What is love?

Beloved readers, I must apologize to you in advance. Today’s #MondayMessage will not be like its predecessors. Today, I want to take a moment to highlight my mini-me, my shadow, my youngest best friend- my niece, Sophia. If you’ve made it this far, I invite you stay a while longer and read a poem that she wrote this week. She is young, moldable clay- let’s mold her and encourage her together!

On Wednesday I was driving my precious niece home from school and she said that she wanted to write a story. She asked for a title and character names and then she went to town. She wrote for a portion of the afternoon and then presented a nearly-finished story that blew us all way. When she did finish, her story was honestly amazing, and I was so proud of the work she had done.

My baby is on her way to becoming a world-renown, prolific writer.

And I’m all here for it!

Later on in the week, my beloved Butterfly (that’s my name for her) asked me for a title for a poem that she wanted to write and today I want to share it with you all. I want to encourage her and help her grow in any way possible.

She’s precarious.
She’s impulsive.
She’s devoted.
She’s a gem.
She’s rare.
She’s a babe… with an old soul.
She’s wisdom (literally, her name is Greek for “wisdom”).

So, I invite you close your eyes, journey back to your 7-year old self, and ask yourself, “What is love?”

What is Love?
By Sophia Martin

Love is a kiss,
From everyone you miss.
Love is a smile,
From every mile.
Love is a heart,
From every heart.
I love Grammy, Mommy, Cousins, Aunts, Uncles, and Daddies [sic], and Godmommy.
LOVE is GREAT!

What is love to YOU?
To me, love is a sweet, tender kiss from someone that I care about deeply. It is a smile that reaches me from miles away or after time away from that person. Love is what gives my heart its beat. Love really is GREAT!

Beloved, in today’s unconventional message I want to remind you that LOVE is God. The beautiful things that our eyes see and hearts feel today are only because of the love that is God. My little Butterfly is seven and even she knows that love is more than the tangible and visible. Love is far more than we can ever see with our human eyes because it exists through our Heavenly Father.

What is love?
Love is creating me in Your image.
What is love?
Love is desiring a deep and intimate relationship between me and You.
What is love?
Love is sending Your Son to suffer and die just so that You and I could be together again.
What is love?
Love is saying that even with my jacked up past, You still have a great plan for my future.
What is love?
Love is You.

Be blessed.