A Never-Ending Message of Love

Love one another as I have loved you. John 13:34

As soon as the month of February ends, we tend to forget about 💗💕❤️s, Valentine’s Day, valentines, chocolate, roses, and the many messages of LOVE that were heard and seen throughout the month.  Grace’s favorite Scripture, 1 John 4:8, says ‘God is Love’ and Grace knew her Savior loved her, AND loved all of us!  His ultimate gift of love was dying on the cross for us. 

Those who were blessed to be around Grace or have been blessed to know someone with Down syndrome, know they love with an unconditional love, as God does. When we get to heaven there will be no shortage of love because I have no doubt in my mind these special ones are all closely connected to Jesus! I believe they show us more of what God intended when He made us in His image. 

Their 3rd 21st chromosome is often called the love chromosome, and should be a welcome sight for new parents, siblings, grandparents, family, and friends. They don’t know it yet, but they will have their life blessed beyond imagination!   I know our family was. 😊 Travis is so lucky to have his ‘little sister’ by his side once again. He always made time for her and showered her with love and vice versa.

“A favorite picture of them together. Their smiles are priceless!”

Grace’s great-grandma told us when Grace was born she was the ‘jewel in her crown’ (the best or most special part of her). She sure was!  To me too!  

“Me, Grace, and her Great-Grandma Tess.”

God’s love surrounds us 24/7, not just in February.  How sweet to have had an extra day to focus on loving others and His love for us this leap year! 😊

It seemed a fitting title, ‘A Never-Ending Message of Love’, with having our special girl and all the love she bestowed upon us daily.  I recently found this reminder.

“A sweet, note from Grace.”

These great finds are not only precious; they remind me Grace lives on in heaven, but also in my and our hearts, but then the tears begin.  I’ve been told with ‘great love’ there is ‘great grief’.  I can certainly vouch for that.  I am so lost without my young daughter, my student, my big helper, my phone technologist, my music lover, my dancer, my fashion queen, my sunshine, the list goes on and on.  I feel so alone at times without her and Travis here, but when you know Jesus, you are NEVER alone or without His Love. 

Think of this newsletter’s title and the love our Lord and Savior Jesus showered us with and showed us when He died on the cross paying for our sins. We ALL are sinners. He paid the price for EVERY ONE of our sins, our past, present and even the future sins we will make. What a sign of love!  Oh, how I cannot imagine not having Him in our life, but MANY don’t. 

As the world spirals out of control, one thing I know for sure is that we can ALWAYS hold on to the love from our Heavenly Father.  “He will never leave us or forsake us.” (Deuteronomy 31:80) Recently, when reading the Book of Daniel with our grandsons, we were reminded of that reality when God clearly was with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the fiery furnace and with Daniel in the lion’s Den. He is right here with us too! 

BTW, did you know God's promise, "I will never leave you nor forsake you" is found in multiple books of the Bible, in both the Old and New Testaments?  I didn’t.  This promise means we can be assured that He is and will ALWAYS be with us.  No matter what our circumstances, or our past, we can repent and return to God's loving mercy and grace. If Grace was here, she’d remind us of that!  

Thank God today for His glorious love, and always remember 1 John 4:8 ‘God is Love’. AND…don’t ever forget February’s message of love.  Soon, we will feel the weather turn to spring, and sense God’s love in the air and see the signs of His love all around us!  Keep watching for “hearts from heaven”!  

We saw the first robins last week, heard cranes and geese in the sky, and now a red-winged blackbird, and a morning dove were singing while basking in the sunshine!

Love to you all for being there with us, 

Grace’s mom

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