Toothpaste on a Toothbrush

"Toothpaste on a Toothbrush", the title to this post might seem kind-of strange, but the story behind it is incredibly sweet and inspiring!

My sister lives in Nashville and I live in Ohio.  She's my very best friend, both of my siblings are, and they inspire me every day!  It only makes sense that my little niece, my sister's daughter, is so very much like her Mom - sweet and inspiring herself!

Her young life of only 5 years has taught me so much, in an unique way, of the love of God.  Her love for God and for people (I'm tearing up as I type this) is so passionate and genuine and my heart melts with how she chooses to live!  She lives so free and beautifully in the love she never doubts of God toward her and she acts on that freeing love by praying and loving others so specifically!  This Auntie is in awe of her.  

Loving God and loving people can be hard, but it's really so simple!

I try to keep the road and airways hot to Nashville and visit often to spend quality time with my besties!  I was visiting recently and enjoying the time so much!  Every day I was there was full with fun and blessings and then every night my sweet niece, before going to bed did such a simple, yet thoughtful act of love.  She would take my toothbrush and squeeze toothpaste on it and have it sitting on the counter for when I went to brush my teeth.  That act was so simple, yet it took effort and selflessness on her part to do it for me, out of her love for me.  It may have just been toothpaste on a toothbrush, but truly it was so much more!

Know God's love for you and out of that love - love Him and love people!  Do the simple acts of love that take a choice of selflessness because the time you set aside to act out of love will impact, inspire and reap so much more blessing than it cost to give!

Be confident and have courage to be who God made you to be by basking in His love, that's what my sweet niece does, she basks in His love and from that place comes a miraculous overflow of selfless love for others!  

"And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him." - John 14:6 

Lyrics from a song titled, "Self Less" by Josh Wilson have blessed me so much and I want to share some of them with you!

"It ain't about thinking less of myself, just thinking of myself less
They say humility doesn't come easily
And I find that to be true
I've got a lot of pride, yeah me, myself and I
Still got some growing up to do

Cause if I want to find the very best life
I've got to learn to die to myself
There's freedom to be found
When I stop and look around
And think about someone else

Ain't about thinking less of myself, just thinking of myself less
Ain't about thinking less of myself, just thinking of myself less
If I want to live like Jesus, got to learn to love like He does
Ain't about thinking less of myself, just thinking of myself less, self less

This ain't a song about
Beating myself down
See I am living under grace
For God so loved
The world so much
That I am free to do the same

And if I want to find the very best life I've got to learn to die to myself
There's freedom to be found
When I stop and look around
And think about someone else

Ain't about thinking less of myself, just thinking of myself less
Ain't about thinking less of myself, just thinking of myself less
If I want to live like Jesus, got to learn to love like He does
Ain't about thinking less of myself, just thinking of myself less, self less

Love God, love people
It's so hard and so simple
Love God, love people
It's so hard and so simple"

Blessings to you!  Love God and love others and you'll inspire others to do the same!

~Bri