Because God loves me, He has no need to impress me with how great     
    and powerful He is because He is God, nor does He belittle me
    as His child in order to show me how important He is.

Because God loves me, He is for me. He wants to see me mature           
    and develop in His love.

Because God loves me, He does not send down His wrath on every little
    mistake I make, of which there are many.
         
Because God loves me, He does not keep score of all my sins and then   
    beat me over the head with them whenever He gets the chance.        

Because God loves me, He is deeply grieved when I do not walk in the  
    ways that please Him because He sees this as evidence that I don't     
    trust Him and love Him as I should.

Because God loves me, He rejoices when I experience His power and
    strength and stand up under the pressures of life for His Name's sake.

Because God loves me, He keeps on working patiently with me, even when
   I feel like giving up and can't see why He doesn't give up with me, too.         
Because God loves me, He keeps on trusting me when at times I don't even
   trust myself.        

Because God loves me, He never says there is no hope for me; rather, He
    patiently works with me, loves me and disciplines me in such a way that it
    is hard for me to understand the depth of His concern for me.
        
Because God loves me, He never forsakes me, even though many of my
   friends might.        

Because God loves me, He stands with me when I have reached the rock
   bottom of despair, when I see the real me and compare that with His
   righteousness, holiness, beauty, and love. It is at a moment like this that I
   can really believe that God loves me.

Yes, the greatest of all gifts is God's perfect love!

                         
                       ~ By Dick Dickinson, Inter Community Counseling Center, Long Beach, CA