As a new parent, I have had a lot of new experiences and surprises. I was warned about so much, but it wasn’t until I experienced it that I truly understood what people were trying to tell me. Every new parent is warned about crying and dirty diapers and spitting up, but I didn’t understand exactly how many dirty diapers we were talking about until we were going through boxes of 140 diapers a week easily. I didn’t grasp how much babies spit up until I changed her clothes 6 times in an hour because of spit ups. I remember hearing crying babies and wondering to myself why their parents were just letting them cry—but now I understand! Crying is the new normal—I’m totally used to answering the phone with a screaming baby in my arms. And the sleep deprivation, as someone who loved sleep, I remember not knowing how I would function if I had to go to work on less than 8 hours of sleep. But babies give you a new normal! Give me 3-4 hours now with a cup of coffee, and I’m good to go!

But one thing that was a surprise to me, was the love I would have for my daughter, Callie. Don’t get me wrong, I knew I would love her. But I didn’t understand how much. I didn’t know that when she was born, I would literally love her more than anything. I didn’t know that she would be the best thing to ever happen to me. And I definitely didn’t know that being a parent would give me a new understanding and appreciation of how much God loves me.

Knowing how much I love Callie has made me think about how much God must love us for sending HIS Son to die for us. I can’t imagine allowing harm to come to my daughter. But God loves us so much, that He sent Jesus to be tortured and killed for us. I’ve always believed this, but having my own child gives me a new level of understanding. God’s love for us is literally too big to understand.

I don’t deserve God’s love. But I am so thankful for it. Having Callie has given me a new appreciation of God’s love for me. I love Callie more than anything, but that love is nothing compared to how much God loves us. I hope you know how much God loves you.