What My Love Means A little something I wrote for my man to define what I mean when I say I love him. Not the world's shallow, weak idea of love, but rather a true, pure, God-honoring love. Rather long, but worth the read! This is actually the abridged version. I can post the rest if anyone requests it! #love #essay When I say 'I love you', I am telling you with 3 words and 8 letters how much you mean to me. Just 3 words. I am telling you that no matter what happens, I will be here for you. That I want your pain to be my pain, your joy to be my joy, and your tears to be my tears. I am assuring you that you never have to go through anything alone. I am reminding you that you are a tremendous young man, that you are a gift from God. I am promising to help you and encourage you through God's Word in the midst of any obstacle we face. When you hear those words from my lips, when you read those words from my letters, it will imply that I am praying for you to be at the center of God's will for your #life, and whether it is a hard or easy place to be, that he would give you the strength, the grace, and the peace to get through it. It will imply that I will always help guide you in the Lord's way, and encourage you through every trial. I will put aside my own selfish desires and consider your needs above my own desires, as Christ did for me. I will have patience and forgiveness in my heart as we encounter obstacles. I am promising to be by your side until I draw my last breath, to grow with you, to learn from and with you. To boldly tell you when you are not honoring God with your actions and words, and to graciously accept the same correction from you. When I say 'I love you', I give my heart, my soul, and the whole of my being to you. I am trusting you in every way. I am assuring you of your worth. I am reminding you of my devotion. And I am promising you that I will never leave. ‘Love is patient. Love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, and it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres. Love never fails.' 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Lonely Waiting I know there's hope for us ahead, But I feel so alone, my love; I'm here in my solitude and shame While your smile is all I think of. Your heartbeat is the rhythm of my step, Your warmth the joy in my soul; Your arms are my strength And your words make me whole. Come to me quickly, Don't make me wait To be called your own.

Sleeplessness Sleeplessness leaves me in thought After every weary day; The friendship that I so long sought Has drifted far away. As the awful doubts leave me distraught, I in my solitude lay Just wishing for something that's not While demons come to play. I messed up, and I know that now; I'm sorry, can't you see? I'm alone and falling apart right now; Why do you do this to me? I suppose my behavior did allow this situation to be; But I need you at this time to allow My restless mind to flee. Take me away to a beautiful place Where there'll be no more pain; 'Cause with only my memory of your face, I'm afraid my #life is in vain.

Forgotten What I wouldn't give to be in your arms, The only place where I'm safe from harms; But you're too busy holding her, 'Cause she's the one that you prefer. I offered you the most I could give– You said without me, you couldn't live; So now I'm just not good enough? Why must this love be so rough? Stay with her if you'd like, my love, But know that you're my angel from above. I'll convince myself that I'll be alright: I'll try to stop my crying at night. I believed you when you said you cared After all the precious love we shared. But now I'll have to be okay Without you every weary day. ———— I'm not great at giving titles to my #poems. Any suggestions for a better title would be GREATLY appreciated!

Optimistic Pessimist I have found struggle in the simple, Pain in the good, Tears in the happy, Confusion in the understood. I have found love in the hate, Joy in the sad, Beauty in the ugly, Perfection in the bad. I have been let down in the easy, Hurt in the right, Destroyed in the flawless, Torn in the light. I have given in the famine, Laughed in the rain, Lived in the night, Loved in the pain.