When I was young, I lived in a very chaotic environment. I became very sensitive to the moods of those around me. My desire to be loved was strong, so I adjusted my behavior depending on those moods. I became a people pleaser who felt that I needed to justify my value to be accepted. As a believer, I adopted the same behaviors, thinking that I needed to justify my worth to God. I did things to stay in His good graces, not because He was so gracious, but because I didn’t want to get into...

Not only do we use a lot of words, but they are very powerful. That is why we are told to think before we speak. We really need God’s wisdom in our words. I know I do.

As believers, we learn that God’s love doesn’t depend on whether or not we measure up. It doesn’t wait for us to be better people. Paul tells us in Romans 5:8 that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.