What does love look like?

I made my way to Kansas City this evening to join in an evening of worship with my favorite worship leader, Misty Edwards. Misty has been my favorite worship leader at the House of Prayer for several years and she had taken time away from leading for a while, and tonight I was able to sit in on the set and relax before the Lord a bit.

Without meaning to get too spiritual on you all, (I know many of my readers aren't!) I wanted to share something neat that happened in the set. At the House of Prayer they do worship songs that are popular in that setting, and then they do "flow" time where they just sing whatever is on their hearts. I like the flow time because we don't have that in my church. Without getting into a big, drawn-out description, I enjoy the flow time because out of that God seems to speak to me in those moments.

In one of the "flow" cycles, Misty sang out, "What does love look like?"

That one phrase pierced my heart. I love to talk about love. How we love each other, the best ways to love people, etc. But, I had never thought about "What does love look like." I was moved.

Then she sang about Jesus on the cross. And, it grabbed me. I have been walking with God for 11 years and I had lost the depth of Jesus on the cross. I had allowed the cross to be something I take for granted. As she described Jesus on the cross with arms wide open, his heart fully exposed, I was excited to have that revelation brought back to me.

I needed that. I have struggled this year with Christmas. It seems each year I struggle more and more just because we give each other gifts, but don't always meditate on what Christmas is really all about. We give people we love gifts to show we love them, when in reality they already know that...why give a gift to show it?

Don't get me wrong, I'm not becoming Anti-Christmas at all. I'm just saying that I had personally come to a place where I had forgotten the depth of the cross and the fact He died for me. So tonight was very very good for me.

And of course, it didn't stop there. I was driving to my parent's house and I took it a step further.

In today's terms, what does love look like?

I started pondering and thinking about my life and the people in my little world. And here are just a few ways I've seen love first-hand.

My parents did an AWESOME job of raising my brother and me. They love me today with an unconditional love that can't be put into words, but you can see it in action. That's what love looks like.

I witnessed Mr. H. and his wife adopt a girl. After waiting for a long time for the right child, God gave them the perfect one for them. And this girl could have been kept by a young parent who wasn't ready to have a child, but instead Mr. H. and his wife love her unconditionally. That's what love looks like.

I watch the staff I work with deal with impossible situations in the lives of the students that God has put in each of our paths, and they love them unconditionally. That's what love looks like.

A friend of mine is walking through a season with his wife and she is very sick, and he's in there praying for her and supporting her the best he can. That's what love looks like.

Everyday I have a student drop by my room at the end of the day and we joke back and forth about random stuff. He's a neat kid, who I am glad I have in my life. But, if I'm out of my room for some reason, he leaves me a note on my computer each day saying, "bye. see you tomorrow". That's what love looks like.

I have watched several loved ones walk through Cancer and they have become stronger, better people because of it. And in the midst of it the people who support them do incredible things too. That's what love looks like.

I have walked through some drama as of late, and the people that I have let in on the situation have prayed for me and loved me in a way that I've never ever experienced before. That's what love looks like.

While this list could go on and on forever, I need to read a bit before I crash...

So, one final thought on what love looks like...

Roxie and Rudy are incredible dogs. So many times people feel they must talk ALL THE TIME to keep conversation going or to support a loved one when they're walking through stuff. Dogs on the other hand, just sit and cuddle.

And that my friends, is the simplest form of what love looks like...