Do You Know How Loved You Are?

For the past few weeks I've been struggling a lot with depression.

I wrote last week about how depressed I was the night before I started school, and how silly I felt about it afterward. Well, let me tell you, the "silliness" (if that's what it can really be called) did not end there like I was thinking it would. For the rest of the week my emotions raged out of control: silly and happy one minute, depressed and despairing the next. Needless to say, last week wasn't particularly pleasant.

Because I was so sad, I closed my heart and eyes to the people who were trying to show me love. I didn't even recognize it. I was blind to all of the ways that God has blessed me. I didn't even consider how much He loves me.

Over the weekend things seemed to shape up a little bit. Where did that depression go? Well, instead of finding comfort in God and fighting depression with Joy and God's strength, I was able to ignore it for a few days because I didn't have the stress of homework on my shoulders and I got to see and talk to the person that I wanted to.

So everything was all better, yeah? Ehh. That's what I was thinking until this morning.

Then I started to feel the same sadness sweep over me that was there last week--I was thinking about what this next week would bring and beginning to think that it would be like last week.

And that's when Lydia Martin walks into the kitchen and randomly says, "Do you know how loved you are?" Then walks out, leaving me to actually consider her question.

And you know what? The words that little girl said could not have been more perfect or convicting. Through her, God told me exactly what I needed to hear. I am SO loved! All of the people are around me care about me. I have tons of people praying for me. I get all kinds of warm, loving hugs whenever I'm around my brothers and sisters in Christ, and sincere questions about how I am doing and what's going on in my life. And to top that off, Christ loved me so much that He suffered and died for me!!!!! I'm part of God's family, and if that doesn't totally fill my heart with joy, then nothing will.

I am so loved, and it's an incredible thing.