Love Looks Past the Labels

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Through the Lord's Mercies we are not consumed...
because His compassions fail not.
They are new every morning!
Great is Your faithfulness!!
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Lam. 3:22&23

In this season of Thankfulness, this is a big one, don't you think? That because of the Lord's grace and mercy, because of His compassion for us... He looks beyond our dirt stained hands and feet, beyond those labels the world puts on us, and He simply looks at the heart of us. 

I don't know about you, but as one who has stubbed her toe again and again with stumbling around this life, I'm grateful for those mercies. And I poured all that gratefulness into my story, Love's Mercy. 

Funny thing is, as I wrote the story, some things just came out, like the verse from Lamentations. During a scene between Chase and Faye, he started reciting it to her while she was grappled with conflicting feelings about her estranged father. I'd heard the scripture before. Deep in my soul, it bubbled up in that moment, and I had to go look for it.

And all I could do was sit back and be thankful for the reminder. "'The Lord is my portion,' says my soul, 'Therefore, I hope in Him.'"  Yes! 

When Heath told Faye, his estranged daughter, that labels take away a person's humanity, my hands slid off the keyboard as I thought... yeah, they do, don't they?

And the kicker is we have labels for everything. Truth be told, I've stuck my husband with a few labels when I've lost my patience with him, and I'm sure he's lobbed them right back. Ha! 

Kidding aside, our society gives labels to people who are socially awkward, or who struggle with various mental and physical ailments.... People who do, think or behave certain ways. Eventually, those labels cover the real person tucked away inside. 

I think, what I've realized most, from my own life experiences, is that labels put a divider between people. Even people who are supposedly on the same "team." With labels, it becomes us vs them. 

I'm grateful to serve a God who looks at our hearts. Who sacrificed himself so we can experience his mercy and grace. I'm grateful to serve a God who loves me in spite of myself. Because I screw up on a daily basis with my lack of trust, my worries, and fears, my disobedience when there's something I know I should do, but don't want to. Truth.

Yet, his mercies are new every morning, because great is his faithfulness. Thank God that he lovingly sees me through my mistakes and willfulness. 

So, why did I write Love's Mercy?
Because when I asked for three stories to contribute to Melissa Storm's First Street Church Kindle World, this was the first one that came to me. The other two, Love's Harmony and Love's Hidden Blessing are in the making and will be out next year. 

Also because Faye and Heath's story is my story. I wasn't sure at first if I wanted to be open with my personal story like this, but as I wrote, the words flowed so freely.

​This, dear friends, is my most heartfelt and honest story that I've yet to write. 

If you decide to check it out, you'll find a link at the end of the book that will take you to my own Love's Mercy story and how God brought me to where I am today concerning my own parent's life choices. And my own choices on how I responded.

​I hope the story of Faye, Chase, and Heath will touch your heart as it's touched mine. 

Blessings and Peace to you!
Jackie C. 

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