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May 01, 2026 06:00am

From “I Love You” to Living the Gospel Out Loud

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How often do you say, “I love you”?

Sometimes it’s a quick addition at the end of a phone conversation or as he’s headed to the kennel to work with the dogs. It’s the closing of our texts, our voicemails, and the last thing we say before we go to sleep.

There are times when I tell him, “I can’t believe I am married to ‘THE Shaun Merrell.’” Even though he tells me how silly that is, it’s true! He’s a catch! 😉 But oh, so much more than that! He’s strong and a hard worker. He’s funny and makes me laugh. He adores me. He cares for my needs. He’s attentive and kind, and he’s the perfect match for me. I’m proud—wait, not just proud… I’m honored to call him my husband.

When you love someone, you want to shout it from the rooftops, right? You want them to know, but you also want to make sure the world knows too!

When I look at my husband, I can see God’s amazing grace on display. Why? Because Shaun is something far greater than I deserve. Only God could have brought us together. His timing was perfect. And I’ve told my husband time and time again, God knew I needed him.

I’ll grip the sides of his face in my hands and say, “I’ll never get tired of telling you how much I love you.”

Philippians 3:1
“Whatever happens, my dear brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord. I never get tired of telling you these things, and I do it to safeguard your faith.”

Paul was not just a preacher or teacher—he was a man who had been completely transformed by Christ. Once a Pharisee determined to destroy followers of Christ, he became a changed man who would lay down his life for Jesus.

He had found grace in the eyes of the Lord. Him! Paul! Who had once been Saul! This man who had been so undeserving. And the truth of what Christ had done in his life was the very thing he stood on. His faith anchored him.

And he couldn’t stop sharing it.

Paul joyfully shared about the Lord, not because of what he read or just heard, but because he had lived it.

Paul has a transformation story. And it was worth sharing.

Do you? If Christ has saved you, YES! You have a story to share. It may not seem as big as Saul becoming Paul. You may not feel like you came from such a rough past or overcame such monumental obstacles, but the very fact that God saved you—that is a miraculous event.

Christ changed me.

He took the old Yalanda and made a new one—a woman who desires to look more and more like Jesus. And the more I learn of who He is and His character, the more I see the truth about His forgiveness, love, and holiness.

And I can’t stop sharing it.

Why not? Because it’s so, so, so good! There’s nothing better than knowing Jesus!

Psalm 146:2
“I will praise the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.”

Romans 1:16–17

I will never stop sharing about the love of Jesus. My fingers will still tap out a message, and my pen will still write the words of the Lord’s unfailing, unconditional, undeserved love that He lavishes upon us. It’s available to anyone who will believe in Him and confess Him as Lord.

Do you love the Lord? Then share it! Declare it to the world—in your words and your life! Live out the truth of the Gospel! Stop looking like the world and start living like Jesus!

Maybe you don’t know Jesus. Maybe you’re desperate for a love like that. You can have that today! Let me show you. Go to follow.lifeword.org. Faith in Jesus is not about what you’ve always been taught, what you’ve heard or seen from other people who profess to be Christians; it is your transformation in Christ based on His truth from His Word. Discover it for yourself!

And when you do, you’ll never get tired of sharing it.