Joy Dombrow
About the Author

Satisfied by the dewdrops of God’s grace and my undeserved position in Christ, I simultaneously rest and run in my God-enabled roles of pastor’s wife, mother, and friend. His work is my joy.

(in)side DaySpring: things we love
& you will too!
Find more at DaySpring.com
(in)side DaySpring:
things we love
& you will too!
Find more at
DaySpring.com
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  1. I love, too, how John named himself “the one whom Jesus loved”. . . It is so much easier to know that Jesus loves everyone than to acknowledge our individual worth to His heart. Turning the idea that “Jesus loves us” to “Jesus loves me” does truly change everything.
    To be loved as a “one and only Son”. . I can only say as an earthly mama of two boys that the word “love” falls short of how I feel when I look at them.. . .
    Thanks for this sweet reminder of His love, way beyond a definable “love”, that He has for each one of us.
    Have a blessed and beautiful day today!

    • Danelle,

      Thank you for your reaffirming words. It’s amazing how a little shift of thinking changes so much. Thank you for reading and sharing.

  2. It is through having a revelation of God’s love for us that we are able to love him more fully! I think this is what the bible says, being like a child. Hearing and knowing that he loves you, without any of those adult questions of worth getting in the way.
    I do have to disagree with your saying that Jesus wouldn’t have died for one person. If you look at the parables of the lost coin or the lost sheep in Luke 15, it speaks of him searching for that single lost soul. Yes, it doesn’t say that specifically, but I still believe that is what he was speaking about, among other things.

    • Bek,

      Thank you so much for reading and sharing. I hope it helps to know that I disagree with me too! ;-). This post was so much about my journey from believing that I was loved as a part of a group to believing that I am loved specifically as just me. I am learning to accept that it is possible that Christ would have died for just me (although, of course, that is not the reality). Thank you for the reminder of the lost sheep parable. I hope you feel incredibly loved today.

  3. Like a one and only…I’d never thought of it this way, Joy! Thanks for letting God whisper His love to us in a new way today through you. XOXO

    • Holley,

      Thank you for reading. I hope today is filled with whispers of His love toward you. Our God’s love is measureless. Many blessings.

  4. Why should I feel discouraged,
    Why should the shadows come,
    Why should my heart feel lonely
    And long for Heav’n and home,
    When Jesus is my portion?
    A constant Friend is He:
    His eye is on the sparrow,
    And I know He watches over me;
    His eye is on the sparrow,
    And I know He watches me.

  5. Your post has given me a new thoughts about His love for me and John’s declaration that I guess I always thought was just for him. Thank you for this insight. Today I am saying in my heart …I am Linda, who He loves. What an encouragement! Way cool! And Exciting!!

    • Woohoo, Linda! Isn’t our God so wonderful and gracious towards us? I am so excited to see how our love for Him and others will grow as we begin to really believe that He loves us like a one and only. Thank you so much for reading and sharing.

  6. Wow. Just wow. This spoke to me in ways that you have no idea…
    Thank you so much for reminding me that He loves me “like a one and only”.

    • Dawn, may His incredible love for you swell your heart with joy and gratitude today. You are His precious girl. Thank you so much for reading.

  7. Wow, I think you wrote this just for my heart this morning. I know God loves me, because I believe His Word to be true, and though the years I’ve had glimpses of His love, yet I still struggle. Does He really? I have been praying and asking for deeper encounters of His love. I need to get it past head knowledge and it let it sink deep into my heart.

    • Really?! Yea! I love it when the Lord has a fresh Word for us…one that speaks straight to our hearts. You are His beloved. I am so glad that you have received encouragement today! Blessings.

  8. Joy: Keep up the good work: God so loves us, notes on Joel”s Sermon: The Wedding in the bible is to show us how he loves us; Just as the bride ( church) is prepared for her lover, We are being prepared for our lover (Jesus Christ.) Many parables explain this. The Marriage supper, The lost sheep, “For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready” Rev 19:7: The Wedding Banquet Matt 22: Look at what emphasis he puts on the Church as his bride.. I Love your thought on ” John” The Disciple ( Christian) who Jesus Loves) ” Joy “The Disciple who Jesus Loves. Thanks for you blog. “Don’t forget you need to publish a book of devotions

    • Thank you, Bernice, for reading and for sharing. It is hard to receive that kind of love since there is no human comparison. It’s a matter of trust and going deeper into His Word. As He reveals more of Himself to us, we will come to see more and more of the depth of His love…for us! Let’s bask in that truth today!

  9. I need to re-read this a few times. I’ve been feeling like an insecure pre-teen kid lately even though I’m a wife/mom in my 30’s. I feel like I’ve made mistakes with old friendships and/or my friends are just busy, but I suddenly feel like nobody really likes me much, and perhaps my husband and God Himself just love me because they “have to”. Perhaps God is wanting to teach me to find my identity in His love alone instead of in friends or family. Whatever the reason, I’ve been feeling un-loveable and lonely lately and longing for someone to just love me and think I’m special in spite of me! sigh..

    • Oh Katie. I think we as women have all felt this way at one time or another. The enemy’s greatest tactic is to get us to believe that we are really not worth loving…especially by God. May you combat those lies with the truth of God’s Word. God is crazy about you. Yes, others will fail us, and we may even fail ourselves, but He is steadfast and His love endures forever. I am praying tonight that God will give you an overwhelming sense of His love and that He will demonstrate it to you by bringing you a special friendship. Thank you for reading and sharing. May you be encouraged.

      • Thank you! I do have some sweet new friends, but it’s hard to get to that comfortable-ness of old friends. We’re all so busy with our families. I appreciate you sharing your heart!

  10. This made me cry. Thanks for the reminder that we aren’t just a face in the holy crowd. I needed to hear it.