Loved and Forgiven

I've always had a hard time with accepting someone else's love and forgiveness because I've felt that I was so undeserving, even when it came to God's love and forgiveness. I knew that His love is unconditional and His forgiveness is never ending. It's such a simple thing to accept, but it's also so overwhelming! How could a God as awesome and amazing as He is love someone like me?

During our Pittsburgh/New Kensington, PA mission trip July 2-7, 2017, I was struggling greatly with the idea of God's love and forgiveness and even acceptance because I couldn't find a way to love, forgive, or accept myself. There was a time in my life where I couldn't even look in the mirror because all I could see was the girl who made those mistakes and continued to make them. The girl who keeps messing up and going back to the same thing that broke her. When in reality, God just saw me as HIS daughter!

During our programs throughout the week, I decided to stop trying to figure out why or how God could love someone like me and to just accept it because while it is overwhelming at times, it is such a simple concept! By trying to think of why or how God could love me, I was driving myself insane and in constant circles. I'm so thankful I was able to go on this trip (my first missions trip!) and come to this realization and take a huge leap of faith!