"1. You cannot change people. You cannot convert them. You can’t rip up pieces of yourself and glue them to someone else trying to make them whole again. You can’t shove the Holy Spirit down their throats and hope it reaches their hearts. But you sure as hell can pray for them.

2. Be thankful for the times that you felt alone. And remember that in those times, you truly felt His presence. Because He was all you had.

3. Love is not a courtroom. You should not have to plead your case. That goes for begging him to stay or convincing your friends that he is an innocent man when guilty is written on his face. The jury often knows what its talking about.

4. Learn when to cut ties. Loose strings get tangled and you don’t need to be strangled by balloons that should’ve flown away a long time ago.

5. Time doesn’t heal all wounds if you stitch up the hole in your chest and pretend it was never there. With neglect, infections spread. As much as it hurts, open yourself up. The momentary pain will be nothing compared to prolonged strife.

6. God’s love is not something to be earned, so stop seeing Christianity as a checklist. There are no gold stars when it comes to Grace. Yes you should read your Bible, but you should try to understand it. You should take time to feel His presence.

7. Guard your heart, but don’t imprison it. You can be strong without being stone.

”

—	7 Things I Learned About Love// Perhaps A Little Late (via hischild-apoem)