I can still remember the first time I truly felt my heart break. I
was 25 years old, sitting in a hospital room with the rest of my family.
My beautiful Mom was in the last day of her courageous 4 year fight with
Cancer. I looked down on her withered body lying on the bed and saw the
sadness in her eyes. She could no longer speak but we all still felt her
love for us.
Together we waited while her breathing grew more and
more shallow. When at last the machine signaled her heart had stopped I
heard an anguished cry escape my lips while I felt my heart break. On
the drive home tears overwhelmed me again and I had to pull off the side
of the road.
I didn't know how I was going to go on without
her.
Later after her funeral my own health broke and the doctor
diagnosed me with double pneumonia. It took me a long time to heal
physically and spiritually I still felt dead inside. For many months
afterwards I just went through the motions of living. I did everything I
was supposed to do but could not put my shattered heart into any of it.
Finally, one day I was sitting in my chair with my two small
children on my lap. I could see too where my third child was rapidly
growing inside my pregnant wife. As my arms held my giggling babies I
realized that I had to make a decision. I had to decide to live again. I
had to decide to love again. I knew it was the only way to heal my
broken heart and give my children the Dad they deserved.
Day by
day after that I made the choice to love and each day I felt a little
stronger and a little better. By choosing to love again, I had slowly
lifted my soul and mended my heart until I could feel her healing love
inside me.
The decision to love is one that we are all called to
make everyday of our lives. We are called to love in joy and in
heartbreak. We are called to love on our best days and on our worst days
as well. Victor Frankl who suffered through the Nazi concentration camps
and survived wrote that "Love is the ultimate and highest goal to which
man can aspire. The salvation of man is through love and in love."
Make the decision to love today. Make the decision to love God. Make
the decision to love yourself. Make the decision to love everyone as
yourself. "God is Love" and God made us from love. Embrace your true
self then and just love, today, tomorrow, and for all eternity.
The Decision
Today's Bible Verse:
"And loving him with all passion and intelligence and energy, and
loving others as well as you love yourself. Why, that's better than all
offerings and sacrifices put together!" Mark 12:33 (MSG)
The Decision
Announcement:
Do you enjoy reading Chicken Soup for the Soul? Wait until you visit The Sermon Illustrator and read its thousands of inspirational stories. A real faith lifter! Come on over my friend.
- This mailing list is a public mailing list - anyone may join or leave, at any time.
-
This mailing list is announce-only.
This newsletter is dedicated to bringing people closer to the Lord through thought-provoking inspirational stories. It is published every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.
Privacy Policy:
Our Privacy policy
We will never share, sell, or rent your individual personal information and email address with anyone without your advance permission or unless ordered by a court of law.
How can you stop receiving our newsletters?
Each newsletter sent contains an easy, automated way for you to cease receiving our newsletter. If you wish to do this, simply follow the instructions at the end of any newsletter.
If you have received unwanted, unsolicited email sent via this system or purporting to be sent via this system, please forward a copy of that email with your comments to webmaster@answers2prayer.org for review.