You are loved...but me? Really?!

So yesterday, me and a group of friends from one of my Bible classes got together to work on a project. Our "missional project" assignment was as simple as this: go out to the community, and bless it. Be Jesus to people. That was it. Seems simple, right?


Wrong. Oh so wrong. I'll admit, I was a bit of a Moses when it came to this assignment. I didn't think I could do it. I dislike the idea of getting out of my comfort zone. It's comfortable, it's safe, and it's mine-I think that makes it a very good place to stay, right? Again, wrong. But I digress. 

The girls in my group were outwardly a lot more enthusiastic about the project, particularly what we decided to do for ours-we went to Walmart and coveted the toy aisle (reminiscing on childhood as we did so) and bought bubbles, a ball, and sidewalk chalk. We then went to Centennial Park, started writing verses and kind words upon the sidewalk/running area, and talked to people, asking if they needed any kind of prayer request. Again, my comfort zone flew out the window. But overall it was a great adventure that I am so glad I got to be apart of. :)

Here are some pics from yesterday: I didn't take many, but the ones I took came out nicely.

As much a reminder for others as for me! Don't forget to smile! :)

Romans 5:8

Jennifer's rainbow! 

There was one picture I took that particularly caught my eye and made me stop and think about myself for a minute: 

That's meeeee! (really my shadow, but you get the picture). 

At first I was annoyed when I took this picture. I didn't want my shadow in it...because honestly, I felt like it was one big blob in a cute picture. Seriously. But then I read what it said. 

"You are loved."

It made me stop and think for a minute. I probably read into it a lot more than most people would, but I feel like my shadow in the picture, with these words in particular, is a reminder: 

"hey...while you're out there loving others, remember that you are loved too."

I forget a lot of the time that I am loved by God. I feel like it's because I have a problem loving myself (always have). I feel unlovable, way too often. I see that God loves others-no doubt about it. But often I question, "how can he really love ME?" I just don't get it. This isn't a pity-on-Jordan/insecure kid moment. (don't take it like that, please!) This is mainly just the way my brain works. I just don't understand why. Or how, for that matter. How can a mighty, powerful God love little me, that screws up on a daily basis? 

But He does.  And I am so thankful for that. God doesn't just love when I'm being good, when I go to church, when I do anything of the like. He loves me for me, all the time. No matter what. He loves all of us like that. Just because we are His children. What a beautiful thought, huh? I just need to drive it through my brain on a daily basis. Sometimes it takes a visual reminder to help me remember something as simple as this. That's why I love that above picture so much. It may not be anything to you, but to me, it's a reminder from God, and that's how I'm gonna take it. :)

See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! 1 John 3:1 (NIV) 

In conclusion,  I feel like this song goes so well with this. We are loved immensely by a beautiful God who created us in His image. We are his beloved, no matter what. I'm working on believing this everyday. :)