God is MY Loving Heavenly Father

We are going to start with my favorite topic.... LOVE!

Ever since I was a little child I have been taught that I am a literal daughter of God and that He had a plan for me. I came to a knowledge that I lived with Him before I came here to earth, and that I chose to leave His presence there as a spirit, because I wanted what He had- Everlasting joy, knowledge, understanding, and happiness.... Who doesn't want that?

Although I knew all these things for a long time there has been a little thorn in my understanding. Although I knew that we are all children of God and He loves us and has a plan for us, I didn't believe that God loved me specifically. Sure I said it, but I didn't feel it.

I worked so hard to make Him happy, but it never seemed to be enough for Him. I always fell short. How could He love someone as undeserving as I? Not only did I think He didn't love me, I thought in a way He hated me. If I would pray for something, I thought that He would make sure that DIDN'T happen, just to spite me. I could feel that He loved everyone else, but I thought I was the exception. And if God didn't love me, who could?

And so I felt hopeless... I didn't realize it at the time, but I did. I wanted to go on a mission to prevent every one else from feeling as hopeless as I did. I worked so hard. SO HARD. I did everything I was supposed to, and yet I felt miserable.

It got to the point I couldn't work at all because I was so miserable. Others told me that the way we can show God we love Him is by keeping His commandments and giving our all to him. I was keeping the commandments, but questioned if my all was enough. I remember one day crying wondering if God knew that I loved Him because I couldn't give enough.

In a tender moment I felt the spirit testify to me that I was the "one". Christ was leaving the 99 (who I always thought I had been a part of) to come rescue me because He knew how badly I needed rescuing. He brought me on my mission so that it could just be Him and I. He wanted to spend time with me. His plea to me was to LET HIM love me. He didn't need me to do all the work and do it perfectly... all he needed was for me to need him.

So he gave me an opportunity to rely on the Savior's Atonement and realize I couldn't do it all on my own. Because He loved me He had given me a sweet gift, even the life of His son, so that even though I could never give enough, it would somehow always BE enough.

What happened next was incredible. I have never seen the Heavens open the way they did when I accepted that this gift was for me and God loved me! I realized that all those prayers I had been praying were being answered, but even more perfectly than I had ever anticipated. He brought people into my life to help heal me and testify of this love. He provided opportunities for me to heal and to grow. And the best part was He let me be an instrument to show His love to others.

Coming to the knowledge that God is MY loving Heavenly Father is the single greatest thing I could ever learn in my life. As a representative of Jesus Christ I know that He loves you too. I want so badly for you to know it and feel it. Knowing and feeling His love will change your life and make you whole. His plan for you is perfect, and you can come to know that for yourself through learning of him and praying to know if what I am sharing is true!

I testify that the love of God is real and there are no exceptions to His love. Nothing brings me more joy than sharing the message that not only is he MY loving Heavenly Father, but He is YOUR loving Heavenly Father too.