Because You Loved Me

The February 1996 release of the single "Because You Loved Me" by Celine Dion gave airplay to this anthem of encouragement written by Diane Warren as a tribute to her father. Listening to these words as I was driving home from work, it began to strike me how much they really applied to Jesus' love for us. Diane Warren won a Grammy award for this song, the song was also nominated for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, and spent 19 weeks at the top of the U.S. Contemporary charts.

Why do I feel so strongly about the message in this song? Allow me to share my thoughts. If you're not familiar with the song, I suggest youtube or one of the other online video sites, and give it a listen.

For all those times you stood by me

For all the truth that you made me see

For all the joy you brought to my life

For all the wrong that you made right

For every dream you made come true

For all the love I found in you

I'll be forever thankful ...

You're the one who held me up

Never let me fall

You're the one who saw me through

Through it all

How powerful those words!! When we open our arms, hearts, minds, and souls to the beautiful love that Jesus gives, He becomes everything we need. I can't believe that I have listened to this song for so long and it just now hit me how much this speaks of his love! The chorus, to me, of all the words, seems to say it all:

You were my strength when I was weak

You were my voice when I couldn't speak

You were my eyes when I couldn't see

You saw the best there was in me

Lifted me up when I couldn't reach

You gave me faith 'cause you believed

I'm everything I am

Because you loved me

We should give daily thanks and praise to the awesome God that is ours! What amazing things he has done and will continue to do in our lives, if we but let him. There is more to this song, and I could go on and on ... but sometimes, less is more.

Jesus, thank you for believing in me, and for making me the woman I am becoming. You have given me blessings beyond measure! Give me the words to share that joy with others.

"Jesus replied, 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'"~Matthew 22:37 NIV