I remember the first time I ran across the words in the Bible that would change my life. Over ten years ago, I was in the midst of a spiritual journey that was in desperate need of a touch from Jesus. In the midst of my fear and anger, I managed to open my barely used New Living Translation Bible and found these words: “God is love, and all who live in love, live in God, and God lives in them” (1 John 4:16). When I read these words it was like a light bulb had been turned on in my head. The lyrics to that now corny song, “What the world needs now is love sweet love,” began to run through my mind, and I wanted to know more of this God that was all about love. I had walked away from my childhood faith for many reasons, but one of the main reasons was the fact that I didn’t feel loved by God. Religion and denominational ritual had replaced spirituality and I felt like a carbon copy Christian who spoke Christianese but didn’t understand the language of God’s love. 

The God in 1 John 4:16 was the same God in John 3:16 but this view of Him helped me to understand Him and my role in the kingdom more. The message I carried away that day was that love is the reason why God created me, was the reason why He sent His son, and was the reason why He gave me the gifts, talents, and skills He did. Because of God’s undying love, I was granted grace, mercy and forgiveness for my sins. Because of God’s undying love, I needed to share Him with others. Over time, as God healed and restored me from my days of living in the world, I began to understand this verse and those surrounding it more and more. “Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is born of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God-for God is love. God showed how much he loved us by sending his only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love. It is not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins…All who proclaim that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God. We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in him. God is love, and all who live in love, live in God, and God lives in them” (1 John 4:7-10; 15-16). 

It was with these words in mind that I created Love Speaks Daily to minister to those who need to be reminded of God’s love. I started this newsletter in 1997 but the cost to mail it out to everyone prohibited me from continuing. In 2007, while learning how to create and send e-newsletter at work, the original vision for this newsletter came to mind. With the help of technology, I was able to send it more efficiently and from anywhere in the world. Love Speaks Daily is my testimony of God’s undying love for His children sent with hope of empowering, inspiring, motivating, and pointing the way to Christ Jesus for all who sometimes need a sweet reminder that God is love. 

God’s Love, 

Patrice Gerideau 

Editor

Click HERE to read Love Speaks Daily.