Happy February. 🩷

I want to start this month with a reminder I wish someone had gently spoken over me years ago:

You are loved beyond what you do.

For a long time in my early walk with Christ, I struggled to truly understand the love of God. I remember walking up to the altar Sunday after Sunday, “repenting” for all the ways I thought I had fallen short—convinced that I had somehow disappointed God or risked Him loving me less.

If I missed my Bible reading? A strike.
If I rushed through prayer—or skipped it altogether? Another strike.
If I messed up again in the same area? Shame followed close behind.

I believed God’s love was tied to my performance. And if I’m honest, that belief followed me right into motherhood. But by the grace of God—through community, other women of faith, and learning what it truly means to walk with Christ—I began to understand something life-changing:

God’s love isn’t based on what I do.
It’s based on who HE is.

Devotion: Loved First

Woman holding pink balloons spelling out the word love.

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.”— Ephesians 2:8–9 (NIV)

God’s love was never meant to be earned.

It was never dependent on perfect church attendance, flawless prayer routines, or how “put together” our faith looked from the outside. His love came first—before we knew better, before we did better, before we had it all figured out.

That’s the foundation of our faith.

We don’t love God to secure His love.
We love God because He already chose us.

“We love because He first loved us.”
— 1 John 4:19 (NIV)

And this truth matters deeply in motherhood because when we believe love must be earned, we carry that same pressure into how we mother, how we show up, and how we talk to ourselves. We strive. We overdo. We feel guilty when we fall short.

But grace reminds us: salvation and love is a gift. Not a reward.

And when we mess up (because we will), Scripture tells us Jesus is faithful and just to forgive us when we ask (1John 1:0). He doesn’t rehearse our past. He doesn’t hold grudges. He forgives and moves forward.

That’s love rooted in grace.

Take a Moment to Reflect

Take a moment to reflect:

Where have I tied my worth to my performance?
What would change if I truly believed God’s love doesn’t fluctuate?
How can I offer myself the same grace God freely gives me?

You are not disqualified by what you didn’t know. You are growing in what you know now.

Pray: Father, thank you for choosing to love me. Help me to fully embrace your love so that I can love you, myself, and everyone else fully. In Jesus name. Amen.

African American woman with curls and gray sweater with face in her hands.

Why Do I Have Difficulties Making Emotional Connection: The Struggle of a Working Mom

When we concentrate on earning love through works, feelings of overwhelm, anxiety, and burnout can cause us to feel distant from family, faith, or even ourselves. This blog gently unpacks why that happens and how burnout, mental overload, and guilt may be impacting your ability to connect. You’re not broken—you’re tired, and there is hope.

Read the full blog here.

Mom Tips: Living Loved, Not Proving Love

Start your day grounded, not striving. Even a short prayer counts.
Notice your inner dialogue. Replace “I should be doing more” with “God meets me here.”
Model grace for your kids. Let them see you apologize, grow, and receive forgiveness.
Rest without guilt. Love doesn’t require exhaustion.

Faith-Filled Affirmation For the Week

"I am loved because God chooses to love me. My worth is not based on what I do, but on who He is. I receive His grace freely and live from love—not for it."