My phone vibrated next to me; picking it up, I adjusted my glasses and saw it was a text coming through with a prayer request asking for prayer for a family who had lost a loved one. This year has seemed hard. We have seen death in many forms and for different reasons.

My mind began wandering in the reality of death. Death will come one day; as much as I would like to think I am going to be here forever, I am not.

I began thinking of that song, ” I can only imagine” by MercyMe

I began to daydream about what it will be like when I see Jesus and what I will do. How will I greet Him?

I kept seeing my little girl self running, smiling from ear to ear, eager to jump into my father’s arms for the first time, face-to-face. This is my dream.

For those of you who read my book, you understand that this is not always how I saw my Heavenly Father. There was a time I was afraid of Him. I saw Him as an angry judge ready to slam down His gauntlet to condemn me because I was such a failure and disappointment.

How did I get from that view to the one you just read about? That is what we will be exploring over the next few blog posts.

Truth #1: Our Heavenly Father moved Heaven and Earth to restore our relationship with Him

God’s heart has always been about relationship.

From the very beginning, He desired to walk and talk with us, just as He did with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.

Throughout Scripture, we see God’s heart for relationship revealed again and again. His faithful, enduring love has been the driving force behind everything. He has done.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved. John 3:16-17 (NASB)

This is good and acceptable in the sight of God, our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:3-4

See how very much our Father loves us, for He calls us His children, and that is what we are! 1 John 1 (NLT)

God desires every person He created to be saved. His love for us is deep, wide, and never-ending. It is beyond our ability to fully comprehend.

He loved us enough to send His only Son to die in our place and become the sacrifice required for our redemption.

Throughout history, God has remained faithful despite humanity’s failures. From Adam and Eve, to the Israelites, to rebellious kings, betrayals, and rejection, His love has never wavered. He continues to draw us toward Himself.

I was in Revelation today, and I was moved in a deeper way as I read this scripture I know I have read many times before.

Then I saw a new heaven and earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. I also saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband. Then I heard a loud voice from the throne: Look, God’s dwelling is with humanity, and He will live with them. They will be His peoples, and God himself will be with them and will be their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; grief, crying, and pain will be no more, because the previous things have passed away. Then the one seated on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new.” He also said, “Write, because these words are faithful and true.” Then he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will freely give to the thirsty from the spring of the water of life. The one who conquers will inherit these things, and I will be His God, and he will be my son.” Revelation 21:1-7 (CSB)

One day, God will dwell with us again, just as He did before the Fall.

God is holy, and because of His holiness, sin creates separation. That is why Jesus bore our sin on the cross. Through His sacrifice, the barrier between God and humanity was removed.

This is why God’s heart is for all people to be saved. Through Jesus, we are invited into relationship with Him. Through faith in Christ, the Holy Spirit comes to dwell within us, and one day we will dwell fully with our Heavenly Father forever.

What an incredible truth.

Our Heavenly Father wants us. He has done everything necessary to make a way for us to become His children and live with Him forever.

This may be one of the most important truths we can ever understand about God.

It took me a long time to believe this.

As a child, God’s love was not always reflected well to me through the people around me. For years, I felt like a disappointment to Him. I knew God loved me intellectually, but it took decades for that truth to move from my head to my heart and even longer to begin living as though it were true.

Scripture is filled with reminders of God’s love and His desire for relationship with us. I want to encourage you to find one passage each day that speaks about His love and keep it close.

The enemy wants to distort our view of God, but His Word tells us that nothing can separate us from His love.

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39 (NASB)

My prayer for you is that every lie that stands against this truth would fall away.

May you come to know, not just in your mind but deep within your heart, that you are loved by your Heavenly Father.

I pray this truth becomes deeply rooted and firmly anchored in your heart.

And when you forget, I hope you’ll remember that I will be the friend who keeps reminding you.