The Point at Which I Explain Exactly Why I. Am. The. Favorite.

Imagine it. Sunlight pouring down on your face. Children playing quietly (and nicely) nearby. You are enjoying your latest favorite book as your spouse brings you a lovely beverage. Bills are paid. Housework is done. Everything in the house runs as it should. All is well in your little corner of the world. That's what makes you the 'favorite'. Right?

Wrong. Very very wrong.

Some people ask questions like, "Why does God allow such trials to happen?" Or make statements like, "Where is God? I thought He loved me?" As if 'If God truly loves us, why does He allow us to suffer?" I will tell you here and now, that it is BECAUSE HE DOES LOVE YOU that He allows it. It has never been enough for me to hear, "Well, we live in a fallen world." True, but these same people who say that also say that God is the ALMIGHTY. So, the former statement leaves me empty. Lost. Wondering.

Again, I cannot and will not speak for anyone else. But I will tell you this, because I know that I know that I know - God allowed me to experience this for one reason and one reason alone - To. Draw. Me. Nearer. To. Him.

Really.

He loves me THAT much. He wanted me to experience Him in a new way. In a desperate way. In a "God, you're all I've got" kind of way. Why? Because that's how He feels about me. Desperate.

God knows me so well that He knew I would run to Him. God knows my heart so much that He knew what I had kept from Him. God knows my mind so much that He knew I would try to find all the "answers" but fail. God knows my body so well that He knew I would be beaten down to the point of collapse. Literally.

What I want desperately for you to understand is that God loved me enough to allow me to go through this fire BECAUSE He loves me. He wanted to bring me to that intimate place with Him. He wanted me with Him. Not only did He love me so much that He would rather have died than live without me. (And trust me - I am nothing. Surely nothing worth dying for). But He loved me enough to shatter the world beneath my feet as He waited right...there...to catch me. To envelope me.

I told you how I went to my porch and cried out to Him. He met me there. I found a new relationship with God that I did not know even existed. I never knew you could have a relationship with the Holy Spirit. Boy, was I ignorant.

So, do you see now how I am the favorite? Is it because everything goes my way? Nope. Nopey nope nope nope. Quite the opposite actually. It's because God loves me enough to challenge me, to change me, to break me. And not necessarily because I need to be disciplined. It's because He wants me closer to Him. Imagine! ME? Closer to the ALMIGHTY GOD? What in the world? Makes no sense!! Exactly. None at all. It is a crazy, crazy love.

And guess what. He. Loves. You. Like. That. Too. Yes, it's true.

Want the real secret? YOU are His Favorite TOO!