The Heart of True Intimacy
 When people begin dating, they often feel a surge of inner angst: “Will I be accepted? Will my invitation be well received?” These questions reach deeper than romance—they touch our sense of identity, self-worth, and lovability. In response, we’re tempted to show only our best parts, carefully curating ourselves to be acceptable—maybe even creating a false self in order to “catch” the other person.
The same temptation can creep into our relationship with God. If we’re not sure of His utterly unconditional love, we may try to hide the “unpresentable” parts of ourselves or craft a “religious” version of who we think we should be. But these paths are spiritually deadly. They keep us from experiencing the authentic, transforming love of God and leave us stuck in a shallow faith.
Yet Scripture is clear: God calls us to love Him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength (Luke 10:27). Real love means bringing every part of ourselves—not just the polished or presentable parts—into a full...
Pairing, Syncing, and Living Aligned with God
When we buy a new device that connects wirelessly—like a phone with earbuds or a smartwatch with a computer—the first thing we usually have to do is pair them. Pairing links the devices so they can recognize and communicate with each other. Sometimes it works right away; other times, it takes several tries. Each pairing experience has its own little learning curve.
Our relationship with our Father in heaven works in a similar way. To communicate with Him, we must first pair—and we do that through prayer. Prayer is the foundational connection point between us and God. Luke 5:16 tells us that “Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” Even Jesus, in all His power and purpose, prioritized staying connected to the Father. His ministry was rooted in that relationship.
But communication isn’t enough—we also need to be in sync.
When we sync devices, like our phone and computer, they share information. They’re aligned, working from the same data. In the same way, syncing our hearts...
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