Agape(á¼€γάπη agápÄ"^[1]) means "love" (unconditional love) in modern day Greek, such as in the term s'agapo (Σ'αγαπÏŽ), which means "I love you". In Ancient Greek, it often refers to a general affection or deeper sense of "true love" rather than the attraction suggested by "eros". Agape is used in the biblical passage known as the "love chapter", 1 Corinthians 13, and is described there and throughout the New Testament as sacrificial love.

-thanks wikipedia :)

Hey everyone!

My name is Rachel, and I am 18 years old.  I go to Georgia Southern University, and I have lived in Georgia my whole life.  This past summer, I spent two months in Tennessee serving with an outreach ministry on their home repair team.  This experience changed my life, and God revealed to me my passion for missions and serving others.  I found out what a true servant lifestyle looks like, and my goal is to serve God and others with everything I have.  Anyways, enough about me...

I just want to start out this post by saying that I am so overwhelmed and humbled by everything God is doing in my life and in the lives and hearts of all of you.  These last two months have been such an incredible time of growth in my relationship with God, and I can't wait to see how He is going to use me for His glory.  My life is not my own, it is Christ's(Galatians 2:20), and for that I am so so thankful!  I can't imagine my life without Him, and He is more real to me now than ever in my life.  I can feel the presence of God in my daily life, and I feel as if He is a physical person walking beside me.  I love my savior, Jesus Christ! 

Now, that being said, I want to talk about the first paragraph of this post.  This is the definition of agape love, which implies unconditional love.  This is the love that we experience in knowing Christ.  Of all the many things God has been showing and teaching me lately, the magnitude and craziness of His love for me has been most apparent.  I really can't understand the immensity of this love, but I am completely overwhelmed by it.  There is no way I will ever be able to explain in a blog post what I am experiencing, but I hope that you will see my heart, even though these are really inadequate words to explain the love of Christ.  God's Word puts it this way,

"Yes, I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor ruling spirits, nothing now, nothing in the future, no powers, nothing above us, nothing below us, nor anything else in the world will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." -->Romans 8:38-39

That, my friends, is powerful.  Seriously, think about those words. NOTHING can separate us from God's love. We cannot do, say, or think anything that will take us away from the Lord of the universe's love.  That is incredible.  It seems almost impossible, but it is so real and so true in our lives.  Everything God is and everything Christ did on earth was done because of His love for us.  I'm sorry, I'm gonna stop rambling now, but it is just hard for me to wrap my mind around this concept and understand why He has done all of it.  I have done nothing to deserve it, yet I have freely recieved the agape love of my heavenly Father. 

I just want to end this by saying that I love all of you, and I am praying for you every day!  I can't wait to meet yall! I know that God is working all things together according to His plan and purpose.  Please don't get bogged down by your worries about fundraising, medical stuff, etc... All of that is very important, but we have to remember to do it all for the glory of God! Trust Him!! He knows what you need, and He will provide. 2 Corinthians 10:5 says, "We capture every though and make it give up and obey Christ."  Give all of your worries to Him, and never forget that He called you to this ministry.  He will never leave us stranded. 

"But he said to me, 'My grace is enough for you. When you are weak, my power is made perfect in you.' So I am very happy to brag about my weaknesses. Then Christ's power can live in me." -->2 Corinthians 12:9

Okay, I'm going to end this now, I promise. haha so sorry!

"May the Lord lead your hearts into God's love and Christ's patience." -->2 Thessalonians 3:5

Love yall! Keep serving and living out His love!

Your sister in Christ,

Rachel Gravlee