Love is a verb…this is a saying that has been around for a while, but we seem to often forget.  Early in my life, I had a tendency to express what I thought was “love” to those around me…friends, family, co-workers, classmates, etc.  I would say, “Love ya, man; love ya, bro” without giving a second thought to the meaning of my words or to whom I may be saying them.  I came to a point in my life where the words were still the same, but the passion and truthfulness of the meaning did not follow.  After years of being hurt by individuals in my life, ones that I had expressed my love to many times, I became cold and selfish.  My wife noticed that I was not the kind-hearted, loving individual that she had married many years before.  I began to take my frustrations out on her and also my daughter.  We had always had an open line of communication, but that line was fading week by week, month by month.  I began doing things I didn’t normally do and saying things I didn’t normally say.  There was a change happening.  My wife saw it.  My daughter saw it.  And I saw it.

Instead of letting my circumstances change my life, I decided to turn back to God and not just say that I believed in Him, but also live it.  After doing this, I saw again the love and compassion that God has for me.  I now can show that same love and compassion to the ones around me.  This change could not have come at a better time.  It has affected my life, my wife’s life, and more importantly, my 13 year old daughter’s life.  She now sees that love is not just something you say to people you know…it’s something you live.  This is only made possible because of my relationship with Jesus.  It’s because of my relationship with Him that I can say, “Love is a verb”…put it in action!