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How To Love Yourself

by Heide Dangelo

As I remember, God spoke to us in The Bible telling us to love God first before we can love ourselves and
others. It was tough for me to grasp as I did not understand how that works. I thought that by loving others
first, I would eventually grow into loving myself; I found out I was wrong. Self-love is a journey that we go
through with God. It takes dedication, devotion, practice, realization, growth, discovery, and much more.

I realized that our greatest life man you showed me in the vision”. emotionally, and mentally abusive
lesson is learning how to fully Yet God seemed to say, “Don’t towards me. I became more
realize, accept, and love God. It worry, love will come later.” I later depressed as he continued his
will happen when learn to love had three kids and my love grew ways by not feeding or watering
ourselves. for my kids and others; however, me (spiritually). I was slowly dying
my love for my husband was still from various health issues.
As a child growing up into not there. I asked God again, “I
adulthood, I was a victim of worked on myself and cannot I asked God again, “When would
neglect, as well as physical, figure out how to love him.” I still love for my husband come”? This
mental, verbal, and emotional didn’t know how to love God or time God seemed to say, “The
abuse by my family and classmates myself. I went soul searching for grass is greener on the other side.”
from school. God was always at elusive self-love. I asked, “How can I survive on my
my side assuring me that He was own, plus I can’t leave him because
there and loved me when no one I knew something needed to he loves me.” God seemed to say,
else did. At age 19, I left home to change when all of my kids grew “When there is fear, there is no
get away from the cycle of abuse. up and moved out on their own. I love.”
I had no self-esteem. No one informed my husband of my goals
thought I was worthy of love, so and I decided to pursue my dreams Shortly thereafter, my husband
how could I love myself? I started and do things that would make me raised his hand as if to strike me, I
my spiritual journey in the wrong happy. He replied: “What about ducked like I did as a child, at that
place. I wanted to find a man who me?” All I could tell him was that moment I realized I had married
would love me for who I am. I cannot make him happy, but only my mom! There was something
he can make himself happy. wrong with me because I was in
I finally met the man whom God fear like I had as a child. There was
had shown me in a vision, and I My husband did not like seeing no love there. I decided to divorce
asked God, “What about love? I am me happy doing things I like to do him and he wanted to hold on to
not in love with him, but this is the and started to become verbally, me.

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