"Conversations with God"

So, I've begun to read this book called "Conversations with God: an uncommon dialogue". A friend recommended to me and liked it so much, he shipped me a copy.

Honestly, I wasn't sure what to expect and still am unsure. I've barely finished the first chapter and I'm still processing a lot of it. There are some things that I think I may disagree with, and other things, that I totally love. I've read a few reviews of the book and they've been very helpful as I process the information. But I did want to share the tidbit that made me tear up as I read it. This is supposedly what God said to Neale:

"      ....And the reason is found in the first lie – the lie which you hold as the truth about God – that God cannot be trusted; that God's love cannot be depended upon; that God's acceptance of you is conditional; that the ultimate outcome is thus in doubt. For if you cannot depend on God's love to always be there, on who's love can you depend? If God retreats and withdraws when you do not perform properly, will not mere mortals also?
       ....And so, it is that in the moment you pledge your highest love, you greet your greatest fear.
       For the first thing you worry about after saying "I love you" is whether you'll hear it back. And if you hear it back, then you begin immediately to worry that the love you have just found, you will lose. And so all action becomes a reaction – defense against loss – even as you seek to defend yourself against the loss of God.
       Yet, if you knew Who You Are – that you are the most magnificent, the most remarkable, the most splendid being God has ever created – you would never fear. For who could reject such wondrous magnificence? Not even God could find fault in such a being.
        But you do not know Who You Are, and you think you are a great deal less." 

(pg. 16)

It hurt my heart to read the first paragraph. I know I've had to learn to deal with my own trust issues with God and have believed that his love was conditional. As human beings, it's hard for us to understand an unconditional love. We've learned from our family, friends, and others that if we fail or somehow mess up, they may not love us back. But God doesn't work like that.

God is love and no matter what we do, He will love us. As I was reading some of the blogs I follow, one of the bloggers posted this verse and I thought it fit perfectly:

"And I am convinced that nothing can separate us from God's love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today or our worries about tomorrow--not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below--indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord." -Romans 8:37-39

Awesome. :)