The Greatest Love

by

Teresa Bell Kindred

I am the mother of five children and each time one of them was born I gave them a piece of my heart. How do I know? Because when they started school, started driving, started dating, started college, my heart went with them.

Last night I was sitting at probably my one zillionth basketball game (four of my children are boys) beside my daughter, who was home visiting from college. Justin, who is a senior in high school, went in for a lay up and suddenly he was on the bottom of a pile of very large boys. I grabbed my daughter's hand and squeezed it tightly, while saying a prayer that he would be safe.

"Mom," she laughed, "he's okay. Why are you freaking out?"

I looked at her and smiled. She isn't a mother yet. She doesn't understand about giving away your heart.

Over the years I realized that somewhere along life's journey part of my soul had become attached to each piece of my heart that I had given away. If my children were sad, so was I. When they hurt, I felt their pain. When they fell in love, I rejoiced with them. When their heart ached, so did mine. And then I became a grandmother and guess what? I didn't think I had more heart to give, but I was wrong.

My grandmother lived to be 89. She was blessed with many grandchildren and great-grandchildren and when she died, even though I know it was because her body finally failed her, my personal theory is she died because she'd finally given away all of her heart and all of her soul and God took her home to make her whole again. One day I want Him to do the same for me.

The truly amazing thing about love is that you can't limit it. There is nothing it can't do. It's bigger than the ocean or the sky and no matter how much you give away, there is always more. It's especially humbling to think that as powerful as the love is that I have for my family, God's love is greater. He loved all of humanity so much that He gave His only son as a sacrifice for our sins. The story of His love and the life of Jesus are truly the greatest love story of all time. And isn't it amazing to think it all began with a tiny baby in a manger and a mother who gave her son a small piece of her heart.

3:16 - [In Context]
"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.


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