You Are *More Than* Welcome Here

Friends, thank you for following along with my creative business journey over here at Emily Mabry Creative. I am so grateful for the opportunity to create custom lettering art and cards for so many of you, and even more so, I am so humbled to be able to share God’s love with you through encouraging posts as well as this blog.

My mission and heart behind EMC from the very beginning has been to create a community where I help others see beauty and joy in creation that ultimately draws us closer to God. I am SO passionate about helping others feel welcome & a part of something bigger than themselves. More than anything, though, my hope and prayer for this page is that you feel encouraged and see just how loved you are by God! I know what it feels like to feel left out and not good enough. So here's your reminder of truth - You are *more than* welcome here, friends! And so so very loved and known by God!

So whether you have been following along for months or are brand new to EMC…Welcome! I may not know your story or background, but I do know that, no matter your past, you are deeply loved and known by God. You are loved, you are enough, and you are welcome here.

For some reason, it is so much easier for us to tell these things to others, but so much harder to actually say and believe ourselves. I know, for me personally, this is true. I am so much harder on myself than on others and have to consciously start every single morning in God’s word to remind myself of these truths. God loves me. I am enough. And He welcomes me in… just as I am. And He wants to do the same for you, too, sweet friend.

I think I have shared this before on my blog, but I remember seeing this quote early on in my walk with the Lord (on the projector screen at a college campus ministry) and it really resonated and has stuck with me ever since:

“You are never too good for the grace of God, and you are never too far gone for the grace of God.”

My husband is the college pastor at our church, and together we have the privilege and opportunity to love on and encourage so many college-aged/young adult men and women who truly just need to hear these simple words: “You are welcome here.”

I titled this blog post as “You are *more than* welcome here,” though, because I believe truly welcoming others in means going the extra mile. Rather than just telling someone they are “welcome to join,” it means reaching out day after day and showing the persistent, unconditional love and invitation of Christ to others…because that’s what Christ does for us. More than anything, it means showing that we truly care.

When I was volunteering at our local soup kitchen, one woman in particular told me that, in a particularly difficult season in her life, she craved more than anything to hear these same simple words – “You are welcome here.” She didn’t want to feel like a burden because of her situation…she just wanted to be welcomed in with open arms and encouragement. But don’t we all?

I feel like this theme keeps coming up in my life. As some of y’all know, I am currently pursuing my Master’s in Professional Counseling and am loving learning how to best love, encourage, and build up others to be who God created them to be all along. I am such an advocate for building others up, rather than tearing them down. Our words have SUCH power, and it is so important that we use them wisely. I definitely know what it feels like to be left out and feel inadequate because of the words of others, so maybe that’s why I am so passionate about making sure others see this truth – that they are adored and known by a God who welcomes them in JUST the way they are. Brokenness and all.

I loved this quote I read in one of my textbooks the other day:

“The ultimate goal of Christian counseling is holistic personal growth that leads clients to become the people God created them to be - loved, forgiven, adopted children of God who are learning to love him above all else and love people as themselves.”

You don’t have to perform to earn God’s love, rather, He asks us to come just as we are. Because He loves us and sees our hearts better than anyone here on Earth ever could. And this is something my sweet sweet husband has really helped me to understand - through the way he pursued and fought for my heart through dating, engagement, and now daily in marriage in such a Christlike way. And I am so grateful for this picture of Christ's love.

You see, God wants every single part of us – brokenness and all. I believe it is when we realize our own brokenness and need for God that we are able to truly grow in our relationship with Him, and as a result, extend this same type of grace and unconditional love to others – who may or may not know Him yet. Isn’t that the call on our lives, though?

I guess my heart behind this blog post is just to encourage each and every one of you that you truly NEVER know who might need your smile or kind word of encouragement. For someone who may be walking through a particularly difficult season or just plain-old having a bad day…showing them the grace and welcoming love of Christ makes more of a difference than you may ever know or realize! Be the reason someone else believes in the grace, goodness, and mercy of God. That’s what we are here to do.

So come as you are, friends. You are *more than* welcome here. Both in this EMC Community, but more importantly, in the loving arms of God – who sees you, loves you, and welcomes you in just as you are.