

Will you choose to live enjoying His abundant grace every day?

You will do everything You have promised. (GNT)

Do you believe He’ll keep His promises for you?

Which version resonated with you? It’s clear that God wants to work on your behalf and to bring His promises to fruition in your life, no matter what the obstacles may currently be.

Believe His love. Allow Him to do what He does best.

Maintaining a Strong Marriage During Infertility

Posted on by Evangeline

This blog post on maintaining a strong marriage first appeared here a couple of years ago. This past weekend a friend reminded me that the keys to a good marriage are good to keep top-of-mind during this season, so I thought I’d share this again.

A Strong Marriage Takes Work

Maintaining a successful marriage takes work under “normal” circumstances. It is especially important to work at maintaining a strong, hope-filled, and love-based marriage during the stressful circumstances added by a season of infertility.

Here are some important keys about love as God intended a husband and wife to experience it. Focus on how love REALLY is and not as it’s portrayed on television, in romance novels, and online. Focus on God’s love for you and how He wants you to love your spouse. Get more tips and encouragement in my e-book, Infertility Sucks! How to Maintain Hope in Your Marriage During Infertility.

I know the struggle is real. Which of these keys are you using “on purpose” in your marriage to keep it strong?

 

Strong Marriage

 

Real Love

God’s Love for You is REAL Love and He Wants You Well

Posted on by Evangeline

Every human being is searching for REAL love. When you look to Jesus, you will find it. His love is a certainty. God loves you and He wants you to always be well. There is nothing that can separate you from His love or His healing power.

Jesus was the epitome of love. He never turned anyone away that asked for healing. Everyone who came believing in His willingness to heal them got healed–without exception. Jesus never said, “I won’t heal you because this illness/disease has been put on you so God can teach you a lesson and work something out in your life.” If He didn’t say it then, He doesn’t say it now because He’s the same today as He was back then and He won’t change in the future (Hebrews 13:8). If it was His will back then for ALL to be healed, it’s His will for ALL to be healed now, and that includes you.

REAL Love

Real love heals, it doesn’t cause pain. God is love and only desires to see us enjoy life!

“And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.” 1 John 4:16

If you know His love, you know there is no pain or sickness caused by love.

If you believe in His love, you are not fearful that He won’t keep His word and uphold His promises.

When you keep His love at the top of your mind, doubt has a tough time infiltrating your thoughts and making you think that God has brought sickness and failure your way.

REAL love heals, forgives, sets your heart free, and desires to only do good.

Jesus’ love is the only real love. Your search for real love can stop right now as you allow yourself to be the object of His affection, blessing, and power. When you tap into His love, nothing can separate you from it (Romans 8:35,39).

What You Say

Tap into His love by seeing what God says in His Word about your circumstances and then start saying the same thing that He says about them.

What YOU say matters. Use the authority of God’s Word to bring about the good He desires for your life. As you speak His words of love over your life, you’ll see how REAL love works.

If you believe in His love, you are not fearful that He won't keep His word and uphold His promises. Click To Tweet

The Ways God’s Love Works in Your Life

Posted on by Evangeline

What do you do to tap into God’s love for you in the midst of seemingly hopeless circumstances? Find encouragement in my free handout, “Hope in Hard Places.” Request it today, using the blue arrow form to the right of this post.

God’s Love

Scripture assures us that God loves us in so many different ways. Here are a few of them to remind you that the Father loves you the same way He loves Jesus (John 17:23).

Scripture assures us that God loves us the same way He loves Jesus. (John 17:23) Click To Tweet

God’s love is strong and He gladly protects us!

LOVE Psalm 5-12

God’s love brings joyful satisfaction! 

Background image by Vectorgirl |Fotolia

Background image by Vectorgirl |Fotolia

God IS love. Allow His love to be an ever-flowing river, with cascades of the highest level to bring joy in your life.

Background image by photointopainting
Background image by photointopainting

Nothing– no problem, no trouble, no struggle in your life — is too hard for God’s powerful love to solve or change.
Not even INFERTILITY!

Here’s What REAL LOVE Looks Like

Posted on by Evangeline

real love

Sometimes we need a reminder of what REAL love is.

How can you know what real love is? If you listen to popular music, no matter if it’s R&B, country, hip-hop, rock, or pop, you’re likely to hear lyrics about how love let someone down:

  • “thank you for the love, thank you for the heartaches, thank you for the tears I’ve cried, thank you for all those lies”
  • “can’t believe that love would hurt again”
  • “she’s my love gone wrong”
  • “love done gone”
  • “good lovin’ gone bad”

A lot of times, people will label something as being “love” when it’s really not. As we celebrate Valentine’s Day today, I want to give you a different perspective about love (this will be the theme of my posts over the next few days). Knowing what God’s love is really like is important in being able to see Him as willing to provide the healing, material supply, relationships, etc. that you may need. Make a decision today to gain a fresh revelation of His love for you.

“The Lord your God is with you. He is a hero, the Mighty Warrior who saves you. In his love, He will no longer punish you.He will take great delight in you. He happily rejoices over you, renews you with his love, and celebrates over you with shouts of joy.”
 ~Zephaniah 3:17 (NIRV and GW)

After all, if God is love (1 John 4:16), how can there be anything bad or hurtful about REAL love? 

Please spread the love! Share these images with others via social media.

Sometimes we need a reminder of what REAL love is. Click To Tweet

Love is demonstrative and takes action on behalf of others.

Background by Stuart Miles| FreeDigitalPhotos

Love seeks to refresh and restore.

LOVE -PS 23

Love gives…always.

LOVE John 3-16

 

Certain images courtesy of David Castillo Dominici and Stuart Miles| FreeDigitalPhotos.net