And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. Revelation 21:2 (NLT)

You, my friend, hold a unique place in God’s heart. His passionate pursuit of you will never wane until He is holding you in His arms.

He wants to be with you more than you could ever know.

After nearly destroying my marriage in 1999, my wife and I relocated our young family to the Pacific Northwest, determined to rebuild both our relationship and our lives.

We worked diligently to restore our marriage. I went to a two-week intensive program at the New Life Clinic in Southern California, followed by a year and a half of couples counseling. Rebuilding our marriage became our top priority.

We lived in a small house next to the church that welcomed us. It was so cramped that we lacked a dishwasher, washer, or dryer, forcing Lynette and me to frequent the local laundromat to wash, dry, and fold our family’s clothes. Each meal required us to hand-wash and dry the dishes together, and we found ourselves spending nearly every waking hour together for months on end.

In June 2000, when the school year ended, Lynette took our three young sons to Colorado to visit her family for a several weeks. It was the first time we had been apart after months of constant togetherness, and the longing between us grew stronger with every passing day.

We arranged to meet in Wyoming, just outside Yellowstone National Park. While her parents drove their RV with Lynette and the boys, I took our 1994 green Dodge Minivan to meet them and bring everyone back to Sumner, Washington. My heart ached with anticipation.

At that time, it felt like the whole world hated me and didn’t believe in me. No one wanted to be with me—no one except three redheaded boys and their mother.

As I drove through the mountains of Montana and Wyoming, I played melancholic music that mirrored my emotions. I must have listened to a Don Henley CD at least twenty times during the trip. One song on that CD, “Taking You Home,” struck a deep chord in me, bringing me to tears each time it played. The lyrics echoed my feelings:

There were days, lonely days,
When the world wouldn’t throw me a crumb.
But I kept on believing
That this day would come.

And this love,
Is like nothing I have ever known.
Take my hand, love.
I’m taking you home.

Each time I listened, tears welled in my eyes.

At last, I arrived at the KOA campground, found their RV, and parked the minivan. The camper door was open, with only the screen door closed. I knocked, and one of my boys called out, “It’s Dad!” I heard feet stomping around inside, followed by an angelic voice exclaiming, “Get out of my way!”

As I looked through the screen door, I saw the most beautiful woman in the world struggling to get out. She jiggled and shook the door, visibly distressed. Her father’s voice rang out, “Lynette, it’s locked. Just unlock it.” But she exclaimed in panic, “I don’t know how! Help me get out!” I thought for a moment she might tear the screen door off its hinges.

Finally, the door swung open, and she leaped from the camper into my arms, kissing my cheek and hugging me tightly as if I were Brad Pitt. I heard one of the boys mutter, “This is gross!”

Why was my wife willing to nearly destroy her father’s precious RV to reach a man who had once broken her heart? The answer was simple: love. She longed to be with me and believed I was worthy of her affection. How I saw myself didn’t matter to her; her love propelled her into my arms.

Similarly, how you feel about yourself doesn’t change God’s love for you. He loves you enough to have torn apart the heavens with the cross and the empty tomb in order to reach you.

God wants to be with you.