Checking in for Week 32’s task of TAKE YOUR SHOES OFF!

The task this week is to take a look at your BOUNDARIES.

Boundaries are guidelines on HOW TO LOVE YOU. 

(Of course they are also great for others to tell us how to love them, but for this week concentrate on knowing your boundaries.)

There is a verse in the bible, where Jesus is talking, and he is speaking of God here as well, that says,

“If you love Me, keep My commandments.”  John 14:15-17  (NKJV)

This does not say I WILL LOVE YOU IF YOU KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS.  God already loves us and always will.  This is talking about HOW YOU CAN SHOW YOU LOVE HIM.

The same goes with loving our selves and other people.

Do you have guidelines for important areas of your life such as money, healthy, body, family, relationships, time, emotional and mental health, home, and so on?

Boundaries let YOU and OTHERS know how to love YOU.

Danny Silk, President and Co-Founder of Loving On Purpose Ministries, translates the above verse like this:

“I can see how much value you place on protecting my heart based on how  you treat what I told you is important to me.”

Your heart breaks, can feel betrayed, and looses trust every time you cross over one of your boundaries.  And sometimes this happens because there have been no boundaries set.

This is why it is so important to KNOW YOUR GUIDELINES, TO KNOW WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO YOU, and TO SPEAK THEM TO YOUR SELF and OTHERS.

And I do know this is not always easy and can take years of trial and error to know what loving you may look like.  And I do know your boundaries can change over time, and in different circumstances, and with different people.   The thing is YOU NEED THEM and others need them from you.

I have learned over the years that “flying by the seat of my pants” on important areas of my life does not produce the best results.  Any time I have given my self a boundary or a guideline for something (i.e. health, body, relationship, or work goals), I was much lighter, more peaceful, more joyful, and more loving…and not to mention more productive and successful.

If you have experienced the same or have a boundary you’d like to share, please do so in the comments.

Take time this week to become more AWARE OF and JOURNAL ABOUT your boundaries.

Cheering You on to a Whole Protected Heart,

Barbara