To Those Still Looking for Love

by Katelyn Collison

In the last year, God has taught me a great deal about Love.

It’s a vast thing, this emotion. God Himself said it was the most important thing. I’ve loved, and lost, and prayed, and grew. I’ve held off on writing anything because I couldn’t imagine writing something that didn’t have dignity or grace inside it. But also because I didn’t understand what I had learned until now.

So, here’s what I would tell those still looking for love:

You know that quote that says if it’s not mad, passionate, extraordinary love – it isn’t worth your time? It’s true. It’s so true. This life is a beautiful thing, and loving someone is one of the greatest things you’ll ever do. It’s the greatest thing you can give someone else or have for yourself. So if it doesn’t make you feel free, if it doesn’t make you feel like something inside of you has come alive - it isn’t worth your time.

People will try to tell you that the person you fall in love with will complete you. Please, please, please – do not believe them. No one but God can or should complete you. The love that flows between you and the other person should make you feel whole and complete. It should make you feel like you’re enough just the way you are.

It has taken me a long time to get here. It’s taken me a lot of learning and experiencing, and I don’t see that changing any time soon. But please read my words:

There is someone out there who will love you – all of you. They will love your scars and your beauty, they will love your brokenness and your strength. If their love doesn’t make you feel free, or if you feel like you’re fighting more than they are – don’t stay. Don’t flinch. Your heart should swell when a real love is a part of your life. Any love that causes you pain, strife, or shrinking doesn’t deserve your beautiful, precious heart.

I am worth a love that makes me come alive.

Closer

by Anis Mojgani

come closer.
come into this. come closer.

you are quite the beauty. if no one has ever told you that before know that
now. you are quite the beauty. there is joy in how your mouth dances with
your teeth. your mouth is a sign of how sacred your life truly is. come into
this. true of heart come into this. you are true of heart. come closer. come
closer. know that whatever God prays to He asked it to help Him make
something of worth. He woke from His dreams scraped the soil form the spaces
inside Himself made you and was happy. you make the Lord happy.
come into this.
come closer.

know that something softer than us but just as holy planted the pieces of
Himself into our feet that we might one day find our way back to Him. you
are almost home.

come closer come into this. there are birds beating their wings beneath your
breastplate gentle sparrows aching to sing come aching hearts come soldiers
of joy doormen of truth come true of heart come into this.

my heart was too big for my body so I let it go and most days this world has
thinned me  to where I am just another cloud forgetting another flock of
swans but believe me when I tell you my soul has squeezed into narrow
spaces. place your hand beneath your head when you sleep tonight and you may
find it there making beauty as we sleep as we dream as we turn over when I
turn over in the ground may the ghosts that I have asked answers of do the
turning kneading me into crumbs of light and into this thing love thing
called life. come into it!

come you wooden museums
you gentle tigers
negro farces in two broken scenes.
come rusting giants!

I see teacups in your smiles upside down glowing. your hands are like my
heart. on some days how it trembles. let us hold them together. I am like
you. I too at times am filled with fear. but like a hallway must find the
strength to walk through it. walk through this with me. walk through this
with me. through this church birthed of blood and muscle where every move
our arms take every breath we swallow is worship.

bend with me. there are bones in our throats. if we choke it is only on
songs.