Lived Like You Are Loved

You ever hear a song on the radio and something about it strikes a chord within you? You automatically have that overwhelming feeling of ‘truth’. That was me yesterday afternoon as I was in my car driving from one appointment to the next when Hawk Nelson’s song, Live Like You’re Loved played on the radio. In it, the group sings,

 “Go ahead and live like you’re loved. It’s ok to act like you’ve been set free. His love has made you more than enough. So go ahead and be who He made you to be.”

It’s that last line that stayed with me when I heard it on the radio yesterday. So often, songs come and go-occasionally, one might hold my attention through the duration, but rarely, am I thinking about the words long after it’s melody has ended. But this one, with the statement that BECAUSE you are loved you are FREE to become the person God made you to be lingered with me not only all day yesterday but even this morning. How many times have I felt trapped, unloved or less than? How often have I allowed those lies to hold me back and keep me from seeking God and His will for my life? What would it REALLY look like if I felt FREE, LOVED, and became the person He created ME to be?

As the song continues, it states, “Stand like you know who He made you to be.” Those four statements: “you’ve been set FREE, live like you’re LOVED; BE who He made you to be; STAND like you know who He made you to be” are life changing. How many times do we make the wrong choice because we’re afraid or seeking love or approval from someone else? But if we ALREADY KNEW and BELIEVED we were loved, we could trust God enough to take a chance and walk forward in the calling He has placed on us.

Because we are LOVED, we can have the confidence to boldly stand in who He made us to be. WOW! What a gift! We don’t have to earn anything. This isn’t a promise for the elite or a select few. It’s not guaranteed to only our neighbor or the ‘good’ person; it’s for us. It’s for you AND me. Whether we have ever FELT loved or had to struggle just to survive, we, too, have a special purpose for our life that Christ has given us. Because HE LOVES us, we can stand confidently in it and become the person He created us to be.

That song, in a nutshell, is Rooted Leaders. It’s about realizing that we, just as we are, without changing one thing about our self or our life are special. Are seen. Are important. We have a GIFT. We have a purpose. How could I possibly think that or say that you may ask? Because the God who loves you, gave it to you. You were endowed with a special plan, a special purpose to bring glory to God. This company is a living example of just that. Rooted Leaders’ calling is to help you uncover what that is and take steps or make choices that reflect God’s plan for you.  So that you live a life that is built on your specific calling-the perfect intersection of your natural strengths and abilities combined with your passion and the ability to utilize your calling to meet the needs of others from your daily life.

On the flip side, if we allow our fear or disappointments to keep us from walking in this life, then we’re not only missing out on the GOODNESS that was planned for us to experience, but also all of the lives God had destined for us to reach along our life’s journey. Living a life of purpose is scary. It’s hard. It often requires taking intentional steps of faith, but the invitation is for everyone. If you’re questioning whether there is more you were meant to accomplish with your life; whether you’ll ever be able to achieve those secret dream goals; whether your life has value; whether life will ever stop being chaotic-the answer is YES!

Trusting that God loves you and has a GOOD plan for your life isn’t about changing everything about your current situation. It starts with Seeking Him and His will. With being open to allowing change to start from the inside out.

The great news is that through the combination of proven leadership and biblical principles you can find the answers you’re seeking and live a life that looks and feels authentic and bears good fruit. Take heart my friend, where ever you are headed today, you too, can Live Like You Are Loved!

If you want to hear Hawk Nelson’s song, here’s a link to their YouTube video.

https://youtu.be/Q_r47Xhkf20

Beth Armstrong