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ATB blog

True Love Conquers Fear

9/10/2014

1 Comment

 
"Love flashes like fire, the brightest kind of flame. Many waters cannot quench love, nor can rivers drown it."
                                            Excerpts from Song of Songs 8:6-7

Barry White, Cupid, The Love Boat, Make Love Not War...........these are the things we have patterned our concept of love after if we have been "out there" and away from our relationship with God. If we look back at what we thought love was, we may begin to break out in uncontrollable laughter as we think, "man what was I thinking?"

Others have been hurt so badly or inflicted that pain themselves that love is filled with fear to them, any thought of feeling it again makes them run. Then there is loving ourselves, another matter entirely for those of us who have experienced low self worth and possibly never experiencing a nurturing environment in our families.

Bottom line, love is tough. Not understanding what it really is creates fear, but True Love Conquers Fear!

When we understand the love Christ had for people, all kinds, all sizes, we understand that what he wants us to do is be in relationship that stems from love, not fear. What he wants us to understand is that he wants all of us to be inclusive of love, so much so that our lives are all about coming from a place of love as we approach our fellow man and woman. As it says, "many waters cannot quench love", but what it doesn't say is how easily our definition of love can be quenched by defeat, broken dreams, broken families.

I have experienced both forms of love now and have come to the conclusion that loving as many people as possible creates a life of love and prevents you from fearing any failure that comes from it. The real success is that our hearts become open to accept love and to freely extend it even when it is a little scary. The flame of love is then never quenched.

And, the flame of God's Spirit is always lit in how we are able love. As that song goes, "light the fire in my soul, make me _____, make me whole". (forgot the words, but not how to love).


1 Comment
PAIGE
9/12/2014 07:39:22 am

WOW....LOVE !!!!! WHAT A GREAT TOPIC FOR ME.... FROM AGE 18-40 LOVE EQUALED SEX....LOVE EQUALED FEAR.... LOVE EQUALED CHAOS, CONFLICT AND CONFUSION....LOVE EQUALED SACRIFICING MY MORALS AND VALUES AND MUCH MUCH MORE. I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN TOLD THAT YOU CAN'T SOMEONE ELSE UNLESS YOU LOVE YOURSELF...I COULD HAVE PROVEN YOU WRONG CAUSE I LOVED EVERYONE I WAS INVOLVED WITH AFTER ONE WEEK LOL. BOY WAS I WRONG. I NEVER WANTED TO BE ALONE SO I WENT FROM ONE RELATIONSHIP TO THE NEXT AND MOST OF THE TIME I HAD THE NEXT ONE ALREADY LINED UP. WOW.... I WAS A MESS. IT WASN'T UNTIL I HAD 2 YEARS IN RECOVERY THAT I REALIZED I HAD THIS BIG BLACK EMPTY HOLE INSIDE MY SOUL. AND I HAD BEEN TRYING TO FILL IT WITH SEX, DRUGS , LYING, STEALING, MANIPULATION, PEOPLE, PLACES AND THINGS TO FEEL BETTER ABOUT MY SELF ON THE OUTSIDE. LITTLE DID I KNOW THAT IT WAS AN INSIDE JOB. UNTIL I STARTED FILLING THE INSIDE WITH THE LORD MY LIFE CHANGED. I MEAN REALLY CHANGED. I FILLED THE INSIDE WITH PRAYERS,DAILY BIBLE READING, CHURCH, SUNDAY SCHOOL, POSITIVE PEOPLE, OTHER RECOVERING ADDICTS, SPONSORSHIP, AND GIVING MY TESTIMONY EVERY CHANCE I HAD. BOY DID MY LIFE CHANGE. MY LIFE WASN'T RAN BY FEAR (FALSE EVIDENCE APPEARING REAL ) ANY MORE. I STARTED LOVING MYSELF. LITTLE BY LITTLE. TODAY LOVE EQUAL THE LORD, LOVE EQUALS HIGH SELF-ESTEEM. LOVE EQUALS FAMILY. LOVE EQUALS MORALS AND VALUES. LOVE EQUALS PEACE IN MY HEART. LOVE EQUALS LOVE.

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    Glenn Yankowski

    Glenn is an ex-Marine Viet Nam vet who is also a recovering alcoholic, clean and sober for 30 years. He has been involved in start up and ongoing recovery ministry at North Atlanta Church and Campus for the last two decades. He has a passion for outreach and to spread the message that the answer to lasting and fulfilling recovery from addiction is in a relationship with Jesus Christ. He and the ATB team are available to assist in your questions or needs on an individual basis and will do so maintaining complete confidentiality. You may e-mail him at sgtski@bellsouth.net.

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