Clarifying love......

Stephanie told me, "Ever since
I was a little girl, all I ever wanted
was someone who would love me.
But, no one ever has. I've never
known love in my life."

I shared a short message with you
recently about there being only one
kind of love. That love is agape;
divine love; God's love.

Years ago, I also found myself in a
place where I felt alone. I wanted
encouragement. I felt I had no one
to encourage me.

One day, I was feeling a bit sorry
for myself and was sad because
I did not feel encouraged.

As I was feeling this way and even
focusing on it, I heard the voice
within. It said, "Michael, you are
the greatest voice in your own
life. In fact, you listen to yourself
more than you listen to anyone else.
Encourage yourself."

It was an epiphany for me. I started
encouraging myself that day.

Receiving love is much the same way.
As I've shared, you must first love
yourself. When you do this, you
choose love as a way of life. You
consciously begin to love others.

I found that as I encouraged myself,
I was filling myself up with encouragement.
When I did this, I could more easily
give encouragement to others.

True love, agape, is expressed in
eros and phileo. Eros is between
two people who go to a different
level of love in a romantic way.
Phileo is the brotherly love that you
feel for your friends in your life.

But, if you check the source of
both of these expressions of love,
you'll find that they come from the
same reservoir of agape.

The scriptures tell us to, "Love God,
love others, love yourself." There
is only one love. It is agape. You
choose this love as a way of life.

When you do, you'll never feel
unloved again.

This is why, I can honestly say,
I love you.

Michael