Living LOVE...

"let's not just talk about love;

let's practice real love.

This is the only way we'll know

we're living truly, living in God's reality."

1 John 3:18 The Message

I love mango. Its true and it’s a well known fact to those who know me. I also love coffee, birds, sunshine and my car. We all know how flippantly the word “love” is used to describe any and everything we have the slightest affection for. In the midst of loving this and loving that, and it changing so easily, let’s not lose the heart of love- the purpose of love and the One who is Love.


Our world can be so consumed with the desire to be in love that the thought of being love is rare and fleeting. In order for us to truly be love to others, we have to go back to the basics of how extravagantly loved we are. Our Lord is in love with each and every one of us- as is- no conditions required! Jesus showed His love for us by completely surrendering himself to die on the cross. He exemplified love not only with his words, but with His actions. His act of love, the cross, was and is and will always be the greatest expression of Love ever known to humanity. And though we fail Him, and though a vast sea of people has yet to come to the saving knowledge of Him, He doesn’t regret His love-action one ounce! In fact, He’s consistently drawing us with His loving-kindness. Likewise, are we drawing others to Him through loving-kindness? Is the God we profess being made a reality to those around us through our actions- not just our words?




This Valentine season, I believe God is depositing a deeper understanding of Love within our church. The kind of love that spurs action! The Alpha Net is rising up to be love to our community in real and practical ways through our Embrace Projects and I believe we're just tapping the surface of living love.


I recently had a Saturday that consisted of a deeply shaking encounter. I made a quick stop by the local dollar store (where everything is a dollar) in search of small baskets for a particular project. Instead of leaving with just three dollars worth of goods I left with a heart overtaken with compassion. I stood in the “plastic basket” isle and pondered if my choice was the best. Clear or black? Round or square? Sometimes my indecisiveness lingers out of a desire to make the right, good choice. As I debated within myself which basket was best, I noticed peripherally a woman walk from behind me to the end of the aisle and get the attention of an employee. She stretched out her hand and was responded to with a quick and harsh “No, that’s not enough!”


I couldn’t help but turn my full attention to the situation as the employee said those words and walked off abruptly. The woman, calm yet dismayed, slowly turned around and slipped in her pocket a hand full of change. Looking to the ground she walked back down the aisle and put back her hopeful purchase- a box of matches. I said “Ma’am- can I purchase those for you?” She looked up with wonder in her eyes. A striking beautiful young woman nodded and with timidity in her voice said, “Yes…thank you”. I smiled and introduced myself. She said with a thick accent, “I’m Salem, I’m not from here”. I asked where she was from and she said Jordan. I asked if there was anything else she needed or wanted and I would purchase it for her. She said no so we made our way to the register. We didn’t exchange many words, but we shared a deep stare in one anothers eyes in which I felt the Spirit of God. I could see overwhelming gratitude in her eyes and I sensed something so intangible all I could do was weep as I returned to my car. As she walked away I wondered what her story was- why was she here? Why was she buying matches? Why was a handful of change all she had? Who was this woman and what was her story?


I may never know but God is a God of personal and intimate details. He holds individual lives in the palm of his hand and sometimes He orchestrates for our lives to intersect. As my heart broke for this woman, I prayed that she would know Jesus and if somehow, some way, that sometime my small act of kindness would translate as an act of love from God- not from a stranger who had pity on her and did something nice- but from a living and loving God. I yearned for what I did to be seen as God and that He would use it to woo her into a relationship with Him.


Its moments like this when we step out unreservedly with love, that God uses it as the perfect opportunity to chisel away at the rough spots of our heart and breathe fresh compassion into us. Alpha Net, this coming week we will have prime opportunities for just that. Rather it’s leaving a gift for your mailman, writing to believers imprisoned for their faith in foreign countries, or taking coloring books to children hospitalized in MCG, God is going to use you and your actions to minister His love! Through the Embrace Projects, we have the privilege of showing love in unique and personal ways. With each act of love, we are of getting inside the story of an individual life and making a difference!


It’s our hope and prayer that the heart of Embrace Projects would infiltrate our everyday lives. When you’re at school, in the workplace, at home with your family and as you go about the daily grind seek out opportunities to be love and live it with no regrets! As Pastor Bowen has said, "We have a cause to be championed...live 1 Corinthians 13" Let’s do it! Let’s live love!

-Natalie Gonzalez