Grace by Faith

I found a list of Bible study verses from a few years ago which I collected with a dear friend of mine, Janis, during a very special time in both of our lives. The very first one on the list was Romans 5:2-5 -

"Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand...We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts..."

I need these reminders that I am loved not by the works of my own hands, not by my accomplishments, not by my physical beauty, not by my lineage or my talents; I am loved by grace, by absolutely nothing of my doing. Such a simple concept. Such a powerful concept.

Aside from humbling my pride, this is a very important message for me - a chronic perfectionist. The message to me in this passage is: you don't have to do anything spectacular, be anyone important, prove anything at all to be loved by a consuming God. You just have to have faith and accept His amazing gift. Now that is something I am happy to do.

And do you know what I'm even more happy to do? To be loved by a man who mirrors God in his willingness to try to love me unconditionally by no works of my own. And to do so in return.
(See below...)