BROADCASTS.com

b'I grit my teeth and hang on to the saddle horn with a stubbornness that matches that of the horse I am riding. She jerks the reins from my grip and bucks, threatening to send me flying. Again.\\nBy the time my horse has finished her tantrum, I\\u2019m done. I dismount and unsaddle, my face burning with smashed pride. I think of every dollar I scraped together to buy her, the stack of horse-training books I faithfully collected, and the hours I spent mapping out a riding trail in the neighboring fields. I try to remember the joy I felt when I first threw my arms around the horse of my dreams.\\nNow, all I feel is discouragement. How much more will I have to give before I get something in return\\u2014something like love? I untie the lead rope and shove open the gate of the corral. My mare gives a gentle snort and nudges my shoulder with her muzzle. \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153Oh, sure.\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d I push her away. \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153Now you want to be friends.\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d I walk a few more paces, then sigh and give in. \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153Fine.\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d I clamber onto her bareback, giving her one last chance.\\nShe trots aimlessly for a while, then pauses to munch on a tuft of grass. I sigh and lie down on her back, my head resting in the crook of my elbow as I stare up at the sky. A single star sparkles in the twilight. \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153If only every ride could be like this. Perfect,\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d I murmur. The thought barely slips my mind before another follows.\\n\\u201cTrue love is learning to see the imperfect perfectly.\\u201d Loving perfectly. Wasn\\u2019t that what Jesus did for me? Dying for me, when I didn\\u2019t deserve it. Saving me, though I so often don\\u2019t appreciate it. Even when I dig in my heels and try to take the reins, He guides me, corrects me, and loves me anyways. Despite my failures and imperfections, He loves me.\\nAnd in that moment, I thank Him for it. I thank Him for seeing me, for loving me, just as He always has and always will. Perfectly. \\u2022 Anita Seavey\\n\\u2022 Have you ever struggled to love someone when you get nothing in return? \\n\\u2022 In Christ, can anything separate us from God\\u2019s love for us (Romans 8:38-39)? \\n\\u2022 Even though we were sinners, God loved us enough to die for our sins (Romans 5:8). To put your trust in Jesus, check out our \\u201cKnow Jesus\\u201d page.\\nAbove all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 1 Peter 4:8 (NIV)\\n\\xa0\\nRead Verses:\\nMatthew 11:28-30; Galatians 6:1-10'