​​Of course! We all do! Are you on a search to find those people who will like you for who you are, without putting expectations on you? Does it seem they don't exist? Do you know that in order to be liked, you need to be likeable? You need to be loving and loveable! So often we don't realize that if we are not feeling liked or loved, that there may be something we don't like in ourselves. It may be a belief system or a besetting sin, or a lie you believe about yourself. If you struggle to feel liked, or loved, or appreciated, have you ever looked at these questions honestly at a heart level:

​​Are You likeable?

Do You like the person that you are?

Do your children like the person that you are?

Are you someone that others and your children have a reason to want to be like?

I like questions, and I think that Jesus does too. Have you ever noticed how rarely Jesus answered a question without asking a question in return? He already knows our hearts. He doesn't ask the question because He wants the answer, but because He wants us to search our own hearts and find out what's there. I challenge you to honestly consider the questions and answer them in your own heart. Every one of us is on a journey in our walk with Jesus. Not even one of us has arrived at where we want to be, and we all have days that we don't like the way we act or talk or live. Religion and our own inner critic will condemn us and correct us and convince us that we are once again a bad person, unworthy of love. And guess what? That’s how we start to act unloving and unlovable. We start to treat others as if they are the problem and act like we don't like them when it boils down to the attitude in our heart toward ourselves. By default, we love others as we love ourselves. Words of shaming and condemnation over ourselves or our children, never come from the heart of Jesus. Instead, He offers life and hope and truth. He calls us higher, while shame tries to break our back and bend us lower. We need to learn to recognize what is the voice of truth and rise up to truth rather than bend to the lies and condemnation. We simply need to repent when we see that we have sinned. Repent means turn around and head to God. We can stop in our tracks and say, " Lord I am sorry. I don't want to be this kind of person. Would you take this sin out of my heart and wash me and fill me with Your love Instead?" When we choose to stand on truth and silence the lies of the enemy, we become the person that God wants us to be.

We also can like the person we are becoming, and have love in our hearts to give away, rather than demanding love from others. We can love, even when we are rejected, because Jesus did! I want to bring you some simple admonitions from the Word of God and encourage you that when you realize you are not listening to the voice of truth, to turn around and grasp hold of words of life and truth, the Word of God! 1 Peter.2:1-4 (NLT), “So get rid of all evil behavior. Be done with all deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, and all unkind speech. Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment, now that you have had a taste of the Lord’s kindness. You are coming to Christ, who is the living cornerstone of God’s temple. He was rejected by people, but he was chosen by God for great honor.” Then in verses 8-17 (NIV), this is powerful. “…They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for. But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us. Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves. Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor.”

Parenting isn't so much about doing as being... Being like Jesus! As you work hard to become like Jesus loving your children will be much more likely to love you (lovable). They will see and feel your humility, your honesty, and your love, and that is attractive. I pray for a blessing on your journey, my friend. I bless you right where you are in your walk with Jesus. I bless you to become more like Jesus. I bless you to humbly admit when you do wrong, or stumble and fall, and to turn away from your sin. I bless you to say, "Jesus, I am weak, would you be strong in me." I bless you to get up and go again, to repent, to recognize every day that you need a Savior. I bless you as you become like Him. I bless your children, and your children's children and their children's children in Jesus’ name! I speak generational blessings of life and truth and peace over you, in Jesus’ name. Amen and Amen!