Exponential Love

I love math and one thing that captures my imagination is the concept of exponential growth…when something multiplies by itself again and again.

Like:
10 x 10=100
100 x 100=10,000
10,000 by 10,000=100,000,000
100,000,000 x 100,000,000=10,000,000,000,000,000!

In only four transactions 10 becomes 10 quadrillion.

When exponential growth kicks in, things can get pretty big pretty fast!

This week was filled with exponential love, and I’m beginning to understand that it’s through the love of family and friends that God gives us a sample of how much he loves us.

When we went to Springfield on July 1, I knew I was going to see my dad’s siblings and their mates, and I knew I’d see my brother Ron’s whole family, but I didn’t know there was a whole reunion in the works. I didn’t know that Dad and Kay were coming from Wyoming! I didn’t know about the bunch from Enid, nor Waxahachie, nor Neosho, nor Kansas City.

Of course, everybody else knew—even Jim—that 41 people would be coming to see us! The biggest bubble of people was on the 4th of July (U.S. Independence Day) but the flow of people started two days earlier and continued into the 6th. They just kept coming and it was SO fun!

My Aunt Ada spearheaded the whole thing as she called my parents, brothers, nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins, second cousins, and third cousins…!

At one point on the 4th my Uncle Tom took my hand and said, “How are you doing, Hon’?” I said I was doing great—and that it was fun seeing everybody. Then he said, “This whole thing is to honor you, you know.” Tears stung my eyes.

A couple of days later we were with our “Europe Family” of missionaries and once again the love overwhelmed me as they surrounded and prayed for us. I’ll never forget the faces of our regional directors, Greg and Sandie Mundis, as I shared about how awful yet wonderful this ALS process has been. As the tears rolled down their faces, I could sense their deep love for us as a couple.

That was the day that our book was unveiled—the one whose development we have facilitated this year. It’s a book of stories about God’s work through our Europe missionaries over these last ten years. The book turned out great. The editor/compiler of the stories was our friend Dean Merrill, who along with his wife Grace are some of our closest personal friends. It was fun that we could also spend the next day in Branson with them, kind of celebrating our wedding anniversaries.

The next evening we were at the Wisconsin district dinner, and once again there were those hugs, prayers, well-wishers, and concern, and we felt so loved.

At some point in the week, as I was expressing my thanks to God for all of the people who care, I had an unforgettable moment with Him:

He seemed to say,

"You know how much Jim loves you...

(I'm the luckiest girl on the planet to have a guy who loves me so much!)


...and you know how much your Aunt Ada loves you...

(We've always been SO close. Can you believe she's 80 years old? She's so beautiful inside and outside!)

...and your Uncle Paul...

(I was born on his 10th birthday and we've always had a special connection.)

...and your parents...

(My 83-year-old father says I'll always be "his girl"--and my stepmom Kay is just a really cool lady. And she loves me, too! Plus my biological mother thought I hung the moon.)


...and your brothers...

(Okay, these two brothers and my other one have always tormented--teased--and cherished me!

...and their wives...

(How many people do you know who LOVE all of their sisters-in-law?)

...and your nieces and nephews...

(Handsome...beautiful...fun...and they all love the Lord!)

...and their children...

(Cute...well-behaved...sweet...and mischevious. I love this little troup.)

...and Dean and Grace...

(True friends for 21 years!)

...and your kids and grandkids?

(I feel like the richest woman alive to have two such fine boys, and as I've told many of you, if I could have interviewed thousands of girls and chosen the two I liked most, I'd have picked these two! As for the five grandkids...don't get me started. :-)"

"Now," God seemed to be saying, " add up all of that love. No! Multiply the love of one by the other...exponentially...and see how huge it becomes. I love you MORE than that!”

I lost it…and couldn’t quit sobbing.

To make things even more intense, during the week I had been reading a novel that our former student Deirdre from Ireland had sent me. It’s called The Shack: Where Tragedy Confronts Eternity, by William P. Young. If you’re doubting the goodness or love of God…read it!

Then my heart landed on this verse:
“And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ.” Ephesians 3:17b-18

I feel like my mental construction of God’s love has been renovated—made wider, longer, higher, and deeper…to accommodate His massive love.

And you know what? All of this love isn’t just for me. It’s for you, too! I urge you to let God penetrate your preconceived notions…His love for you is exponential!

mm

P.S. A cute addendum to the story is that a new baby girl was born in the early morning hours of July 4. She obviously didn't want to miss the party!


Her name is Bethany Joy McNaughton, and her daddy Judd is my nephew. I'm sure I could tell by her response to me that she loves me, too! (Smile!)